Aurora’s P.O.VI woke up to a warmth surrounding me on all sides, my mind refreshed and the cool breeze coming in from the open windows.Blinking my eyes open, I looked around my room in a daze as the last vestiges of sleep cleared from my mind.I hadn’t slept like this in forever. I felt well rested and refreshed and I hadn’t felt like this in…forever. I was loving the sensation of the warmth, until I realized…I hadn’t been inside my room when I had fallen asleep.With eyes wide in surprise, and a little worried, I sat up in bed and looked around my room, trying to remember how I got here in the first place. But the reason became painstrikenly clear in a few seconds as my eyes met electric blue ones across the room.“You’re awake.” Caleb got up from the chair next to the window and made his way towards me then, his eyes searching my face for any traces of discomfort. “How are you feeling? You’ve been asleep for almost twelve hours.”“Twelve hours?” My eyes almost popped out of my head
Aurora’s P.O.VI woke up the next morning, all covered in sweat. It felt like I was sleeping next to a furnace and my entire body was on fire.Opening my eyes groggily, I looked around at what could possibly be the problem. The AC was turned on in full blast…then how could I be sweating like this?That’s when I felt a weight on my waist, a hand casually thrown over me and a body pressed to my back. What on earth…?I almost jumped up from surprise when I saw that Caleb was the one to whom I was sleeping next to.“What the…?” I looked under the covers in horror, but thankfully, I was still fully clothed…and so was Caleb. Then what was going on? How did we…?That’s when the events from last night filtered into my mind. Caleb and I had had dinner together and then he had come into my room so we could have desserts here, ice-cream to be specific. But after we had our ice-cream, Caleb and I had talked for a long time about werewolves and mating bonds…until I had ended up falling asleep again
Aurora’s P.O.VI paced around my room restlessly, my heart thumping against my ribcage hard enough to leave bruises. But I couldn’t settle down.How? How was this even possible? Caleb was a werewolf? Then how on earth was he sick?Was it…was it because of-“Aura!” Caroline called as she burst in through the doors, and instantly, I was racing into her arms. She held her arms open for me, and I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the comfort of her embrace like a calming balm to my soul.“It’s alright, Aura. Calm down.” Caroline soothed her fingers through my hair as she spoke in a calming voice. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”I nodded against her shoulders, feeling that odd sense of calm wash over me, but it wasn’t long before my worry for Caleb’s health resurfaced and I let go of her and stepped back so I could look her in the eyes. “How is Caleb? Has his fever gone down yet?” I asked her urgently, grabbing onto her shoulders. “Is it…was it something I did? Was it my fault?”“Aura,
Aurora’s P.O.V “Yesterday, when Caleb couldn’t find you, his wolf got frightened and it tried to stretch the connection to reach you, but it couldn’t. His wolf thinks that you’re slipping away from them and is desperate for that connection between mates. It just…wants to know that you’re safe and unharmed. It also wants to communicate with you through the mind link, just like it does with everyone else in the pack. That’s kinda why Caleb is in pain; his wolf is restless and agitated and not cooperating with him.”I understood what Caroline was trying to tell me, but I just couldn’t fathom what she was trying to tell me…“So…” I spoke in a monotonous voice, my mind having gone completely numb, but my heart kept thrashing inside my chest like crazy. “You’re telling me…that I need to…sleep…with him?”“What?” Caroline’s cheeks turned a bright red when she realized what I had just said, before she started to shake her head vehemently. “Oh god! NO! No! That’s not what you need to do! I’m so
Aurora’s P.O.VCaleb’s room was on the other side of the building, on the same floor as me, and I was only just realizing this as Caroline led me down the hall to the left wing of the building.“We all have spare rooms on this floor.” She told me as we walked, pointing to random door and naming who they are supposed to be for. “We don’t really crash here often, since our homes are all within the pack, but on special occasions, we are allowed to have sleepovers. But you know how sleepovers are, no one really sleeps there. We just stay up all night with some booze and game consoles.”Just by looking at her posture, at the way Caroline was suddenly feeling so chatty…I could tell that she was nervous, anxious even. She knew how I had felt about this, that I was still debating if I should stay with Caleb and become his mate, or just give up and disappear from their lives. But I also wasn’t going to abandon Caleb when he needed my help.Caleb had been there for me when I had been the most vu
Aurora’s P.O.V “Aura…” His voice was a husky whisper, but I could hear the strain in them. It felt like he was fighting for control, fighting a war with his own emotions. “I’m right here, Caleb” I whispered, not knowing where I got the courage from as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.His warmth felt inviting, addictive even, especially with the chill in the room.Caleb brought his face closer to my neck once again, using one hand to brush my hair to the side. His touch sent tingles through my whole body, and this time, he didn’t just stop at one sniff…I felt his tongue dart out to lick at my skin, making me gasp out in shock.But it wasn’t just shock I felt at that lick. Something else seemed to awaken inside me as well, something that made my skin tingle and my toes curl…my heart beating a little faster inside my chest. My blood rushed to parts of my body I didn’t think was possible and I felt an odd sense of tingling in the pit of my stomach. My thighs clenched almost automa
Aurora’s P.O.VA shocked gasp escaped my lips as I found myself on the bed, with Caleb straddling me only a second after I had confessed that I wanted him to mark me.I blinked up at him, watching him climb on top of me, his body still a furnace, but somehow, it was now bearable. I raised my arms, so he could come closer and he came willingly, letting me place my hands on his shoulders, drawing him closer. “You smell so good.” He whispered, his voice sounding hoarser than before. “Are you sure you want this, Aurora? Because I can wait. I want to wait till you’re ready.”“No…” I whispered, my voice trembling with the force of my emotions. “I want this now, Caleb. I don’t want to see you suffer anymore.”“You know…these past few hours…I thought about everything you had been through all your life,” Caleb suddenly commented, making me still on the bed under him. “All the pain, the hardship…and to think how I had been one of the people who had made your life miserable…I deserve this, Aura…
Aurora’s P.O.VJust like the first time I had kissed him…this one felt just as overwhelming, just as charged with unexpected tension. I held onto him tighter as Caleb leaned down into the kiss, pressing some of his weight down onto me as if to hold me in place.His kiss ignited a fire within me, a desire I hadn't expected.Caleb pressed me back onto the bed; his lips moving on top of mine with a fervour that I hadn’t anticipated. I could feel his hands exploring my body, igniting sensations that sent shivers down my spine. The connection between us seemed to intensify with each passing moment, overpowering any rational thoughts I had.His touch awakened a hunger within me that I didn’t know existed, and I began to explore him just as he was exploring me, my hands tracing the contours of his body as the passion between us escalated.Every cell in my body seemed to come alive at his touch, consuming me whole. It was as if I was no longer in control of my own body, my own emotions.Caleb’
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