CHAPTER 2

AURORA’S POV.

"I’m trying to stop you from running away from your wedding." 

Crew's words ring in my mind for the tenth time as he drags me back to the podium to meet my father and sister.  I'm not only confused, but I'm angry and frustrated at the same time. He's my boyfriend, how could he support the fact that I'm getting married to someone else?

What in the name of the Moon goddess is going on here?

"Crew!" I call in shock. "You are my boyfriend, aren't you supposed to be against this? Why are you stopping me from running away when you should be the one taking me away from here?" I ask with a shaky voice. There's tears streaming down my cheeks like a waterfall. The look on Crew's face has still not changed.

"The wedding is something that has already been decided and you can't change it. Even I do not have a say in this issue. My hands are tied." He explains it's no iota of emotion in his voice.  I can't seem to make sense out of anything he just said.

He doesn't look happy or sad or angry. His face is blank, like he doesn't care about anything that's going on despite the fact that he is my boyfriend.

I look at my father with pleading eyes, expecting him to give me an explanation as to what's going on, but he ignores me.

"Father, please what's going on?" I ask, crying, but father doesn't even spare me a glance.

"Get your hands off my man!" My sister, Rhea, smacks my hand away from Crews and pushes me away. I look at her in horror and expect Crew to say something, but he doesn't. He can't even look me in the eye.

Her man.

Rhea just addressed Crew as her man.

It all makes sense now. They are together. They are in a relationship. That's why Crew is not bothered about the fact that I'm being married off to someone. 

My hands fly over to my mouth to prevent the scream in my throat from flying out.

I can't believe what I just found out. Crew has been cheating on me with my sister and it seems my father knows about it.

"Crew, please tell me this is not true. Tell me you are not cheating on me with my sister." More tears stream down my cheeks. My voice breaks into two halves as I ask that question.

If there's anyone who can lay claim on Crew as her man, then that person would be me. He is my boyfriend. We've been dating for more than a year now. Why is she referring to him as her man?

I crane my neck to look at Crew, hoping he would step forward and defend us. Hoping he would tell my sister that she was mistaken. That he is my man, not hers. I look for a while, but he doesn't bulge and that's when it dawns on me.

"No way!" I whisper audibly. My heart shatters from the impossibility of the discovery I just made.

He is indeed her man. 

He has been cheating on me with my sister.

"No!" I whisper, tears forming in my eyes. Rhea, my sister, has stepped away and I can now see Crew's face. There's no iota of remorse on it. He doesn't look like he feels guilty for what he is doing. All I see is relief. Relief that I finally found out about him and my sister and now I can let him be. 

"Crew please tell me that's not true. I will believe your word." I cry weakly. For a moment, I forget about the fact that I'm supposed to be running away from them. From this whole sham of a wedding.

"There's nothing for me to say to you, Aurora. Turn around so this wedding can commence and stop causing a scene." His cold words slap my face like a hundred hands. Anger makes it to the forefront of my consciousness. 

"No! I won't. I will never marry someone I do not know." I say, shaking my head violently. Crew steps forward and binds my hands with the ropes coated with silver before turning to the wedding officiator who is patiently waiting for us to be done with our argument so the wedding can proceed.

"Ride on with the ceremony." He signals the man.

"No!" I scream at the top of my voice. The silver-coated ropes are making my wolf weak, but not weak enough to stay still and watch me get married against my will. With her help, I use both our strengths to break loose from the ropes. Everyone gasps in shock. I take off the stupid Vail from head and throw it to the ground and push the flowers around before taking on my heels towards the main door again

This time around, Crew fails to catch me.

I have to get away from the place. 

I can't stay there and get married to a stranger. I won't push through with their ridiculous plans for me.

Never!

I have never been outside before, everywhere looks very strange to me, but surprisingly, I can remember the way home. I want to turn into my wolf so I could run faster, but I don't. I don't want to put myself in danger. Seeing a werewolf on the street at this time of the day is probably not what the pack members are used to.

When I arrive at my father's mansion, I'm panting and out of breath. I, however, do not have time to catch my breath. I start making my way into the house.

As I step into the living room, I can't help but burst into tears.

This isn't how I had pictured my birthday to end.

I have been locked up in this mansion for eighteen years and during that time, all I dreamed about was to be free. 

Everything is ruined!

Where exactly did I go wrong?

I cry hysterically as I ascend the staircase leading to my bedroom.

Father must be furious after the stunt I pulled back there. He and the others must be on their way back and I'm going to get it hot when they arrive. I have to leave before they get home. I'm going to go into my bedroom, pack my stuff and leave because it's evident that I'm not needed here anymore. I've never felt loved or wanted by any of them anyway.

I'd rather go out there and be a rogue than stay here and become the wife to a complete stranger. 

When I get to the landing of the staircase, I turn right, taking the hallway that leads to my bedroom. I'm almost dead within. Every part of my body feels numb. I can't believe my life is such a mess when I'm  only eighteen years old.

When I get to my room door, I turn the doorknob open and I'm about to step in when, surprisingly, two men spring out of the bedroom and grab both my arms, trying to cut them  behind.

I don’t let them. I yank my right hand out of the man’s tight grip and elbow his right rib cage with all my might. He instantly releases my left hand and groans in pain, staggering backwards with his left hand clutching the elbowed spot. His colleague steps forward to grab my hands again, but I give him a hard kick in his groin. He screams and bends forward, his hand reaching for his balls. I turn just in time to dodge a blow from the other and I'm about to punch him in the gut when he sheaths a gun from the side of his trouser belt and points to my temple.

I freeze when the cold metal grazes my flesh.

“Lift your hands up like a good girl.” The man commands with a deadly tone. I obey, only because he’s holding a gun. One wrong move and my brains will be all over this floor. The guy whose balls I kicked grabs both my hands and cuffs them behind me.

I have no idea who these men are or what they want from me.

I have so many questions right now.