Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 114

Aria’s POV

I couldn’t breathe.

The roar of the crowd crashed over me like a tidal wave. Thousands of wolves screaming his name. Chanting. Worshipping.

*KAEL! KAEL! KAEL!*

And there he was.

Walking into that cage like he owned the entire world. Like nothing and no one could ever touch him.

Three years.

Three years since I’d seen that face. Those shoulders. That way he moved—predatory, confident, completely in control.

He looked... different.

Not worse. God, definitely not worse.

Better.

The playful arrogance I remembered was gone. Replaced by something harder. More powerful. The body I’d once known was bigger now. More muscular. More dangerous.

He’d grown into his power.

And I’d been struggling to survive.

"ARIA!"

Sophie’s voice cut through the fog in my brain. Her hand grabbed my arm. Shook me hard.

"Aria! Hey! ARIA!"

I couldn’t respond. Couldn’t move. My eyes were locked on the cage. On him.

He was fighting now. Some massive wolf who thought he stood a chance. Kael dodged. Weaved. Struck with precision that was almost beautiful.

*Almost.*

"ARIA!" Sophie yanked me around to face her. Her silver mask glinted in the arena lights. "Is that—is that HIM? The Alpha Kael? YOUR Kael??"

I lowered my head. Nodded once.

"Oh my GOD." Sophie’s voice cracked. "Aria, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I didn’t know—I never would have—oh GOD, I’m such an IDIOT."

The crowd roared again. Someone must have gone down.

I didn’t look. Couldn’t look.

"We’re leaving." Sophie’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. Firm. Protective. "Right now. We’re getting out of here." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

She started pushing through the crowd. Pulling me along.

I kept my head down. Eyes fixed on the concrete floor. On my own feet moving one after the other.

Don’t look.

Don’t look.

*Don’t look.*

But at the last second—right before we reached the exit—I looked.

Just one glance. One quick peek over my shoulder.

He was standing in the center of the cage. Arm raised in victory. The other fighter crumpled at his feet. Blood on his knuckles. Sweat gleaming on his skin.

And his face...

Still devastatingly handsome. Those black-gold eyes I used to drown in. That jaw I used to trace with my fingertips. Those lips that had kissed me like I was the only woman in the world.

For one insane second, our eyes almost met.

I turned away. Fled.

"Ma’am! Ma’am, wait!"

Someone grabbed Sophie’s arm near the exit. One of the staff members. Young guy with too much gel in his hair.

"Are you sure you want to leave now?" His eyes were wide. Desperate. "The Alpha’s performance is once in a lifetime! Everyone’s going crazy! You might never get another chance to—"

"We’re leaving." Sophie’s voice was steel. "Move."

"But—"

"I said MOVE."

She shoved past him. Pulled me through the door. Into the cool night air.

The noise cut off behind us. Like stepping from one world into another.

Silence.

Just the distant hum of traffic. The whisper of wind. My own ragged breathing.

"Aria." Sophie stopped walking. Turned to face me. "Aria, look at me."

I looked up.

Her mask was gone now. Abandoned somewhere in the chaos. Her eyes were wet with guilt.

"I’m so sorry." Her voice broke. "I didn’t know. I swear to God, I didn’t know he’d be there. I just saw this place online and thought it looked exciting and—"

"It’s not your fault."

The words came out hollow. Empty.

"Yes it IS!" She grabbed both my hands. Squeezed hard. "I should have asked more questions! I should have researched better! I shouldn’t have just dragged you somewhere without knowing—"

"Sophie." I squeezed back. "Stop. Please."

She stopped.

We stood there in the empty street. Two women in fancy dresses and smudged makeup. The absurdity of it all suddenly hit me.

"I must look insane right now." I wiped my eyes. Realized I’d been crying too. "Standing here in a red dress, mascara everywhere, having a breakdown outside an underground fighting arena."

Sophie snort-laughed. Then clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Sorry! Sorry, that wasn’t funny."

"It was a little funny. I’ll be fine." I started walking. No destination. Just moving. "I just need to... process."

Sophie fell into step beside me. Our heels clicked against the pavement. The sound echoed in the empty street.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

Just walked.

The night air was cool. Refreshing after the heat of the arena. A gentle breeze played with my hair. Dried the tears on my cheeks.

"He is really handsome though."

Sophie’s voice broke the silence.

I stopped walking. Stared at her.

"What?"

"I mean..." She held up her hands defensively. "Objectively speaking. From a purely aesthetic standpoint. The man is gorgeous. Like, unfairly gorgeous. It’s almost offensive how attractive he is."

"Sophie!"

"What! I’m just stating facts!" She started walking again. "Those shoulders? That jaw? The way he moved in that cage?" She fanned herself. "I’m just saying, I understand why you fell for him. Physically, at least. The personality clearly needs work."

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

So I laughed.

A real laugh. Wet and wobbly, but real.

"You’re impossible."

"I’m HONEST." She linked her arm through mine. "There’s a difference."

"You’re insane," I told her. "Completely and utterly insane."

"You love me."

"Unfortunately."

"HA!" She grabbed my arm again. Pulled me along. "See? That’s progress. You’re making jokes. Jokes are good. Jokes mean you’re not spiraling into a pit of despair."

"I was never spiraling into a pit of despair." I shoved her. Playfully. She shoved me back.

And somehow, impossibly, we were laughing.

Real laughter. The kind that bubbled up from somewhere deep. The kind that made your stomach hurt and your eyes water.

We stumbled down the street. Clutching each other. Cackling like lunatics.

The night air wrapped around us like a blanket. Cool and clean. Washing away the heat and chaos of the arena.

We turned another corner. The street opened up into a small square. A fountain in the center. Benches. Trees with fairy lights strung through their branches.

"Hey Sophie?"

"Yeah?"

"I’m really glad you came too."

She smiled. That bright, warm Sophie smile.

"Obviously. I’m a delight."

I rolled my eyes. But I was smiling too.

We walked on. The fountain’s sound faded behind us. The fairy lights disappeared around the corner.

Just the two of us. The night. And the road ahead.

That’s when I heard it.

A car engine. Slowing down. Rolling up behind us.

Then a voice.

Male. Low. Flirtatious.

"Ladies, need a ride?"