CHAPTER 1

Aurora POV

“You already look good,” Alicia, my best friend, said tapping her feet impatiently on the floor. “Can we begin moving?” She added, draping herself on the door.

I smirked at her through the mirror, applying another layer of mascara onto my lashes. "A few minutes wouldn’t kill you," I teased, ignoring the dramatic sigh that escaped her lips.

She groaned, stomping towards me. "It would if you spent your entire lifetime applying a 'simple' makeup," she shot back, air-quoting her exaggerated frustration.

“Haven't you heard that patience is a virtue,” I quipped. “Besides I thought you didn't want to go to this party. Why the rush?” I arched a brow at her through the mirror.

"I don't," Alicia muttered, slumping onto my bed. "But if I have to watch Jake dance with Melissa, I'd rather get it over with." Her fingers absently traced the sequins on her navy dress.

I set down the mascara and turned to face her. "You know you don't have to go at all, right? We could have a movie night instead."

"And let you miss your coronation, Queen Aurora?" She managed a small smile. "Nathan would never forgive me for stealing his prom queen."

"Stop it," I said, though I couldn't help blush a little at the mention of Nathan. Being the Alpha's son's girlfriend did come with certain... expectations.

"Oh please," Alicia threw a decorative pillow at me. "You've been practicing your surprised face in the mirror for weeks. 'Oh my, I never expected this!'" She clasped her hands together in an exaggerated impression of me.

"I have not!" I caught the pillow, laughing despite myself. "And my surprised face is way better than that."

"Sure it is." Alicia stood up, smoothing her dress. "Now can we please go? If I have to watch you apply one more coat of anything, I might actually lose it."

I grabbed my clutch, checking my reflection one final time. "Fine, fine. But only because I don't want to be responsible for your mental breakdown."

"Too late for that," Alicia mumbled, but she linked her arm through mine as we headed for the door. "At least one of us is getting their fairy tale ending tonight.”

I chuckled as we left the house and into the car parked in front all still thinking of Nathan.

Nathan Alkham, my mate and soon to be Alpha of a neighbouring Pack was my prince charming and the one person I was willing to walk on shards back and forth for.

He was the best and failed to make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. He could have had anyone, absolutely anyone but he chose me, the confident girl whom almost every guy saw as a bimbo and wanted to date me because I was daughter of our Alpha.

Nathan was the only guy whose intentions from the onset was pure.

Tonight, though, Nathan couldn’t pick me up. He had an important meeting with his father and the pack council, preparing for his future role as Alpha of his Pack.

He’d apologized a dozen times and even sent flowers with boxes of chocolates, promising to make it up to me later, and I couldn’t fault him for that. That was Nathan, always putting his pack and people first, and that's what I loved, and would continue to admire about him.

So brave and selfless.

Alicia and I pulled up to the school, the parking lot already buzzing with life. The gymnasium lights spilled out into the night, and the steady thrum of music greeted us as we stepped out of the car.

Inside, the party was already in full swing. Students crowded the dance floor, laughing and swaying to the beat, while others lingered by the snack table or posed for pictures.

The atmosphere was alluring, but I barely noticed since I was feeling sort of lonely. My eyes scanned the room, searching for him, my love.

‘Where is he?’ I thought as I couldn't catch his tall, athletic physique and confident look in front of the hall, where he normally stood. Besides that he was hard to miss.

“Nathan should be here by now,” I murmured to Alicia.

“Well, don’t just stand there like a lost puppy,” she teased, nudging me forward. “Go find your Prince Charming.”

I nodded, weaving through the crowd. It wasn't like him to be late or anything. He was always on time since he was the school's body council, so he was always punctual, showing good examples to the others.

When I spotted Jake, his best friend, leaning against the wall with someone practically glued to his face, my stomach sank. Nathan and Jake were inseparable at events like this. If Jake was here, Nathan couldn’t be far.

There was no sign of Nathan anywhere so I decided to go look for him in one of the classes. Since tonight wasn't school night, all classes were practically locked but Nathan had spare keys so maybe he was helping a teacher with something or I don't know. I couldn't bring up a good reason for why he'd be back here or was even missing.

A muffled sound caught my attention as I passed Mr. Wilson's classroom. My steps slowed, and I inched closer to the door. Through the frosted glass window, I could make out shadowy figures.

"God, I can't wait to be done with this charade," Nathan's familiar voice drifted through the door.

My blood ran cold.

There was a soft moan followed by a sultry voice. "Ngh…H–how much longer do you have to keep playing boyfriend to that pathetic girl?" The voice belonged to Rebecca Stone's, followed by a breathy moan.

"Fuck you're so tight,” he groaned followed by the continued sound of slapping skins. “Just until the alliance is finalized." His tone was cruel.

"Her father may be Alpha, but she's just a boring, clingy nobody. Doesn't even realize I've been using her for three years."

My hands flew to my mouth, holding back a gasp. The tears I'd been trying to back spilled over, ruining my careful makeup.

"At least she's good for something," Rebecca purred. "Once your father secures the territory, deal with her pack..."

My vision blurred, but the shadowy figures inside the room were unmistakable, Nathan, shirtless, his hands on Rebecca as he had her bent over the table, mercilessly thrusting inside her.

“She’s useful, though,” Rebecca purred, "Once your father locks in the deal, you'll reject her for good...”

I didn't stay to hear the rest. My heels clicked against the linoleum as I ran, away from the prom, away from the heartbreak. Three years. Three years of lies. Of being a pawn in someone else's game.

I'm so stupid to believe he saw something in me. So so stupid.

Knock. Knock.

Through my tears, I saw Noxon Alkham leaning against my car window, cigarette dangling from his lips. The streetlight caught the intricate pack symbols tattooed up his neck, so different from his twin brother's clean-cut image.

"Rough night, princess?" His deep voice that ever-present note of amusement. He took a long drag, smoke curling around him like a shield.

"Go away, Noxon." I wiped furiously at my tears, smudging my mascara further.

He tilted his head, studying me with those piercing grey eyes, identical to Nathan's, yet so different. Where Nathan's held calculated charm, Noxon's sparked with untamed intensity. "Let me guess. Baby brother finally showed his true colors?"

I stiffened. "How did you—"

"Know?" His trademark devilish grin spread across his face. "Because unlike the rest of this pathetic school, I don't buy his perfect prince act." He flicked his cigarette away, the ember trailing through the darkness. "Never have."

"Why do you care?" I snapped, anger finally breaking through my grief. "Shouldn't you be terrorizing freshmen or whatever it is you do?"

He laughed, the sound rich and dangerous. "Now that's more like it. Better angry than broken, sweetheart." He straightened, his impressive height casting a shadow over me. "And I'm more interested in terrorizing those who deserve it."

Everyone knew the twins' rivalry ran deep. Noxon's rejection of the Alpha title had created a rift that grew wider each year. While Nathan played politics, Noxon built his own following, wolves who shared his vision of breaking away from traditional pack structures.

"Why are you really here, Noxon?"

“Because you look like someone who needs someone to talk to.”

“I don't need your help. I know I was stupi–”

"Hey." His voice turned gentle. "The stupid ones are the people who take something genuine and treat it like it's worthless." He offered me a bandana. "You trusted because you're real. That's rare."

I took the bandana, managing a weak laugh. "Since when did the school's big bad wolf become so wise?"

"Maybe I've always been. People just prefer their simple labels." He smiled, not his usual smirk but different. "What do you say we get out of here? There's this all-night diner just outside town. Makes the best chocolate milkshakes you've ever tasted. So can I come in, we can go to Sandy's diner.”

I let him in the car without much of a second thought.

"I probably look terrible," I gestured at my ruined makeup.

"You look like someone who's done pretending. Trust me, that's never terrible." He settled back in the seat. "Besides, Sandy's Diner has a strict 'no judgment' policy. Says so right on the door, right under the 'We reserve the right to serve extra fries to sad customers' sign."

I let myself smile genuinely. "You made that last part up."

"Maybe." His eyes crinkled at the corners. "Only one way to find out though."

I turned the key in the ignition. "You know what? Lead the way."

"Fair warning," he said as we pulled out of the parking lot, "once you've had Sandy's comfort food, you might develop a new Friday night tradition."

"Sounds better than prom," I said, surprised to find I meant it.

"Most things are." Noxon fiddled with the radio until soft music filled the car. "Sometimes the best nights are the ones that don't go according to plan."