Caleb’s P.O.VThe next morning, I woke up early despite not having had much sleep all night. Caroline had stayed with Aurora until she had fallen asleep early in the morning and then she had informed me that she was leaving.I had asked her to sleep over, in one of the guest rooms inside the pack house that was reserved for her, but she had told me about her parent’s over-reaction to finding out she wasn’t my mate. I wasn’t particularly interested in finding out about their reaction in details, but for the sake of my father’s business, I would have to.Caroline’s father was my father’s current beta and he would be one of my greatest allies when it came time for me to become the Alpha, so it was only fair that I took his advice to heart. However, I knew he wasn’t an irrational man, but now that he knew that his daughter won’t be the future Luna and will have to bow to a simple human instead…I had a pretty good idea of how good of a fit he was going to be throwing.Adults weren’t suppose
Caleb’s P.O.VShane took one look at me and his eyes widened in surprise.“You know…” he whispered through swollen lips.I nodded, debating on how to handle the situation. Even if he had acted out of anger and resentment for Aurora hitting a nerve close to home, he had crossed several boundaries and he had to face punishment for them accordingly. If going to this camp in New York helped him become a better person, so be it.He was pretty beat up. Now that it was broad daylight, I could see that his entire face was pretty badly messed up. I had gone too far as well. In my anger, I hadn’t acted very rationally as a future Alpha should.“I’m sorry, for hitting you like this.” I told him, because I didn’t want him to leave on a bad note either.Shane had been my friend since we were little and he had already gotten his punishment. Yeah, what he did to Aurora was borderline psychotic and no person in their right mind should be doing that to a woman, let alone a defenseless human. And even t
Aurora’s P.O.VWhen I opened my eyes to a room filled with sunlight and pretty things that I could never afford in my life…I knew that what had happened last night hadn’t been a dream at all.My mind tried to cope with the reality, but somehow, the nagging feeling at the back of my consciousness that kept telling me that this was all a dream, it was still there. Maybe it was some kind of a coping mechanism that I was holding on to? Wouldn’t anyone in my situation do the same?Sitting up in bed, I looked around at my surroundings once again, taking in the beauty of the luxuries. Surprisingly, it hurt a lot less than what I had expected it would be like. My arm was still in a plaster, but it wasn’t hurting thanks to the painkillers I was given. Even the stitches on my back were nothing more than an ache that itched a bit, but otherwise felt fine.Wolf medication was stronger than human medication, that much Caroline had already filled me in about. But now that I was able to think past th
Aurora’s P.O.VHadn't Caroline herself explained that there surest way of knowing was on the eighteenth birthday itself? Then why was I mad that him and Caroline were dating before then? It seemed impractical…childish even. After all, everyone had a past, and just because I never had the time or the effort in me to step into the dating pool, didn’t mean that others had to adhere to the same rules.I knew they had a special bond, after all, they were both…wolves, had been together since birth…I had no reason to feel anything about it. They had known each other way before either of them even knew my name.Hell, I had no idea what I was supposed to be feeling about this whole ‘mate’ thing in the first place. I didn’t know where we stood…I didn’t know what I really felt towards Caleb, if it was all part of some kind of a supernatural spell that was making me feel this way.God…this was so messed up that I was beginning to have another headache…“I know I shouldn’t have acted like a stalker
Aurora’s P.O.VRight after Caleb had left, after showing Riley his new room and handing me a bag of clothes that he said were donated items, which I was highly suspicious of, a woman came into my room and placed a large box on my bed, which was tied up with a pretty pink ribbon.“Mrs. Blackburn had requested you to dress in this. She has prepared a special luncheon for you.” The woman gave me a kind smile before she left.A bit hesitant, I went to my bed where she had placed the box, not really sure if I should accept this gift or not. But soon enough, my curiosity got the best of me and I ended up unable to hold myself back from inspecting what was inside the box.Upon opening the box, I came face to face with a beautiful white dress that reached my knees and had large pink flowers printed all over them. The fabric was unbelievably soft and no doubt, hella expensive.I wanted to turn down the dress, too afraid to spoil it, but I also didn’t want to insult Caleb’s mother and their gene
Aurora’s P.O.V“Here,” Maya held a spoonful of saffron rice to my lips. “Taste this. I made it especially for you today.”Giving her a smile, I graciously accepted the bite and it felt like an explosion of flavours as soon as the rice hit my taste buds. It was buttery, sweet and savoury at the same time. “This is so good!” I told her, covering my mouth so I don’t seem unladylike.“I’m glad you like it!” Malay beamed at me before turning to her husband/mate with a frown. “See? She appreciated my cooking. The two of you ungrateful brats just sit and stuff your faces without saying a word!”“Hey!” Caleb protested. “That’s not fair! I tell you all the time that you’re an amazing cook!”“Do you, now? When? In your dreams?” Maya turned to glare at her son, who simply huffed and went back to eating his lunch.Camden only shook his head with a smile on his face, but didn’t protest.There was all kinds of dishes at the table that I could’ve never dreamt of having before, especially because they
Aurora’s P.O.V“You don’t have to show me around.” I told Caleb, as we walked side by side down the main hallway. “I mean…we could just go back to my room and you can catch a break?”As per his parent’s ‘suggestion’, Caleb was taking me around on a tour of the pack house, but if I was being honest, I just wanted to lie down and rest. My mind was full of the new information that I had received during the lunch conversation with Caleb’s parents and I needed time to digest all of that.It wasn’t easy to just wake up one day and be told that not only were the creatures of the dark a reality, but that I was now ‘bound’ to one by a Goddess herself. That the boy that I had always had a crush on…was now truly mine, bound by the powers of the goddess.It should’ve been like the fairytale that I had always wanted…but it wasn’t. Because I was afraid that once I opened my eyes, all this would have been a dream and my life would just go back to being a never-ending nightmare.“Not yet, I have a pla
Aurora’s P.O.VI paused a bit before placing my hand in his and felt that zap of electricity as soon as our skin came into contact. Was this how it would be from now on? This feeling of coming alive whenever he touched me?Caleb led me inside the gazebo and it looked even better when the view of the pond was right in front of me. I wanted to pluck a lotus, to admire its beauty from up close, but they were too far away from the edge and I was afraid there might be snakes in the water.Caleb must have caught me staring because the next instant, he let go of my hand and went to the very edge of the gazebo and reached out his hand to catch the stem of the nearest lotus and plucked it out of the water before handing it to me.“For you.” He held it out to me and I took it gratefully, holding the flower close so I didn’t drop it.“Thank you. You didn’t have to…” But even as I said that, I couldn’t help the feeling of warmth that spread across my chest at his polite gesture.“Don’t thank me ye
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