AURORA’S POV
I sat in my room, tapping my fingers impatiently against the armrest of my chair, with my mind racing with a thousand thoughts of Aria and the pregnancy test I had found hidden in her drawer.
The image of those two bright lines was burned into my memory, and no matter how much I tried to push it away, it kept coming back, taunting me, daring me to figure out who the father was.
Aria had always been so quiet and invisible, so plain and boring, that the idea of her being pregnant seemed almost laughable.
And yet, the evidence was right there in my hands, which was a huge proof that my pathetic excuse of a sister had been hiding something from me.
But who was the father?
Gavin had denied ever sleeping with her, and I believed him.
He had always been more interested in me anyway, and the thought of him touching Aria made me want to laugh, because she was not his type.
She was not anyone’s type.
So who could it be?
The question gnawed at me, and I hated not knowing the answer.
Then my phone buzzed on the table, and I grabbed it immediately, with my heart pounding with anticipation.
It was my ally, the wolf I had sent to watch Mira’s house.
I answered quickly, with a sharp and demanding voice.
“Tell me what you found.”
He spoke carefully, his voice sounding very low and respectful.
“I have been watching Mira’s house like you asked.
And you were right, Aria is there.
She has been staying there since she left the Sinclair house.”
A cold smile spread across my face.
I had found her.
Then I nodded with satisfaction and said, “Good.
Is there anything else?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I felt my patience thinning.
“What is it?
Spit it out,” I barked impatiently.
He hesitated for a moment, and he said, “I saw the Alpha Prince leaving the house earlier tonight.
He was there for a while, and then he left.
I thought you should know.”
My blood ran cold as it settled on me.
“The Alpha Prince?
Zane?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes,” My ally’s voice was stronger now.
“He was definitely there.
I saw him with my own eyes.”
I felt my grip tighten on the phone, and my nails digging into my palm.
“Are you sure it was him?
Tell me the truth.
Do not lie to me.” I managed to ask, my voice sounding breathless.
“I am positive,” he said quickly.
“I know what the Alpha Prince looks like.
It was him.
He came alone and stayed for maybe an hour before leaving.”
An hour.
He had been there for an hour.
What could they possibly have talked about for that long?
The mere thought of them standing in the same space made my stomach churn with jealousy and suspicion.
Then I took a deep calming breath and asked softly, “Did you see them together?
Did you see them talking?”
“I saw him entering the house and leaving.
I could not see inside, but he was definitely there.”
“And Aria?
Did she seem to be expecting him?” Even though the idea of my sister expecting any man was laughable, I still needed to ask.
There was no struggle or anything like that.” The ally’s voice was sounding thoughtful over the phone.
I ended the call without another word and threw my phone across the room in anger.
It hit the wall with a loud crack, and I did not care.
All I could think about was Zane sneaking around, and visiting my sister behind my back.
He was supposed to be my mate.
He was supposed to be mine.
And yet, there he was, chasing after Aria like she was something special.
I placed my room, with my mind spinning with rage and confusion.
Why would Zane go to see Aria?
What did they have to talk about?
Did he know about the pregnancy?
Was he the father?
I shook my head, trying to push the thought away.
No, that was impossible.
He was my mate.
He was bound to me.
He could not possibly be the father of her pup.
But the thought refused to leave my mind, and I felt a cold knot of jealousy form in my stomach.
I did not know if Zane was the father, but I knew one thing for certain, I was not going to let Aria get away with this.
She had been hiding from me, sneaking around behind my back, and now she was going to pay.
I grabbed my phone from the floor and walked to my mother’s room.
I did not bother knocking.
I just pushed the door open and found her sitting on her chair in front of the mirror, brushing her hair.
She looked up at me with a mixture of surprise and annoyance on her face.
“Aurora, what is the meaning of this?” She asked angrily.
“You could have knocked, or have you forgotten your manners?”
I ignored her complaint and walked straight to her, and said coldly, in a sharp voice.
“I found Aria.”
My mother’s expression shifted from annoyance to curiosity.
“Where is she?” She asked.
“She is hiding at her friend, Mira’s house,” I said with so much contempt.
“She left in the middle of the night without telling anyone.
She has been hiding there this whole time.”
My mother set down her brush and turned to face me fully, and scoffed, “Why would she do that?
What is she hiding?
Or as she finally ran away from home like a teenager?”
I smiled coldly and crossed my arms.
“I found something in her room before she left.
It is a pregnancy test, and it is positive.”
My mother’s face turned pale, and she stared at me in shock.
Then she whispered, “A pregnancy test?
Aria is pregnant?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice filled with satisfaction.
“Our dear, innocent sister is carrying a pup, Mother.”
Then to my surprise, My mother laughed and it was a cruel mocking sound that echoed through the room.
“Aria?
Pregnant?
That is impossible.
She has always been so plain and unremarkable.
She does not have the charm to attract any man, let alone convince someone to sleep with her.
Are you sure it was not someone else’s test?
Perhaps you made a mistake.”
I shook my head and said sternly, “I found it hidden in her drawer, Mother.
She is pregnant.”
My mother laughed again, and this time there was disbelief in her voice.
“I can not believe it.
Aria?
The girl who has never been able to catch anyone’s attention?
The girl who has never been anything more than a shadow?
How could any one even want to touch her?
She is so plain and forgettable.
I can not just imagine any man looking at her and seeing anything worth pursuing.”
“She is hiding it, Mother.
That is why she ran away.
She knows she has brought shame to this family.”
My mother narrowed her eyes, and said in a cruel and cold voice.
“Shame?
She has always been a shame to this family.
From the moment she was born, she has been nothing but a disappointment.
She has always been difficult, always crying and always clinging to her father.
And look at her now, pregnant and alone, hiding in some friend’s house like a coward.”
I stepped closer to my mother, and lowered my voice into a dangerous whisper.
“Do not worry mother, I will handle it.
I will find out who the father is, and I will make sure Aria pays for what she has done.”
My mother looked at me with something like relief in her eyes and said proudly, “You are the only daughter I can count on, Aurora.
You have always been the strong one.
Aria has always been weak and pathetic.
Do whatever you have to do.
I do not care what happens to her.”
I smiled coldly, in a calculating manner.
“I will.
I will destroy her.”
My mother laughed again and shook her head.
“I still can not believe anyone would want to touch her.
Who in their right mind would look at Aria and see something desirable?
She is so plain and boring.
I fell sorry for whoever is foolish enough to get her pregnant.
They clearly have terrible taste.”
I smirked and said, “Well, they will regret it soon enough.
I will make sure of that.”
Then I turned and walked out of my mother’s room, my mind already racing with plans.
I did not know if Zane was the father, but I knew that my sister had crossed a line, and she was going to pay for it.
I would find out everything.
I would expose her shame.
And I would make sure she never she never showed her face in the Nightcrest Pack again.
I whispered to myself as I walked back to my room.
“You think you can hide from me, Aria?
You think you can run away and start a new life?
You are a fool.
I will find you.
I will destroy you.
And I will take everything you have.”
I laughed softly and closed my door behind me, already planning my next move.
Aria had no idea what was coming for her.