<b>Chapter </b><b>55 </b>


    Aria’s POV


    I couldn’t believe Grayson’s first love was also from Frostpine.


    But that girl couldn’t possibly be me.


    First of all, I didn’t remember ever living in Europe with my mom.


    And second, I definitely wasn’t some kind of noble.


    “They never tried to find that girl again?” I asked, With the tail family’s resources, finding anyone should be a piece of cake


    “Of course they tried. But the moment she and her mother entered Frostple Pack, they vanished,” Zane shrugged. “Guess they realized how much of a mess Grayson was and didn’t want to be part of it


    Bitterness tightened in my chest. “So he lost her and then met in college?”


    “Yeah. Their spark was intense. You wouldn’t believe how fast they fell in love. It was crazy<b>. </b>Within a year, they were madly in love, moved in together, got engaged, and married. All the stuff that takes other couples five years? They did it in one.”


    I knew I was torturing myself listening to this love story, but I couldn’t stop. “With their money and power, that should’ve been a huge, <b>fairy</b>–tale wedding But why have I never heard of Alpha Grayson being married?”


    “I wanted to keep it low–key. She didn’t like shy stuff. So they only invited only a handful of close friends and family. I was there. It was small, <b>but </b>honestly, you could feel the love in the room. At least back then.”


    I stayed <b>silent</b>, because I knew where this was going


    “But not long after the wedding, things went downhill Fast. Their fights were so explosive, all of their friends knew. The way they loved hard? That’s exactly how hard they shed too<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    “What did they fight about?”


    He gave a helpless <b>shrug</b>: “Everything. From what teacups to <b>use</b><b>, </b>to where they should live, I’s scent helped calm him a little, but not enough. His mood <b>swings </b>were still <b>spiraling</b>. Barely <b>2 </b>years in, she couldn’t take it anymore and asked for a divorce.


    “And what did he <b>do</b><b>?</b>” It must be devastated. Considering how much he loved her.


    “No clue what he felt deep down. But on the surface <b>he </b>kept it cool. He agreed right away. Said he’d rather set her free than keep her miserable. Even till today he’s still paying <b>her </b>a massive amount of alimony.”


    Jlet out a dryugh.


    Wow. He must’ve loved her like crazy.


    Loved her so <b>much </b><b>he’d </b>rather suffer than trap her.


    And then look at how he treated me. All control<b>, </b>thyeats, and power ys. There was no love in it. None


    Zane must’ve seen the change in my expression, He gently squeezed my hand. “Don’t let that asshole make you feel like <b>you’re </b>not enough. As you can see, the guy doesn’t even know how to love sorfoone properly”


    “Yeah, I know,” I whispered.


    The only girl who might’ve truly matched him was that childhood crush. But she disappeared. And every <b>woman </b>who came alter <b>her</b>–including me—just wasn’t good enough in his <b>eyes</b>.


    We stayed cramped in that hot truck for another 3 or 4 hours. Just when it felt like everyone was about to snap from exhaustion, the <b>truck </b>fruity the highway.


    We stopped. David came to open the doors,


    “Congrats guys. We’ve arrived,” he said.


    We helped transfer my grandma from the cot to a wheelchair and rolled her <b>out </b>of the truck


    And right away, the fresh air bit us like a blessing


    This ce was clearly far away from any big cities. All I could see were endless mountains and thick forests. It was ridiculously green and beautiful if you were looking for a ce to disappear, this <b>was </b>il


    “Whoa,” May breathed looking around. Some color returned to her pale face. “This ce is amazing


    “I know,” Zane said, smiling. He pointed to a tall mountain in the distance, “Our hi importantly<b>, </b>it’spletely, one hundred percent safe.”


    i hideout is just past that ridge. It’s a small, perfect pack. And more


    So… how long


    are we <b>staying</b>!” May asked.


    “Until the outside world calms down. I’d guess anywhere between three weeks to two months. Don’t worry, the ce maybe semote, but it’s fully equipped. No caveman life for us.


    May and I exchanged a look andughed. “Living in a ce like this… we might never want to leave.”


    Zane said he was


    was going to check if the boat picking us up had arrived. I stayed behind with May and Grandma.


    I dug a <bb </b>from my backpack and started gently braiding Grandma’s tangled hair. She looked so much better already, like just being out of that awful nursing home gave her life <b>again</b>,


    “<b>Hey</b>… did you tell your dad you’re leaving? May leaned in and asked.


    “No,” said quietly.


    “Are you going to?”


    I took a deep breath. “No. I don’t think so.”


    When I brought Grandma to Red Stone Pack a few years ago, my dad had chosen to stay behind in Frostpine Pack. He was toofortable with his mess of a life–drinking, gambling, not having to do nothing useful.


    We never cut contactpletely. Every now and <b>then</b>, he’d call me asking for money to pay off his debts. If I didn’t help, he’d threaten toe to where


    lived and make a scene.


    I’d never been able to save anything. All my money either went to <b>Grandma’s </b>care <b>or </b>paying off my dad’s mistakes.


    But that stops now.


    “I <b>think </b>I’m gonna <b>run</b>… I should run from everything, you know?” I told May “My mom ran away and dumped all th for being selfish. But I still carried everything she lyft behind. But now I’m done, I think I deserve a brand new life”


    “Damn right you <b>do</b>.” May hugged me hard. “You deserve the best.”


    That’s when Zane came jogging back, <b>waving </b>it us


    “Hey! Boat’s here! Time to go!” he cried.


    We pushed Grandma’s wheelchair and followed him,


    nsibility on me thated her


    Chapter <b>55 </b>


    After a short walk along a rocky forest path, we reached the edge of a like. A deek catamaran was docked, waiting for us.


    “My guy will take us the rest of the way by watre. We’ll need to spend one night onboard. Tim sorry it’s been such a long journey, but were a


    Zane told us


    “You’ve done so much already. Anything we can help with?


    “Yeah, Aria, can you help me get the bags onboard?”


    “Of course.”


    We loaded the luggage and Grandma’s medicine onto the boat. It was quiet onboard–too quiet. All I could hear was the gentle sloshing of water and wind rustling through the trees. There didn’t seem to be anyone else aboard.


    “That’s weird. Where is he?” Zane mittered, heading toward the cockpit. “<b>Carlos </b>Don’t bezy ass,e out and give us a hand!”


    I followed him inside.


    Just ahead, the sliding cockpit door opened. A man stepped out.


    I knew instantly he wasn’t Zane’s guy.


    First because he carried a dangerously regal aura. The kind that screamed alpha and made your blood freeze.


    Second… he looked exactly like Zane. Red hair. Blue eyes.


    “Hello there.”


    The man smiled, and it was the creepiest damn thing I’d ever seen.


    “Not


    ona hi to your big brother?”


    <b>Zane </b>froze for two whole seconds. Then suddenly wheeled <b>around </b>and shouted:


    “<b>Aria</b>–RUN!!!


    I didn’t wait for him <b>to </b><b>say </b>it again. I spun on my heels and bolted out of <b>the </b>cabin.


    “May!


    May!” I screamed to her and Grandma up on the dock. “Run! Get out of here! It’s not safe


    A hand mped over my mouth from behind.


    I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.


    That tall, powerful body. The way his muscr chest pressed against my back. The cold scent of pine woods in the air around me.


    His voice brushed my ear like a racor


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