The Sweetest Promise

He was terrified that if he ever got what he wanted, he'd just want more and more, until Aria felt suffocated.

He was afraid Aria felt so suffocated and scared that she wanted to run away from him.

Hurting Aria was the last thing Alaric ever wanted.

Just thinking about it made Aria's heart twist sharply.

She reached out and hugged Alaric, burying her face in his chest. Muffled against him, she mum