Chapter 21

Aria’s POV

I looked down at my dress, unsure what was wrong with it. Yes, it was more revealing than the conservative dresses I’d usually worn since our marriage, but I wasn’t sure that warranted a look as fierce as the one Lucian was giving me now.

Did he think I was embarrassing him? Was I embarrassing him?

Grabbing my arm, he pulled me away from Jasper.

“Hey,” Jasper started to say, but was silenced the moment that furious glare left me to look at Jasper instead. Swallowing hard, Jasper closed his mouth and let Lucian drag me away.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“To the bedroom so you can change,” Lucian said.

Planting my feet, I forced him to either pull my arm out of the socket or stop along with me.

“I’m not changing,” I said with more confidence than I felt. As Aria, I would typically never go against Lucian’s wishes. Perhaps my Dr. A side was seeping into the rest of me, allowing me to show more courage and strength than I had in the past. “I like this dress.”

Lucian glowered at me, his expression dark. “People can see you.”

I glanced down at myself. All of my private areas were covered. The only thing people could really see was one shoulder, my arms, and my legs. None of which, to my knowledge, was all that bad to show off.

Also, as Lucian was soon to be my ex-husband, I didn’t see why any of this was his concern. Already, he’d frightened off my date for the night. Now he wanted me to change out of my favorite dress as well?

No. I refused. My days of letting his every whim be my command were over and through.

“Please let go of me,” I said, gesturing to where he had a tight grip on my upper arm.

“Why?” he asked.

“So I can get a drink and enjoy the party,” I replied.

As his frown deepened, I had to force myself not to immediately take back the words. For three years, I’d shifted all of my opinions and desires solely to compliment his. Speaking for myself and for my own wants felt alien to me, even with Dr. A’s confidence pulsing through me.

I wanted to take it back and be the good little housewife I’d always been, but I wouldn’t let myself fall back on those old habits. Being the dutiful homemaker hadn’t made Lucian love me before, so it certainly wouldn’t now.

Not that I needed him to love me anymore. My mind had been made up. I was going to get my divorce and then leave the pack, putting this entire chapter behind me.

As soon as I earned enough money.

For a moment, Lucian and I stared at each other. He probably expected me to back down first. When I didn’t, he seemed confused, and, reluctantly, released his hold on my arm.

“Thank you,” I said and walked around him, toward the house.

The party was mainly in the back around the pool, so I bypassed entering the house at all by walking around the lawn to the back gate. I’d been at this house many times before in the past three years, and knew my way around.

Opening the latch to the gate, I slipped into the pool area. I was about to close it behind me again, when a hand caught the gate and kept me from closing it.

Lucian was right behind me. Pushing through the gate behind me, he then closed it once he was also inside.

Odd. I had thought he would have gone into the house with the rest of the guests. Instead, it seemed as if he was following me.

That couldn’t be right.

In the past, whenever we had attended an event, we would arrive in the same car, but then immediately split apart. Lucian, as Alpha King, had mingled throughout the room, while I always found a nice quiet corner to wait patiently. As no one really liked me, I had found it was better to stay out of the way.

Tonight, however, he seemed to be my shadow.

When I went to the drink table to pick up some sparkling water, he came with me. When I stood near the wall on the pool deck people watching, he stayed right by my side, like a statue – or a bodyguard.

“Lucian…” I started to say, though I wasn’t sure how to broach the topic of his sudden desire to be close to me.

Slowly, he reached a hand toward mine, as if wishing to hold it. A flash of fear struck through me and I quickly stepped to the side, putting more distance between us. He let his hand drop back to his side and did not attempt that maneuver again.

Before I could rebuild the nerve to discuss what was happening with him, his parents spotted us from inside the house and quickly came out to see me.

His mom – Julia – quickly wrapped me up in the kind of safe comforting hug that seemed to come standard with moms.

“Aria! It’s so good to see you. I’m so glad you are here,” she said.

I returned her hug as much as I could. Lucian’s parents had always been kind to me, and I did miss them terribly these past few weeks.

His dad – Harold – was the next to come in for a hug. This one was a great big bear-hug that lifted me clear off of my feet.

“Easy, Dad,” Lucian said.

“I’m just happy to see her, is all,” Harold said as he slowly lowered me back down to the ground.

Lucian inched closer to me as I backed up a step.

Julia noticed and started to smile. “You know, Aria, I’m sure Lucian wants to apologize –”

“Mom –”

“And I hope you will hear him and reconsider this divorce. Your reconciliation is so important for the sake of each other, as well as for the health of the pack.”

“The pack needs its Luna,” Harold added.

The pack never cared for me, but I refused to point that out in this moment. Not with Julia and Harold, who were always so kind to me. Maybe that affection for me blinded them to the true feelings of the people around them.

“Everyone has marital issues,” Julia continued. “Why, even Harold and I have had spats over the years.”

“It’s true,” Harold said.

“But, once you have a baby, you’re issues will seem so arbitrary compared to the importance of the health and well-being of the baby you just brought into the world.” Julia looked at me with longing. “I encourage you to get pregnant right away, Aria.”

They had no idea I was already pregnant. A hint of guilt flashed through me. If my plan succeeded, these two would never know their grandchild. That seemed so unfair to them. They would make great grandparents, so loving and kind.

I regretted my choice for a moment, before steeling my resolve once more. I couldn’t stay here, not even for them.

“It is time that I have an heir,” Lucian said, glancing at me.

In the past, I would have reeled at a proposal like that. Right now, all I hear is the lack of love in the suggestion. It was so formal. I need an heir. Nothing else.

Looking away from him, I kept my mouth shut.

Julia, studying me, said, “Lucian. Perhaps Aria would feel more comfortable if you were to finally expel Sheila from your home.”

Those words did elicit a flicker of hope within me. If Lucian were to expel Sheila…

Perhaps that could be a signal that he was turning around, that he was willing to make changes for me…

“No,” Lucian said flatly. “Sheila will be staying where she is.”