(Aria's POV)
What the hell was wrong with that man?
I rubbed at my arm as if the ghost of his touch still lingered there, as if scrubbing hard enough could erase the memory of his voice curling around my name.
Damian Vale.
Even thinking it made my chest tighten, not from fear exactly but from the strange, crawling awareness that came with being seen.
He knew.
That was the worst part.
He knew I was an Omega.
Except for my parents, no one else was supposed to know. Not Leonel though once, he did. Back then. But the Leonel of now didn't remember me that way.
To him, I was just another Beta.
A nobody.
I turned to glance over my shoulder. The alley was empty now, except for a few scattered crates and the faint echo of footsteps that had long since faded. Damian had disappeared, but his scent rich and dark like burnt wood and danger still clung to the air.
I exhaled shakily. "Great," I muttered under my breath. "Just what I needed. Another arrogant Alpha with issues."
