Aurora’s P.O.VI could feel my heartbeat faster in my chest as I looked at Ashton. I had to know the truth, and I had to know it now. The air around us felt charged, like a storm was brewing. I couldn’t hold back any longer, not after everything I’d witnessed, everything I’d been through."Why is he doing this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling despite myself. "What the hell is wrong with Lucas? Is he some kind of psychopath?"Ashton shook his head, his eyes holding the same pent up fear and anger as did Maggie. “He calls himself a Wizard Scientist.” He scoffed. “He says he’s working on something big, something that will change the world. But we don’t know, Aurora. We’re in the same boat as you. We’re all his prisoners, his to do as we please.”Maggie, who had been sitting quietly beside us, finally spoke up. "It’s not just a science project, Aurora. Lucas is... he's trying to create a new breed of children, ones that will carry on his legacy. He believes these chil
Aurora’s P.O.VThat realization hit me hard. The blood drained from my face as the implications settled in. I couldn't escape. I couldn't fight back. At first I had thought it was just a symbol, nothing significant. But now, I know it for what it really was—a prison. A magical restraint to keep me from using my magic to escape this hell."You’re telling me you’re all bound to him?" I demanded, my voice rising despite myself. "You can't even break free of his grip?" I shook my head in disgust. "You're…we’re all weak…we’re nothing more than pawns in his twisted game.""No, we’re not weak," Maggie shook her head, her blue eyes sparking with anger. "We’re not proud of this either. But if we could do something, we would. We don’t have the power to stop him—Aurora and neither do we know how. We’re all teenagers! How can anyone expect us to fight this man who has us all prisoners for his sick game?"My heart felt like it was about to explode, but I didn’t let my emotions take control. I clen
Caleb’s P.O.VIt’s already morning when my father finally gets the go-ahead to enter pack territory and dig into the Lunar Coven. We waste no time. Everyone piles into the cars, and soon enough, we’re on the road, heading for Somerset, Maine. I can feel the tension in the air, the unease gnawing at me. Caroline’s with us, and to no one’s surprise, Damien is too, accompanied by a few of his guards.The two-hour ride feels like it drags on forever. I can tell everyone’s frustration, particularly with how Caroline’s managing to keep herself so calm—probably because she was trying to focus on finding Aurora. But I wasn’t so sure she could find her. Even my mating bond was silent, and it made me even more worried as the seconds ticked by.When we finally reach the Forest Dancers pack’s borders, the tension only builds. The forest surrounding the pack is dense, eerie, and there’s a strange quiet to it. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s watching us. As we get closer, my father, Alph
Caleb’s P.O.VI stepped forward, trying to make sense of it all, but all I could think about was her, the lone survivor, sitting there like a fragile shell. "What happened to the others?" My voice sounded distant, like I was asking but not sure I wanted to hear the answer.Jackson's gaze dropped to the floor before he met my eyes, and in that moment, I saw the weight of it all. "She won’t talk about it. No one’s gotten through to her yet." He let out a sigh, looking frustrated and worried. "We don’t even know if she’s gonna be of any use to us. But she’s all we’ve got now."Alpha Camden gave a low growl, pacing for a moment before his gaze hardened. "We can’t afford to have another loose end right now. Not with everything else going on."My chest tightened. I knew my father was right. We couldn’t have any more uncertainty, but looking at the girl—this child—I couldn’t just see her as another piece in the puzzle. She was just a kid. What had they done to her?I couldn’t help but feel t
Caleb’s P.O.VI looked at Silvia, her face pale as she glanced nervously between me and Alpha Jackson. My curiosity was piqued, but her unease only made me press further. "Where is the house in the woods, Silvia?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tension building in the air. “What did Harmona do there?”She hesitated, biting her lip, before finally speaking. "It's... it's an eerie house. People say you can hear screams at night, and they say it's haunted," she said in a low voice, almost like she didn't want to believe her own words. "Everyone avoids it, because it’s scary…filled with dark magic."I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up at the thought. Haunted? Screams in the night? What the hell was going on out there?Alpha Jackson shifted his weight, his eyes narrowing as he spoke up. "That used to be our previous packhouse. Earthquake destroyed half of it, and killed several of our members. We had no choice but to leave." He paused for a moment, a shadow crossin
Aurora’s P.O.V"Ashton, how can you say that?" My voice trembled, the weight of his words pressing against my chest like a slow, suffocating force. "Hope is the only thing keeping us alive." My hands clenched at my sides, my breath uneven. How could he even think of giving up now? After everything we had been through, after everything we had to survive till this day, he was just going to let despair take over? Ashton exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair, his expression caught between frustration and exhaustion. "Aurora, hope doesn’t change reality. It doesn’t stop what’s happening." His voice was low, raw, like he was barely holding himself together. "We keep telling ourselves things will get better, that this is just another nightmare we’ll wake up from, but it’s not. This—this is real." He gestured vaguely around us, at the dimly lit walls that seemed to press closer with every passing second. "And I don’t know how much longer we can pretend we’re okay." A c
Aurora’s P.O.VI wasn't able to sleep at all last night. It was like every time I closed my eyes, Ashton's words would haunt me, creeping into my thoughts with a suffocating grip."Abandon all hope, Aurora. It's your worst enemy here," he had told me. His voice echoed in my mind, relentless, pulling me deeper into a pit of uncertainty. But deep down, I knew that wasn't something I could do. I couldn't just give up. Not when Caleb and Caroline—hell, all the people who cared about me—were still out there somewhere. I had to fight, I had to find a way out.The skeleton of my mother, sitting before me in its cold, lifeless state, was the only thing that seemed real in the chaos. Strangely, I no longer felt the weight of fear pressing against my chest as I stared at it. The fear had faded, replaced by something else, something eerily calm. It was as if her presence still lingered in the air, in the stillness of the room.I reached out, my fingers brushing against the pendant she had given
Caleb’s P.O.VWe were all gathered, the air thick with anticipation. My father was leading the way, his stern gaze never wavering. The rest of the soldiers stood with us, silently adjusting their gear, the hum of nervous energy buzzed in the air. Alpha Jackson stood at the forefront with Silvia by his side, both of them looking like they were born for this moment. The trees ahead were dense, dark with shadows that seemed to stretch on forever. A deep, unsettling feeling gnawed at me, but I kept my focus, knowing what was at stake."Stay alert, Caleb," my father’s voice broke through the tension, and I nodded, glancing at him. His face was like stone, no hint of emotion betraying him. I couldn't help but feel that the weight of what was to come hung heavily over us all."Alpha Jackson," I called, stepping up beside him. "We need to move faster. We can't afford to let the eclipse catch us off guard. We have to get there before it begins."Jackson turned to me, his face grim. "I know. Th
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