Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce!-Chapter 7

Aria’s POV

The house was empty when I got there. Silent. Like a tomb.

I stood in the doorway for a long moment. Staring at nothing.

This place had never been a home. Not really. But it was the only thing I had. And now I was leaving it behind.

I walked through the living room. Past the couch where Finn never sat with me. Past the photos on the wall—wedding pictures that felt like they belonged to someone else. Past Lilith’s toys scattered on the floor.

My chest tightened. I forced myself to keep moving.

The kitchen table was clear. Perfect spot.

I pulled the papers from my bag. Divorce petition. Mate bond dissolution. Custody agreement. All signed. All final.

I laid them out carefully. Made sure they were impossible to miss.

There. Done.

The housekeeper shuffled in from the laundry room. She’d always been kind to me. One of the few.

"Oh, Aria." She looked surprised. "I didn’t know you were coming home."

"Is Finn here?"

She shook her head. "Mr. Nightfang said he has urgent business. He might not be back for several days."

My hands clenched. "Did he say what kind of business?"

"No, dear. Just that it was important."

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. The sound came out bitter. Broken.

"Aria? Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." I wasn’t. "Thank you."

I went upstairs. To the room that used to be mine. Before Finn moved me to the guest room.

Clothes everywhere. Scattered across the floor. The bed. The chair.

I stared at the mess. When had I become this person? This broken, desperate thing?

Tonight was the mating ceremony. Hours away. And I had nothing to wear.

I dug through the closet. Past the conservative work uniforms. Past the stretched-out pajamas.

There. In the back.

A black dress. Simple. Long-sleeved. High neck.

I pulled it out. Held it up to the light.

The fabric was worn. Faded. I’d bought it at a thrift store five years ago. For some Pack event Finn dragged me to. He’d barely looked at me that night. Spent the whole time talking to other wolves.

I took it to the bathroom. Laid it on the counter. Stared at my reflection.

Hollow eyes stared back. Dark circles. Pale skin. Hair that needed washing.

I looked like a ghost. Felt like one too.

My hand trembled as I applied lipstick. Just a touch. Pale pink. Barely there.

This isn’t real, I reminded myself. Blood Crown’s heir doesn’t want you. This is just business. A transaction. Twenty-five thousand dollars for pretending to be his date.

That’s all.

My phone buzzed. Made me jump.

*Outside.*

One word. Cold. Commanding.

I grabbed my bag. Took one last look around the bathroom.

This was it. After tonight, everything would change.

I ran down the stairs. Out the back door. Into the cool night air.

And there he was.

Kael Blood Crown leaned against his car like he owned the world. Maybe he did.

Moonlight carved shadows across his face. But something was different.

There was a cut on his cheek. Still fresh. Barely healed. And his jaw—bruised. Purple spreading under his tan skin.

His black-gold eyes swept over me. Paused on my dress. His eyebrows drew together. Just slightly. Like he’d tasted something unpleasant.

My stomach dropped.

"Get in." His voice was flat. Cold. Like I was an employee. Not a date.

I bit my lip. Walked to the passenger side. Opened the door myself.

The car smelled like him. Ebony and frost and something wild.

Kael slid into the driver’s seat. Didn’t look at me. Started the engine. The car purred to life.

We drove in silence. The streetlights painted patterns across his face. Made those black-gold eyes gleam.

I pressed myself against the door. Tried to make myself smaller. Tried to breathe through my mouth so his scent wouldn’t overwhelm me.

It didn’t work.

"You fought tonight." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

His jaw tightened. "So?"

"Just... nothing. You’re hurt."

"I won."

Of course he did. Alphas like him always won.

The car turned. But not toward Blood Crown territory. Not toward the ceremony venue.

"Where are we going?"

"Shopping district."

My blood went cold. "What? Why?"

He finally looked at me. Those eyes dragged over my dress. Slow. Thorough. Dismissive.

"You need to change."

Heat flooded my face. Shame. Anger. "What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?"

"Everything." He turned back to the road. "You can’t show up with me looking like that."

The words hit like a slap.

I stared at my lap. At the faded black fabric. At my hands clenched in my lap.

"This is my best dress."

Silence.

Then: "So?"

That one word. So casual. So cruel.

My throat closed. Tears burned behind my eyes. I blinked them back hard.

Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry.

"I’m not trying to embarrass you," I said quietly. "This is all I have."

"Then it’s a good thing I’m buying you something better."

The car stopped. I looked up.

We were in the heart of Blood Crown territory. Where the buildings gleamed. Where the shops had names I couldn’t pronounce.

Where people like me didn’t belong.

Kael got out. Walked around. Opened my door.

The boutique was glass and gold and crystal. Everything sparkled. Everything cost more than I made in six months.

A woman rushed over. Sleek hair. Perfect makeup. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"Mr. Blood Crown! Welcome back!"

Back? He came here often?

"She needs a dress." Kael gestured at me like I was a package he was returning. "For the mating ceremony. Something... appropriate."

The woman’s eyes swept over me. Her smile tightened. "Of course. Right this way."

She led me deeper into the store. Away from Kael. I glanced back once. He was on his phone. Jaw tight. Ignoring me completely.

"Try this." She shoved a dress at me. Navy blue. Simple. But made of gorgeous silk.

I took it. Walked to the changing room on shaking legs.

The dress fit. It was plain, but making my figure much better.

"Better," the woman said. Didn’t mean it.

Kael looked up from his phone. His gaze traveled over me. Slow. Clinical.

Something flickered in his eyes. Too fast to read.

"Fine. We’ll take it."

"Excellent choice, Mr. Blood Crown." The woman practically purred. "That will be eight thousand—"

"Put it on my account."

Twenty minutes later, we were back in the car. I wore the new dress. My old one sat in a bag at my feet.

"Thank you," I forced out. "For the dress."

Kael didn’t respond. Just drove.

The silence pressed down. Heavy. Suffocating.

The venue appeared. Massive. Glittering. The entire building was lit up like a beacon. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Wolves everywhere. Dressed in their finest. All here for one thing.

Kael pulled into a spot. Cut the engine. Neither of us moved.

"Remember," he said finally. His voice was low. Dark. "You’re here as my date. You stay by my side. You don’t talk to anyone I don’t approve. You don’t make a scene."

I swallowed. "What if—"

"No what-ifs." He turned. Those black-gold eyes pinned me in place. "You do exactly what I say. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Good."

He got out. Walked around. Opened my door.

I stepped out on shaking legs. The night air bit through the thin dress.

That’s when I saw them.

Across the parking lot. Walking toward the entrance.

Finn and Celestia. Hand in hand.

My heart stopped.

Finn wore a dark suit. Expensive. Perfectly tailored. Celestia was in gold. Shimmering. Beautiful. She laughed at something he said. Leaned into him. He smiled down at her.

That’s the important thing Finn needed to do?

"Aria."

Kael’s voice cut through the fog. I looked up at him. He was watching me. Reading me.

I took his hand. His palm was warm. Rough. His fingers closed around mine. Firm. Possessive.

"Walk," Kael said. His voice dropped lower. Alpha command rippling through it. "Smile."