Her Chosen Mate

Part 16

(POV - Aria)

Aria felt her sanity slipping with each passing day.

She didn't know how long it'd been since Aiden had shattered her heart yet again, but she knew it must have been at least a handful of weeks. She hadn't left her room for almost as long, refusing to speak to anyone who knocked at her door.

The pain of rejection was so much sharper, so much more physical because Aiden had used her, used her body as his personal fleshlight and tossed her aside once he was done with her.

He'd gone back to Meredith. At least, that's what April had murmured through the door after Aria refused to get out of bed.

Of course, he'd gone back to her. He'd said he would never love Aria, that he would never choose her. And why would he when he already had perfect Meredith? All Aria had been was a means to an end, a way to 'scratch an itch', as he'd said.

It made her feel like trash, like less than the wolf she knew she was.

And it hurt all the more because she'd been so happy. She was over the moon that he'd finally come to his senses and acknowledged the bond that lay between them. Her wolf had howled in mourning when he'd turned her away, leaving her in the cold night.

She couldn't believe he'd ever do such a thing. She had always known him to be the caring, considerate wolf from when they were teenagers. Even if he had been a little closed off and aloof, he was funny and obviously cared about his pack.

Aria was sure that the knowledge of that only dug deeper into her bones, the insecurity and shame burrowing its way in until it stained her wolf's fur.

There was a knock at her door again, and Aria didn't even have the strength to sniff them out. The weeks of isolation and heartbreak had been enough to drain her of all her energy, leaving behind a lump beneath her covers where she hid.

"Aria, open up, please."

It was April. Aria could sniff her out then. She scented the concern on her best friend, but there was something else that Aria hadn't expected: excitement.

It was enough to pull her heavy limbs from her bed and trudge across the space between her sanctuary and the door. But she made it, and the second she unlatched the lock, April burst in like a hurricane.

"Oh my God, you smell like an outhouse," was her greeting, and Aria couldn't help but shrink into herself a little. She shouldn't be surprised that she smelled terrible, what with not having showered for almost two weeks, but the knowledge stung, and April caught onto it immediately.

"Oh, honey, I didn't mean it like that," she said, carefully drawing Aria into her embrace. "I mean, you do smell like shit, but I still love you."

Aria pouted. She didn't really have the energy to crack a smile, even if it was a small one.

"Have you at least eaten since the last time I spoon fed you?"

Without meaning to, Aria cast a glance at the plates of untouched food that had been stacked on her desk. She had no appetite, her wolf on a hunger strike from the harsh rejection she'd faced not once, but twice.

"So help me, Aria. I will go downstairs and fetch food, set you down like a good pup and feed you by force if I have to."

"No!" Aria said, holding her hands up in defense. "I swear I'll eat. Just promise you won't feed me again."

"Was it really that bad?" April queried, an eyebrow cocked in question. Aria paled, recalling April's last visit and the spoon feeding that had ensued.

April had practically climbed on top of Aria to pin her in place while she locked her jaw wide to pile chunks of steak in. Aria had given up thrashing and let April feed her, but she'd thrown up after because her body refused to keep anything other than tiny gulps of water down.