Chapter 74

Aria

My heart stopped the moment I saw the pictures on the screen.

It was the image from the masquerade—the dip, the kiss, followed by my mad dash with no mask on. And it became clear to me, in that moment, that everyone in the office had seen it. Everyone.

Which only meant one thing.

“How bad is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s everywhere,” Tracy admitted, glancing at the phone again before setting it down. “Everyone has seen it, and they’re not happy.”

The words hit me like a freight train. I sank into a nearby chair, gripping the edge of the table like I might otherwise vanish from reality. Although I might not have minded if I did. “What are they saying?” I choked out.

Tracy hesitated. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to be judging me. Just concerned more than anything.

“It’s… not great, Aria. People think you’re…” She trailed off, but I didn’t need her to finish the sentence. I could fill in the blanks. People thought I was that employee—you know, the one who seduced the boss to get ahead.

Only Lily knew the truth—that Darren and I were mates and that made feelings complicated. But I still wouldn’t put it past her lately to think that I, the human in the situation, was still up to no good.

Before I could say anything else, a notification pinged on Tracy’s phone. She glanced at it and frowned. “Emergency meeting,” she said. “Conference Room B. Darren called it.”

I stared at her, dread pooling in my chest. “Do you think it’s about this?”

She didn’t answer, but the look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.

The room was already packed when we arrived a few moments later, and the energy was tense. The usual spot for me beside Lily was filled, and she didn’t look up at me as I entered. I could feel the stares of the others on me, like hot pokers pricking into my skull, as I took a seat.

Whispers rippled through the room as Darren entered, his usual calm composure replaced by something tighter and more controlled. He stood at the head of the table, scanning the room until everyone had settled. He didn’t look at me. Not right away, at least.

“Thank you all for coming,” he began. “I want to address an issue that has caused some confusion and discomfort in the office as of late.”

He paused, his gaze flicking briefly to me before moving on. My stomach twisted painfully. Obviously, this was about me after all.

“Some of you may have seen a photograph circulating from the masquerade charity gala this weekend,” he continued. “The photo shows myself and Aria in what appears to be a… compromising position.”

A wave of murmurs swept through the room, but Darren raised a hand, silencing them. “I want to be clear: there is nothing romantic happening between Aria and me. We are not dating, nor are we… involved in any way. What you saw was a poorly timed photo taken at an awkward angle.”

My face burned, and I stared down at my hands, wishing I could disappear.

“But that being said, I also want to acknowledge something else,” Darren said, his tone softening slightly. “Aria and I do have a history. We were close friends long before either of us worked here, when we were just kids.”

At that, a few coworkers looked around, surprised.

“And while I’ve tried to remain professional,” he continued, “I realize now that I may have been unconsciously biased. If it seems like I’ve treated her differently, that’s on me, and I take full responsibility.”

I looked up, shocked by the admission. Darren’s expression was serious, almost vulnerable. He wasn’t just doing damage control—he was genuinely trying to take the heat off me.

“To ensure fairness moving forward,” he continued, “I am going to do my best to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, and I am genuinely apologetic for not noticing my shortcomings sooner. If anyone has any problems with how an employee is being treated, please come to me personally and we will resolve the issue.”

He paused, then added, “Furthermore, I’m granting each of you an additional full PTO day. You can use it however you wish.”

There was a collective murmur of approval, but Darren wasn’t finished.

“Back to the topic of the masquerade,” he added, “I ran into Aria there by chance. We spent a few minutes chatting and dancing as old friends, but that was the extent of it. The photo may suggest otherwise, but I assure you there is no relationship between us beyond our shared history and professional interactions.”

He paused, letting his words sink in. “I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. If anyone has further concerns, my door is always open.”

With that, the meeting was over. People filed out slowly, some looking reassured, others still casting curious glances in my direction. I stayed seated, unable to move. My head was spinning, and my heart was pounding.

“Aria,” Tracy said gently, touching my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I nodded mutely, but I wasn’t sure if I was telling the truth. By the time I finally left the room, most of the office had settled back into its usual rhythm.

But as I passed Lily’s desk, she didn’t look at me. Instead, she stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor, and stalked away without a word. The coldness in her actions stung, even though it had been weeks like this between us.

I knew why she was upset, of course. She was the only one in the office who knew that Darren was lying about our relationship, at least partially; she was the only one who knew about our relationship as mates. And knowing that, she could no doubt put two and two together.

The kiss was real, and she knew it.

And she knew that Darren had just lied to his pack, the people who looked up to him, for my sake. For the outsider human who had no place here.

I couldn’t sit with that. It felt like a relief to get some of the pressure off of me, but at the same time, it felt… wrong. Dirty. I didn’t want to be lied about. In fact, I would have preferred facing the heat from the pictures myself without Darren getting involved at all.

With my mind made, I stood up and headed for Darren’s office, ignoring the strange looks from the others as I passed. I knocked on his door, my shoulders trembling a little.

“Come in,” he called.

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. Darren looked up from his desk, his expression softening when he saw me. “Aria.”

“I just wanted to say thank you,” I began, my voice quiet. “For what you said in the meeting. I know you didn’t have to do that.”

He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “It was the right thing to do.”

“But… was it?” I hesitated, unsure how to phrase what I wanted to say. “I don’t want you to lie for me. It’s not right. And it’s not fair to them.” I gestured toward his office window, where the cubicles sat below.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I did what I thought was best, Aria. The situation was already messy. I just wanted to put out the fire before it spread.”

“But lying about it isn’t the same as putting it out,” I argued. “It’s just making things worse. Lily knows the truth, and she’s furious, and rightfully so. How much longer can we keep pretending? Why can’t we just tell everyone, clear the air, and go from there?”

Darren didn’t respond immediately. His gaze dropped to his desk, his jaw tightening. Finally, he said, “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” I pressed.

“The Alpha King election is coming up,” he admitted. “If the pack finds out I have a human mate, it could jeopardize everything. They’ll see it as a weakness. You know this.”

The words hung heavy in the air. I stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. I knew about this election, of course, but hearing him say that so matter-of-factly—like it was worth all this drama—left me reeling.

“So I have to suffer and lie for the sake of votes?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

His eyes flickered with something—hurt, maybe, or guilt—but he didn’t say anything. The silence between us was deafening, and I felt something inside of me crack. I knew that what I had just said was out of line. But it needed to be said nonetheless.

And judging from the way he quietly stared at his desk in response, I knew I struck a nerve.