The Fake Luna: Marked By The Alpha King

Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Maybe I was overthinking it

Aria’s POV

"I’m not sure why he wants to see me now," I admitted. "Maybe Sylvia said something to him? Or maybe he just doesn’t trust me with the company and wants to size me up in person."

I’d thought about it from every angle.

If the Alpha Edmund was reaching out, it had to be about V&A Group. There was no other reason.

But Victor had warned me—the Alpha Edmund had a temper. He was difficult. Hard to please.

I was nervous. Especially knowing Sylvia had already gotten to him. Who knew what kind of trap she’d set for me this time?

Still, this was a direct invitation from the Alpha himself. As his granddaughter—legitimate or not—I couldn’t refuse.

"Then I’m going with you."Damian’s voice was final.

It sounded reasonable enough on the surface, but I could hear the unease beneath his words.

"You can’t," I said gently. "You need to heal."

"I’ll be fine."

I could see he wasn’t going to let this go.

So I pulled out the one card I had left.

"You promised me you’d listen to me. Remember? Or are we just throwing that agreement out the window now?"

"I don’t want to be apart from you. Not even for a day. I—"

His brow furrowed, and his voice grew urgent. His throat worked as he swallowed hard, and then he stopped mid-sentence.

He was afraid.

I could see it in his eyes.

I didn’t know if it was his old instincts surfacing again, or if he genuinely sensed something wrong.

"I don’t want to be apart from you either," I said softly, reaching up to cup his face. "But this is a special circumstance. I can’t drag you across the world when you’re still recovering. You have to respect my feelings as your wife too."

He’d asked me to respect his feelings as a patient before. Now it was his turn.

Damian went quiet.

He couldn’t argue with that. He couldn’t force me to stay, and he couldn’t force himself to come.

And his body... it *was* a liability. No matter how good he felt, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t have complications during the trip.

Finally, he let out a long breath.

I kissed him softly, and though his expression was still heavy with reluctance, I knew he’d accepted it.

After a long silence, he spoke again.

"Take security with you. At least two."

"Okay."

"If anything happens, you tell me immediately. No hiding things."

"I will."

"If the Smiths give you trouble, forget them. You have grandparents here. You don’t need them."

"..."

My eyes stung a little as I looked at him. His gaze was dark, intense, protective.

"Okay," I whispered.

Damian exhaled heavily, and though his voice was rough with frustration, it was warm enough to melt me from the inside out.

I felt a surge of courage. Whatever waited for me in Italy, I could handle it.

Still, watching him brood like this, jaw tight, shoulders coiled with everything he wasn’t saying, left a small knot of guilt sitting low in my stomach.

He’d never say it outright, but I knew this was costing him—having to let me walk into the unknown without him at my side.

So I took his hand and pulled him toward the bed, tugging until he gave in and lay down beside me.

I stroked his hair slowly, my fingers combing through the dark strands again and again, until the tension finally bled out of his shoulders and his breathing evened into sleep.

Moonlight spilled through the window and across his face, turning his dark hair silver, softening every hard line I’d come to know so well.

For a moment, I let myself imagine us years from now—older, grayer, the edges of us worn smooth by time, but still tangled together just like this.

Still choosing each other, night after night, the way we had tonight.

I closed my eyes and let myself imagine it

But then I remembered what the Alpha Edmund had said on the phone.

The real reason I wasn’t bringing Damian wasn’t just because of his injuries.

It was because the Alpha Edmund had specifically asked me to come *alone*.

He’d said he had something important to discuss with me. Something private.

And he’d made it very clear—don’t bring anyone from the Blackwood family. *Especially* not Damian.

It sounded reasonable. It also sounded suspicious.

Maybe he had some family secret he wanted to share. Or maybe he had bad blood with the Blackwoods.

But if that was true... why had he agreed to my marriage alliance with them in the first place?

I’d tried to press him for answers over the phone, but he’d refused to say more. He insisted we talk in person.

Maybe I was overthinking it.

Maybe.

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