Aria's POV

"We're here at Shevron Estates, ma'am" the Uber driver said, his voice muffled under the low sound of the engine.

The car rolled to a stop before the tall wrought-iron gates of a luxury community. I glanced out the window, my heart pounding.

Little Lana stirred in my arms, letting out a soft whimper. Her tiny body wriggled against me, and I immediately knew something was wrong. One touch confirmed it—her diaper was soaked through.

"Oh, sweetheart…" I whispered, cradling her closer. The night air carried the chill of early frost, and the thought of her catching cold sent dread through me like claws scraping bone. I couldn't let her fall ill, not after everything we'd survived.

My little one shifted again, pressing her warm cheek against my chest. I brushed her hair back gently, breathing in her faint, milky scent.

We'd barely had anything left when I walked out of that prison. No diapers. Half a can of formula. The guards hadn't cared. The other inmates had sneered when I begged for supplies.

I swallowed hard at the memory and whispered to my baby, "We'll be okay, Lana. Mommy's got you."

Before heading into the estate, I stopped by the high-end baby boutique near the gate. The lights were still on. As soon as I stepped inside, a clerk hurried forward towards me.

"It's freezing out, ma'am! Bringing your little one shopping in this weather?" she exclaimed, concern flashing in her eyes. "Come in—tell me what you need, and I'll have it all packed for you!"

I adjusted Lana in my arms. "Three packs of size 3 diapers," I said softly. "Two cans each of infant and follow-up formula. And those cotton onesies—one of each design in six to nine months."

As I spoke, the clerk's eyes widened. She recognized me, I realized. Earlier that day, she and her coworker had whispered when I walked through these doors, wondering if I was some man's mistress or a desperate woman chasing acknowledgement for her child.

But when I'd given my name—Aria Grayson, owner of Unit 3B, Shevron Estates, their faces had gone pale with disbelief.

I shifted my mask slightly, hiding more of my face. The air from the vent brushed the side of my cheek, making the scar beneath my mask burn.

For a moment, I remembered the old me—the proud attorney and Luna to one of the most powerful Alpha's in our country.

"Sorry," I murmured, noticing the growing pile of items on the counter. "Is this too much?"

The question slipped out before I could stop it. Prison had taught me humility, how to read the exhaustion in others' faces, how to shrink myself to survive.

Once, I would've handed over a platinum card without a thought. Now, I hesitated, afraid of being a burden.

The clerk blinked, then smiled brightly, "Not at all, ma'am! It's perfect. Anything else you need? I'll pack everything up for you right away."

"That's all for now, thank you," I said softly, adjusting Lana in my arms. She let out a tiny sigh, her warm breath brushing against my collarbone.

"How would you like to pay?" the clerk asked politely.

"Card, please."

I pulled out my gold-trimmed bank card. As long as I had this, my daughter wouldn't go without. My thumb brushed along the embossed letters of my name. It used to symbolize power, success, security… all the things I'd once built with my own two hands. I handed it over to the clerk.

"That'll be 9,645 dollars, ma'am. One moment, please."

The clerk swiped the card. A sharp beep echoed through the quiet store. Declined.

I frowned, my wolf stirring uneasily beneath my skin.

She tried again, and again and again. Each failed attempt sounded like a hammer blow against my chest.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but this card is being declined. Do you perhaps have another one?"

Cold dread seeped into my veins, heavier than the winter air outside. I dug into my bag with trembling fingers, pulling out more cards. "Try these, please," I said quickly.

Each card bore the memory of a victory, bonuses from high-profile cases, rewards for sleepless nights and endless trials. Every stripe swiped was another memory shredded to pieces.

One by one, the machine beeped. Denied. Denied. Denied.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the clerk said again, her tone faltering. "None of these are going through."

I felt my wolf bristle, rage pulsing through me. He did this. Nathan. He'd cut me off completely. The bastard hadn't just taken my freedom, he'd stripped away my means to survive.

The clerk hesitated, pity flickering in her eyes. "Do you have another card, ma'am?"

I shook my head, my throat closing. "No... these are all I have."

"And these items…" she began gently.

"I can't take them," I said, forcing a weak smile that felt more like a grimace. "Thank you."

The weight of humiliation pressed down as I turned away.

All my accounts... frozen? The thought clawed at me. That money was mine. Mine. I'd earned it through my blood and intellect. And yet, one man had the power to take it all away with a single order.

"Wait, ma'am!"

I stopped, clutching Lana closer.

"Your baby's crying," the clerk said gently. "She might be hungry or need a change. We have some sample packs—why don't you take them for now?"

I glanced down. Lana's tiny face scrunched, her whimpers soft. The sound tore through me worse than any silver blade ever could. I kissed her forehead. "It's okay, my little star," I whispered.

A few minutes later, I stepped out of the store's baby care room. Lana was quiet again, swaddled and fed.

"Here," the clerk said, handing me a bag. "Some sample packs of diapers, a few cans of formula—leftovers from promotions. Take them for your little one."

I hesitated. My pride howled in protest. My wolf hated the idea of charity, hated appearing weak. But the mother in me silenced her. I could go hungry. I could freeze. But Lana couldn't.

"Thank you," I managed, voice trembling. My eyes stung. Nathan had dragged me to this, reduced me to someone begging for scraps. Yet a stranger had shown me more kindness than my supposed mate.

"No need to thank me," the clerk smiled. "I don't have kids yet, but… I can tell you love her. It's freezing—get home soon. Whatever you're going through, stay strong for your daughter."

Her words echoed long after I stepped back into the night. The wind bit at my cheeks, my wolf stirring beneath my skin to shield us from the cold.

I pulled Lana closer, my arms tightening protectively around her tiny form. "I'll keep you safe," I whispered into her soft hair. "No matter what."

But as I looked up at the looming towers of Shevron Estates, despair gnawed at me. With no money, no resources, and nowhere to turn, even my wolf couldn't quiet the question echoing in my mind,

How are we supposed to survive now?

Aria's POV

"Stop right there! Who are you?"

The security guard's sharp voice pierced through the fog in my head, yanking me back to reality. My wolf stirred uneasily under my skin, sensing tension before I even processed his words.

I frowned, trying to keep my voice steady. "I was here this afternoon—I live in Building Three. Don't you remember?"

He shifted from one foot to the other, avoiding my gaze.

"Yeah, I let you in myself," he said finally. "But we just got orders. Your apartment's been seized by your creditors. I can't let you in without their okay."

For a heartbeat, I thought I'd misheard him. "What?" My voice came out thin, trembling. "That's my apartment. How can I not be allowed in?"

My wolf bristled at the injustice, claws itching to surface. That house was mine. I'd paid for it in full. It had nothing to do with Nathan.

The guard's eyes flicked to the bundle in my arms, my pub, Lana, and his tone turned cold. "Look, you've got a kid, so I won't make this harder than it needs to be. Just leave."

"You can't do this!" My words cracked with desperation. "My things are in there—my luggage, everything!"

He just shrugged, unmoved. "Do you have a court order to lift the freeze? Without that or authorization from your creditor, I can't let you in. Those are management's rules."

"Creditor?" I echoed, my voice barely a whisper. My lips felt numb from the cold, or maybe from the shock. "I don't even know what you're talking about..."

"Figure it out," he said, turning back toward his booth as if I were nothing more than a nuisance.

The icy wind cut through my thin coat, but the real chill came from within. I could almost picture Nathan's merciless stance as he signed the order to seize everything I owned. Legally, he had the right to do that, using my conviction and prison sentence as grounds for claiming damages.

With one command, he had stripped me bare of my accounts and my home.

Just how much did you hate me, Nathan?

I'd served my time. I'd paid the price for the crimes levied against me. Wasn't that enough?

"Nathan, you're heartless," I whispered, clutching Lana tighter against my chest.

The guard barked at me again, telling me to move away from the entrance, that I was an eyesore to Shevron Estates' pristine image. My wolf growled low in my chest, but I forced her back. Losing control now would only make things worse.

So I stepped away, out into the empty street. The night wind howled around me, sharp as knives. My hands shook, not from the cold, but from the rage simmering beneath my skin. My wolf paced inside me, snarling, wanting to lash out, to break through those gates and reclaim what was ours.

But I couldn't. Not now. Not with Lana in my arms.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I had to move forward for her, for us.

Seconds later, a scrap of paper danced through the wind and landed at my feet. I crouched, my fingers stiff and trembling as I picked it up.

It read:

Cleaner wanted. Room and board included, two meals daily, $1000/month.

I stared at it for a long moment. My pride whimpered, but my wolf was silent. Even she understood.

With a criminal record, no one would hire me. Not even as a waitress. But a cleaner… a roof over my head, food, a chance to start over—that was something.

I held Lana close, her soft whimper muffled against my chest.

One last time, I looked up at the gates of Shevron Estates, a symbol of everything Nathan had taken from me. My wolf snarled softly, promising retribution.

Then I turned away.

Nathan's POV

The early dawn crept over Hemsworth's Villa as my car rolled past the iron gates. I leaned back in the leather seat, closing my eyes for a moment's peace. My wolf stirred, uneasy. He'd been that way ever since yesterday night… ever since I'd sensed her in our home.

The car stopped briefly at County Estates. The faint scent of expensive perfume hit me before the door opened.

"Alpha Nathan, look what I brought you!" Sophia's voice was light, cheerful, far too bright for this hour.

Her light brown curls were perfectly in place, her designer suit crisp, and the diamond-studded gold watch on her wrist glittered in the morning sun.

I gave her a brief glance, my expression unreadable, and went back to scrolling through the tablet in my hand.

She leaned forward, offering a neatly packed breakfast box. "I thought you might want something homemade. You've been working so much lately."

The scent wafted through the car. It was warm bread, and the faint sweetness of jam. My wolf froze. I knew that smell.

The same toasted rolls she used to make.

By she, I mean Aria.

I didn't want to remember, but the images came anyway: Aria in the kitchen, barefoot, her hair tied up messily, humming while the sun poured through the curtains as she made me breakfast.

"You seem off today, Nathan." Sophia's tentative voice broke the silence. "Is something wrong?"

Her hand trembled slightly where it rested on her lap.

"I heard you went to pick up Aria yesterday," she ventured. "Is she… still upset about me turning her in?"

My fingers stilled on the tablet. I hadn't absorbed a single word on the screen. My wolf stirred uneasily within me. He was conflicted and angry.

I reached for one of the rolls. Habit, maybe. The first bite hit my tongue, and I exhaled. It was wrong, too sweet unlike the way Aria made it.

"She brought it on herself," I said flatly in response to Sophia's question as I washed the taste away with a sip of water.

"Eighteen months ago, you outmaneuvered the Cowen's family's top lawyer with your brief. You're a genius, Sophia . Hemsworth Group is lucky to have you."

I let my gaze harden, the cold armor slipping back into place. "As for her… she's just a criminal. Don't waste your thoughts on her."

Sophia sighed, a look of sorrow etched her face. "But Aria was my mentor. She brought me into Hemsworth Group when I was nobody."

A muscle ticked in my jaw. "If not for her, you'd still be nobody," I said quietly. "She saw your talent and got jealous. Tried to bury you. Tried to bury everyone who threatened her spot."

"She's vicious, Sophia," I added, my tone softening but still edged with venom. "You're too kind. That's why I need you by my side."

Sophia's eyes shimmered at that, pleased. She sighed dramatically. "Who could've guessed Aria would sell out the company? Working with the Cowen's family against you. That is unthinkable. She was obsessed, Alpha Nathan. She wanted to make you depend on her."

Her hand slid onto my knee, her touch calculated. My wolf growled low inside me. He didn't like her scent, didn't like her. But I ignored him.

"Lucky I had you," I murmured absently, patting her hand. My gaze drifted to the window.

Where was Aria now? The woman whose only dream was remaining my Luna?

She hadn't returned again last night after all the stunts I pulled. My investigators said nothing about seeing her yet. Was she really out there, scavenging through trash for food? Or was she scheming again, waiting for her chance to strike?

A cold smirk tugged at my lips.

If she wanted to crawl through the dirt, so be it. She made her choice.

The screech of brakes jolted me forward. Sophia gasped, tumbling into my arms.

I steadied her instantly, my instincts flaring. "What the hell was that?"

"My apologies, sir!" my driver stammered. "A street cleaner appeared out of nowhere—I almost hit her!"

My gaze snapped forward.

There, through the windshield, was a petite woman, bundled in a faded coat and scarf. She pushed a broom through the puddles, the water splashing against her thin legs. The sight clawed at me. There was a strange familiarity I couldn't shake.

Then she looked up.

But before I could get a good look at her face, she dropped her head and hurried away, sweeping faster, almost frantically.

There was a bundle strapped to her chest.

"Is that… a baby?" Sophia scoffed. "Sweeping with a child strapped to her? What kind of mother does that?"

Her words faded into static.

Because I knew that baby's blanket. I'd seen it before—soft blue fabric with silver embroidery.

Then it hit me. This was the woman on the bus outside the prison, cradling a baby.

It was her.

"Alpha Nathan, should I go help her?" My driver's voice was careful, edged with pity.

I stared at the woman visibly cold, clutching her baby to her chest.

My wolf stirred immediately, a low growl curling in my chest…