Tempted By My Ex's Brother-in-Law (Aria and Grayson) novel Chapter 183

**Chapter 183**

**Aria’s POV**

With my mind set on infiltrating Tamsin’s office, the pressing question loomed: how exactly would I pull this off?

The main entrance was out of the question. The hallways were littered with surveillance cameras, and I could hear the distant echo of patrols making their rounds. If I attempted to sneak through there, I’d be caught in an instant.

But then I remembered another possibility—the window.

Tamsin’s office was perched on the third floor. For someone like me, who lacked a wolf’s agility, this was no small feat. Yet, it wasn’t beyond my reach. As a child, I had often skipped school to dart through the woods and scale trees, so ascending a few stories felt like a challenge I could meet.

Without wasting another moment, I jumped out of bed and began to change. I needed to blend into the shadows, so I opted for a fitted black t-shirt, sleek black leggings, and a pair of sturdy sneakers. To keep my intentions under wraps, I draped a trench coat over my outfit, its dark fabric helping me to merge with the night.

The clock read 11:30 p.m. Time was slipping away, and soon the mother-daughter duo would be off to the club.

Pulling a cap low over my brow, I slipped out of my room, my heart racing as I plotted my route around the building to access the window…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I froze at the sudden voice.

Heavy footsteps echoed behind me, and before I could react, a firm hand gripped my shoulder, spinning me around with an unsettling force.

Grayson stood before me, his expression a mixture of concern and irritation. “It’s nearly midnight. What could possibly be so important that you’re out at this hour?” he demanded, his tone sharp as a knife.

I felt a surge of defiance. “Just out having some fun, alright? Don’t you have anything better to do than play the concerned guardian?”

His lips curled into a cold smirk, his grip tightening as if to emphasize his authority. “Fun with WHO exactly?”

“That’s none of your business!” I shot back, my voice laced with irritation.

He leaned closer, his towering figure casting a shadow that enveloped me entirely.

A scent, vastly different from Rhys’s, invaded my senses—more commanding, more assertive.

In that instant, I felt my breath hitch, an instinctual urge to submit rising within me.

“Stop using your Alpha aura to manipulate me!” I growled, fighting against the primal pull.

He was an Alpha, and I was merely a commoner. It was in our very nature to submit to Alphas, and the struggle against that instinct only fueled my resentment toward him.

“Then tell me, who are you going out with? Was it that man you were chatting with outside the dining hall earlier today?”

He had been watching me. I couldn’t help but smirk. “What if I am? You’re not the only one allowed to explore new relationships. I can move on too, you know.”

“Move on with your cousin? I didn’t realize you belonged to a family that marries relatives to maintain bloodlines.”

“Who said I care about bloodlines? Maybe I just happen to like Rhys because he’s genuinely a nice guy,” I shot back, raising an eyebrow, my voice icy and unyielding. “He’s gentle and sweet—no macho nonsense. I actually enjoy his company. I’ve sworn off dating someone with an ego the size of yours.”

He seized my chin, his glare piercing. “Don’t push your luck.”

“I don’t care what you think anymore, Grayson,” I spat through clenched teeth. “I’m not that helpless girl who relied on you for survival. You can take your opinions and shove them.”

His breath became ragged, a flicker of something in his eyes. “And who exactly are you now? Frostpine Pack’s new Lady Aria? Funny, considering Alpha Thalira hasn’t even acknowledged you yet.”

“I’ll make her recognize me! Just wait and see. But I don’t need your concern.” I shoved against his chest with both hands, a low snarl escaping my lips. “Now, step aside!”

In the midst of our struggle, he tugged at my trench coat’s belt, and the collar fell open, revealing my dark workout attire beneath.

His expression shifted in an instant.

Now he realized I wasn’t heading out for a date. No one dressed like this for a casual night out.

His demeanor turned serious. “What are you really up to?”

“I told you, it’s none of your business.”

I glanced at the clock again. Damn it, it was nearly midnight. I had wasted far too much time with him.

“I’m leaving,” I declared hastily, yanking my coat belt back. Before he could utter another word, I bolted down the hallway.

Could it be… Tamsin and Maeve had lied about that victory?!

It all started to make sense. Rhys had mentioned that Frostpine Pack’s military faced serious issues. The satellite image revealed our border still occupied by rogues.

The only plausible explanation was that they had lost the battle. Afraid of being condemned, they had fabricated a grand victory.

Cold sweat broke out anew on my back, sending shivers down my spine in the night’s chill.

Just then, the door to the adjacent room swung open, and the voices of Tamsin and Maeve flooded in.

I jumped, panic rising within me. Weren’t they supposed to be at the club? Why were they back so soon?

I quickly stuffed the photo into my pocket, moving silently toward the door that connected the office to the bedroom. Pressing my ear against it, I strained to listen.

“Damn it! That bitch ruined my whole night!” Tamsin’s voice was a furious roar, followed by the sound of something crashing. It seemed she had smashed something in her rage.

“Mom, you have to punish that bitch!” Maeve shouted, her voice laced with venom. “Lance is your lover. Everyone at the club knows it. How dare that slut Sherry try to seduce him? This is a direct challenge! You should slash her face, burn her hair, cut out her tongue!”

Tamsin initially agreed, her anger palpable, but then she hesitated. “But… Mother just said she doesn’t want to see any more violent scandals from us. And with that little bitch Aria Collins watching… perhaps we should keep a low profile for now…”

“Mom, why are you so scared of Aria? She’s not even a real Lady. She can’t touch us.”

“But Alpha Grayson’s here now…”

“He’s over her! Haven’t you been following the news? He’s back with his ex-wife. He definitely doesn’t care about her anymore. Anyway, I can’t stand that tramp Sherry getting away with this! What do you say?”

Tamsin seemed to come to a decision, her teeth grinding together. “Screw it, you’re right. I’m calling right now to have them bring Sherry over!”

Her heavy footsteps began to approach the office, growing closer by the second.

I froze behind the door.

Damn it, she was coming in.

WHAT DO I DO?!