Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 298

Chapter 298

Chapter 298

ARYADA

“We let the investigation proceed naturally,” Lunaris said. “We let Nina’s findings determine what consequences Aria faces for her visit to Damon. We allow the pack to make their own decisions about whether they can accept her as Luna. But we do not-cannot-use our power to directly harm or remove her. That crosses a line we’re not permitted to cross.”

The restriction made me want to scream. To tear something apart with the considerable power at my disposal. But if what they were saying was true, if Aria really was a child of the moon and harming her would violate laws older than our current positions on the Ghost Council-

I couldn’t risk it. Couldn’t risk the consequences that would follow from breaking those restrictions.

“Fine,” I said, though the word tasted bitter. “I won’t harm her directly. But I’m not going to pretend she deserves the position she holds. I’m not going to act like her inadequacy isn’t real just because she has some ancient bloodline running through her veins.”

“No one’s asking you to pretend anything,” Solas said. “Just asking you to step back. Let events unfold naturally rather than trying to orchestrate outcomes that serve your preferences.”

I turned away from them, from their reasonable voices and their restrictions and their acceptance of something I found fundamentally wrong. “I’m going to check on Ivory,” I said. “At least she deserves the attention and support she’s not getting from anyone else.”

I left before they could offer more advice I didn’t want to hear. Made my way through corridors that felt too confining after the open viewing chamber, my rage still simmering beneath the surface even though I couldn’t act on it directly.

The healing bay was quieter now, most of the Hunt survivors having been released to their quarters. But Ivory’s curtained area remained occupied, Nina still stationed outside like a guardian who took her duties seriously.

“Elder Aryada,” Nina said, standing when she saw me approaching. “Ivory’s sleeping. Has been for most of the afternoon. The memory integration exhausted her more than we anticipated.”

“I know,” I said. “I want to sit with her anyway. Want to be there when she wakes.

Nina studied me for a moment, probably trying to determine my intentions. Finally, she nodded and stepped aside, letting me pass through the curtain into Ivory’s private space.

1/3

She looked small in the bed, which was wrong because Ivory never looked small. She was always so present, so capable, so fundamentally solid in ways that made you forget she was actually relatively petite. But now, with her face showing the exhaustion of memory restoration and her eyes closed in deep sleep, she looked fragile in ways I’d never associated with her.

I settled into the chair beside her bed-the chair Kael had occupied for hours yesterday, where he’d held her hand and waited for her to wake. The chair that was probably still warm with his presence even hours later.

And I felt my rage settle into something more complicated. Something that was still anger but mixed with genuine grief for what Ivory had lost and what she’d never be able to reclaim.

She stirred as I sat, her eyes fluttering open slowly. It took her a moment to focus, to recognize where she was and who was sitting beside her.

“Elder Aryada,” she said, her voice rough from sleep and crying. “I didn’t expect-you don’t need to be here.”

“I want to be here,” I said. “Want to check on you. Make sure you’re recovering from the memory restoration properly.”

Ivory pushed herself upright slowly, wincing as the movement pulled at muscles that were still sore from the Hunt and from the trauma of getting three years of memories back all at once. “I’m surviving,” she said. “Which seems to be my specialty. Surviving things that should break me.”

“You deserve better than just surviving,” I said, hearing the edge in my own voice. “You deserve to have what you earned. What you suffered for. What you built toward for three years.”

Ivory’s expression became careful. “We’re not having this conversation. Not again. I’ve already told Kael how I feel about the situation. I’ve told Nina. I’m not going to keep rehashing it just because people think I should be demanding things I can’t have.”

“But you want them,” I pressed. “Don’t you? You want Kael. You want the Luna position. You want the future you thought you were building toward during those curse years. It’s not wrong to want that, Ivory. It’s not selfish to acknowledge what you’ve lost.”

“It is wrong if wanting it means destroying someone else,” Ivory said quietly. “Aria saved Kael’s life. That’s the truth that matters more than what I want. She was there when the curse broke. She formed the bond that freed him. And yes, she’s inadequate in a lot of ways. Yes, she’s made terrible choices. But she’s still his mate and still the Luna, and me wanting to cha that doesn’t make it possible or right to try.”

ge

I wanted to shake her. Wanted to make her see that her nobility was keeping her from claiming

2/3

what should have been hers. “She just gave a speech,” I said. “In the stadium. Called out the

pack for their entirely justified concerns about her inadequacy. Had the audacity to claim they were being hypocritical for wanting Kael to choose you.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify