Aria’s POV

The next day, I went to my small law firm with Jackson.

"Jackson, that small office next door is yours," I said, my hand resting on his shoulder. "I’ve had someone bring over the textbooks you need. You can study there, focus... and do your self-study normally."

He flinched at first, his eyes flicking to mine. But when he saw my smile, he relaxed a fraction. My wolf nudged me forward with pride.

Just as I was about to leave, a tentative tug stopped me.

"But... what about my dad and mom?" Jackson’s voice wavered. My chest tightened.

I crouched slightly to meet his anxious gaze. His scent carried worry, fear, and longing, everything my wolf picked up instantly. I inhaled it, steadying myself.

"In a few days. Once you testify, we’ll make sure you find your parents as quickly as possible." I spoke firmly. My wolf rumbled low in my chest, impatient and protective.

Last night, after finally putting the Richard and Sophia situation to rest, I had the luxury of time to talk to Jackson. The truth was heavy. Tyler and Talia had been taken from their home by someone, Patrick’s’s people, without a doubt.

Jackson had tried calling. No answer. Only Tyler had appeared later, at Clarence’s funeral, to testify for Patrick. Talia had vanished completely.

Patrick’s actions weren’t just cruel, they were criminal. Intimidation, threats and unlawful imprisonment... every instinct in me wanted to tear him down.

"Thank you. I’ll definitely cooperate fully," Jackson said, stepping into the small office I’d arranged. My chest warmed with an unexpected pride as I watched him disappear behind the door.

Patrick had no idea how dirty I could play or how far my wolf would go in retaliation.

A sudden, loud voice jolted me.

"Aria! Come outside and look! Your ‘sister’ has come to apologize!"

Chloe bounded up to me, Gothic platform boots clacking against the floor, full of energy and mischief.

"Sophia? She’s right outside?" I asked, frowning, a chill crawling up my spine. My wolf snarled quietly, alerting me that this was no ordinary apology.

Chloe grinned and winked, pointing out the window. My senses twitched at the sound of movement down there as I looked down. A crowd had gathered outside, tension in the air.

I let my eyes sweep the ground floor. Sophia’s sharp, calculated pulse mingling with fear and confidence. My wolf growled softly. Sophia’s presence was deliberate and predatory.

What was she plotting?

Chloe rubbed her chin, smirking. "She’s definitely up to no good. So... are you going down? If not, I’ll chase her away myself."

I exhaled slowly, letting my wolf take over just enough to steady my heartbeat. The human part of me weighed the social implications, the legal ones. But the wolf part wanted only to confront her.

"Since she’s here, let’s see what this is about," I said, letting my expression smooth into neutrality.

Chloe bounced downstairs with glee, and I followed silently.

The moment we stepped onto the ground floor, the crowd’s attention snapped to us. Reporters, spectators, everyone’s eyes locked onto us. My wolf bristled at the excitement in the air, the tension, the scent of anticipation.

"They’re here!" someone shouted.

I stood with my arms crossed, watching Sophia wail and sob in a performance so desperate it reeked of fear and scheming. My wolf stirred under my skin, smelling the lies, sensing the hesitation in her movements, the way her pulse raced with calculated guilt.

Sophia bit her lip, fighting to maintain the act. She forced herself to lift her head and meet my eyes.

"Aria, you’ve misunderstood everything about me," she said, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind.

I raised a single brow, my expression cool, indifferent, almost bored. My wolf flicked its ears, ears honed to every quiver of her tone, every shift in her scent. She’s trying, but she’s sloppy. She smells fear and deceit in equal measure.

"Oh?" I replied lightly, letting the single word hang like a blade in the air.

Her composure faltered. Sophia’s eyes glistened, and a tremor ran through her body. Two streams of fake tears ran down her cheeks.

"What happened yesterday... it’s not what you think!" she cried.

She launched into the story, painting herself as a helpless bystander, watching me in the restaurant, seeing me sway after drinking that water... following me, worrying for my safety, orchestrating a rescue attempt behind the scenes.

Every detail was crafted to tug at the human part of me. But my wolf’s nose twitched. I could smell the residue of guilt in her scent, coated with manipulation, a layer of fear that wasn’t hers. I heard the lie in her heartbeat.

She stepped forward, reaching for my hand. My reflexes were sharp. I dodged instinctively.

Her hand recoiled, and she immediately slumped into a pitiful pose, trying to mask the shame and fear as humility.

"I know you don’t want to forgive us," she said, her words rehearsed and heavy with false sincerity. "Mom and Dad are kind-hearted. They only wanted to make me feel secure... it doesn’t mean they don’t love you."

My temples ached, not from sympathy, but from the sheer audacity of her rhetoric. My wolf snarled beneath my skin, smelling every bit of deceit. I rubbed my temples, hiding the disgust in my eyes for a moment before lowering my hand. My expression hardened back into stone-cold indifference. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Let’s put everything else aside for now," I said, my voice steady and clipped. "What are you here for this time?"