Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 13

Aria’s POV

When I finally reached my mother’s house, I let out a trembling breath of relief.

My legs still shook from the encounter with those wolves. My heart hadn’t stopped racing. But at least I was off the streets. At least I was somewhere with walls and a door.

I pushed open the front door. Let my eyes adjust to the dim light inside.

What I saw made me freeze.

My mother was straddling some man’s lap on the couch. She wore nothing but a bra. Her hips moved rhythmically above him while his hands gripped her waist. His mouth worked greedily at her neck.

"Oh my God, Mom!" I shouted. The words came out louder than I intended.

She whipped her head toward me. Surprise and annoyance flashed across her face. "Aria! You’re supposed to be at the ceremony!"

"Mom" I shot back. Disgust dripped from every word.

I tried to look away. But the damage was done. The image was already burned into my brain.

The man turned to stare at me. His small eyes crawled over my body in a way that made my skin feel dirty. Violated.

"Haven’t seen this one, Moira," he said. His voice was thick. Slow. Like syrup mixed with gravel. "She’s a real beauty."

My stomach churned with revulsion as his gaze devoured me. His mouth formed a predatory smile that made bile rise in my throat.

"Oh my God," I muttered under my breath.

My feet moved before my brain caught up. I bolted toward my bedroom. Fast. Desperate.

"Don’t even think about it, Doug," I heard my mother warn him as I fled. "She’s not like my other daughters. Forget it."

I slammed my bedroom door shut. My breathing came in ragged gasps. I pressed my back against the wood like it could shield me from everything outside.

My hands curled into tight fists. Nails bit into my palms.

Nausea washed over me. Not just from that man. From everything. My mother. This house. My entire existence.

How had things gotten this bad? How had I ended up trapped in a place where I had to dodge threats from criminals and watch disgusting men undress me with their eyes in my own home?

I collapsed onto my bed. The springs groaned beneath me. I grabbed my earbuds from the nightstand and shoved them into my ears. Music blasted against my skull, drowning out the sounds from the rest of the house.

But it couldn’t quiet my racing thoughts.

My eyes burned with tears. I blinked hard. Refused to let them fall.

None of this was fair. Absolutely none of it.

My mind drifted back to earlier tonight. To Kael.

Experiencing two worlds in one night was almost unbearable.

Being with Kael had felt like stepping into a fantasy. The upscale venue. The designer dress. The intoxication of being close to someone so confident and powerful.

Now I was back to brutal reality. A crumbling house. A mother who didn’t care. A brother who’d dragged me into his dangerous world.

A bitter sound escaped my throat. Something between a laugh and a sob.

"This is your life, Aria," I whispered into the darkness. "When are you going to accept it?"

I closed my eyes. Music still pounding in my ears. Tried to shut out everything else.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about Kael. His burning gaze. His deep voice. The way his presence made everything else disappear.

I hated myself for this.

Because Kael Blood Crown was exactly the person who shouldn’t be occupying my thoughts.

Yet somehow, he was all I could think about.

---

I sprawled across my bed the next morning. Eyes fixed on the ceiling. Mind a tangled mess of agitation and daydreams.

My work shift didn’t start until 2 PM. But staying home felt like its own kind of hell. I did everything I could to avoid my mother and siblings. Every encounter left me drained. Today was no exception.

My thoughts—which seemed beyond my control these days—wandered back to Kael. Always back to him.

Life wasn’t fair.

I sighed and closed my eyes. As if that could banish the images flooding my mind.

But there he was again. Kael behind the steering wheel. His hand resting casually on the wheel. That barely-there smirk playing at his lips.

Having these feelings was ridiculous. I understood that perfectly.

Indulging in him wouldn’t produce any positive outcome. But my heart refused to listen. Just thinking about him made my chest tighten.

I groaned and rolled onto my side. Buried my face in the pillow.

A sharp knock on my door yanked me from my reverie.

"Who is it?" I called out. Annoyance colored my voice.

Silence. Then the doorknob rattled.

I huffed in irritation. Sat up. Glared at the door. "Why are you coming in?"

"It’s your mother," came the response. Sharp. Impatient.

I rolled my eyes. Muttered a curse under my breath as I got up to open the door. My mother stood there waiting. Hands on her hips. Radiating annoyance.

"I wanted to sleep," I said before she could speak. "I locked the door because I needed quiet."

Her eyes narrowed. But she held back any argument. "I have something to tell you."

I froze. There was weight in my mother’s tone. Experience told me what was coming wouldn’t be pleasant.

"The man you met yesterday—"

"Mom, stop," I interrupted. My stomach sank. "Please don’t tell me that man wants to sleep with me. I’m not interested."

Her expression didn’t change. If anything, she looked pleased. "He said he wants to marry you, though."

I stared at her. My brain struggling to process.

"You’re joking."

"I’m not."

I gaped at her. Speechless.

My mother continued, her voice growing more insistent. "He has money, Aria. His wife left him, so he’s single. I even mentioned your marriage, and he said he’d pay for you."

My throat tightened. Anger built inside me like pressure in a pipe.

"Mom," I said, voice trembling. "What are you talking about?"

"This could be perfect for you—"

"No."

My mother looked surprised. "What?"

"I said no!" My voice cracked with fury. "What is wrong with you, Mom? What is wrong with you? That man was having sex with you in our living room last night, and now you’re telling me he wants to marry me? Are you serious?"

I couldn’t comprehend any of this.

My mother’s face went rigid. "Watch how you speak to me, little girl." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"I will when you leave me alone!" I shot back.

We stared at each other. Tension crackling between us.

My mother’s features twisted with anger. But something else lurked beneath—cold calculation.

"Don’t be a fucking fool," my mother finally spat. "Get off that high horse and look at what’s being offered to you. This could change your life. Think about it."

With that, she turned and walked away. Left me frozen in the doorway. Stunned.