Page 16 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

The fight is messy, raw, and fueled by everything I’ve been bottling up. Rook takes every blow I throw at him, deflecting and countering just enough to keep me on edge without escalating.

“Come on, Bane,” Rook says, dodging another punch. “Is this all you’ve got? Let it out!”

I growl, my movements becoming more erratic as the anger boils over. But Rook is unshakable, meeting me head-on with the same calm that’s always made him my closest ally.

Finally, I swing wide, and he steps in, grabbing my arm and twisting it behind my back.

“Enough,” Rook says, his voice low but commanding.

I breathe heavily, the fight draining out of me as I sag against his hold.

“Are you done?” Rook asks, his grip loosening.

I nod, my head hanging low.

Rook releases me and steps back, his eyes searching mine. “Feel better now? Got the tension out of your system?”

I don’t answer, my chest still heaving as I struggle to find my footing.

Chapter Six

Aria

Iwake up to the sound of my own breathing, shallow and uneven, like my lungs have forgotten how to function. The room is too bright, the sunlight streaming through the curtains is too harsh for my pounding head. It takes me a moment to realize where I am.

My bed. My room. I’m home.

The soft, familiar scent of lavender lingers in the air, and for a moment, I let myself sink into it, let it wrap around me like a safety net. But then reality comes crashing back, and the comfort is gone.

There’s a weight in my chest, heavy and suffocating, and I can’t tell if it’s anger, shame, or something worse. I clutch at the blanket, and the fabric is rough against my skin. Maybe this will somehow erase what happened.

The door burst open, and before I can react, Maeve, my maid, rushes in. Her face is pale, her wide eyes glistening with tears as she throws herself down at my bedside.

“You’re awake!” she exclaims, her voice trembling. “Oh, Miss Aria, we were so worried!”

I blink at her, still caught in the fog of my thoughts.

“Are you okay?” She grabs my hand, holding it tightly like she’s afraid I might disappear again. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through? WhatI’vebeen through? We thought… we thought…” Her voice cracks, and she swipes angrily at her tears.

I stare at her, trying to find the words to calm her down, but nothing comes. I can’t seem to form a coherent sentence. All I can think about is the ache in my chest, the way it feels like something inside me has cracked wide open.

Maeve takes my silence as an invitation to continue her tirade.

“How could they take you like that? What kind of monsters kidnap an innocent woman? And why didn’t you fight back?” Her voice rises with every question. “You’re lucky to be alive! Who knows what they—”

“Maeve.” My voice is hoarse, barely above a whisper.

She freezes, her gaze snapping to mine, and her expression softens. “Oh, Miss Aria.”

I swallow hard, forcing the lump in my throat down. “I’m fine.”

The words taste like lies, but I don’t know what else to say.

Maeve’s grip on my hand tightens, her eyes scanning my face. “Are you sure? Did they… did they hurt you?”

Her voice is small now, and I can see the worst-case scenarios playing out in her mind.

I shake my head. “No. They didn’t hurt me.”

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