Chapter 191 Apologize
Aria’s POV
The call came through at six in the morning—too early for good news.
I’d barely managed three hours of sleep after last night’s phone call with Damian, still flushed and restless from what we’d done across that screen.
When Victor’s name flashed across my phone, that post-orgasm haze evaporated instantly.
"Lucas is in trouble," he said without preamble. No greeting. No small talk. Just the blunt edge of Pack business delivered like a blade between the ribs.
I sat up fast enough to make my head spin. "What happened?"
"He was in Italy yesterday—business deal, routine stuff. He was supposed to fly back last night." Victor’s voice was tight, controlled in that way that meant he was barely holding his wolf back. "Italian authorities detained him at the airport. They’re claiming he stole trade secrets from a local company."
"That’s insane. Lucas wouldn’t—"
"I know he wouldn’t." Victor cut me off, frustration bleeding through. "I’ve already got people on the ground in Milan digging into this. It took until this afternoon to get any real answers, and what I found out isn’t good."
I pressed the phone harder against my ear, pulse kicking up. "Tell me."
"Lucas turned down a marriage alliance with the Nightshade Pack two days ago. You remember—that European Pack with ties to half the old-money families on the continent?
Their daughter was furious. Turns out her father has deep connections in the Italian Commerce Department. Deep enough to fabricate charges and have my son held indefinitely."
My stomach dropped.
Marriage alliances among werewolf Packs were sacred—binding agreements that cemented power, bloodlines, territory. Refusing one was an insult. Refusing one from a Pack like Nightshade was practically a declaration of war.
"Victor, I’m so sorry—"
"I went to them." His voice cracked slightly, just enough for me to hear the father beneath the Alpha.
"I tried to negotiate. Offered concessions, territory access, trade advantages—anything to get them to back off. They refused to even meet with me. Said Lucas made his choice, and now he’d pay for it."
Silence hung heavy between us.
I knew what he was about to ask before he said it.
"Aria." Victor exhaled slowly, like he hated having to say this out loud. "I need you to ask Damian to intervene. The Nightshade Pack won’t listen to me, but they’ll listen to the Alpha King. One word from him and this whole thing goes away."
My throat tightened.
Damian and I had an understanding—he didn’t interfere in my business decisions, and I didn’t ask him to throw his weight around on my behalf unless absolutely necessary.
It was the only way our relationship worked without me becoming just another Luna who hid behind her mate’s power.
But this was Lucas. Victor’s son. The same Victor who’d been the first person to help me when I’d shown up on his doorstep with nothing but a forged marriage certificate and a inheritance I didn’t know how to claim.
"I’ll talk to him," I said quietly. "I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try."
"Thank you." The relief in Victor’s voice was palpable. "I wouldn’t ask if I had any other option."
"I know."
After we hung up, I sat there in the dim morning light, phone still clutched in my hand, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to explain this to Damian without sounding like I was using him.
*Guess we’re about to test exactly how much trust we built last night,* I thought grimly.
I pulled up his contact and typed out a message before I could overthink it.
Me:[We need to talk. It’s urgent.]
The reply came back in less than thirty seconds.
Damian:[Call me. Now.]
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Author’s POV
Victor ended the call and stared at his phone for a long moment, jaw clenched tight enough to make his teeth ache.
He hated asking for help. Hated the feeling of being powerless, of having to rely on someone else to fix what he couldn’t.
But Lucas was his son—his heir, his pride—and if groveling to the Alpha King was what it took to bring him home safely, then he’d swallow every shred of his pride and do it.
Still, unease prickled at the back of his neck.
He wasn’t sure Aria’s request would be enough. Damian Blackwood didn’t hand out favors lightly, and Victor had no illusions about where he stood in the King’s hierarchy of priorities.
Aria might be his mate, but that didn’t mean Damian would risk political fallout with the European Packs just because Victor asked nicely.
He needed a backup plan.
Victor scrolled through his contacts and stopped on a name.
*Sylvia.*
His finger hovered over the number for a beat before he pressed it.
The line rang twice before she picked up, her voice smooth and unbothered as always. "Victor. This is unexpected."
"I need a favor," he said bluntly.
There was a pause. Then a low, amused laugh. "What?"
Victor gritted his teeth. "Lucas is in trouble. He’s being held in Italy on bullshit charges because he refused a marriage alliance with the Nightshade Pack. I need you to reach out to the Sterling family—I know you still have connections there."
Sylvia hummed thoughtfully on the other end of the line. "The Sterlings... yes, I suppose I could make a call. But you know how this works, Victor. Favors aren’t free."
"What do you want?"
"I’ll think about it," she said lightly. "In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about your son. Lucas is a good boy—I’d hate to see him suffer because of Pack politics."
Victor exhaled slowly, tension easing just slightly. "Thank you."
"Don’t thank me yet." Sylvia’s voice dropped, taking on a sharper edge. "I’ll help you, Victor. But when I come to collect, you won’t hesitate. Understood?"
"Understood."
The line went dead.
Victor set his phone down on the desk and scrubbed a hand over his face, exhaustion dragging at him like a weight.
Lucas would be fine.