Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 151

Chapter 151

Chapter 151

ARIA

Finished

I woke early, though woke wasn’t quite the right word since that implied I’d actually been sleeping. In reality. I’d spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, listening to Kael’s steady breathing beside me, counting the minutes until dawn when I’d have to face whatever Sera had planned.

The clock on the bedside table read 6:07 AM. Early enough that most of the pack would still be sleeping, but late enough that being awake wouldn’t seem completely abnormal. I lay there for another few minutes, listening to the clock tick, feeling Kael’s warmth beside me, trying to memorize this moment of peace before everything fell apart.

But staying in bed while my mind raced wasn’t doing me any favors. The anxiety was building with each passing second, constricting my chest, making it hard to breathe. I needed to move. Needed to do something other than lie here waiting for the axe to fall.

Carefully, trying not to disturb Kael, I slipped out of bed. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake, just rolled over and continued sleeping. I dressed quickly in comfortable clothes-nothing fancy, just practical wear suitable for walking—and left the guest quarters as quietly as possible.

The compound was mostly quiet at this hour. A few early risers were already moving about their duties, but the main activity of the day hadn’t begun yet. I walked without direction at first, just needing to move, to be outside these walls where I could breathe.

But as I walked, I realized where my feet were taking me. Through the familiar paths of Blackwood territory. Past places I remembered from my years here. The compound looked the same but felt different -or maybe I was different, and that changed how I perceived it.

Some pack members were starting to emerge for their morning routines. A few recognized me-I saw the moment of awareness in their eyes, the confusion about how to react. They were torn between greeting me as they had when I’d lived here, and acknowledging me as Luna of Shadowmere. The uncertainty showed on their faces as they offered hesitant nods or mumbled greetings that could have been directed at either version of me.

But some weren’t uncertain at all. Some were angry. I saw it in the way certain people’s expressions hardened when they saw me. In the way they deliberately turned away or crossed the street to avoid passing too close. In the whispered conversations that started as soon as they thought I was out of earshot.

“That’s her. The reason Alpha Damon is in prison.”

“She’s the one who caused all this chaos.”

“Coming back here like she’s someone important. Like she didn’t destroy our Alpha.”

I pretended not to hear, walking faster, trying to put distance between myself and the hostility. I’d known returning to Blackwood would be difficult, but I hadn’t fully prepared myself for the reality of being blamed for Damon’s imprisonment. In my mind, I’d been the victim-trapped, desperate, finally escaping. But to them, I was the catalyst for their Alpha’s downfall.

I was so focused on moving quickly, on escaping the whispers and glares, that I didn’t see the person ahead

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14:37 Thu, Dec 25 GO.

Chapter 151

of me until I’d nearly collided with him.

“Whoa, careful there!” Strong hands caught my shoulders, steadying me. “Luna Aria?”

I looked up and felt genuine surprise at seeing a familiar face. “Tom?”

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Finished

Tom had been one of Damon’s guards during my time here. One of the few people who’d shown me any kindness during those isolated years when I’d been kept as Damon’s secret on the outskirts of pack territory. While most people had either ignored my existence or treated me with contempt, Tom had been considerate. Had checked on me sometimes, brought me things I needed, treated me like I was a person rather than just an inconvenient complication.

And unlike so many others, he was smiling at me now. Not with the conflicted uncertainty of those torn about how to address me, but with genuine warmth.

“It’s good to see you,” he said, releasing my shoulders but maintaining that friendly expression. “I heard you were here with Alpha Kael. How are you doing? Getting used to life as Luna of Shadowmere?”

His attitude toward me hadn’t changed. After everything-after my escape, after Damon’s imprisonment, after all the chaos I’d supposedly caused-Tom was still treating me with the same kindness he’d always

shown.

“I’m… managing,” I said, surprised by how much his unchanged demeanor affected me. “It’s been an adjustment. A lot has happened.”

“I can imagine,” Tom said. “Being Luna is a big responsibility. Especially in a pack that isn’t where you grew up. But from what I’ve heard, you’re handling it well. Taking on dispute resolutions, supporting Alpha Kael, contributing to the pack.”

“Who told you that?” I asked, curious how information about my activities in Shadowmere had reached Blackwood.

“Pack networks,” Tom said with a slight smile. “Guards talk to other guards. Information travels. And people are interested in you, Aria. Want to know how you’re doing. Whether you’re happy. Whether you made the right choice leaving here.”

“And what do they say?” I couldn’t help asking. “The people who talk about me?”

Tom’s expression became more serious. “Mixed things. Some blame you for what happened with Alpha Damon. Think you led him on, manipulated him, caused his downfall. Others think you were the victim of a bad situation and are glad you got out. And some-” He paused. “–some think there’s more to the story than anyone knows. That things are more complicated than they appear.”

“Which group are you in?” I asked quietly.

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