Aurora’s P.O.VA stillness settled, thick and suffocating. I could hear my own breathing, shallow and uneven."Come here," Mr. Hemming said, his tone now completely different—no longer the authoritative instructor but something else. Something worse.My feet refused to move. I clutched the strap of my backpack, my fingers curling tightly around it as if it were my only lifeline."Aurora," he repeated, softer this time, but it sent an ice-cold shiver down my spine.I forced myself to take one step forward. Then another. My instincts screamed at me to run, to bolt out of the room, but my body wouldn't listen. I was trapped, caught in a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from.Mr. Hemming walked around his desk, closing the distance between us. "You're struggling in my class," he murmured, his voice carrying a false kindness that made my stomach twist in knots. "I just want to help."I didn't believe him. Not for a second. My mouth felt dry, my voice lodged somewhere in my throat."You don
Caleb’s P.O.VWe were halfway across the parking lot when Caroline suddenly stopped, her hand clutching my arm with a grip tighter than I would have expected. I turned to look at her, my brows furrowing in confusion. The afternoon air was thick with an uneasy silence, the distant hum of cars on the main road barely audible."Caleb," she said, her voice unusually tense, her eyes scanning the building we had just left. "I don’t feel right about this. Something’s wrong."I sighed, running a hand through my hair, already exhausted. "Caroline, we’ve been over this. Aurora is fine. She’s in there with the teacher, she’s safe. If we go back in there, we’re just going to look paranoid.""I don’t care how it looks," she snapped, stepping closer, her eyes burning with a conviction I wasn’t used to seeing from her. "I just have this feeling, Caleb. I swear to you, something isn’t right. I felt it the moment we stepped outside, and I can’t ignore it."I hesitated, glancing back at the entrance to
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 Au
Caleb’s P.O.VWhen I returned back to the school building, I headed straight for the girl’s locker room, with the extra set of clothing that Caroline always kept inside my car in case of unexpected emergencies.‘How is she holding up?’ I had asked Caroline via our mental link.‘Bring the change of clothes I keep in your car…’ Caroline had spoken almost hesitantly. ‘Aurora’s clothes…they’re ripped.’I let out an involuntary growl as I clutched the bag with Caroline’s clothes in it, my claws ready to slice through. ‘I know.’ I told her through the link. ‘I’ve got the clothes.’‘Cal, please be calm,’ Caroline reminded me gently. ‘She’s scared as it is. We don’t need to terrify her anymore.’Knocking on the locker room door, I handed Caroline the bag of clothes and waited outside patiently while Aurora got dressed. I tried not to eavesdrop, because that would’ve been the polite thing to do; but every now and then, a sob or a stutter escaped Aurora’s lips and my ears would inevitably pick
Caleb’s P.O.V“No one would believe me over the words of a teacher who had been in this school for a decade.” She told me, her expression hardening. “And there’s no point in dragging the two of you into my mess either.”“Mess?” I asked her incredulously, but before I could say anything else, Caroline’s warning rang loud and clear inside my head.‘Caleb!’ She snapped at me. ‘Aurora is shaken up already. Don’t scream at her!’‘It wasn’t my intension!’ I tried to defend myself, but when I saw how she had flinched back from me, I regretted raising my voice.Scared? I thought to myself. She should be enraged! She should be asking for the police. She should want to put that bastard in prison so he could rot there for the rest of his life. What she shouldn’t be doing is worried about her voice not being heard! Why was she trying to suffer in silence?Damnit!“Are you sure that’s what you want to do, Aurora?” Caroline asked her gently, but her voice was firm. “We can back you up.”“Please don’
Aurora’s P.O.VBack at my house, the familiar walls wrapped around me like a fragile cocoon, offering a semblance of safety that I wasn’t sure I could trust anymore. I moved through the space on autopilot, careful to keep my emotions in check, especially with Riley nearby. He had no idea what had happened, and I intended to keep it that way. There was no use in worrying him, no point in making him see the darkness that had brushed against me tonight.In the shower, I scrubbed myself clean in the bathroom, over and over again. But no matter how many times I cleaned myself, I could still feel that man’s touch…it felt like thousands of bugs were crawling all over my skin, making me want to cry out in pain.How did I not see this coming? After the way he had cornered me the first time last week? I may not have known the reason behind his actions but his intensions had been clean even then. Why had I thought that ducking my head and just leaving it as it was would help me find a solution?M
Caleb’s P.O.VMy mother was waiting for me when I arrived back at the pack house, and I could tell by her expression that my father already knew what had happened.“Cal…what did you do?” Caroline asked, her voice trembling slightly as she gripped my hand over the steering wheel. “Please…tell me.”With a forced smile, I removed her hand from mine. “It’s alright, Care. You should head home.”“Cal-”“Care.” I countered. “Please.”She nodded, looking worried, but she didn’t ask any more questions as she got out of the car and left. Once I had parked and gotten out of the car, my mother was instantly by my side. “Caleb.”“I know mom, I’ll head to his office.” I nodded before walking past her and into the pack house, knowing that this confrontation was inevitable.I didn’t need to knock because the guards outside the door immediately let me inside and there, I found my father, Alpha Camden, sitting on his chair, with a bunch of papers in front of his, as usual.But as soon as he saw me, he p
Aurora’s P.O.VI shivered in the cold as I threw the fishing rod into the pond, watching the water rippling and hoping with all my heart that I would be able to find something here today.It was five thirty in the morning and the sun had yet to rise, but there was still light in the horizon and it was enough to help me see my way around the broken pieces of wood and other debris lying on the muddy area.The pond was located in the middle of the woods right behind my house, and usually, it wasn’t safe to come out here for fishing since this was a risk-prone zone and recently, there had been an increase in wild animals in the area.However, when I had woken up this morning at five, after a fitful night’s sleep, I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to school today and face everyone. I needed some time off to process what had happened to me.Usually, I wasn’t one to skip school, but today, I wanted to spend the whole day with Riley, just so I could get my mind off of things. That’s why I had ev
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