Her Chosen Mate

Part 12

(POV - Aria)

As if in a trance, Aria took a step forward, then another, her feet carrying her toward Aiden, who hadn't moved since they'd locked eyes. He only stared at her, his jaw slack as if he couldn't understand what had happened.

But Aria knew. She felt her wolf paw and huff, aching to be claimed because Aiden was her true mate. After all those years of wondering and wishing, she'd been right. Her crush must have been the very first tendrils of an unsealed mating bond curling around the edges of her soul.

So why wasn't Aiden moving forward to claim her?

Her feet had carried her to him, and she stood directly in front of him, waiting for Aiden to mark her. Traditionally, he would claim her because there was no reason to refuse a true mate.

But he shook his head and walked past her like she was nothing but air, stunning her into silence. Aria watched him stride into the arena, his shoulders tense and his hands curled into fists at his side, her heart hurting a little.

Why hadn't he claimed her? Surely it wasn't one-sided. That was impossible. He'd been obviously affected by it, and he had to know that Aria was his true mate. Why had he brushed past her without claiming her first?

Maybe he'd needed to focus on the fight. He would claim her after, for sure. Feeling a little empty suddenly, standing alone while the crowd inside the arena cheered Aiden's return, Aria pressed her lips into a line and nodded.

He would claim her after the fight, she told herself. He needed to keep his head clear for the challenge against his father, and that's why he'd ignored her so coldly.

With that small spark of hope blooming in her heart, Aria walked back into the arena, trying to keep her eyes on Aiden while also navigating back to her seat next to April.

"Where did you go?" April scolded, her nose scrunching when Aria sat down. "Why do you smell... confused?"

Aria tore her eyes away from Aiden, who stood facing his father in the arena.

"Huh?"

April turned her bodily, hands digging into Aria's shoulders until they both faced one another. "Look at me, Aria. What just happened?"

Aria glanced down and noticed the little hairs on April's arms standing on end. April had always been really good at sensing things that others couldn't see. Her sense of smell had developed at a really young age, and she had a keen eye that saw a lot deeper than the surface allowed. Most of the time, Aria was really grateful for her best friend's ability to seemingly read her mind.

Just then, however, she wanted nothing more than for April to let her be so that Aiden could finish the fight and claim her. The way he was supposed to. The way she'd watched countless other mated couples do once they discovered one another.

Her wolf had gone back to pacing, more agitated than she had been before Aiden had arrived, and it set Aria's teeth on edge. She had no idea what to do, and the bone deep knowledge that her true mate was standing right in front of her and she still hadn't been claimed made her want to tear her hair out at the roots. She could hear her heart thumping in her ears, her skin itchy and hot with discomfort because this wasn't right, wasn't right, wasn't right.

"He's my true mate," Aria finally whispered, her voice stolen by a breath of wind. But April must have heard, because her eyes dropped to Aria's neck, obviously looking for a fresh mating bite that wasn't there.

"But where-?" April paused, her eyes slowly returning to Aria's face. She looked as confused as Aria felt. "Why didn't he claim you then?"

Aria shook her head, her mouth dry.