Chapter 24

Aria POV

I had no desire to set foot in the Alpha’s mansion. In fact, I hadn’t been there in two and a half decades—not since the days of that arrogant bastard, Alpha Owen.

But the moment I realized my daughter had gone into heat at the party—and that was why she hadn’t come home—I knew I had to go. If her heat was as strong as that day, or worse, there’d be some fucking going on. And I wasn’t about to let my daughter lose her flower without a proper marriage—unlike me.

It still felt like yesterday when the man I loved with all my heart betrayed me for someone hotter. The memory left a bitter taste in my mouth. Thank the goddess for Garfield, though. He gave me comfort when I needed it most, and so did Josh.

Then I paused, thinking of Aina.

My daughter. Every time I look at her, I see myself—the way I used to be. Soft. Too soft. I learned early that a girl needed to be sharp and quick-witted, but no matter how much I tried to make Aina that way,