or's

voice was a weapon, slicing through the armor I'd spent years building. But her words-they

voice low and steady despite the storm inside me. "You can p

ink you still know me?" She tilted her head, her gaze sharp enough

wolf surged forward, wanting to close the distance, to remind her of what we were. "You

tepping closer until there was barely a breath of space between us. "You felt

e a choice back then, Aria. I did it to protect you,"

raw anger beneath. "Don't you dare justify it. Don't you dare stand here and act li

eft her. But what she didn't know, what I couldn't tell her, was the truth be

with restraint. "You think it didn't kill me to leave you? To know

ility crossing her face before she buried

til I could feel the heat radiating from he

s she'd built cracking just enough to reveal the pain underneath.

ldly. "Whatever we were meant to be,

elf that all you want," I said, my voice a growl now, "but we both know it's not tru

efore she turned away, pacing to the window. The city lights framed her

ck to me. "You don't get to come back into m

een us and grabbing her wrist gently but firmly. She

" I said, my voice barely above a whisp

shed tears. "Don't," she said, her voice trembling

wolf growling in agr

nt like a hammer to glass. "Apologies for the interruption, but-" He stopped sho

pped back from me quickly, regaining her co

ly, her voice steady again. "Mr. Tho

t too polite to press the issue. "Well, I'll

n between us was unbearable now. Aria tur

thing," she said quietly

s her cheek. "It changes everything," I murmured, my voic

ing and familiar, I knew one thing with absol

t know anything. I'll say this for the last tim

r impossible to resist. "She's standing right

she squared her shoulders. "You're wrong," she whispered, h

self, my wolf acting faster than my human instinct. I reached for her, my

e rough, as I leaned in clo

e air between us, intoxicating and maddening. My wolf surged forward, and b

tween us. But before I could deepen the kiss, her palm conne

ith fury. "You don't get to do this, Connor. Yo

ck on the door interrupted us. The sound shat

her breathing ragged as she