Aurora was awake. Henry gazed at her silently for a long while, hoping it wasn't his mind playing tricks on him. He didn't want to risk blinking only to find out that she was still unconscious. But when she slowly lifted her hand and touched his cheek, he let his eyes blink once, twice. She was staring at him. She was really awake. The smile he had been longing to see was finally right before him. "My love." He breathed out, his voice barely audible. "Are you really awake?"Aurora was about to answer, but when her fingers tingled from the sparks of the mate bond, she paused. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him. "Do you...""I feel it too." Henry whispered, nodding at her. His eyes were foggy from unshed tears as he stared at her intently, his gaze fixated on her face. Aurora let out a soft laugh. "You're my mate." She whispered. "My second chance mate."Henry smiled in return, his heart soaring high with happiness. "Yes my love." He whispered back. "You're my one true mate,
A week later, Aurora completely recovered. The bite wound healed up and in its place was a very beautiful mark, a flurry of golden intricate design. Henry's mark.With the incident that happened, the love and affection between Henry and Aurora became deeper and more passionate. The fact that they were mates enhanced their love for each other and Henry grew more protective and possessive over her. Aurora enjoyed the attention though. All her life, she had dreamed of living a peaceful life with her mate. Now her dream had finally come true. She had a man who loved her wholeheartedly. She had her best friend who was now more like a sister to her, and she knew that her parents were in a better place. She was finally fulfilled. Henry introduced her as the future Luna to the people of Ashidore, and they bowed and swore their allegiance to her. That particular morning, Aurora stood before the mirror brushing her hair. There was a soft smile on her lips and her eyes gazed at nothing in p
The atmosphere in the ancient temple was filled with tension, so thick that one could cut it with a knife. Henry and Aurora sat beside each other, her hand held in his. Beside Henry, Tyler sat with his gaze pinned on the six council members. Four shifters in their lycan forms stood behind Henry, growling menacingly. It was completely silent inside the temple. The council members weren't terrified of Henry. They weren't even scared of the vicious lycans glaring at them. They were terrified of Aurora. Henry already told them what she really was and they were scared to look her in the eye. They knew she was powerful, more powerful than all of them combined. None of them had ever faced a hybrid creature and it was both shocking and terrifying for them. Unaware of the fear they had for her, Aurora tried not to fidget under their stares. She sat with her thighs pressed together. Her grip on Henry's hand tightened when the silence lengthened. [Are you okay my love?] Henry's voice flow
The night of the coronation came sooner than Aurora expected. With each day that went past, her anxiety and worry mounted. She didn't tell Henry because she knew he would only assure her that the people of Ashidore had no choice but to accept her. Yet Aurora didn't want them to accept her as their Luna, just because they had no choice. She wanted them to love and respect her, just like they did with Henry. Henry had left the room an hour ago to make sure everything was perfect and in order. It was the first time in many years that he didn't dread the coming of the full moon. Since the coronation ceremony would take place at night when the full moon was out, a lot of preparations had to be done. The invites had been sent out to the other packs few days ago, including silver dawn pack. When Aurora asked why he didn't exclude Bishop's pack, Henry told her he wanted Bishop to be present, to see him make her his Luna, the same girl he had cruelly rejected. While all the preparations w
Aurora stood at the entrance of the hall, her heart beating nervously. The moment she had been waiting for was finally here, the moment she would be Henry's Luna. She looked utterly beautiful in an elegant golden gown. The top of the dress was fitted to her chest, with a deep cut neckline that showed the round curves of her cleavage. It clung to her slender waist and flared down until it trailed behind her in a long golden train. Her bright blonde hair, contrasting perfectly with her dress, was piled on top her hair prettily and held in place with a golden tiara. Wispy tendrils twirled beside her ears, while a diamond necklace adorned her slender neck with matching earrings dangling from her ears. A golden goblet, the symbol of the supreme Luna, was held firmly in her gloved hands. Matilda stood beside her, adding some finishing touches to her gown. "You're so beautiful Aurora." She whispered. Aurora turned and a warm smile spread across her lips. "Thank you Matilda." She replie
"STOP!" A loud voice suddenly sounded from the crowd. Henry paused, his eyes slowly turning furious. He scanned the crowd, searching for the person who dared to interrupt the coronation ceremony. Aurora was the first to notice him. Her eyes widened and she rose to her feet in utter shock. "Bishop?" She whispered. Bishop pushed through the crowd until he was at the podium. He stared at Henry defiantly and his eyes flickered to black as he spoke. "This ceremony cannot continue!" He yelled out for the crowd to hear. "The Alpha King has taken what belongs to me. My mate."A surprised gasp went through the crowd and everyone began whispering among themselves. When Henry's gaze fell on Bishop, his fury mounted and he snarled at the lycans. "SEIZE HIM!"In the blink of an eye, twelve lycans surrounded Bishop. He was grabbed and slammed to the ground right before Henry. "HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE HERE?" Henry's voice thundered out in raw anger. His eyes glowed bright gold, a proof o
Everything happened as if in slow motion. The dagger sliced through the air, moving towards where Aurora stood.Henry saw the dagger aim towards her. His eyes widened and he moved, putting himself in front of Aurora to shield her. It struck his side and he staggered back slightly. His jaw clenched as he grabbed the hilt, slowly pulling it out. Despite the excruciating pain he felt due to the silver, his face remained stoic and expressionless. Tyler let out a loud roar and charged forward. "Treason! You will be killed for trying to harm the Supreme Alpha and Luna!"He shifted into his massive wolf and lunged at Bishop. Bishop knew he was greatly outnumbered, and he knew he would meet instant death if he was caught. Henry would definitely not spare him. So he withdrew an object from his cloak and smashed it on the ground. Thick black smoke poured out, filling the air and obscuring him from view. A second later, Tyler and other lycans lunged at the spot he had been standing. But wh
Aurora giggled as Henry pushed through the front doors of the castle. They were the only one around. Penelope stayed back with Krino until Tyler returned from hunting down Bishop, while the other lycans warriors waited to secure the perimeters. "I feel like a bride." She laughed when Henry turned and kicked the door shut with his foot. "You are my bride." Henry winked at her and began to ascend the stairs. Aurora held on tight to his broad shoulders and leaned up to kiss his chin. "Well in that case," She said, smiling cheekily. "Take me to our honeymoon chamber, dear husband."Henry chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're so adorable when you do that."Aurora blushed and hid her face against his neck. She giggled when she felt his lips on her cheek. Suddenly Henry froze. He narrowed his eyes and turned around slowly on the stairs. The hair at the back of his neck stood on end, a sign that something wasn't right. He could feel it within him, but what was it? Aurora
Two Years Later... On the roof of the castle, Henry and Aurora lay cuddled in a warm blanket, staring at the full moon in the sky. The air was cool and the sky was alive with thousands of shimmering stars. Aurora lay on her side, with Henry spooning her. His hand lay curved on her large belly and he slowly caressed her baby bump, occasionally dropping kisses on her cheek. "Tyler is going to be a big brother soon." She whispered, placing her hand over Henry's. "He's going to be the best big brother." Henry replied. He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, breathing in her sweet scent. "You've been the best mother to him.""I promised Penelope I would take care of her child." Aurora said with a smile. "And I intend to keep that promise. I know I'll tell him the truth about his birth parents someday, but for now, he's mine.""Ours." Henry said, gently turning her around to face him. "He's ours.""Yes. Ours." Aurora smiled and her eyes closed as they shared a passionate kiss. A lot of ye
Many months later, the realm was back to normal. Shifters returned to Ashidore and everyone went back to their normal way of life. Ashidore was built again and it prospered more than before. The dead was buried and mourned and the injured received healing. But they would never forget the last war with the dragons. They would never forget the innocent souls that died that day. They would never forget how their Alpha sacrificed himself to save his mate and destroy the dragons. Aurora had been crowned Supreme Luna of Ashidore and she ruled the kingdom just as Henry would have wanted her to. But she knew her life would never go back to normal without him. It took her a whole year to move on and accept his death. She built a tomb and did a proper funeral for Tyler, Penelope, Henry, Shota and Nimueh, and every other shifter they lost. Most nights, she stayed beside Henry's grave, crying and wishing to the heavens that he would be brought back to her. She was a strict and just Luna, and
When Aurora arrived at the designated spot, she met a horrific scene. The entire forest was covered in flames. The bushes, tall trees and grasses were all burning brightly. Thick smoke coiled up into the dark sky and the heat was blistering hot. The entire lycans were scattered all around, bloody, burned and unconscious. The dragons continued their terror, wrecking havoc everywhere. Aurora's eyes darted around, searching for Henry. She found him lying a few meters away from her, surrounded by fire. "Henry!" She screamed, rushing over to where he lay. She didn't dare try to extinguish the flames because the last time she did, it affected her. Grabbing his arms, she dragged him away, over to a dry patch of grass. Then she knelt beside him and placed her head on his chest. She could feel his faint heartbeat meaning he was still alive, but barely. There were terrible bloody burns on the side of his face and chest, and unless he gained consciousness, he wouldn't be able to heal. "He
"Let me go Cade." Aurora cried, trying to dislodge herself from Cade's grip. The baby had woken up from the sound of her screams and was crying loudly, but all Aurora could think of was going back to help Henry. Without her, he and the other lycans were doomed. "Cade please..." She begged. [Forgive me Luna. I cannot disobey the Alpha's orders] Cade replied without stopping. "You don't understand." Aurora protested. "Henry is in danger. They are all in danger. Fighting against the dragon creatures is futile."[The Alpha knows this, which is why he wants you out of harm's way before he faces the creatures]Aurora felt like screaming out. He wasn't listening to her. "Cade I am your Luna! And it is only right that you listen to me! Put me down this instant. Now!"Cade tried to resist the order, but just as Henry used his Alpha voice on him, so did Aurora. He couldn't disobey the authority in her voice. He slowed down and gently lowered her to the ground before shifting back to his h
A few minutes later, Henry and Aurora met with Krino and the entire lycan warriors. The other shifters had been shared into three large groups and dispatched to different packs. They were instructed to inform the members of the different packs to build bunkers and hide away until the war with the dragons ended. All that was left were the lycans and a few shifters who stayed back to fight beside their Alpha. When Henry and Aurora arrived holding the baby, Krino and Cade noticed immediately that Penelope was not with them. "Where's Miss Penelope?" Cade asked. The other lycans then noticed that their late beta's mate was missing. Aurora didn't respond and just started crying softly. It was Henry who took a deep breath and told them how Penelope had passed away after birthing her son. The news hit them hard and a few looked away so the tears in their eyes wouldn't be seen. How many more would they lost? How many more would die just because two shifters were evil enough to set the d
Aurora jerked awake from sleep with her mother's name on her lips. It was daylight already. Henry was up, standing a few meters away from her, holding the baby. She watched him for a while as he stared down at the sleeping infant. She couldn't read his mind, but with the look on his face, she knew he was thinking about his beta. When Tyler died, Henry had felt the pain of loosing his beta and best friend. Though he didn't shed a single tear, she knew Tyler's death affected him immensely. She knew he was greatly hurt. Yet what was coming was even greater than Tyler's death, and she doubted if he would be able to bear it. The dream she had of her mother played back in her mind and she heard Kahlan's voice echo in her ears– 'Aurora the core of your magic lies in your soul, and that is the only thing powerful enough to destroy the dragons. You must use it.'She remembered the shock she felt when she realized what her mother meant. To destroy the dragons, she would have to sacrifice
No! Aurora screamed the words within her, but her face remained frozen in shock. She could hear the cries of the baby at the back of her mind, loud and persistent, but all her focus was on Penelope's face. The entire word faded, the sound of the wind and the rustle of the trees. Everything went still as she stared at her friend. For a short moment, she thought Penelope would blink and stretch out her hands for her baby. She waited, hoping and praying. But as each second passed, Penelope's body turned completely pale and stiff, and her eyes turned glassy. Only then did Aurora move. She lifted a hand and placed it on Penelope's cheek, tracing the dried streak of blood. "Penny." She whispered. Tears spilled down her eyes silently as the thought registered within her. Penelope was dead. Her best friend was dead. She hadn't been able to prevent her vision from coming to pass. "I'm so sorry Penny" She sobbed, softly pulling down Penelope's eyelids so her eyes were closed. "I'm sorry I
"PENNY!" Aurora screamed, rushing towards to the hole. All she could see was darkness, but she could hear Penelope's soft groans. "Penny can you hear me? Are you okay?" She asked repeatedly, waiting for an answer. After what seemed like an eternity, Penelope responded. "Aurora." She called out in shaky voice. "I'm right here Penny. Are you alright?""No. I... I think my water broke. And I think I might be bleeding too.""Just hold on. I'm going to get you out." Aurora said, hearing her friend cry softly. The castle was slowly crumbling as the flames consumed it entirely. She knew in a matter of seconds, the large building would collapse. She was at a loss of what to do. Calling to Henry for help was impossible because he wouldn't be able to go through the flames. And her strength was slowly diminishing. Her nose continued to bleed and she was beginning to feel dizzy with loss of blood and all the smoke around. "Moon goddess." She whispered in tears. "Please help us out of here
"HELP!" Penelope screamed out. She was curled into a tight ball at the edge of her room. Half of the room was destroyed by the flames and the fire kept advancing towards her. "HELP ME! PLEASE!" Her screams were drowned out by the roar of the flames as it licked up the entire room. The curtains and bed burned brightly, and the walls were slowly falling away. Seeing that there was no way out, she stopped crying out for help and just sobbed quietly. As she waited for death to take her, her mind went over everything that had happened minutes earlier. She assumed Aurora and Henry, along with all the other lycans had perished in the fire and all that was left was her. Hours ago when she first heard the roars and trembles, she made no move to find out what was happening. She had been too weak in the spirit, too tired, after the death of Tyler. All her energy was gone, her zeal for living too. But then her hand brushed her belly and she realized she had a reason to live. She was going t