Aurora’s P.O.VI stirred to the sound of my name, soft and insistent. “Aurora. Hey, wake up,” the voice said, low but familiar. My eyes fluttered open, and there was Caleb, sitting by my bedside, a small smile playing on his lips.“Caleb?” I croaked, my voice rough from sleep. I pushed myself up on one elbow, blinking away the fog in my mind. The clock on the wall caught my eye, and I squinted. Nearly ten at night. “I slept this long?” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “Why didn’t anyone wake me? I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”He smiled faintly, leaning back in the chair he’d pulled up beside me. “You looked like you needed it. Besides, you didn’t miss anything. The party hasn’t started yet.”“What?” I sat up straighter, the thin blanket slipping from my shoulders. “But it’s so late! Isn’t it supposed to—?”“Midnight,” he interrupted, his tone easy, almost amused. “They always start around midnight. You know that. Mine did.”The memory hit me like a cold splash of water. His bir
Aurora’s P.O.VI had never had so much fun in my entire life. The music was pumping, the room was filled with laughter, and I was surrounded by the best company. Caleb and I danced like no one was watching, lost in the rhythm, his grin never leaving his face. Every move felt natural, effortless.I caught Caroline pulling Damien onto the floor next, and I couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to keep up with her wild energy. “You look ridiculous!” I yelled over the music, and Damien just shook his head, laughing with me.But the best part was when Caroline pulled me to the dance floor. Her blue gown sparkled under the lights, and she had that same carefree vibe, making me feel like we could dance for hours. And we did. We danced through the entire night, completely lost in the music and in each other’s company. At one point, we paused to catch our breath, both of us smiling, hands on our hips. “This is the best night of my life,” she said, her voice a little out of breath but full of joy
Aurora’s P.O.VThe pain hit me like a thunderclap, searing through every inch of my body. It wasn’t like anything I had ever felt before—like every nerve was on fire, every cell screaming in agony. I gasped for breath, but the pain only worsened, deepening in intensity. I clutched my chest, trying to hold myself together, but it was like something was breaking inside of me, and I couldn't stop it.Then, a light filled the room. A blinding light, like the sun had erupted inside the room. I closed my eyes, hoping for it to subside, but it didn’t. In fact, the light seemed to be growing stronger, more intense. But as my vision adjusted, I realized it wasn’t from some external source. The light—this searing, almost ethereal glow—was coming from me.I panicked. What is happening to me?"Help!" I screamed, my voice cracking as desperation surged within me. "Someone, please! Help me!" But I couldn’t stop. The energy was out of control, coursing through me like a wild river, and there was not
Caleb’s P.O.VI gasped awake, my whole body screaming in pain as I sucked in a sharp breath. My head throbbed, my ribs ached, and for a second, I couldn’t even tell where I was. My vision swam, and I blinked rapidly, trying to focus. The scent of something burnt lingered in the air, mixed with the sickly sweet aroma of crushed cake and spilled drinks.I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. Then, like a dam breaking, the memories hit me all at once. The party. The laughter. The wind. The chaos. The moment everything turned upside down. “Shit…” I muttered, forcing myself to sit up despite the sharp protest of my muscles. My heart pounded as my eyes darted around, taking in the wreckage. Caroline’s birthday party was completely destroyed. Decorations were ripped apart, tangled ribbons fluttering weakly in the aftermath. Tables were overturned, food smeared across the walls, plates shattered. The string lights that had given everything a warm glo
Caleb’s P.O.VTwo hours. It had been two damn hours, and still, nothing. Not a single sign of Aurora or Harmona. The guests had long since left, their chatter and laughter now just an echo in the past. But here, in the packhouse, the tension was suffocating. Alpha Camden, my father, had issued a full-blown territory-wide search, sending out patrol guards and soldiers in every direction, but they kept coming back with the same answer: nothing. “They’ve checked the burnt remains of Aurora’s old house,” my father muttered beside me, arms crossed, his jaw set in frustration. “No clues, nothing to follow.” I exhaled sharply, my fingers raking through my hair. “This doesn’t make sense. Aurora wouldn’t just vanish like this—she wouldn’t leave without telling anyone.” “She didn’t,” Damien’s voice was quiet but firm. He sat in the chair closest to Caroline’s bedside, his eyes never leaving her still face. “If Aurora’s missing, it’s because something happened.” The room was silent for a lon
Aurora’s P.O.VI wake up with a gasp, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I try to gather my bearings. My hands clutch at the sheets beneath me, fingers curling into the fabric as my eyes dart around the room. No. Not again. Not this place.My mother’s room—the room from my nightmares. The air is thick with the scent of lavender, just like it always is, and the dim glow of the night lamp illuminates the room, casting eerie shadows across the walls. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to do this again. I sit up, rubbing at my eyes, trying to will the dream away. That’s all it is—a dream. A cruel, recurring dream that refuses to let me go. But something is different this time. My body aches, a dull throbbing pain spreading through my limbs as if I’ve been through something brutal.My head pounds the moment I try to think, like someone is hammering against my skull, forcing me to stay disoriented. What happened? Why do I feel like this? I press my fingers against my temples, squeez
Caleb’s P.O.VI barely have time to react before Caroline lets out a sharp, blood-curdling scream, her hands flying up to clutch her head as if something is splitting her skull in two. Damien and I are beside her in an instant, dropping down next to her as she gasps for air, her body trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. "Caroline!" I grab her wrist, feeling the heat radiating off her skin. "What's wrong? Talk to me!" She doesn't answer at first. Her wide, unfocused eyes dart around the room, her chest heaving, as if she has no idea where she is. The way her fingers dig into her scalp makes my stomach twist, like she’s trying to ground herself before she slips away entirely. "Caroline, hey, look at me!" Damien urges, shaking her shoulder lightly. "You're okay. You're safe. Just breathe." For a second, it feels like she isn't even hearing us. And then—suddenly—her whole body tenses. Her breath catches in her throat, and she finally blinks, her gaze snapping to me in pure confusi
Aurora’s P.O.VI stare at the wall across from me, my breath caught somewhere between my throat and my lungs, unable to move, unable to think, unable to do anything but let the horror wash over me. My mind refuses to process what I’m seeing, but my eyes won’t look away. There, trapped inside a tall, enclosed glass case, stands a skeleton—dressed in a green dress and wearing a brown wig.I swallow hard, my hands shaking at my sides, my heart hammering so loudly that I can hear it in my ears. That dress. That hair. No. No, no, no. This isn’t real. It can’t be real. A memory flickers to life in my head, hazy at first but growing clearer with every passing second. My mother, standing in front of the mirror, adjusting that very same dress, smiling at me as I tugged on the hem, telling me I’d grow up to be just as beautiful as she was. I can almost hear her voice, soft and warm, calling my name. If I wasn’t already on the ground, I don’t think I would’ve been able to stay up any longer.
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