Alina’s POV

A smirk tugged at my lips. This was exactly what I loved to see—the pure shock written all over Emily’s face. It sent a warm rush of satisfaction through me.

"Aiden, you just laid your hands on me... because of that woman," Emily said. Her voice cracked with pain, and my smirk only grew wider.

"Emily, I... I didn’t mean to," Aiden stammered. "I told you to stop hitting her. She’s in pain and I—" He stepped closer, reaching out, but she shoved him back hard.

Emily spun toward me. I flashed her a quick, evil grin. The second I felt Aiden’s eyes on me, I dropped it and replaced it with a soft, pitiful look, my shoulders slumping.

"You will regret laying your hands on me," she hissed. Then she turned and stormed off.

"Emily, I’m sorry! Emily, wait!" Aiden called, hurrying after her.

I pushed myself up from the floor. My fingers brushed my forehead and came away sticky with blood. It didn’t matter. Aiden had hit her. That alone made my chest feel light. I was satisfied.

The maids rushed in and started cleaning the mess. One of them looked at me with worried eyes.

"Luna, are you okay?"

"I’m alright," I said softly. "But don’t call me Luna. I’m not the pack’s Luna anymore." I gave her a small, tired smile.

"You will always be our Luna," she replied, her voice thick with emotion. "You were the best person we ever had. We missed you so much. You treated us like people, not garbage. But she... she treats us like worthless slaves." Her eyes shimmered. "You can’t imagine how excited we all were when we heard you were coming back. We hope you’ll stay for good."

The other maids nodded, their faces full of the same hope and sadness.

I swallowed hard. "I’m just here to do my duty. It’s not a permanent stay. If you’ll excuse me..." I forced another smile and walked away.

The moment I was out of their sight, the smile slipped from my face. My steps felt heavy as I headed to my room. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the first aid kit in front of me, and slowly started cleaning my wound.

"We can self-heal," my wolf stirred inside me.

"I know," I whispered. "But I don’t want to. For years, Emily has shown him only her weak side. She always plays the victim. I never fought back because I knew my time here was limited. But now... I will do the same to her. I will make her leave this house."

Just then, a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," I said.

Aiden stepped inside. Concern filled his eyes. His scent hit me stronger than ever—sweet, warm, and strangely comforting. My heart gave a small, unwanted flutter.

"I’m sorry this happened to you," Aiden said softly. "I’ve spoken to Emily. I promise this mistake won’t happen again."

I gave him a faint smile. "I’ve known for the longest time that she doesn’t like me. So I understand... she must have felt insecure seeing her husband having breakfast with his ex-wife. I truly get it."

He moved closer and sat beside me on the bed. Gently, he took the bandage from my hand and pressed it carefully over my wound. For a long moment, our eyes stayed locked. The air felt thick between us. He started leaning in, like he wanted to kiss me.

"Thank you," I whispered, turning my face away just in time.

Aiden pulled back. "I should leave." He paused at the door. "Alina, please understand that you are also important to this pack. It’s not just about stability."

I gave him another faint smile as he left. The moment the door clicked shut, my smile vanished. I stood up and started pacing around the room, my heart beating fast. There was no time to waste. I had my wolf now. I needed to use her.

***

It was already past midnight. Surprisingly, Emily hadn’t sent any taunts my way. Leo’s scars had started fading. I just needed to hold on a little longer until they disappeared completely.

Then I heard a soft sound at the window. His scent drifted in—warm, familiar, and wild. A big smile spread across my face. I rushed to the window and opened it.

"Alina," Lucian breathed, staring at me with hungry eyes.

Without another word, he pulled me into a deep, desperate kiss. I kissed him back just as hard, my fingers gripping his shirt. Heat rushed through my whole body.

"You shouldn’t be here," I whispered between kisses. "You’re in their territory."

He didn’t listen. His lips moved against mine with raw need.

"I don’t care about that," he growled softly. "I missed you so much." He nipped at my neck, and a small whimper escaped my lips. "I need you."

In one smooth move, he lifted me up and laid me on the bed. My heart raced. This was dangerous—anyone could walk in—but I didn’t care. I wanted him too. I grabbed his face and kissed him desperately.

"Lucian," I said, pushing him back lightly, breathing hard. "Let’s not have sex, okay? It’s not the right place for that."

Hunger burned in his eyes, but he smiled and nodded. He pulled me up into a tight hug, wrapping his strong arms around me like he never wanted to let go.

"I missed you so much, Alina," he murmured against my hair, squeezing me even tighter. "You have no idea how hard it is for me to stay away from you."

I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his warm scent. My arms wrapped around him just as tightly. For the first time in days, I felt safe.

"I missed you too," I whispered, my voice shaking a little. "Every single night I lie here wondering if you’re okay."

Lucian pulled back just enough to look at me. His eyes were dark with emotion—love, worry, and that wild hunger he was trying to control. He brushed a strand of hair from my face with gentle fingers, like I might break.