Chapter <b>17 </b>
Aria’s POV
“No<b>… </b>stop.
I finally forced the words out between my teeth.
“We barely even started.” his voice was cold <b>as </b>ice.
“No, I’m begging you. Please, <b>make </b>it stop.” I clutched his <b>hand</b>, <b>shaking</b>.
He paused. Then <b>said</b>, “Nova<b>, </b><b>take </b>him out.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
His hand was still covering my eyes. I heard footsteps, the sound of someone being dragged. <b>And </b>then silence.
When he finally let go, the officer was gone.
Only a faint smear of blood remained on the floor.
vaf
1 flinched <b>again</b>, but Grayson pulled me into his arms
“Let’s go.”
My legs felt weak, but I followed him as we walked out of the station. On our <b>way </b><b>out</b>, I noticed the looks people were giving us—every single one filled with fear and awe
We went to the door. But instead of his silver Rolls–Royce, what was waiting outside… was a helicopter.
1 stared,pletely stunned, as he picked me up and helped me <b>inside</b><b>. </b>
“Why the helicopter<b>?</b>” <b>I </b>asked.
“I was a bit far from where you were,” he said simply.
“Alpha wanted to get here ASAP” Nova added with a grin as <b>she </b>climbed in behind us. “By the time I managed to sneak into the dinner. it was alreadyte. And that ce <b>is </b>at least three or four hours from the city by car. He couldn’t wait that long. A chopper was the fastest option. The old Alpha, <b>Luna</b>, and a bunch of high–ranking guests were all there–but the second <b>Alpha </b>heard about you, he walked out. Didn’t care what anyone said.”
“Nova” <b>Grayson </b>cut her off warningly.
She zipped her lips with a finger and faced forward.
“Will this cause problems for you?” I asked quietly, worried. “That dinner sounded… important.”
“That’s <b>not </b>your concern,” he said calmly, absentmindedly twirling <b>a </b><b>strand </b>of my hair between his fingers.
The helicopter flew through the night sky. The city below sparkled like <b>a </b>sea of neon, breathtaking and <b>surreal</b>, I’d never seen skyline <b>from </b>this high up<b>, </b><b>and </b>for a moment, I just leaned against the window,pletely mesmerized.
the
“You like it?” he asked behind me.
“Yeah I’ve barely flown in my life.” I was just <b>a </b><b>small</b>–town girl. The only time I’d ever been on a ne was when I left Frostpine <b>Pack </b>four years ago.
“I’ll take you flying myself one day,” he said
I looked <b>up </b>at him, surprised.
One <b>day</b>.
1 liked how that sounded.
9:47 AM
Chapter <b>17 </b>
Like we had time.
Like this was more than just a c
a contract
“But for now, we’rending.”
The chopper hovered for a moment, then descended onto the hilltop beside his vi.
I was exhausted. All I <b>could </b>think about was grabbing a sandwich and some warm milk, taking a hot <b>bath</b>, and crashing face–first into bed.
But the moment we stepped out of the helicopter, I heard a familiar <b>voice </b>screaming from inside the house:
“LET GO OF <b>ME</b>–get your filthy hands off I’m Delh Hart, you omega scum!”
1 froze.
Grayson gave Nova a subtle nod, and she gently tugged my hand. “Miss Collins, this way<b>. </b>
She led me toward the side. I nced <b>back </b>and saw Grayson striding straight through the front doors.
*What’s going <b>on</b>?” I whispered. “Aren’t we going inside?”
“Oh, we <b>will</b>. Through the side entrance so nobody can see us,” Nova replied. “Things are about to get… ugly. <b>Alpha </b>doesn’t want <b>you </b><b>caught </b>in the middle of it.”
She took me through the side, up a hallway, and then into an open balcony overlooking the grand hall. She pulled aside a gauzy curtain and gestured for me to look down.
What I saw made me cover my mouth in shock
Delh was being held down by several guards in front of Grayson. Her hair <b>was </b>a mess, her clothes disheveled, and her face streaked with tears.
“What the hell happened?” I whispered.
“<b>Lady </b>Delh’s little ‘prank earlier <b>today </b>pissed Alpha off. She’s in serious trouble, Nova whispered back.
“But they’re siblings.
<b>Nova </b>gave me a smirk. “The Hart siblings aren’t like normal siblings.
Just then, I heard Delh yelling, her voice <b>shrill </b>and furious:
*Grayson, have you lost your damn mind?! It’s the full moon banquet and you drag me out in front of everyone like a criminal–what the hell are <b>you </b>trying to do?!”
“<b>You </b>did <b>a </b>stupid thing. There are consequences, Grayson said coldly.
Delh squirmed furiously. “I know why you’re doing this. It’s that damn assistant of yours. <b>You </b>are getting <b>back </b>at me for her. God, <b>how </b>the hell did she get to you-?”
“Delh Hart,” he said, voice like a de, slicing the air. “<b>Push </b>me any further, and it’ll getawhole lot worse.”
<b>Delh </b>mped her mouth shut and burst into sobs.
An older wolf with gray hair stepped forward to stand beside her
“<b>Alpha </b>Grayson,” he <b>said </b>politely. The old <b>Alpha </b>and Luna sent me with Lady Delh to better understand the situation. Regardless, Delh is the heiress of Redstone Pack. Punishing her over a minor offense seems… unwise.”
“This isn’t minor,” Grayson snapped. “She brought a maniptive, power<b>–</b>hungry idiot into our family and <b>has </b>been defying me over and over because of him. Let this slide, and she’ll destroy everything the Hart family stands for,”
The elder sighed. “And what punishment <b>does </b>Alpha intend to <b>give </b>Lady Delh?”
“Ten <bshes</b>. <b>And </b>one month of house arrest.”
Gasps echoed around the <b>hall</b>.
Delh’s eyes went wide with tears. “That’s crazy. Mommy and Daddy didn’t even hit me before! Elder Russell, tell him he can’t do this -I’m supposed to travel to Europe with Jace for the summit. He can’t lock me up!
“Two months,” Grayson growled. “<b>Time </b>away from that man will do you good.”
Elder Russell stepped in again. “Alpha, physical punishment is unnecessary, Delh is still your sister–please don’t humiliate her like <b>this</b>.
“Then maybe next <b>time </b>she’ll think twice before humiliating someone else,” Grayson <b>said </b>coldly.
“You’re doing this <b>to </b>avenge her!” Delh cried, sobbing. I swear<b>, </b>I didn’t really <b>hurt </b>her–Leven like her a little! It <b>was </b><b>all </b>just <b>a </b>stupid joke! I was going to tell the cops to let her go <b>even </b>if you <b>hadn’t </be–I swear!”
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
Before I even realized what I was doing. I threw the <b>curtain </b>open and ran out.
Aria, no- Nova tried to stop <b>me</b>, but I was <b>already </b>halfway down the stairs.
-Stop!”
I rushed between Grayson and Delh, shielding her with my body. “<b>Wait</b>, please. You don’t have to do this.”
Grayson’s jaw <b>clenched</b>, fury zing in his eyes.
“Who <b>said </b>you coulde down here?” he growled at me.
“She’s telling the <b>truth</b>,” I said quickly. “She didn’t really hurt me. I’ve been through worse in <b>public </b>school. I wasn’t injured anyway. So isn’t tenshes too bit much?”
“Yeah, listen to her Grayson,” Delh sobbed from behind me.
Grayson suddenly grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. I winced from the pain.
That’s when Elder Russell spoke up. “So this is your assistant, Alpha Grayson<b>? </b><b>I </b>don’t believe I’ve met her. Would you mind introducing
“There’s <b>no </b>need,” Grayson growled.
“But I’m <b>sure </b>the old Alpha and Luna would be very curious to know who she is.”
“Then I’ll tell <b>them </b>it’s none of their <b>business</b>,” he snapped. Then turned to the <b>guards</b>. “Tenshes. Now, Lock her in the dark room after.
But he wasn’t listening anymore.
He pulled me with him, storming off down the <b>hallway</b>.
I stumbled behind him, barely able to keep up. When I tripped and nearly fell, he just scooped me up and stormed faster.
He pushed open the door to my room and threw me inside. Then mmed the <b>door </b>shut behind us.
“What the fuck made you think you have a say in <b>thi </b>
He had me pinned to the wall in seconds, <b>his </b>hand on my <b>throat</b>, his eyes zing with fury.
“<b>Who </b>the hell do you <b>think </b><b>you </b>are?!”