"ENOUGH!" A powerful voice thundered suddenly, instilling fear in the crowd.
The entire shifters fell into a deathly silence the moment Alpha King Henry stepped out from the mansion. Aurora raised her head weakly and her gaze connected with intense golden eyes, the same eyes she had seen the night she was almost attacked by that lycan. She couldn't be mistaken. Although she hadn't seen his face that night, but his eyes... she knew she couldn't be wrong. Bishop spoke of an important guest earlier. Could it be that this man with the hypnotic eyes was the Alpha King? She watched him walk towards her. The crowd moved back, fear and respect visible in their eyes. Even Bishop stepped aside, his head bowed slightly. Henry stopped before the guards holding Aurora, his gaze dark and terrifying. "Release her." His voice sounded calm, too calm, but everyone knew it was the calm before the storm. The guards promptly let go of Aurora, and she collapsed to the ground. "Alpha Henry," Bishop ventured out, his head still bowed with respect. "I apologize if this scene has caused some disturbance to you. I assure you, this girl will be dealt with..." "You rejected her, did you not?" Henry brutally cut him short. His gaze was still pinned on Aurora who had began to shiver on the ground. When Bishop didn't give him a reply quickly enough, he turned and glared at him. "Did you not?" "Yes, Alpha. I did reject her." Bishop answered quickly. "But it was in a moment of anger. I surely didn't mean to..." Besides him, Amelia looked on in shock and annoyance. She didn't understand why Bishop would say something like that. "Save your breath." Henry turned away again. "You've made it clear to these people, that the woman you plan to marry is the one beside you." He didn't even spare a single glance at Amelia as he spoke. "Yes Alpha." Bishop nodded. "Very well." Henry made up his mind. "From this moment, the girl is no longer a member of your pack. She will return with me to Ashidore." "But Alpha..." Bishop tried to protest, but Henry had already walked away, leaving everyone staring after him. Suddenly annoyed at the turn of events, Bishop ordered his beta and gamma to take Aurora away and prepare her to leave with Alpha King Henry. The other shifters who had hoped for Aurora to be punished severely, left in disappointment. They couldn't fathom why the Alpha King would spare a worthless omega like Aurora. Amelia was beyond livid. Though she loved Bishop, but her eyes had been set on Alpha King Henry for a while. The only reason why she never acted on her obsession for him was because of the secrets shrouding him. Henry never spared anyone, and certainly not an omega. Why did he suddenly show an interest in Aurora? It disturbed her greatly and she complained to Bishop. "I don't understand why he wants to take her with him." She snarled angrily. "The bitch clearly disrespected you. She should be punished here, and not spared. Talk to the Alpha, he needs to understand that we have our ways of doing things here..." "Shut up Amelia!" Bishop snapped at her. "How dare you speak about the Alpha King in that manner?" "But..." "It seems you don't really know who Alpha Henry is." Bishop shut her up again. "He's the Supreme Alpha, Alpha King of all Alphas. I am merely a pawn beneath him. I serve him, and so do the other shifters. Whatever his orders are, we follow it without complaint. So I would advise you to watch your mouth and watch the way you speak about him!" He pushed her out of his way and hurried after Alpha Henry. While all these were happening, Aurora couldn't hear a word of what was being said. There was a loud persistent ringing in her ears, and her head felt like it was splitting in two. When she managed to crack open her eyelids, her vision was blurry. Black spots danced before her eyes and she slowly slipped into unconsciousness. ... When Aurora opened her eyes again, she was no longer sprawled on the ground in front of Bishop's mansion. She was in a strange moving vehicle. She tried to sit up but her entire body exploded with pain. Groaning softly, she lay back down and shut her eyes. Suddenly a deep voice broke the silence. "Hang in there," the voice said. "We will arrive soon." Aurora tried to open her eyes, to see the owner of the voice. It sounded vaguely familiar, and she tried to recall where she had heard the voice before. But her head was spinning again and the persistent ringing was back. A dull ache throbbed behind her eyelids and soon, she slipped into unconsciousness. Henry watched as she passed out again. He knew there was nothing he could do to ease her pain. She would just have to hang in there, like he told her, until they arrived at Ashidore, the Lycan Kingdom. He leaned back against the luxurious leather seats and let out a deep sigh. They were inside a fancy carriage, pulled by six large vicious wolves. The distance between Ashidore and Silver Dawn pack was three days ride and Henry wanted to return as quickly as possible. As the carriage sped on, his mind went back to the moment he first saw Aurora. It was that night when he had been hunting. Her scent had slammed into him like the sweetest of nectar, and the urge to have her had been so strong. But when he realized that she was Bishop's mate, he killed whatever urge he had. He never messed with another man's mate. Women didn't appeal to him, unless he wanted to bed them. He discarded them the moment his pleasure ended. So why did Aurora appeal to him? During breakfast the previous day, why had he been so furious when Bishop made it clear that he didn't want her? And why had he stepped in to save her when Bishop banished her? He hated feeling this way. He hated the flutter he felt in his heart whenever he started at her. Her hair, like the finest of golden silk, made his fingers itch to touch them. Her bewitching emerald eyes enthralled him. Her scent threatened to make him go insane. Why was he feeling this way, after more than a hundred years of being without a mate? There was only one way to stop those strange feelings. He needed to distance himself from Aurora. He had done her a great deed by saving her from Bishop's banishment. Now he had to push her away again. The moment they get to Ashidore, he would send her away to another part of the kingdom, where he would never cross paths with her again. He couldn't make the mistake of falling for her, especially when she was an omega. The secrets he harbored couldn't be revealed. He was doomed to be alone for eternity, and he planned to keep it that way. But when his gaze fell on Aurora again, the flutter in his heart returned. And he hated himself for it.The carriage arrived at Ashidore two days later, on a cool afternoon. The guards stationed outside the large golden gates noticed the fancy carriage being pulled by six vicious wolves, and they knew immediately that the Alpha King was back. One gave an order and the majestic gates were pulled open. The wolves pulled the carriage through the gates and as quickly as it had been opened, the gates were shut tight again. Ashidore, the Lycan Kingdom, was magnificent and grand. A large castle stood in the middle of the kingdom, shimmering like jewels in the late afternoon sun. All around the castle were smaller houses and cottages, where the people of Ashidore lived. Right before the castle was a large water fountain, with water sprouting out of the statue of a howling wolf. The kingdom was bustling with activities and as the carriage drove past, some of the shifters bowed respectfully. The wolves slowed to a stop, bringing the carriage to stop in front of the castle.Henry turned and
Aurora was still unconscious when Henry barged into the room like his life depended on it. She was trashing on the bed while Kaleb tried to hold her down. Her fists gripped the bedsheets tightly and she threw her head about, struggling against the hands that held her. Tyler and David hurried into the room after him and the three men stood helplessly, at a loss of what to do. "Why don't we wake her up?" Tyler suggested. He had never encountered anyone who had a panic attack while still unconscious. "That won't be a good idea, beta Tyler." Kaleb disagreed, his voice unstable as he tried to calm Aurora. "She is clearly terrified of something in her subconscious. If we try to wake her up without calming her first, it could affect her psychologically." "Well, we have to do something." Tyler raised his voice in worry as Aurora screams became louder. He turned to Henry and grabbed the latter's arm. "Alpha, if her screams get any louder than this, people will hear and wonder." How
The moment Henry's gaze met Aurora's, she felt an electrifying tingle go through her body. Had he always been this handsome? His hair, as dark as midnight, curled tightly over his perfect arched brows. His eyes, those golden orbs, darkened when he assessed her from her face to her feet, and back again. His lips were set in a straight line, giving him that badboy look. When his eyes met hers again, butterflies erupted in her tummy unexpectedly. Averting her eyes, she cursed herself silently for feeling that way. What Bishop did to her should teach her a lesson that men were beasts. The silence that suddenly descended on the room after Henry's arrival became heavy. Aurora kept her eyes averted, afraid to look up at him. What was she supposed to say? Thank him for saving her? She almost jumped when Henry walked further into the room and addressed her. "You're awake." He said softly. It wasn't a question, but Aurora found herself nodding. Understanding that she was nervous, Henry t
Henry's entire body froze the moment he felt Aurora hug him tightly. His hands were slightly raised, his brows knitted in confusion. One couldn't blame him for reacting that way. He had never received a hug from anyone. It felt so bizarre. Slowly, his arms lowered until it rested on Aurora's shoulder. Only then did he relax and let out the breath he was holding. Who would have thought a ruthless Alpha King like him would feel uneasy because of a woman's hug? The thought amused him and he smiled, shaking his head unbelievably. Aurora finally pulled back and clasped her hands before her shyly. "Thank you Alpha." She mumbled. "I'm sorry if I startled you, but no one has ever been this kind to me. It's not something I am used to."Henry could still feel the warmth of her body against his, and he felt empty when she pulled away. What was happening to him? Why was he suddenly so soft towards her?The smile disappeared from his face and he stepped away from Aurora. "You don't have to tha
"Alpha." Aurora gasped in surprise, gripping the door handle tightly. "I... I wasn't expecting you."Henry didn't reply. Instead his gaze on her got heated. Her night dress latched unto her body like a second skin, accentuating her slim waist and curvy hips. His eyes lowered to her full lips, darkening at how inviting they were. And when his gaze fell on the soft swell of her breasts through the deep neckline of the dress, his breath caught. The lust that slammed into him was swift and unexpected. Staring back into her eyes, he sucked in a deep breath and forced a smile, trying to hide the fact that his groin just roared to life with lust. "Just making sure you're settling in well." He said in a clear voice, as if his breath hadn't been knocked out of him a few seconds ago. Aurora smiled and stepped back, opening the door wider. "Please come in." She said shyly. Henry stepped through the door and looked around the room, impressed by what the maids had done. "I saw the maid you a
Bishop had spent several sleepless nights ever since Aurora was taken away by Alpha Henry. He knew he didn't love her. Hell, he didn't even care about her. He had rejected her without hesitation. The only woman he loved was Amelia. So why did he feel like he had made the gravest mistake letting Aurora go? He shouldn't be thinking about her that way. He sucked hard on the cigarette stick held between his lips, puffing out the smoke in small circular rings. The door to his study opened and he turned his head sharply, his bloodshot eyes zeroing in on Amelia who stepped into the room.Amelia took one look at him, his bloodshot eyes and disheveled appearance, and a scowl settled on her face. "What the fuck has come over you Bishop?" She demanded. Her heels wrapped on the hard floor as she marched towards him, hands planted on her hips. Bishop stared at her like he couldn't recognize her, then he looked away. "Get out of my room Amelia." He growled. "I won't ask you again.""Are you
Aurora woke up the next day to see the sun shining brightly into her room through the curtains that were opened halfway. Although her room was in the northwing, she got a little bit of sunlight before the sun rays shifted. She stretched and yawned, covering her mouth with her palm. She couldn't remember the last time she slept so well. Back in her step-aunt's tiny cottage, she slept on a piece of white sheet. And most times when she awakened the next day, her body would be sore from the hard floor. Thinking of the tiny cottage where she grew up made her remember Lydia, her step-aunt. The woman had been so happy to be rid of her when she found her mate. "She doesn't even care what happens to me." She mumbled to herself. She was sure Lydia wouldn't give a damn if Henry took her away as a slave. The woman always hated her and she never knew why. "I'm so glad to be rid of her." She said and pushed the unpleasant thought away. Moving gently, she got off the bed and walked over to the
"You deserve to die bitch!" Aurora sucked in a deep breath seconds before her tormentor plunged her head into the river. The freezing water knocked the breath out of her lungs and she struggled with the hand that held her, trying to pull her head up. Her tormentor, Estella, held her firmly under the flowing river. The three other she-wolves behind her laughed at Aurora's feeble attempt to escape, but did nothing to try and save her. After a while, Estella pulled Aurora out of the river and smacked her across the face. Aurora fell back, her chest heaving as she tried to draw in deep breaths. Her face and hair were wet and she shivered from the cold. Estella moved closer to her and gripped her hair in a tight fist, making Aurora cry out. "This is just the beginning Rose. If you don't reject Alpha Bishop, I will do more than drown you. I'll kill you, and no one would ever find out." Aurora said nothing in response. She merely gritted her teeth against the pain of Estella's gr