Caleb’s P.O.VThe dinner went on for quite some time; it seemed that my friends were far more excited about my own birthday than I was.Mia especially enjoyed talking about the drinks she wanted to have, while Shane kept pestering me about what gifts I wanted to receive.I honestly couldn’t care less and couldn’t be bothered to think about it seriously, but I didn’t want to push Caroline away by acting aloof, so I played along with her enthusiasm as much as I could.And all the while, there was this burning feeling, a nagging thought in the back of my head that I desperately tried to ignore. I did not dare let my eyes wander beyond our booth, and for that reason, I was somewhat glad for the distraction of my friends.And as soon as Shane and Mia started their drama about that damn twenty, I was about ready to go feral on them. Why the fuck did they need to stretch this than it already had been? Couldn’t they just fucking let it go?What disgusted me even further was the way she pathet
Aurora’s P.O.VThe closing time of the diner was my favorite time at work. It’s when the hustle and bustle of the diner finally slowed to a stop. It was usually quiet and peaceful. Whenever I cleared the tables and cleaned the floors, my mind went quiet and my body worked on autopilot.It may not sound like the greatest experience to some, but to me it allowed me to finally relax. I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to rest at home because I was always worried about when my father would show up; as well as at school, because of the bullies, so this short time of quiet gave me the opportunity to let my guard down and release some of my tension even for just a few minutes.As I brought the dishes to the sink where another worker was on dish-washing duty and finishing up the last of the plates, Jeremy came out of his office, craning his neck around. It seemed that he was looking for me, because as soon as he spotted me leaving the kitchen, he said, “You. Take the trash out before you fo
Caleb’s P.O.VAs we leaned in closer, eyes closed, I wondered what it would feel like, to finally have my hunches confirmed or corrected. Would I feel elated at the outcome? Would I feel disgusted? Angry?Suddenly, I didn’t want to know—but it was too late. I was already moving forward, and I knew without a doubt that Caroline was, too. She wasn’t one to go back on her words and neither was I.My heart thundered inside my chest, the outcome of this kiss had the power to throw everything I knew off balance, and I kept wondering if I would be able to keep my word and go back to being normal around Caroline ever again…Then, it happened. My lips met hers—except, it felt different, not what I expected at all. It felt like… her hand…?My eyes snapped open at that awkward sensation, only for me to realize that she had indeed placed her hand between us, blocking the kiss.I knew instantly that at the last minute, she had done so on instinct and if I was being honest, I was actually grateful
Aurora’s P.O.VRiley and I talked about all kinds of stuff on our way home. If anyone saw us on the road, they would think we were just having an animated discussion, but for me, keeping him occupied and talking was a kind of defence mechanism I used when we were out in the streets at night, way past our bed time.If someone with ill intensions saw us from afar, or heard our voices first, they would think there were several people around us, so no one would dare to approach. And if something did happen, we could always try and run. However, I was glad that we hadn't encountered any dangerous situations yet.At our final stretch home, my immediate instinct was to scan the surroundings for any signs that my father was home. Because when he was, the lights would be turned on and the front door would be wide open. Elated would be an understatement for what I felt, when I finally realized that the door was still locked and the lights were still turned off.So we quickly made our way to the
Caleb’s P.O.V“So, Caleb?” Shawn smirked at me from across the room. “Excited for the big eighteenth?”I raised my eyebrows at him in suspicion. What was he trying to pull? And why did he look so smug about it?It was only yesterday when I had reported Shawn’s behaviour to my dad, after he had unfairly lodged a complaint against Aura to her manager, and he had been summoned to the Alpha’s office and now had to serve twenty hours in the nursery as punishment, taking care of the newborns and the toddlers while their parents went out of the pack to work. It was the kind of job every teen detested and Shawn should be sulking about having to change poopy diapers…not smiling about it.“Shawn, we’ve had this conversation before.” I rolled my eyes, placing my gaming console off to the side as I took a break.“Oh, come on! It’s the day you find your mate! How can we not be excited about it?” Shawn’s smile only got bigger. “But we already know who it is, right? You guys probably already feel th
Aurora’s P.O.VMonday morning passed by like a breeze. I went from class to class without getting into any trouble and actually found myself paying more attention in class that I usually did.This morning, just before coming to school, I had to pay my entire salary on electricity bills and thankfully, with the tips that I had gotten at work, Riley and I had managed to secure some nice grocery to last us the entire week. If Jeremy kept on giving me leftovers at least three to four days this week, then I was sure that the next week would be smooth sailing until my next paycheck.Surprisingly, I was feeling a lot better today, my only hope had been that the rest of the day would pass by the same, without any problems or complaints from my teachers…but I guess the universe didn’t want me to enjoy one single day in peace.“Aurora, solve this problem.” Mr. Hemming called out to me at the end of class, five minutes before the bell rang.Startled, I looked around the room, feeling like everyo
Caleb’s P.O.VHalfway across the parking lot, I felt Caroline stop suddenly, her entire body freezing in place.“Care? What is it?” I asked with a frown, wondering what could be wrong when I turned to find her eyes wide and her jaw clenched tight.“Caleb…I forgot my notebook in class,” Caroline looked up at me through her long dark lashed, an unknown emotion crossing her eyes that I couldn’t quite understand. “Can you please go back and get it for me?”I narrowed my eyes at her. “What are you trying to do? You can get that notebook yourself. Why did you look so shocked about it?”We were at the almost empty school’s parking lot and Jade and the rest of the group were already inside Jade’s jeep, waiting to head home. Caroline usually went to and from school with me, in my car, but this was the first time that she had ever asked me to go back and ‘get’ something for her, especially since she had an amazing memory and never really forgot anything behind…unless it was on purpose.“Me? Why
Caleb’s P.O.VFor a split second, the shock of what I just witnessed had me frozen on the spot…until my wolf came to roaring life.“You son of a bitch!” A growl tore through me, my voice sounding raspier than it would in my human form and then I ran towards the two of them and ripped the leech off of Aurora with my fingers around his neck.Aurora scrambled away immediately and I used that opportunity to haul that leech up off the floor with my fingers tightening around his neck.Mr. Hemming tried to pry my hand off of his neck, but I tossed him aside onto the floor the very next moment, the satisfying thud followed by the sound of bones rattling had me wanting to grin at his misery.However, the leech was resilient for his own good. The instant he hit the ground, he scrambled on to his hands and knees and crawled out of the classroom, before breaking into a run as soon as he was back on his feet.I grit my teeth, wanting to follow him, to bash in his skull…but then I remembered that A
Aurora’s P.O.VMy heart was pounding in my chest, each beat echoing louder than the last as Caleb’s lips met mine. It started soft, almost hesitant, but quickly turned into something more intense, more consuming. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, needing more. His hands, strong and steady, gripped my waist, then slid up my back, leaving a trail of warmth wherever he touched.Every nerve in my body felt like it was buzzing, my skin tingling and burning under his touch. The kiss deepened, his tongue teasing mine, and I could barely think beyond the rush of sensations flooding me.A soft moan escaped my lips as I pressed myself against him, feeling his warmth and strength. My hands roamed over his shoulders, down his chest, unable to get enough. I was drowning in the taste of him, the feel of him. It was overwhelming, addictive. I’d never felt so alive, so on fire. Caleb’s hand slid under the robe, his fingers grazing my skin, and I shivered, arching into his touch. M
Caleb’s P.O.VI had no idea what else to do, so I led Aurora back to my room instead of hers. It felt safer this way, like keeping her close would keep her out of harm's reach, at least for the moment. "Here," I said, handing her a towel."You should dry your hair off." I tried to keep my voice steady, though everything felt off, like I was walking a razor-thin line. Aurora took the towel from me without a word and started dabbing at her damp hair."You can head to the bathroom while I find you something to change into," I added, feeling like I had to keep busy, to keep my mind off the fact that I had her in my room. I turned to leave, but just as I opened the door to head out, I heard her voice."Caleb?"I paused, glancing over my shoulder at her. Her eyes locked with mine, the vulnerability in them almost too much to bear."Yeah?" I asked, trying to sound calm."I... I need you," she said, her voice low, but desperate, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. "Please... help me forget
Aurora’s P.O.VI opened my eyes, gasping for air, but all I could feel was the pressure in my chest, the burning sensation in my lungs as the water surrounded me. I tried to flail my arms, desperate to push myself up, but it was like the water was pulling me deeper. Panic surged through me. I can't breathe, I can't breathe, my mind screamed, the darkness creeping in at the edges of my vision. I didn't know where I was, or if anyone could hear me, or if anyone would find me in time.I could barely make sense of anything, but just as I thought I was about to slip under for good, I felt something—a hand, warm and firm, grabbing mine. Who...? Before I could make sense of it, I was being yanked up, and the water rushed off of my face as my head broke the surface. My body was pulled upward, and with a sharp inhale, I was suddenly hoisted onto the side of the pool. I coughed, sputtering, my body shaking as I tried to steady myself, gasping for air like it was the first time I’d ever had it.
Aurora’s P.O.VI woke up with a jolt, my body drenched in cold sweat. My heart hammered in my chest, and I was gasping for breath, the dark, suffocating feeling of my nightmare still lingering around me. My eyes darted around, but all I could see was blackness. No light, no sounds—just that endless void. Panic flooded through me, and I fought against the overwhelming sense of being trapped. I couldn’t let it take me again. I couldn’t stay in that place, that dark abyss.I tried to stand, but something was different. My feet met solid ground. Soft, familiar ground. Slowly, I blinked, trying to make sense of it all. I wasn't standing in the dark anymore. I wasn't in the place I had been before. I was... lying down? My hands brushed over the fabric beneath me, and the realization hit me like a punch to the gut.This wasn’t my room.I sat up, confusion clouding my mind. The room around me came into focus, a slow, creeping clarity. It was small, cozy, and had a certain warmth to it, someth
Caroline’s P.O.VI sat across from Alpha Camden, my mind racing as I tried to piece everything together."But…Alpha Camden, this seems impossible," I began, my voice shaky but determined. "For so long, we couldn't make sense of the whole Lunar Sisters theory. I mean, Aurora’s human. How could she possibly be tied to me in that way, right? There’s no way she could be my Lunar Sister, not with her being... human."Alpha Camden leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. "But you're starting to think there's something more to it, aren't you?"I nodded slowly, trying to keep my thoughts in order as I spoke. "Yes. At first, I couldn't wrap my head around it. But now, everything we've learned, everything that’s been happening, it might actually make sense." I paused, my voice growing more intense with each word."If it was a witch, someone tied to use magic, then that could explain everything. Maybe that person was connected to Aurora, in some way. And that’s why they targeted her father, hopi
Caroline’s P.O.VI watched in silence as Alpha Camden stepped forward, his commanding presence filling the room. He gestured toward the door, and in walked a woman—at first glance, she looked like any ordinary middle-aged woman. Her pale skin and platinum blonde hair were unremarkable, but there was something about her, an energy that I couldn't quite place. She had an aura that made me feel unsettled, like she wasn’t quite human.Alpha Camden’s voice broke through my thoughts. “This is Harmona,” he said, his tone respectful.“She’s a witch, and she’s here to help us understand something we’ve found. The symbol we discovered on the body of Aurora’s father.”I glanced at the others, but my eyes kept returning to Harmona. She didn’t speak right away. Instead, she stood there, observing us with an intensity that made me feel like she was weighing each of us, seeing straight through to our core.Finally, she spoke, her voice smooth, almost melodic. “I’ve studied the symbol,” she began, he
Caroline’s P.O.VAs soon as the car skidded to a stop in front of the pack house, I barely waited for the engine to turn off before I was out, my feet hitting the ground hard and fast. “Hey! Slow down, Care!” Jade shouted after me, his longer strides catching up with mine effortlessly.“Jade, you don’t understand! If he knows—if they know, this is bad. This is so, so bad!” My voice cracked, and I hated the way my panic was bleeding through, but it was impossible to hold it back. My legs felt like jelly, but I didn’t stop moving. I couldn’t.“You’re not going in there alone. I said I’ve got your back, and I meant it.” His voice was steady, calm—so unlike my own frantic rambling. He gripped my arm for just a second to slow me down, but I yanked it free, practically sprinting up the stairs leading to the Alpha’s office.“You don’t get it, Jade!” I snapped over my shoulder. “This isn’t about whether someone has my back. If Alpha Camden knows, if my dad—” My throat tightened, cutting off
Aurora’s P.O.VI didn’t know how it happened, not really. One moment, Caleb and I were sitting there, our eyes locked, the silence between us loaded with something unspoken but palpable. Then, without a second thought, I leaned in, and his lips met mine. It was warm, electrifying, and utterly intoxicating. My entire world narrowed down to that moment—Caleb's arms wrapping around me, pulling me closer as if he never wanted to let go. The way his hand gently rested against the small of my back sent shivers racing up my spine. For the first time in forever, I felt fearless, as if nothing else mattered. But then, like a cruel interruption, the shrill sound of a phone ringing sliced through the quiet. It felt jarring, almost offensive, in its timing. Caleb and I broke apart, breathless, our gazes darting everywhere except at each other. Jade rose from his seat at the table, muttering something about it being an important call, and stepped away to answer it. The absence of his presence onl
Aurora’s P.O.VI step forward, my gaze hard, my voice cold. "Step aside," I tell the girls, my tone leaving no room for negotiation."I have nothing to say to you, and I certainly don’t owe you any explanations. So move."But Taylor takes a step toward me, her eyes narrowed. I feel the air shift before she even speaks, the challenge in her eyes obvious."You think you can just walk in here and act like you're above all of us now?" she sneers, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just because you’ve changed your hair, changed your clothes, doesn’t mean you’ve changed your place."Before I can process what’s happening, she raises her hand and slaps me across the face. The sting is sharp, but I’m too stunned to move for a second. I cradle my cheek in disbelief, my fingers trembling for a moment. Did she really just...?But as I turn to look at the girls, they both seem to have a look of smug satisfaction on their face, like they had just won the lottery. Their confidence in doing something