Beta Kole Park:

The carriage came to a slow halt.

The wheels crunched softly against the gravel as the horses stilled. The estate stood ahead, familiar, unchanged, and just as imposing as she remembered.

Aire didn’t move immediately.

Her gaze remained forward.

The gates had opened the moment her carriage was recognized. The door opened.

A man stood outside, already bowing.

"My Luna." he said, almost respectfully but Aire could still hear the disgust and hesitation in his voice.

She knew he couldn’t imagine calling her Luna.

Aire reached forward and placed her hand in his. She stepped down gracefully. The ground felt different beneath her feet.

Her gaze lifted slowly, taking in the estate. Nothing had changed. And yet, everything had.

Behind her, Beta Rhys stepped down as well. He said nothing, but his presence remained silent, and steady.

He had offered to join her with Alaric’s protection. She didn’t need it, but she let

Aire moved forward. She didn’t wait to be announced and didn’t ask for permission.

She walked into the house.

The guards at the entrance stiffened the moment they saw her, stepping aside immediately.

No one stopped her, or dared. Although, they could say they never believed she was Luna now until they saw her up close.

She walked through the halls like she had once done before but this time, she wasn’t invisible.

Her steps echoed softly against the stone floor.

"Aire."

A rough familiar sharp voice called at her.

Aire didn’t stop.

Behind her, footsteps followed.

"Have you lost your mind?"

That made Beta Rhys’ gaze shift slightly.

Aire kept walking. "Don’t follow me further." She simply whispered to Beta Rhys, and kept on walking.

"You have some high death wish coming here." Beta Kole said furiously. "Where’s your precious mate to protect you?"

Aire slowed slightly, but she didn’t turn. She didn’t respond, and just continued walking.

Behind her, Beta Kole’s jaw tightened.

Her silence and her complete disregard struck deeper than any reply.

"Aire." He snapped.

Still, she said nothing.

She moved down the corridor like he didn’t exist. That pushed him. His steps quickened, and his anger sharpened.

"You think you can walk in here like nothing happened?" he demanded.

He got no response.

"You deny me a seat at the council, and then you come here?"

Still nothing.

His hand clenched.

The audacity of it. The arrogance of her ignoring him burned his skin. Even worse, he hated the calmness from her.

By the time she reached the door to his study, his patience had snapped.

"What are you thinking?"

His hand shot forward. He grabbed her arm hard, and pulled her back.

Aire stopped walking slowly. She turned. Her gaze dropped briefly to his hand gripping her arm. Then she lifted her other hand.

Her fingers twisted. It was a small movement, almost delicate and barely noticeable.

However, Beta Kole froze.

The pain hit him instantly. The pain was sharp and violent. It tore through his arm first, then spread all over him.

His bones twisted. It felt like something inside him had been grabbed and turned.

His grip loosened on her immediately. A strangled sound left his throat.

He stumbled back. His knees nearly gave out at the pain. His jaw slackened as his body fought to heal. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The pain lingered just long enough to leave an impression, and to leave fear in him.

Aire watched him, calm and unmoved.

Beta Kole straightened slowly, his breath uneven.

His arm twitched once. He healed immediately, and his eyes locked on her, wide and uncertain.

He took a step forward, carefully. Testing her.

Aire gaze met him. Her gaze was steady and cold. "Think twice," she said so softly, yet strong. "Everyone has bad moments," she continued. "Don’t make me show you what I can do."

Silence fell between them, heavy and uncomfortable.

Beta Kole didn’t move.

He couldn’t. Not because he wasn’t capable, but because something in him said don’t.

His mind raced.

That day in the castle. She had stood there, quiet and still. She hadn’t fought back and hadn’t spoken much.

She has never spoken much.

He had almost struck her, and she had done nothing. Until Nate stepped in.

But this wasn’t that girl. This was something else.

"What are you?" he asked.

The question came out lower than he intended.

Aire didn’t answer.

She turned away. She pushed the door to his study open, walked in, and closed it behind her.

The room was exactly as she remembered. Nothing had changed. The shelves, the desk, and the faint scent of parchment and old ink remained the same.

Aire stood still for a moment.

Her gaze moved slowly across the room. It stopped on the shelf.

Her fingers twitched faintly.

FLASHBACK:

She had been tired and exhausted. Her arms ached as she reached up, wiping the dust from the higher shelves.

The cloth in her hand moved slowly.

Her body dragged with each step. No one noticed, and no one had cared.

Her fingers brushed against something, a single parchment. She paused, and pulled it out slightly.

It was a document, old and sealed.

Aire frowned faintly. She glanced toward the door.

She turned it slightly in her hand. It was a will.

Her breath caught. She hadn’t meant to read it. She hadn’t even opened it yet. She just held it, wondering who owned it.

She held it for a second longer than she should have.

The door burst open. The sound slammed into the room. Before she could react, he was standing before her.

Beta Kole crossed the room in seconds.

His hand shot out. He grabbed the will from her.

"What do you think you’re doing?" he yelled.

His voice thundered.

Aire stumbled back. "I—I was just—"

The words didn’t finish. He shoved her, and she hit the ground. Pain shot through her knees.

Before she could recover, his hand struck her with a sharp, brutal backhand slap. Her head snapped to the side.

The taste of blood filled her mouth instantly.

Her nose stung as blood began to drip.

She didn’t cry, or scream as she was used to it. She stayed there on her knees, quiet and small.

He looked down at her like she was nothing. "Don’t touch what isn’t yours," he said coldly.

PRESENT DAY:

Aire blinked.

The memory faded, and the room returned to her sight. She had come here specially for that will.

She needed to see her father’s will to believe he actually didn’t love her enough to leave her with something.

Her fingers curled slightly at her side. Then she relaxed.

She walked forward, toward the same shelf from years ago. Her gaze didn’t waver.

Whatever he had taken from her that day, she hadn’t forgotten, and she hadn’t forgiven him. Not even a little.