Aurora’s P.O.VI woke up gasping, my chest heaving as if I’d been running for miles. Cold sweat trickled down my face, and my hands instinctively clutched at my head, pain searing through it like a jagged knife.For a moment, the world was a blur, the echoes of voices and the distant hum of machines melding into one cacophony. My breath came in shallow bursts, and I was too disoriented to distinguish reality from the vivid nightmare clawing at my mind.“Aurora!” Caleb’s voice cut through the fog like a lifeline. His hands were on my shoulders, firm yet gentle, shaking me just enough to ground me.“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. Look at me. Aurora, look at me!”I blinked, my vision sharpening as I met his concerned eyes. The fear in them mirrored the turmoil I felt inside, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I was still in that school parking lot, trapped in suffocating grip of that shadow. My hands trembled as I reached out to touch Caleb’s arm, needing to feel something solid, somet
Aurora’s P.O.VCaleb’s eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like he wasn’t sure if he’d heard me right. “Your dad?” he echoed, the disbelief evident. “Aurora, are you sure—” “I know what I told you,” I interrupted, my voice firmer now. “He was there. Clear as day. Standing right in front of me. And the way he looked—Caleb, it wasn’t normal. It was like... like he wasn’t really…him.” God, I wish I could make him understand what I saw, the way my father had looked at that moment, so ashen and pale. But I didn’t know how to find the right words.One moment he was upright, the next he was a crumpled heap on the ground. The sound of his bones cracking echoed in the air, sharp and sickening. It made a shiver run down my spine just remembering it.Caleb didn’t respond immediately, his silence heavy, his gaze searching my face as if trying to determine whether I was serious.“And then what?” he asked finally, his voice hoarse. I hesitated again, the memory replaying in my mind like a b
Aurora’s P.O.VI couldn’t feel my legs as Caleb held onto me, his arm steadying me as I stumbled forward, each step dragging me closer to the reality I didn’t want to face. He’d tried to talk me out of this, his voice firm but edged with the kind of worry that made my chest ache."Aurora, you don’t have to do this," he’d said, his hand squeezing mine just enough to anchor me. But I couldn’t listen. I’d insisted. I had to see him. The thought of not looking at him one last time, was unbearable. So here I was, my insides hollow, my breath catching with every sterile, metallic-scented step toward the morgue. Caleb was silent beside me, and though I could feel the tension in his every movement, he didn’t argue further.The healer greeted us with a somber nod, her eyes flicking between me and Caleb, her lips pressed into a thin line. I couldn’t meet her gaze for long; it felt too much like acknowledging the truth I still wasn’t ready to accept. She led the way, her steps careful, deliberate
Caleb’s P.O.VAs I gently pulled the blanket over Aurora, her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, the exhaustion evident on her pale face."Rest well," I murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead before stepping back and quietly leaving the room. The soft click of the door closing behind me felt like sealing a promise to keep her safe. The halls were quiet, save for the distant murmurs of activity in the infirmary. As I made my way there, I could feel the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders. However, when I entered, the sight of Caroline bent over Damien, meticulously tending to his wounds, made me scoff in disbelief."Well, isn’t this a sight," I grumbled, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe. "I thought you were the patient here, Caroline, not Damien."Damien’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he shot me a sour look. "Real funny, Caleb," he grumbled, his tone as sharp as the glare he threw my way. "Maybe I wouldn’t need this if s
Caleb’s P.O.VBefore I could respond, the door swung open, and Jade walked in, holding a folder in one hand and looking far too pleased with himself."The results are back," he announced, glancing between the three of us.I frowned, my stomach knotting. "What results?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "What the hell are you talking about, Jade?"But before I could reach for it, Caroline all but leaps towards it and grabs it in her hands tightly, surprising me.I stared at Caroline, her eyes full of guilt, as she looked at me. All of a sudden, the silence between us felt heavy. I could tell she was struggling to find the right words, her fingers nervously playing with the hem of her sleeve. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.“Caleb, I... I did something. Something I know I should’ve asked you about first.” Her eyes met mine, filled with an apology I wasn’t sure I could fully understand yet. “But I had to be sure. I needed to confirm my suspicion before I cam
Caleb’s P.O.VI looked at the group, the pieces finally clicking together in my mind. "Now it makes sense," I said. "The sour relationship between Aurora and her father, it all adds up now. Aurora wasn’t his biological child." I paused, letting the weight of those words hang in the air."That means her mother either had an affair before marriage or maybe even after. And I’m guessing that’s why her father always hated her. She was a constant reminder of her mother’s betrayal." Jade added.I shook my head, feeling a sharp sting of realization. "No wonder he treated her like that. She was always right there, in front of him, a living, breathing consequence of something he could never forgive."Caroline’s voice broke through my thoughts, sharp and steady. "The DNA test would give us final answers, but this would explain so much, wouldn’t it?" She added, her tone softening with understanding. "Aurora’s birthday, for one. It was never celebrated in that house. She’d always dread that time of
Caleb’s P.O.V"It’s not just when Aurora stopped breathing," I begin, my voice firm, as everyone turned to look at me. "It’s when we were searching for her too. Caroline… she felt it. She felt Aurora’s pain.""That’s impossible," Damien frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Even twins aren’t that connected. There’s no way Caroline could have felt Aurora’s pain like that." His voice was skeptical, but I saw the fear behind them.I can see the confusion on everyone’s faces, but before anyone could argue further, Jade suddenly gasps, his eyes widening."Wait a second," he mutters, almost like he’s talking to himself."Spit it out, Jade," I snapped, unable to hide my frustration. "Stop being so dramatic." But the look on his face—there’s something about it that sends a chill down my spine.Jade stares at me for a long moment, as if trying to find the right words. "What I just remembered," he starts, his voice low and urgent, "is something that should be impossible."His tone sends a
Aurora’s P.O.VThe suffocating darkness clung to me like a second skin as I bolted upright, gasping, and my lungs struggling against the thick air. Cold sweat slicked my forehead, and I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, trying to steady my breaths. But nothing helped.The darkness was all around me, pressing down like a suffocating blanket.“Caleb!” I called out, my voice cracking, the sound faint and swallowed by the abyss. Panic clawed at me.“Caroline! Where are you?” My voice, though desperate, seemed to vanish the second it left my lips, devoured by the void.I staggered to my feet, my bare toes brushing against what felt like jagged stone. Every direction was the same—black, infinite, and oppressively silent. I reached out blindly, my hands groping for something, anything, to ground me. My heart pounded wildly in my chest.“Caleb, if you can hear me, say something!” I shouted again, louder this time, but the silence pressed back, mocking me with its weight. A shiver racked my
Aurora’s P.O.VThat night, after returning to my room, a storm raged outside, howling through the trees and rattling the windows like it was trying to force its way in. The air felt heavy, thick with something I couldn't quite name, pressing down on my chest as I sat curled up on the bed.Every light in the room was on, pushing back the shadows, but no matter how bright it was, I couldn’t stop my thoughts from drifting back to Lucas and what he had done. He had kept my mother’s skeleton in my room—my mother’s old room—like some twisted trophy, a constant reminder of everything he had stolen from me. The image was burned into my mind, and no matter how much I tried to push it away, it clung to me, wrapping around my thoughts like vines strangling the life out of something.I wasn’t angry that her skeleton had been destroyed when the house collapsed. If anything, I was relieved. That place—where I had suffered, where so many others had suffered—was gone, reduced to nothing but rubble and
Aurora’s P.O.VI don't know how to answer him. The words sit on the tip of my tongue, but I can't bring myself to say them. Riley is watching me, his blue eyes so much like our mother's, filled with quiet expectation. And maybe that's what makes it worse. He doesn't know—he has no idea about the truth that has weighed on my shoulders for the past few days. He doesn't know that we're more than what he assumes us to be, that the blood running through our veins is the same, tangled in a history neither of us asked for.I should tell him. Maybe, in some twisted way, he deserves to know. But what good would it do? The past won't change. Our mother’s suffering won’t be undone just because the truth is spoken aloud. And so, I keep my mouth shut, my fingers curling against the fabric of my sleeve as if that might somehow anchor me in place.Riley tilts his head slightly, waiting. I need to say something. Anything. But my throat is dry, my mind blank, and I think he notices—because his brows d
Aurora’s P.O.VThe tires crunched against the gravel road as we finally pulled into the DarkWater Pack’s territory. The journey had been long, but as we neared our destination, a different kind of weight settled over me. Anxiety, relief, and a strange sense of longing tangled together, making it hard to breathe. My fingers curled into the fabric of my pants, my knuckles turning white.As soon as the car came to a halt, Caleb was already at my side, offering his hand. I didn’t hesitate to take it, my legs slightly unsteady as I stepped out into the familiar land I once called home. The moment my feet touched the ground, a voice cut through the air, sharp and desperate.“Aurora!”My head snapped towards the entrance, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest. Riley.Before my mind could even process it, my body was already moving. I broke into a run, my lungs burning as I closed the distance between us. Riley was running too, his arms wide open, his face a mixture of overwhelming relief a
Aurora’s P.O.VHis words were met with stunned silence, the weight of his generosity settling over the room. Relief crashed over me so suddenly that my legs nearly gave out.Ashton, Maggie and Avery, three people who had been tormented by Lucas and Harmon for so long, suffering the same fate as me and losing everyone they had…now they would finally have a permanent home. A place where they can breathe a sigh of relief without worrying about the horrible nightmares they had endured for so long.I turned to him, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "Alpha Camden, I... I don’t even know what to say. I can never repay this kindness."His expression softened as he reached out, resting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Aurora, child, you don’t owe me anything," he said gently. "You are Caleb’s mate, and you’re like a daughter to me. There is nothing to repay. Family looks out for each other. Always."His words broke something inside me, the last fragile wall of doubt and fear crumbling under
Aurora’s P.O.VThe weight of their gazes pressed down on me, twin sets of piercing eyes scrutinizing our every move, our every breath. The two Alphas, towering figures of authority, sat before us, their expressions unreadable, their silence a vice squeezing at my lungs. I swallowed hard, my fingers twitching at my sides. Maggie, Ashton, the others—we were all standing in a row like criminals waiting for judgment. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, the room suffocating with tension as we waited for someone to speak first."Tell us everything," one of them said finally, his voice a low command that brooked no argument. "Every detail that might matter."A long pause. I could feel Maggie trembling beside me, her breath uneven. When she finally stepped forward, her voice was quiet, but the words she spoke sent ice through my veins."He kept them," she whispered, as if saying it too loud would summon ghosts. "The skeletons. Of our mothers. He... he preserved them. In our room."The silence
Caleb’s P.O.VThe weight of everything crashed down on me all at once. The battle, the bloodshed, the loss, and the unexpected kindness that had followed. My body ached, my heart even more so, but for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that maybe—just maybe—things were going to be okay.I watched as Alpha Jackson finally nodded, his expression grim yet resolute as he took in the condition of the infirmary.“Under any other circumstance, this would have been a call for celebration.” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “But given everything… I don’t think any of us are in the mood for that.” His eyes flickered to me, searching for understanding, but I was already somewhere else in my mind. My focus had shifted entirely. I gave him a curt nod, my body already moving before my mind had fully caught up. “I’ll leave the rest to my father,” I muttered. The pack, the responsibilities, the politics—none of it mattered to me right now. Not when Aurora was still ly
Caleb’s P.O.VI didn’t know how long it took to head back, especially with Aurora in my arms, cradled tight so I didn’t lose her warmth. My body was screaming at me to collapse, to give in to the overwhelming exhaustion that had wrapped itself around my bones. Every step toward Alpha Jackson’s packhouse felt like walking through quicksand, my limbs heavy, my breath shallow. But I couldn’t stop. The others needed help, and if I gave in now, I might not have the strength to bring them the rest of the way. Silvia was slumped against me, her small frame limp, her face still damp with the tears that had drained her of consciousness. I had held her as she sobbed, whispered reassurances I wasn’t sure I believed myself. Her cries had been so broken, so raw, that it had shattered whatever was left of my strength, but I refused to let her go. I owed her that much.The others were still unconscious, their bodies battered and weakened from the blood loss. It wasn’t just exhaustion—it was surviva
Aurora’s P.O.VGuilt clings to me like a second skin, heavy and suffocating, as I step back into the circle. My hands tremble at my sides, and I barely muster the strength to lift my gaze. When I do, my heart clenches at the sight of Ashton and my two remaining siblings, their white dresses now soaked in blood, just like mine. The crimson stains tell a story I wish I could erase, a tale of choices made in desperation, of losses that will never be reclaimed. I swallow hard, my throat thick with emotion, but the weight of duty presses down harder than grief.Ashton begins the chant, his voice steady, unwavering. I try to focus, try to push aside the gnawing ache in my chest, but the image of little Violet’s face flashes in my mind. Her laughter, her tiny hands grasping mine just days ago—gone now, sacrificed to the very nightmare we tried to escape. A sharp sob threatens to escape, but I clamp my lips shut, my breath hitching as the first tear slips down my cheek. I know this is necessa
Aurora’s P.O.VThe realization hit me like a punch to the gut, a knot forming in my throat. Violet was gone. I could see her absence in the space where she should’ve been standing, and she was nowhere to be seen in the group. The air around us felt empty without her presence."Violet!" I shouted, my voice cracking with panic. The chant faltered for a moment, but I quickly pushed forward, trying to concentrate. "She’s not here!"Ashton’s eyes flashed with alarm as he noticed our hesitation. He glanced around, his expression hardening. "Where is she?" he demanded, his tone cold, but it did nothing to hide the tension that coiled in his shoulders. “Oh god…did we…leave her behind?”Before I could answer, a high-pitched cry broke through the noise. Silvia, her white hair glowing like a beacon in the fading light, was wailing uncontrollably. Her small body trembled as she reached for the house that was crumbling to the ground. "Mama! Grandmama!" Her sobs tore at my heart.Alpha Jackson was