Chapter 7

Avery's POV

I sat down heavily on the couch, the weight of the conversation with Vicky still sinking in. My phone, warm against my palm, felt like a lifeline, though at that moment, I wasn’t sure whether it was comforting or suffocating. I had promised Vicky everything was under control, but the way she laughed at me... it was different. Like she knew I was trying to hold something together that was already unravelling.

"What the hell were you saying about Alpha Aaron?" Vicky's voice came through loud and clear, sharp and questioning. "I thought you had him under control as his Luna."

I sighed, burying my face in my hands, fingers tugging at my hair in frustration. "I lied," I whispered to myself, but Vicky, always listening too intently, caught every word. The silence stretched on a little longer, the air thick with the tension of being caught.

I could feel her smirk on the other end, even without seeing it. "I knew it," she sneered. Her laugh, that damn laugh, it echoed in my ear—menacing and mocking. I clenched my jaw, trying not to let it get to me. But damn it, it did. I could practically see the amusement in her eyes as she toyed with me.

"You think this is funny, Vicky?" I growled, my voice low, barely containing the bite.

"Oh, it's hilarious," she shot back. "I mean, I just want to know how you plan on getting Violet killed if Alpha Aaron keeps sending food to the dungeon for her. Last I checked, he prefers her alive." She dragged the words out like she was savouring every moment of my discomfort.

I rubbed my temples, trying to focus. "You don't get it," I muttered, staring down at my phone screen as if the answer would magically appear there.

"He won't listen to me about Violet. She’s a problem—she always has been. But every time I try to bring it up, he just shuts me down. He says she’s not a threat, but I can’t get him to understand the danger she represents."

"Uh-huh, and how's that working out for you?" Vicky's voice was dripping with sarcasm now. "He cares more about her than you, Avery. You’re not exactly a priority for him, are you?"

That stung more than I wanted to admit. I pulled the phone away from my ear for a moment, taking in a shaky breath before I spoke again.

"I'm trying to fix this," I said quietly, though the words felt hollow. "But it's like he doesn’t even see it. I keep telling him the same thing, over and over, but he's so wrapped up in Violet's... whatever the hell she is to him."

"You should’ve thought of that before you tied yourself to him," she said, blunt and unfeeling. "But now, you’ve got yourself in a corner."

I wanted to argue, to fight back, but Vicky had a way of making everything feel like a reality check. It didn’t matter how much I tried to spin it; she saw through all the lies I told myself.

Just then, I heard the door open—heavy footsteps approaching. My heart dropped into my stomach. Alpha Aaron. He was here, and he had no idea what I was thinking. No idea how much I was suffocating under the weight of my lies.

I quickly pressed the phone against my ear again, praying Vicky wouldn’t say anything too loud. "Vicky, I gotta go. Aaron’s here," I muttered.

"Of course he is," Vicky said with a dramatic sigh, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Good luck, Luna."

I disconnected the call before she could add anything else, and by the time I looked up, Aaron was standing in the doorway, his posture rigid and commanding. His gaze fell on me, sharp as always, as if he could read every thought in my head.

"You're up late," he said, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn’t quite place.

I forced a smile, even though my insides felt like they were twisting. "Just... thinking. About things."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly sceptical, but didn’t push further. "You should rest," he said, stepping into the room, and closing the door behind him with a soft click.

I tried to keep my voice steady, though it felt like my throat was closing in. "I was thinking about Violet," I said carefully, watching his reaction closely. "She’s been... a problem, Aaron. I think it’s time we—"

He cut me off, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Violet isn’t the problem, Avery," he said firmly. "You are. You keep stirring up things that don’t need to be stirred. She’s safe where she is, and that's where she'll stay."

My pulse quickened, frustration bubbling up. "I’m not saying she’s not safe. But she’s not just sitting there, Aaron. I’ve told you this before—she’s dangerous, and you keep sending her food, you keep acting like she’s some kind of... I don’t know, victim. And I don’t get it!"

I stood up, my hands shaking slightly as I gestured toward the window, the night sky dark outside. "I need you to see this the way I do," I continued, my voice rising despite myself. "She’s a threat to everything we’ve built. And yet, you act like nothing’s wrong. You won’t even listen when I try to talk about it."

Aaron’s eyes flashed with something I couldn’t name, but he didn’t raise his voice. Instead, he just watched me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

"You’re wrong, Avery," he said, his tone calm but forceful. "You think she’s a threat, but I’ve been watching her. She’s not the problem. You are. You keep pushing this narrative that she's dangerous, but I see through it. I know you’re not worried about her. You're worried about losing control over me."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. "I’m not... I’m not trying to control you, Aaron," I said quietly, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "I’m trying to protect us."

Aaron took a step toward me, his presence filling the room like a storm waiting to break. "You can’t protect us by pushing me away," he said softly, but the weight of his words pressed down on me like a boulder. "I’m the Alpha. You’re my Luna. If you want to protect us, you need to trust me. Trust that I know what I’m doing."

I clenched my fists, frustration boiling over. "I do trust you. But this... this is different. I don’t know what you see in her, but I can’t stand by and let you keep acting like nothing’s wrong. You’re blind to it, Aaron. She’s playing you, and you're letting her."

He exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he took another step closer. "You think you know everything, don’t you?" His voice had dropped to a low growl, and the tension in the air thickened. "I sent a guard to check the pack boundary, Avery. He hasn’t returned. Something is wrong. I don’t need your damn paranoia on top of everything else."

My stomach flipped. "What do you mean the guard hasn’t returned?"

Aaron’s eyes flicked toward the door, his mind already racing ahead. "It means something is happening out there. I don’t know what, but it’s not good."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. "What are you going to do about it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He turned to face me fully, his expression hardening with determination. "I’m going to find out. And if there’s something out there, I’ll deal with it. But I need you to stay out of it. You’re not ready for what’s coming, Avery."

I swallowed, the taste of fear and uncertainty lingering in my mouth. "But what if it’s Violet? What if—"

Aaron didn’t let me finish. "It’s not Violet," he snapped, cutting me off sharply. "I told you, she’s not the problem. Stop making her one."

He was already heading toward the door, his hand gripping the handle. Before he left, he turned to look at me one last time. "Stay here, Avery. I’ll handle this."

And with that, he was gone. The silence that followed was suffocating. I stood there, frozen in place, the words he’d said ringing in my ears.

He doesn’t get it. He can’t see it. But I would make him. No matter what.

I turned to pick up my phone, I had to call Vicky, she needed to give me advice on how to deal with Violet myself. That bitch got no place in my heart right now even if she is my step-sister, I will ruin everything that gives her breath. I scrolled through my phone mindlessly, my heart racing with anger and possibility.

Avery, please get me the blue file in the wardrobe, I need to send a message. Aaron's commanding voice echoed through the walls, as I jerked off from my reeling mindset.

“I'm Coming dude.”