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“Zane, that’s enough,” Malachi says firmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. His touch is meant to be calming, but it only fuels my frustration. “Let her speak. We need to hear her out.”
Our pack bond, usually a source of strength and unity, now feels strained and chaotic. Confusion, hurt, anger, and fear swirl through it, each of us contributing to the tumultuous mix. Malachi’s attempts at reason feel like a thin thread trying to hold us all together. The realization that Aria is not only an undocumented omega but also my perfect scent match feels like a cruel joke. It’s the final straw that shatters my already fragile trust.
“It’s not just that you’re an omega, Aria. It’s that you hid it, knowing you were our scent match, and now with this new law, you’ve put everything we’ve built at risk. It’s betrayal on multiple levels. Our business, our reputation, our very freedom—it’s all in jeopardy now. Do you understand the legal nightmare we’re in? How can we trust anything you say when you’ve hidden something this fundamental?”
I turn to Aria, lowering my voice dangerously. “Was any of it real, or were we just convenient protectors for an omega on the run? Did you even think about the position you were putting us in?”
“I’m sorry,” Aria says, her voice quiet but steady, despite the tears in her eyes. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I was trying to protect myself…and you.” She takes a shaky breath, squaring her shoulders slightly. “There’s so much you don’t know, and I’m afraid that once you do, everything will change.”
Dash steps closer to Aria, his usual easy-going demeanor replaced with fierce protectiveness. “Back off, guys. Can’t you see how hard this is for her? There’s got to be more to this story, and yelling isn’t going to help us hear it.”
Aria nods, swallowing hard. “There is. But it’s…it’s worse than you can imagine. He’s not just abusive, he’s…” She trails off, her eyes glazing over with fear.
Malachi’s expression remains calm, though his eyes betray his concern. “Aria,” he says, his deep voice steady and reassuring, “we need to understand the full picture here. Whatever you’re afraid of, remember that we’re stronger together. Take your time, but please, help us understand.”
Aria’s breath hitches, and for a moment, it seems like she might not answer. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she says, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” I snarl, fighting the instinct to comfort her. “It doesn’t change the fact that we’ve been unknowingly breaking the law, putting everything we’ve built at risk. We could lose everything because of you. Our business, our reputation, our freedom—it’s all on the line now. Do you understand that?”
I clench my fists, trying to control the tremor in my voice. “Your fear doesn’t justify putting us all at risk like this. We took you in and protected you, and all the while, you were hiding something that could destroy us.”
Quinn steps forward, his brow furrowed with concern. “Zane, I get why you’re upset. We all are. But can’t you see that Aria’s terrified? We need to hear her out.” He turns to Aria, his voice softening. “Aria, please. We want to help, but we can’t if we don’t know what we are up against.”
“She’s dividing us,” I say, my voice breaking. “Can’t you see that? She’s tearing us apart.”
“No, Zane. You’re the one tearing us apart right now,” Dash says quietly, his voice filled with disappointment. “Shut the fuck up and listen to her.”
I stare at him incredulously. “Listen to her? After she lied about something this crucial? Do you not understand the gravity of what she’s done?”
Dash steps forward, positioning himself slightly in front of Aria. His usual easy-going demeanor is gone, replaced by fierce determination. “Hold up, we can figure this out,” he says, his voice firm but with an edge of his characteristic optimism. “We’ll keep her designation under wraps. No one outside this room has to know.” He looks around at the others, a hint of his usual grin tugging at his lips, despite the tension. “Come on, guys. We’re the Clarke pack. If anyone can protect her and keep ourselves safe at the same time, it’s us.”
His words hit me like a physical blow. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Are you out of your mind?” I explode. “Keep it a secret? That’s not how this works! We can’t just hide an undocumented omega in our pack. It’s illegal, it’s dangerous, and it goes against everything we stand for!”
I turn to the others, my eyes pleading for them to see reason. “Don’t you get it? This isn’t just about Aria anymore. If we knowingly harbor an undocumented omega, we become criminals ourselves. Is that what you want?”
No one says a thing, so I turn my rage back to Aria. “Well, talk!”
“I—” She shakes, and a whimper slips past her lips.
I push Quinn back to keep him from going to her. She is clearly dividing us.
Her versus us.
“I’m waiting for your excuse.”
“He…” She begins to freeze, and I step forward and grip her neck.
“Tell us why,” I bark.
“He will hurt you,” she squeaks out.
I bark at her again, pushing all of my power into my words. “Tell us why.”
She bites her lips, trying to fight my bark, but she can’t. “He killed her,” Aria says, her voice barely audible. The words hang in the air, heavy and horrifying. Then, as if a dam has broken, she repeats it, her voice rising with each repetition. “He killed her! He killed her!” Her eyes go wide, reliving a nightmare. She grips the edge of the counter, knuckles white. “Sara was… She was trying to help me. And he… Noah…” She swallows hard, forcing the words out. “I had to run. If he could do that to her, what would he do to me? To anyone who tried to help me?”
The room falls silent for a moment as the weight of her words sinks in. I feel the blood drain from my face as I process what she just said.
Malachi is the first to break the silence, his voice tight with shock and realization. “Killed? Aria, are you saying the person you’re running from is a murderer?”
