Free Web NovelChapter 189: Chapter 189
Aria’s POV
“I’m sorry for taking up public space... Even though we aren’t biological sisters, I’ve always considered Aria my real sister... I’m happy to share my joy with her... Please stay calm.”
My wolf snarled angrily immediately.
Her words were sweet on the surface, but the poison underneath was unmistakable. It was a gentle push, encouraging the crowd just enough to turn on me without looking like she wanted them to.
And the internet fell right into her trap.
Sympathy flooded toward the presumed poor, gracious and selfless Sophia.
And me? I became the perfect target, a villain crafted by rumor and malice.
Within minutes, they’d even found my private blog.
A sharp, searing anger burned through me. My wolf paced, her teeth bared.
But I didn’t even have time to process my fury before danger found me in the flesh.
I hadn’t made it ten steps toward the taxi before I heard the first shriek:
“Is that Aria? It’s her!”
Heads whipped around, dozens of them.
All staring at me like a pack ready to tear apart a lone wolf.
A chill ran down my spine, instincts flooding my limbs. My body moved before my brain did.
“Get her!”
“Make her apologize to Sophia!”
“Teach her a lesson!”
Their voices echoed like war cries.
And I ran.
My wolf surged with adrenaline, urging my muscles to go faster...run, run, RUN...I sprinted faster.
A rapid glance behind me confirmed it, they weren’t stopping.
Their eyes glowed with the kind of fanaticism I’d only ever seen in territorial wolves driven mad.
Pain tore through my heels, fire blooming with every step, but stopping wasn’t an option, not when I knew exactly what happened when a mob lost control. Years in law had shown me too much darkness to risk being caught.
But then...
I skidded to a halt, I had just entered a dead-end alley.
My stomach dropped. My wolf growled, her fur bristling. I was trapped. I hid in asmall corner but it was only a matter of time before they would see me.
I contemplating shifting to my wolf and fighting them, but there were too many of them. I cannot possibly take on over twelve feral werewolves at once.
Their footsteps echoed closer, weaving through the alley mouth.
“She must be guilty! Why else would she run?”
“Check inside, she ran into this alley!”
“She’s here somewhere!”
My pulse thundered in my ears.
Then, I heard a familiar voice.
“Who are you people? Causing a scene in Asterfell?”
It was Collins. His voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
I spun around just as he stepped into the alley entrance, blocking it with the solid, unmoving presence of a seasoned beta. His silhouette was massive against the light, radiating authority strong enough to make even the rowdiest werewolves hesitate.
My breath caught.
How was Collins here at this moment?
How did he find me so fast?
I didn’t have time to ask.
A hand suddenly wrapped around my wrist. It was firm, warm and familiar enough to freeze me in place.
“Come back to the office with me.”
It was Nathan.
My breath faltered. My wolf went utterly silent, recognizing her mate instantly, even through my panic. His voice was steady and cold as ever.
He stood over me like a shadow carved from steel, the light outlining the sharp features I once memorized by heart.
I hesitated, a wave of dizziness rolling through me. His grip tightened just a fraction, steadying me. I looked up, and for a split second, I saw the man I had loved for so long... the man whose scent still lingered in the deepest corners of my memory.
Outside the alley, voices still murmured:
“Even if you’re Alpha Nathan’s beta—this alley is public—his pack is not the only pack in this country. We don’t answer to you.”
Collins’s commanding voice boomed back,
“If you have any issues, feel free to submit them to Hemsworth Group! We wouldn’t have you harrassing our Luna.”
Silence swallowed them whole.
Nathan didn’t let go of my wrist.
He simply turned and led me away.
Inside the car, I collapsed onto the cool Italian leather seat. Nathan slid in beside me, and my senses were instantly wrapped in the cool, woody smell of his dangerously comforting scent.
“Do you know Alpha Jonathan Anderson?”
Nathan’s low, deep voice cut through the silence first. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
I frowned.
“Jonathan Anderson? No. I’ve never heard the name.” I lied.
Nathan studied me for a moment. His eyes, sharp as a wolf assessing his prey. He searched my face as if searching for any sign of deception. My heartbeat stayed steady. My wolf lifted her chin with confidence.
Satisfied, he exhaled and looked away.
“He’s the CEO of Celestyr Brand,” Nathan explained, handing me a tablet. “He publicly defended you on their official blog this morning.”
I already saw the official post made by Celestyr brand earlier but I still tok the tab from Nathan and scrolled through it. I saw a whole lot more comments beneath his post. Some defended me. Others tore into me with teeth bared.
Then I saw a reply from a verified account with the name Jonathan Anderson in response to accusations that Nathan had something to do with the post.
“Celestyr Brand clarifies that this information is authentic and the speculated Alpha Nathan Hemsworth has not made any contact with our brand. Moreover, we voluntarily offer Luna Aria a dress in compensation.”
My wolf snapped her head up, startled. Alpha Jonathan had gone to this great length for me? A man I haven’t even met yet?
A photo was attached...
The contract I’d signed two years ago.
Heat prickled along my spine. People were already reacting:
“Who is this Jonathan guy? Verified and defending her??” “Wait—Aria invested in Celestyr Brand two years ago?!” “A lawyer turned investor? She’s got connections!”
Two camps formed immediately, those impressed by my influence, and those shocked by my strategic foresight.
Nathan shifted beside me. He looked at me again, really looked, as if seeing a stranger sitting next to him.
“Is it true?” His voice was low. “You invested in Celestyr Brand a year ago?”
“Yes,” I answered simply. My wolf bristled within me.
Nathan’s gaze drifted to my neck, lingering a second too long before he cleared his throat.
“Hemsworth Group will issue an emergency PR response based on the latest information.”
I nodded and kept my gaze forward and calm, though my wolf paced beneath my skin, restless with the tension coiling between us.
A moment passed before Nathan spoke again, more softly.
“Aria... what else don’t I know about you?”
His question struck deeper than I expected. I lifted my eyes to his...
Just then, his phone rang.
