Capítulo 5: Echoes of Deceit

Azaria's Point of View

The moment Dr. Lillian entered the room, the atmosphere shifted palpably. Ethan's once overbearing presence, which had been suffocating and oppressive, seemed to shrink.

"Alpha, I'm going to have to ask you to step out, I have a few more things I need to do know that the Luna is awake." Lilly said turning to meet his eyes.

The confidence that had bolstered him moments ago flickered, his eyes darting toward Lillian with a fleeting glimpse of discomfort. He straightened his suit jacket, as if the fabric were some kind of armor he could hide behind.

"Ah, yes. I need to get back to work anyway," Ethan said with an awkward attempt at casualness, his usual commanding tone sounding a little hollow. His eyes flicked over me briefly. "Let's talk about this later, Luna," he added, forcing a smile, but there was an edge to his voice, a hint of unease that hadn't been there before. With a last glance at Lilly, he turned and exited, leaving the room feeling lighter, as though a storm cloud had passed.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. It felt like I had been breathing through a straw, struggling to keep calm in his presence. Now, it was as if the tension had evaporated. Lilly, my rock, was here, and suddenly, I felt more in control.

Lilly cocked an eyebrow as she watched Ethan disappear through the door. "The hell was that about?" she muttered, not hiding her curiosity as she approached me. Her eyes darted between the now-empty doorway and my face, her sharp gaze searching for answers.

I let out a bitter laugh—a sound that felt foreign coming from me. It wasn't the joyful sound we used to share in our youth, but it was something. "I want out," I said, the words spilling out of me with surprising force. "And he will release me, one way or another."

Lillian's eyes widened in shock, her mouth slightly agape. I could see her mind working to process what I had just said. It was as if the walls she had built to respect my marriage were cracking. She had always admired Ethan's swift rise to power, especially since he had played a key role in her professional advancement. But now, reality was creeping in. Her concern was palpable, her expression torn between her loyalty to me and her preconceptions about Ethan.

"And what I overheard in the hall… Is it all true?" Her voice trembled, guilt weaving through her words. "Did you suffer… because of me? So that I could go to school?"

Her question pierced me, and my heart clenched. I had shielded her from the darkest corners of my life for a reason. Lilly had been one of the few good things in my life, one of the only people I could count on. She didn't deserve to carry the weight of my suffering. For years, I had protected her from the full truth, and even now, I couldn't burden her with it.

I forced myself to smile, though it didn't reach my eyes. "No," I lied softly, looking directly into her eyes. "It wasn't because of you. Things would have been the same with or without you being here."

Lilly's eyes welled up with unshed tears, and before she could speak, I pulled her into a hug. "Really, Lilly. Don't feel guilty. Nothing would've changed," I said, my voice soothing. "At least now, I know the person taking care of me genuinely cares about me. That's something, right?"

She sniffled, nodding against my shoulder before pulling back, wiping her eyes. "I just hate that you've gone through so much. You don't deserve this," she said, her voice shaky but filled with determination. She paused, gathering herself before slipping back into her professional role. "Now, let's focus on what we can control. Doctor Lillian, reporting in!"

Her attempt to lighten the mood brought a small smile to my face. That is my Lilly—always finding a way to break the tension, even in the darkest moments. She had been my emotional anchor for as long as I could remember.

"Well, good news and bad news," she said with an unconvincing smile. "The good news is that you're cleared to leave tomorrow morning. The bad news… well, we couldn't figure out exactly what happened to you. The tests came back normal, except for one that's inconclusive. I need more time to figure it out."

I felt a pang of worry, but I covered it with another shrug. "Oh, I know what it was," I said, trying to sound casual. "Ethan cheated, and my bloodline is cursed enough that I can feel it—great, right? Even though we're not fated mates."

Lilly's eyes darkened with concern, and her face shifted from professional to deeply troubled. "Zari…" she began, her voice laced with sympathy, but I cut her off before she could continue.

"It's fine, Lilly. Or it will be," I said, though my voice wavered slightly. "But let's not talk about it in here. I need to clear my head. Let's go outside."

Lilly didn't hesitate. She helped me out of the sterile hospital room and guided me to the pack gardens. The moment we stepped into the garden, the soft sounds of birds chirping and water trickling from the nearby fountain greeted us. The vibrant flowers surrounded us, creating a wall of color and life that contrasted with the suffocating atmosphere of the hospital.

I had designed this garden when Lilly and I had first arrived to the pack. It had been our escape, a place where we could hide from the chaos of our new lives. Now, it is a reminder of everything that had happened, of how much we had grown and changed.

We sat down on a stone bench near the fountain, the scent of jasmine and lilac hanging in the air. For a moment, we just sat in silence, taking in the peacefulness of the garden. But peace wasn't what I needed. I needed to talk.

"I haven't told you everything," I said softly, breaking the quiet. My gaze was fixed on the ground, watching the delicate petals of a flower flutter in the wind.

Lilly turned to me, her face serious. "I figured as much," she said gently, waiting for me to continue.

I took a deep breath before I started talking. I told her everything I had kept hidden—the full truth about my marriage to Ethan, the gaslighting, the manipulation, the control he had over me. I told her about how he used the name "Aria" to keep me in line, how he twisted it like a knife in my heart every time he uttered it. And I told her how powerless it made me feel, how it brought back memories of Margaret, my stepmother, and the cruelty I had endured at her hands.

As I spoke, Lilly's face shifted from concern to something fiercer. Her eyes flickered with anger, not at me but at the man who had caused me so much pain. When I finished, her expression was hard, her jaw set in a way that reminded me of the girl I had first met—tough, unrelenting, and full of fire.

I thought back to the day we met, a memory that still haunted me. I had been only six years old, too young to understand the depth of my father's manipulations. He had used me as a pawn in his schemes, convincing me that we were simply playing a game. A strategic exercise, he had called it. But that game had led to the destruction of Lilly's family. My "win" had been her loss.

A few months later, Lilly had been introduced to me as my new maid. She was ten, and a spy sent to watch me. It hadn't taken long for her to confess the truth of her role, but by then, it didn't matter. We had become friends, bound by something deeper than the lies and betrayals that had surrounded us. When I finally learned the full extent of my father's game and the part I had played in her family's demise, I had expected her to hate me. But she hadn't. Instead, she had forgiven me, telling me it wasn't my fault.

That forgiveness had cemented our bond. We were sisters in everything but blood. Now, seeing the old fire in her eyes, I knew that fierce, protective part of her had never gone away. She would do anything for me, just as I would for her.

"How's Nyrie handling all of this?" Lilly asked, her voice cutting through the heavy silence that had settled between us.

I sighed, leaning back against the bench. "Better than I expected. She never liked Ethan. She said bowing to him felt like lowering herself to a pup." I tried to smile, but it felt weak. The weight of everything was pressing down on me, suffocating.

Lilly chuckled softly, but her next question was more serious. "And you? How are you really feeling?"

I didn't answer right away. I wasn't sure how to answer. The truth was, I didn't know how I felt. My mind was a tangled mess of emotions—anger, hurt, betrayal, fear. I stared at the flowers surrounding us, their beauty a sharp contrast to the chaos inside me.

"I feel like I've let Nyrie down," I admitted finally. "Like I've let myself down. I should have trusted her more, listened to her instincts. Instead, I let Ethan control me. I let him make me believe I was weak, that I wasn't enough."

Lilly placed her hand on my shoulder, her touch warm and comforting. "Zari, you didn't betray anyone," she said softly but firmly. "You did what you had to do to survive. That doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong."

I looked at her, my heart swelling with gratitude for her unwavering support. "Thank you," I whispered. "But now I have to make things right. I can't stay in this life anymore. I need to be free."

Lilly nodded, her expression serious. "What's your plan?"

I hesitated. I wasn't sure I was ready to say it out loud, but I had to start somewhere. "I need to know who Ethan's been with. I need proof before I can do anything."

Her eyes darkened, a familiar determination settling over her. "I'll get you that proof," she promised. "Just give me some time."

Before I could respond, I noticed her eyes shift behind me. I turned and saw Ethan approaching with Marcus, his ever-loyal beta. The peacefulness of the garden evaporated, replaced by tension so thick it was suffocating.

Lilly and Marcus exchanged brief pleasantries before slipping away, leaving me alone with Ethan.

"Did you tell her?" Ethan asked, his voice sharp as he stepped closer, his eyes narrowing at me.

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. "And if I did?" I asked, my tone calm but defiant. "Who I confide in is my concern."

His jaw clenched, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. He stepped forward, towering over me. "I've been thinking," he said, his voice shifting into a more placating tone, as if he thought he could manipulate me again. "We can't get divorced. I won't feel threatened just because you refuse to have my children. I can always have an heirs elsewhere."

My blood ran cold, but I didn't let him see the effect his words had on me. "Except I can feel every time you try," I said coolly. "No thanks."

Ethan's chuckle was low and menacing. "Consider it punishment for failing in your duties."

I raised an eyebrow, my voice steady. "I wonder if Selene would allow me the same freedom."

His smile vanished, replaced by something darker. He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. "Don't forget your place, Aria," he hissed, using the name like a weapon, twisting it to hurt me. "I've been patient with you. But don't make me remind you of who I am."

I turned to face him, our faces inches apart. "You may be Alpha, but don't forget who gave you that power in the first place," I whispered, my voice filled with quiet fury. "Do not mistake me for someone who will bow to you."

For a moment, we stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. His eyes blazed with barely contained rage, but I didn't flinch. I had been under his control for far too long. This time, I wouldn't bend.

Finally, he let go of me with a sigh and I turned and walked away, my heart pounding in my chest. Ethan didn't follow, and for the first time, I felt like I was truly walking away from the life I had been trapped in for so long.