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
“We had sex again and I don't know how it happened,” Aurora said, clutching the blanket around her trembling frame, it was her only thing keeping her from being naked as she felt. The words tasted bitter, like a heavy lid on her tongue, but she forced them out.Lightning flashed outside, illuminating her in the dim room. Her hair clung to her damp face, a wild mess, and her feet, bare against the cold floor, felt numb.“Wait... what?!” Easton’s voice cut through the silence, his wide eyes flicking to the thin nightgown peeking from beneath the blanket. His expression darkened.“That’s—”“Phoebe’s,” Aurora finished flatly. Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “Of course it is.”Easton clenched his fists. “That bastard—”“Don’t.” Aurora cut him off, shaking her head. Her gaze dropped to the floor as she tried to blink back her tears. “I don’t need you defending me. Not from him. Not now.”Her voice cracked, but she swallowed the lump in her throat and kept speaking. “He threw it at me.
Aurora flinched at the shrill voice behind her.“Move out of my way, bitch!” Tessie barked, her black eyes blazing with disdain. Her sneer curled into something colder as she added, “And keep your cursed bad luck out of my path.”Aurora turned slowly, her calm gaze meeting Tessie’s glare. Before she could respond, another voice chimed in.“Mom’s going to kill you for letting her stand so close, Tess,” Jennie sneered. “The pack’s still celebrating that a half-witch like her didn't end up being the Luna, thanks to Alpha's quick choice of our perfect sister.”“Shut it, Jennie!” Tessie snapped and turned back to Aurora. “Well? Are you deaf now? Get out of the way!”The tension around them thickened as curious eyes from the field began to drift their way. Aurora felt their glares, their whispers, the same hostility she’d endured her entire life.It was nothing new.Her voice was unnervingly calm as she replied. “There’s no need to yell. Being a werewolf doesn’t mean you have to act like an
Remind me why we are still not out of this place," Easton said."Luna might be needed anytime. I have to be present," Aurora stated nonchalantly. Easton glared at her and immediately knew she wasn’t as okay as she pretended to be. Even after the spectacle on the field, she had taken a moment to herself but still insisted they return to the halls because of her duties.Duties for a position Maverick had just given to Phoebe in front of nearly everyone in the pack."That asshole," Easton muttered as they stood at the far end of the hall. There was no one around, and the dim light shrouded them in shadows. Hidden from plain view, they leaned against each other."He’s been like this ever since the mate awakening ceremony," Easton said, glaring at Maverick, who stood on stage giving a speech. A smile rested on Maverick’s lips as if he hadn’t just shattered someone’s world with his words and actions. "The petty bastard even used you not showing up as an excuse to reject you."Aurora’s mind d
Aurora staggered for a bit before she managed to stand on her feet perfectly. Everyone present was shocked that she could even stand.“I’ve endured too much in this pack to stay another second. Hypocritical leaders, selfish members, and you—my mate—who failed me most. Keep your lies, your cruelty, and your title. I’m done.” Her eyes are cold and unfeeling. “All of you can dive headfirst into hell. I’m leaving this shithole of yours, and you can keep it for the rest of your life!” she spat angrily, despite the immense pain she felt. Turning on her heel, she began to walk away. Easton immediately followed her.Maverick also left the scene, his expression pained as he watched Aurora walk away. He seemed to have difficulty breathing; his eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were trembling. But no one noticed him leave.The pack councils and members attempted to follow her, but Alec shook his head at them, and they reluctantly stood down, watching as Aurora left the field—out of Moonlight Pac
How many people did it take for an unwarranted headache to sizzle up in one’s head and prick at one’s nerves?That had been the question the women Aurora was out in the woods with had asked each other just moments before. They’d all had different answers, and the numbers varied widely, but one thing united them despite their differences:For Aurora, there was no number. No matter how many people it took, no matter how irritating or intimidating they were, no one could shake the rock that was Aurora. She had agreed with a smile on her lips.How wrong they had been.Aurora had never thought she would see him again. They might cross paths someday, but it wasn’t supposed to be now. And even if they did meet, she wasn’t supposed to feel anything.But as she looked at his face, she froze. A lump rose in her throat, a barricade of conflicting emotions she hadn’t felt in the last five years crashing over her—emotions she had thought locked away. They bubbled to the surface as his hypnotizing b
Maverick gave a subtle mental nod when Layla pointed out that Aurora had been using a scent-masking spell since entering the room. It finally made sense. That was why he couldn’t smell her when she walked in or even now. But when Aurora muttered something under her breath, her scent broke through the spell, overwhelming his senses.The scent hit him all at once—too much, too fast. She smelled like the ocean breeze, the kind that brushed against your skin while standing by the sea with a seashell in hand. It was a scent he had always liked.For a werewolf like him, who spent most of his time in the woods, forests, and small towns, her scent was a welcome change. It calmed him. But as it teased his heightened senses, it awakened something deeper. His wolf stirred, thrilled by the possibility of finding another mate. Yet that joy dimmed almost instantly, replaced by anguish.His wolf recognized her. This was the same soul that had once hurt them, the same one they had broken the bond with
Layla had led them from their room that morning. Maverick and Alec had just finished dressing when the bubbly woman had knocked on their door. She had said that she couldn’t let them stay cooped up inside their room while she could show them the beauty of their pack.“Is it really necessary that you come and get us so early in the morning?” Alec had grumbled, and Layla bopped her head.“Of course. It is absolutely necessary. You people have already woken up and gotten dressed, and all you would do is stare at your phones and laptops in your room before we had to talk again at the meeting.” She replied with a wide smile.“And does it have to be only us? There are others too.” Alec said, and Layla rolled her eyes at him.“You are the ones I find most likable among them all, except for that beautiful brunette and her sidekick, of course, but a woman must get her beauty sleep. I heard she’s the pack's doctor. She must have a lot on her hands already, poor thing must study till late at nigh
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
Aurora chuckled as Maverick frowned in irritation. "I did that, and Phoebe was pissed when she found out about it. I had to do something to placate her overinflated ego, so I threw her nightgown that was in the wardrobe at you and came after you with contraceptive pills to assure her that I wanted nothing to do with you and was glad that I had her or something along those lines. Goddess, thinking about it makes me want to barf," he said, the irritation evident in his expression.Aurora couldn’t help but laugh. "I’m really sorry about those damn things I said that night. It was enough to drive me apart in two," he added, his voice tinged with regret."Now that I know about it, I can imagine it. But I have a question—what the hell was her nightgown doing in your room that day?" Aurora asked, squinting her eyes as she leaned closer to scrutinize him.Maverick raised a brow. "What? You’re more worried about that?""What? I can’t ask about that? Or are you keeping something that you don’t
Easton noticed Layla staring at the door, so he turned his body slightly to see who was standing there. He cleared his throat awkwardly when he saw that it was Maverick.“Are you just going to keep standing there?” Aurora asked, and that seemed to jolt Maverick out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat as well before walking toward them.When he sat down on the single chair opposite them, both he and Easton continued to stare at each other uncomfortably.Both had their opinions about the other and had hated each other many times, but they suddenly realized that neither of them was guilty of the crimes the other had accused them of. They could turn into pals, but at the same time, they couldn’t continue hating each other.They had to get along—or at least pretend to—for Aurora’s sake. They didn’t want her to be put in the difficult position of choosing between her mate and her best friend. But both had their pride, and neither was willing to be the first to apologize.“And here I thou