Aurora tensed against her will the moment they stepped inside the Moonlight Pack territory the next day. The images of her and Easton crossing the territory line years ago, battered, tattered, and bleeding profusely, flashed vividly in her mind. Their throats had been parched, their eyes drooping, and their bodies weak from exhaustion.The men had managed to fix the car and get it running again that morning, thankfully avoiding any rogue encounters along the way. It seemed the proximity to Moonlight Pack’s territory provided a lot of safety.She felt someone slip their hand into hers and turned to see Easton nodding at her with reassurance, though his eyes remained unreadable. She nodded back, squeezing his hand tightly.Kael glanced at them briefly before focusing his attention back on the road ahead.In a blink, they passed faces Aurora recognized—some altered slightly, others unchanged, even though the pack itself had undergone significant transformation.The once-humble surrounding
"Why the hell would Crystalbelle be after you?" Zach had asked, his brows furrowed in confusion. "We know she's envious of you, but she wouldn’t go this far just out of envy." Aurora had simply shrugged in response."If she knew, would she be here devising strategies to capture that bitch with all of us?" Layla had chimed in, rolling her eyes at Zach. He had only shaken his head, choosing not to respond to her sarcasm."Hilton’s already on it," Aurora had informed the group. "I got a signal from the west, and he volunteered to check it out. He should be back in a week or so.""I’ll put together a list of all those nonsensical packs trying to oppose us," Easton had added. "We’ll track down whoever leaked information to Crystalbelle." Aurora had nodded approvingly."I’d like it if you also compiled a list of witch covens," Aurora had said firmly. "I’m not leaving them out of this. They’re still sore about me rejecting their stupid organization. They might’ve turned to her to use her as a
“Thanks, Jay. Come in, Aurora,” Maverick said, and the receptionist nodded with a smile before waltzing away.Aurora stepped inside and glanced around in awe. The room was nothing like she expected—it felt extraordinarily cozy and homely, a stark contrast to the image of the strict, commanding Alpha he projects.This was the kind of place that seemed to shut out the chaos of the Moonlight Pack, creating a sanctuary where one could almost pretend to be a normal human.“Your place is nice,” she said, her voice tinged with surprise.“Thanks,” Maverick replied, gesturing toward a matte comforter before walking away.Aurora wandered closer to the shelves, her fingers lightly brushing against the few books and the polished surface of a decorative figurine. It was strange to see this side of him—a man who seemed so much more grounded and human than the Maverick she remembered.He returned moments later, carrying two glasses of beer. Placing them on the table, he motioned for her to sit on the
Aurora crossed her arms as Jerry fixed her with a disappointed look.“You’re already biting the hand that fed you,” Jerry said, his tone sharp but calm. “I’ve heard about the way you’ve been acting, like a loose cannon. But I never thought you’d direct it at your own family. This is a new low, even for you. This woman” —he gestured at Alita— “raised the abomination that you are and endured everyone's criticism.”Aurora smirked, her expression cold. “Low, you say? If she didn’t want criticism, she should’ve made better decisions. I am sure that a process called abortion already existed when she got pregnant with this abomination and she wasn’t blind when she spread her legs for the man who gave her this ominous gift.”Alita’s face reddened with fury. “How dare you speak to me like that, Aurora?! Take that back right now!”“Oh? I can't? So now there are rules about who can say what?” Aurora sneered. “Since you were talking shits, I thought it was a matter of who had more trash about the
“Trust me, I wanted to kill those rude bitches all those years! If I’d had my witch powers back then, I would’ve brewed some evil potions. I’m sure they would’ve been potent! Maybe I would live up to the rumors about me then!” Aurora yelled, throwing her hands up as she downed another glass of beer.She stood in the middle of the VIP room they had rented at a bar in the heart of Earnest Valley.The dance floor outside was too crowded, and none of them felt like mingling with the members of the Moonlight Pack. Despite the truce, things were still uneasy between the groups and Aurora's reputation was a crucial reason too.“No, I wouldn’t. Those rumors clearly said ‘people,’ and those bitches are everything except that!” she added, draining another glass.“You’re drunk, Aurora,” Layla said with exasperation, though she made no move to take the drinks away. It would have been a pointless effort anyway.“What nonsense, Layla! What nonsense!” Aurora exclaimed, swaying to the loud music playi
“I hoped you’d get whacked by Sally; that woman used to like me! I hoped I could see her again because she was such a nice lady. I hated that you went ahead and sided with the entire pack! I hated that you turned to Phoebe! I resented you for smiling at my mother and sister like they could do no wrong! I resented you for making me the subject of ridicule! Despite everything you did… despite… the wrongs you did to me… despite it all…” Aurora said, starting to hyperventilate. Easton immediately hugged her tightly to himself, her tears wetting his shoulder, but he wasn’t bothered by it. He was just glad that she hadn’t broken down completely before Layla called him.He would have barred Aurora from drinking if he could, but she was a grown woman. This was the same thing that happened every time Aurora decided to get drunk—she’d become extra open with the feelings she’d kept bottled up in her heart, saying a lot of things. She’d start talking as if Maverick was in front of her, cursing and
Back at the pack house, Alec returned with Sadie, who immediately got to work checking on Maverick. She moved with practiced efficiency, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the tension in the room.“His body is reacting to the severed bond,” Sadie explained after a moment, her voice professional. “It’s like an open wound that refuses to heal.”“What can you do for him?” Anabella asked, her tone hopeful.Sadie sighed. “Not much, unfortunately. He needs to rest, stay hydrated, and avoid situations that will trigger the bond’s reaction.”Alec rolled his eyes. “Tell that to him when he wakes up. He seems to enjoy walking straight into disaster.”Sadie glanced at Maverick, who was still writhing in discomfort. “If he doesn’t stop pushing himself like this, the consequences could be severe.”“He’s stubborn,” Anabella said quietly. “But maybe he’ll listen this time.”Alec snorted. “I wouldn’t count on it.”As Sadie continued her work, Alec leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He glan
“So what were you trying to say?” Alec raised an eyebrow, and Easton glared at him.“Exactly what you heard, are you deaf now too?” Easton asked, and Alec glared back.“I would appreciate it if you kept your mouth shut when I wasn’t talking to you, Alpha Easton,” Alec said, his tone condescending as he used the word ‘Alpha’.“I couldn’t when you were the one doing the talking, Beta Alec,” Easton replied with equal disdain, and Floyd and Sadie rolled their eyes at the two.“Did you really mean that, Ms. Aurora?” Jared asked, and Aurora nodded her head.“Yeah, I meant it,” she answered.“But it’s so dangerous! Very risky too. I heard about how draining it is from one of those witches from other packs I visited,” Owen exclaimed, staring at Aurora with a surprised expression.“Try telling her that too, Layla. You can’t just allow her to go ahead with it,” Sadie said to Layla, who shrugged.“You think I haven’t tried telling her how detrimental it is to her health, trying to cover the whole
“I can take care of it here,” Aurora said, but Maverick didn’t pay any attention to her as he continued walking towards the car, her hand in his as he dragged her along.“Seriously, it’s nothing huge, just a bit of cotton, bandages, and a couple of pain relief pills would help,” Aurora insisted, but he just opened the car and sat her down.“You have to recognize the fact that I’m a werewolf too, I have healing abilities too!” she exclaimed.“Healing abilities that are very slow, you forget that part,” Maverick finally replied as he sat behind the wheel. “Just look at yourself in the mirror. Only heaven knows how many bones you’ve broken, your face is all bruised up, and I’m sure your arm is aching from the amount of shooting you’ve done today.”“It’s not as bad as it looks,”“I believe the decision is up to me,” he said. “Now, you’ll sit still like a good girl and let me drive you to the hospital so that Sadie can check you up. I don’t want to hear what you think.”Aurora glared at hi
“You weren’t nice,” Aurora commented, and the woman smirked.“I thought I told you, you were the one who wasn’t taking me seriously,” she replied nonchalantly, taking pride in Aurora’s busted lips.“Then, pardon me for being rude too,” Aurora replied as the woman moved towards her. This time, both of them were merciless. They hit each other fast and hard, barely giving the other a chance to recover before delivering the next blow, but Aurora seemed to be on the winning side, while the other woman was getting tired.Aurora delivered a blow to her jaw, adding another bruise to her already bruised face. She grabbed the woman, who was still sputtering, and flipped her over her shoulder, throwing her on the floor hard. The sound of bones breaking made some of the werewolves on the field cringe. They watched as Aurora cleaned the blood on her lips and face with the back of her hands before groaning when she remembered that she must have dirtied it more because her knuckles were all bruised
Aurora stared at the numerous werewolves scattered across the part of the field that had been designated as the training ground. Many of them were warming up, while others chatted amongst themselves. The Night Pack members stood apart from the members of the Moonlight Pack, none of them willing to familiarize themselves with the others just yet.The Night Pack wouldn’t make the first move, especially since the members of the other pack didn’t show the standard amount of respect for their leader. While they didn’t openly disrespect Aurora, they also didn’t hold her in high regard. Many of them believed that without her spells, she wouldn’t stand a chance against them. Her reliance on magic was something the men, whose pride lay in their strength, found hard to respect.“Good morning,” Maverick’s voice rang out across the field, commanding immediate attention. Even Aurora turned to glance at him.His tone was nothing like the one he used when speaking to her. This voice was authoritativ
Aurora walked into the playroom after searching the entire mansion for her assistant and almost groaned when she saw Layla and Zach making out intensely on the couch. They were so lost in each other that neither of them noticed her presence. Tilting her head to the side, she observed them for a moment, shook her head, and then loudly cleared her throat.They finally broke apart. Zach tried to move away from his mate to face Aurora properly, but Layla pinned him down with her body, glaring at Aurora.“Can’t you just go on your way without interrupting us?” Layla snapped.“Can’t you just find somewhere else to do your dirty deeds? Thank god there are no kids here. They’d be blinded by your antics,” Aurora said, sitting on the couch opposite them. Layla’s scowl deepened.“What do you want?” Layla asked begrudgingly. Aurora scoffed at her grumpiness before reaching for the box she had brought. She placed it on the table, opened it, and watched as Layla leaned forward to examine its conten
Aurora halted when she saw Phoebe sitting in front of her, hands draped on her waist. The woman wore a spaghetti strap top and a tight skirt that accentuated her figure.“I have absolutely no idea what the hell you are on about,” Aurora said casually. She was at a restaurant, trying to tail Jerry’s movements. Anabella had informed them during the meeting that a mail had arrived for Jerry two days ago. She had checked it and found only a cryptic note:It will get delivered at Jay Restaurant and Pub at three o’clock, eastside.Aurora had arrived just in time to witness a man—likely a spy from one of the many packs—drop a small container into the trash bin. She retrieved it and discovered shiny, vibrant red rubies inside. Pocketing them, she quickly used her power to create a replica before returning to her table to eat.“Maverick and you are back together, aren’t you? You went on a date,” Phoebe said, interrupting Aurora’s thoughts.Aurora snickered. “So that’s what you’re talking about
Ferix sighed as he placed the glass cup on the counter once again. He pushed the bottle toward the bartender, who refilled it with one of the strong cocktails Ferix had absentmindedly picked when he arrived at the bar.His head was clearly not in the right place, and the lively bar continued on without him as if he weren’t even there. His mind wandered far away, no matter how much he tried to steer his thoughts elsewhere. He always ended up back to the same thing: Aurora. Specifically, the image of Maverick and Aurora sharing a quiet moment on the balcony and the kiss they’d shared in the car later that night.He’d been waiting for Aurora at the pack house, ready to leave when she didn’t show. But just as he was about to head home, the sight of them in the car caught him off guard. They were so lost in each other that neither of them noticed him standing there.He had asked himself countless times why he still liked Aurora despite knowing she had a mate. Back when they weren’t on good
“Why does it always have to be that man ruining our date at the park?” Aurora grumbled, her tone sharp as she crossed her arms. Maverick kept his focus on the road, his hands steady on the steering wheel.“At least now we know why he’s there now and possibly why he was there back then,” Maverick replied, his voice calm but thoughtful.“He came to meet with a member of the Blood Moon Pack eight years ago too?” Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow.“I can’t be certain it was the Blood Moon Pack back then, but I’m sure this park has been his meeting spot for a while. It’s lively, there’s often a crowd. A man his age walking into a trampoline park might seem odd, but not strange enough to attract real attention,” Maverick explained. Aurora nodded in agreement, her mind piecing things together.“That makes a lot of sense,” she admitted, placing a thoughtful hand under her chin.“You don’t seem that concerned about him being alive,” Maverick observed, glancing at her briefly.“I’m not,” she rep
Aurora stared at the trampoline park in front of her, her eyes wide with surprise. There was no way she wouldn’t have looked completely out of place if she had worn high stilettos and a long gown. It probably wouldn’t have been just Maverick laughing at her; everyone else in the park would have joined in.“You brought me to a freaking trampoline park?” she asked, her jaw slack. Maverick handed her a bottle of water as they started walking toward the reception desk.“Yeah, a trampoline park. Is there a problem with that? I thought we could finally settle the competition from eight years ago,” he replied while checking them in. The receptionist smiled at him with a dreamy look in her eyes.“You are one tenacious guy,” Aurora remarked, and Maverick shrugged, taking her hand and pulling her closer so they could both sign the waivers.“That’s one of my good qualities. Sue me,” he said, handing the receptionist his black card.They had been to this park once before, back when they were dati
Sadie passed through the wards with half her attention elsewhere, but her focus shifted entirely when she caught something in her peripheral vision. She backtracked, needing to confirm that her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her.She blinked in disbelief as she realized it was indeed Ferix sitting on one of the beds, scowling, while a woman stood beside him, talking incessantly. The woman seemed to be scolding him, judging by the frown etched on her face.The woman glanced at the door, her gaze locking onto Sadie’s. She glared, causing Sadie to flinch slightly.“What the hell are you doing there?” the woman barked. Sadie had no choice but to step inside, not wanting to appear as though she’d been spying—even though that was exactly what she’d been doing.“Are you spyi—” the woman began but stopped short when her eyes fell on Sadie’s ID card. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she muttered, “You should have told me you’re a doctor here.” However, she didn’t bother to apologize.Ferix raise