Page 17 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

It’s not entirely true. My body isn’t bruised or broken, but there’s a pain I can’t explain, cutting through me like glass.

Maeve exhales a shaky breath, but her relief is short-lived. Her gaze sharpens, and she stands abruptly. “I’m telling your father you’re awake.”

“No!” I grab her wrist, my fingers digging into her skin. “Don’t. Please.”

Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she looks scared. Of me.

“Miss Aria…”

“I’m fine,” I repeat. “There’s no need to call father yet.”

But it’s too late. Before either of us can say another word, the door swings open again, and my father walks in, as commanding as ever.

Maeve pulls away from me, mumbling something about fetching tea, and scurries out of the room.

My father’s gaze lands on me, and the stern lines of his face soften ever so slightly. He crosses the room in a few long strides and sits down at the edge of my bed, his hand reaching out to touch my forehead like he used to when I was a child.

“You’re warm,” he says. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” I answer automatically.

His eyes narrow, and his expression hardens. “Did they hurt you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” His voice sharpens, and I can see the storm brewing behind his eyes. “Because if those barbarians laid so much as a finger on you—”

“They didn’t,” I cut him off. “Nothing happened. I’m fine.”

His jaw tightens, and he looks away for a moment, his hands clenching into fists on his lap. When he speaks again, his voice is low.

“I’ll kill them,” he mutters. “Every last one of them. That Alpha and his pack of animals—they’ll pay for this. They’ll pay for taking you, for eventhinkingthey could touch you.”

I want to argue, to tell him to let it go, but the words die in my throat. What could I possibly say? That the man he’s so eager to destroy didn’t hurt me? That he was gentle, kind, even? That he made me feel something I can’t even begin to understand? That I was writhing on his bed begging for more?

My chest tightens, and a tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it.

“Aria?” My father’s hand reach for mine. “What is it? Did they—”

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, swiping at my cheek. “I’m just tired.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t push.

“How did I get here?” I ask.

“You were found in your hotel room,” he answers clipped. “Unconscious. We brought you back here as soon as we could.”

Hotel room. The words feel wrong.

Bane’s face flashes in my mind, his dark and unreadable eyes, his soft and searing touch.

This was a mistake… A stupid mistake.His voice repeats in my head.

I take a shaky breath, forcing the words away. “I see.”

“They had no right to take you,” he mutters, more to himself than to me. He clenches his hand into a fist on his knee. “Those fucking animals. Barbarians. I’ll make them pay for this. Every one of them.”

“Don’t,” I say, surprising both of us with the firmness in my voice.

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