I laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it. “Since when do you go out of your way for your subordinates? At the last full moon feast, you sulked and left early because you claimed you weren’t feeling well. I didn’t even question it. But now, you’re going above and beyond for her?”
I could hear soft sobs in the background—Selena’s sobs.
Her voice was as carefully fragile as she could make it. “Nicho, maybe I should leave. I don’t want to cause trouble between you and Selena.”
Nicho growled low, the protective tone in his voice sharp. “No one’s leaving, selena. Don’t listen to her.”
My chest tightened at the sound of his growl. He hadn’t used that tone for me in years.
I took a deep breath, forcing my emotions down. “Fine, Nicho. You’re right. My mistake for asking. Don’t worry—I’ve already left. You don’t need to come back for me.”
I ended the call, silencing the protests forming on his lips.
Aria’s POV
Nicho’ questioning tone faded as my cool, indifferent response silenced him. His breath hitched, but I didn’t wait for a reply. Ending the call, I leaned back in the passenger seat, staring out at the darkened forest as the car sped toward my pack’s territory.
The moment I stepped out of the car, my wolf stirred uneasily. The moon was high, its glow casting silver light over the treetops. It felt like it was watching me, as if it knew the turmoil in my heart. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me back. Nicho' work group chat had erupted. The unread message count had skyrocketed.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened it. The first thing I saw was a photo Selena had posted—a photo of Nicho kneeling to fix her cabin’s wiring, his shirt clinging to him from the effort. My wolf growled low in my chest.
“Who else has an Alpha this considerate?” Selena’s caption read. “I’d devote my life to the pack’s prosperity! Can I sign a lifetime contract?”
Below her message were a flood of replies from the pack's enforcers and betas.
“I’ve never seen Alpha Nicho like this. The stories about him being a perfectionist don’t hold up here!”
“Look at those arms. I bet he could fix a lot more than just wiring.”
“Selena, quit rubbing it in. We all know you’re the future Luna!”