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.
AURORA'S POV.Even though it’s hard, I calm myself and let the men lead me away from my bedroom without resisting. I still don't know what is going on.This couldn't be because I refused to get married to that stranger. Are they taking me back to the hall to have been married at gunpoint? That's preposterous.Why is my father so desperate to have me married to someone I don't even know? What is wrong with him?If he hates me so much. If he wants to get rid of me so much, he can just say so and let me leave his house. He doesn't have to go these lengths. It honestly makes no sense to me.When we get to the flight of stairs, I'm shocked to see my father and Crew standing in the living room. My sister, Rhea, is nowhere to be found. Both of them are frowning and that makes me feel sick in the stomach.For eighteen years, they have been in control of everything I do. From what I do, to what I eat, what I say, who I talk to, where I go, which is nowhere. They have dictated everything I do
AURORA'S POV.I'm scared for my life.I look at my father, who's frowning and then at Crew.Traitor.If I ever get out of this alive, I swear I'll kill him!"Take her to the dungeon and lock her up." My verdict finally comes. I want to protest, but there's no energy left in me. My mate turns on his heels and storms out of the living room.This is probably the last time I will be here.I won't be surprised if this is the last day of my life.The punishment for murder is execution in this pack. All evidence points to me at this moment and my words alone will not set me free.This is the end for me."You are going to be punished for your crimes, murderer!" My father keeps raining insults on me as the guards drag me out of the house. I don’t say anything to him.Once in the premises, I see Alpha Lucien getting into his hummer and without warning, I break free from the hold of the guards holding me."Alpha Lucien!" I call at the top of my voice as I run over to him. I drop to my knees befor
LUCIEN'S POV.She's lying on the floor. Knocked out. Parts of her body are bleeding and the guards swarming around her do not seem to realize that they have to stop whatever it is they are doing. I'm sure this was my father's order. To have her tortured till death.Dad can make very cruel decisions when he is upset regardless of whether he is wrong or right and that's one of the things that make me fear him very much because even the fact that I'm his son and future heir does not spare me from his ruthlessness. The only person father could compromise or bend his morals for was my brother who's now dead.My temper gets the better of me as I watch the guards still pounding on my mate despite the fact that she has gone unconscious. My wolf stirs in anger within me and without thinking twice, I rush over to them with trembling hands and yank away the first guard my hands come in contact with off Aurora's body and shoot him to the other end of the room. The man shouts in agony as his bod
AURORA'S POV.The last person I expected to see when I opened my eyes was this man whose face seems to be hovering all over mine. The same man who had ordered for me to be tortured to bed.When notices that my eyes are open, he quickly backs away, clears his throat and maintains his composure, standing straight with his hands behind his back.The mate bond comes coursing through my body again and I look up at him. There's an awkward silence between us. I have a lot of questions in my mind to ask him and the first being if he's aware of the fact that we are mates. But I'm sure he knows. If I can feel the mate bond, it means he can feel it too.Could that be why his face was almost touching mine a while ago.Did he want to kiss me because he knew we were mates?No!Most definitely not!And even if he knew we were mates. Even if he wanted to kiss me, I still can't forget about the fact that he ordered his guards to have me tortured till death. I won't easily forgive him for that."You are
AURORA'S POV.Right now, I have no idea how to react to what I just heard. Alpha Lucien knows I'm his mate. Should I be happy? Should I be hopeful? Should I be ashamed? or should I be scared?I don't know what to feel right now. He just said he'd punish me accordingly if I say I'm guilty, but he'll stay by my side if I deny the allegations. That's a very logical thing to say in this situation and for a moment, I am really tempted to believe his words, but then I remember that a while ago, he had ordered for his guards to have me tortured to death. He didn't seem to care when he passed that order, but now he does. Why the sudden change of heart?"Why aren't you saying anything?" He breaks the silence. I look at him. He has a blank countenance. I can't read from his face whether he believes me or not and that's very frustrating."Because I don't believe you when you say you will trust my words." He raises a brow and trains his eyes on me."Why's that?" He sounds curious. Not only does
AURORA'S POV.The silence drags on for several minutes. My eyes are still glued on Alpha Lucien who's staring blankly at the wall. He hasn't uttered a single word and I'm worried because I think I know the answer is, he doesn't believe me.Even the maid and the Beta seem eager to get his response, but none of us get any.If Alpha Lucien doesn't believe me, then all my hope is lost. I can't prove my innocence on my own. Not when I'm locked up in here.My heart stops when he lets out a sigh. I look at him expectantly. Hoping he would say something to favor me, but he doesn't even look at me. He turns to the maud who still has her head bowed down. I swear to God if I'm given that chance to be in this room with this woman alone, I'll beat her up so good, she'll take back all the lies she just told against me.I hate her!"What's your name?" Alpha Lucien asks the maid.He ignored my question. Nice one Lucien. Nice one. "Emilia Mark." She calmly replies. I roll my eyes hard. To me, everythi
LUCIEN'S POV."Because they demand that you be executed." Her eyes widen in shock.Even I would be shocked if I was told my father had ordered for me to be executed. Her father was the first to point an accusing finger at her and since then, he has been insisting she committed the crime. I can't help but wonder what would make a father hate his own daughter so much."They didn't!" She denies my words. "My… how could he do that? I didn't kill anyone." Her voice breaks in half as she makes that statement. "I… I just wanted to ask Crew why he's accusing me of a crime I didn't commit and my father why he doesn't believe me when I say I didn't kill anyone. Why are they doing this to me?" She asks with a shaky voice. I don't say anything to her, because I don't know what to say.When she notices I'm not going to say anything to her, she lays back on the bed and closes her eyes.I train my eyes on her. I don't know why, but something tells me she is innocent of this crime she is being accused
LUCIEN’S POV.I'm still patiently waiting for the two men standing before me to answer the questions I had thrown at them. They keep looking at each other, not knowing what to say and I am truly amused.From what I've seen so far, I can confidently come to the conclusion that no one in this household loves or cares about Aurora and that makes me even more curious about her.What could she have done to make her father hate her so much? Is she truly a bad person? Or is it her father who’s the bad person? What secret is this family hiding from the public?"I don't have all day here." I tell them. Crew clears his throat and looks at me."Well, Alpha. You see, Aurora and I broke up a long time ago and then I started dating her sister."That even makes things worse. I raise my brows and look at him in total disbelief. I can't even look at Mr. Callan right now because I'm so angry that he let something like this happen. Why would he let some stupid guy disrespect his daughters?"So, you date
Lucien entered the room quietly, the soft sound of Aurora’s muffled sobs piercing his heart. She sat curled up in the corner of the bed, her hands clutching a pillow tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. The sight of her like this made his chest tighten. He approached slowly, kneeling down beside her.“Aurora,” he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Why are you still crying?”She looked up at him, her red-rimmed eyes filled with guilt. “I just... I feel awful,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I banished my sister, Lucien. My own flesh and blood. I didn’t want to do it, but I had no choice. I feel like I failed her.”Lucien sat down beside her, pulling her gently into his arms. “You didn’t fail anyone,” he said firmly, his tone soothing but resolute. “What you did wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Sometimes, the right choice feels like the hardest one to make.”Aurora leaned into his chest, letting his warmth and strength comfort her. “I just wish things wer
Aurora walked out of the dungeon, the cold, damp air clinging to her like a second skin. Her steps were heavy, her emotions even heavier. As she stepped into the hallway, she was startled to see Lucien waiting for her. The moment their eyes met, his expression softened.“You didn’t need to come here,” Aurora said, her voice trembling as she quickly wiped at her damp cheeks. “I could handle it on my own.”Lucien straightened, his amber eyes filled with a quiet intensity. “I know,” he replied, his voice low and steady. “You’re the strongest person I know, Aurora. But even the strongest people need support at times.”The words pierced through the emotional wall she had tried to build around herself. Without a second thought, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. His arms enveloped her, firm and reassuring.“I don’t know what to do,” Aurora whispered, her voice muffled against his chest.Lucien rested his chin on her head, his voice a
Author’s POVThe cold air of the dungeon wrapped around Aurora as she descended the stone steps, her heels clicking against the hard surface. A guard followed close behind her, silent but watchful. When they reached her father’s cell, she turned to him and waved her hand dismissively.“You can leave now. I’ll handle this,” she said.The guard hesitated, his eyes scanning her for a moment. “Are you sure, Luna?”“I said I’ll handle it,” she replied firmly, not sparing him another glance.With a curt nod, the guard retreated up the stairs, his footsteps echoing faintly until the heavy door at the top creaked shut.She turned back to face the man sitting on the cold stone floor behind the iron bars. Mr. Luke, her foster father, looked up as she approached. His once-commanding demeanor was now replaced with weariness. He managed a faint smile.“You look well,” he said, his voice hoarse.Aurora remained silent, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She stood there, unmoving, her expressi
Aurora’s POVI pushed open the heavy door to Lucien’s office, stepping inside with a teasing smile. He was seated at his desk, scribbling something onto a parchment. The sight of him so focused, his brow furrowed slightly, sent a warm feeling through me. I cleared my throat dramatically.“I heard I’ve been summoned by the almighty Alpha,” I said with a playful tone.Lucien looked up, a grin spreading across his face. “Indeed, Luna. You’ve been called for a matter of utmost importance.” He chuckled. “Please do sit.”I rolled my eyes and leaned against the doorframe. “Oh? And what could be so important that you needed to summon me?”I was genuinely curious to know why he sent for me at the house, he could have waited till he returned home tonight, or was he missing me a lot?Silly me! I have been emotional a lot these days and I have no idea why.He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “The dungeon guard informed me that your father—Luke—has requested to see you. Apparently, he
Aurora pushed open the door to the packhouse and stepped inside. The scent of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, but it did little to calm her nerves. She didn’t make it more than a few steps before Lucien appeared from the hallway, his expression dark.“Where have you been?” Lucian demanded, his voice low but sharp. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere.” he sounded pissed and that made her wonder if something happened.Aurora stopped in her tracks, knowing she had to tread carefully. “I was following a lead on the recent threats we have received,” she admitted. “Something I thought might help us.”Lucien crossed the space between them quickly, his towering presence both comforting and intimidating. “A lead? And you didn’t think to tell me? Do you know how dangerous it is out there right now?”“I can handle myself, Lucien,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze. “I’m not some helpless damsel. I’m a Lycan.”He huffed, running a hand through his dark hair. “You’re also my mate,
The weight of leadership was beginning to settle heavily on both Lucien and Aurora. Their days were filled with council meetings, decisions about the kingdom's future, and ensuring the pack's stability. Yet, an undercurrent of tension had started to ripple through the land.Lucien stood on the balcony of the castle, his sharp gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The murmurs of unrest in a neighboring pack had reached him earlier that morning, carried by a trusted scout.“Rogue wolves,” he muttered under his breath. The thought of enemies circling when his kingdom was still finding its footing made his jaw tighten. His wolf, Kol, stirred within him, growling softly in agreement.“You look like you’re preparing for battle,” Aurora’s voice came from behind him, soft but laced with determination.He turned to face her. She looked regal yet approachable in her simple gown, her Lycan features making her seem otherworldly under the golden light. “I might be,” he admitted. “There’s unrest brewi
The air buzzed with anticipation as the pack gathered in the grand courtyard of the palace. Wolves from allied packs had also traveled far and wide to witness this historic moment—the crowning of Alpha Lucien and his Luna, Aurora.Lucien stood tall at the center of the platform, dressed in ceremonial black and gold robes that accentuated his commanding presence. His piercing eyes scanned the crowd, landing briefly on Aurora, who was approaching the platform with a grace that made his heart swell. She wore a flowing gown of deep emerald green, her head held high as the elders escorted her to his side.Elder Doran raised his staff, signaling for silence. The murmur of the crowd ceased instantly, and all eyes turned toward the Alpha and his mate."Today," Elder Doran began, his voice strong and reverberating through the air, "we witness the dawn of a new era. The leadership of this pack passes to a new Alpha King, a leader who has proven his strength, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to
The great hall of the council chamber buzzed with tension as the elders assembled. The air was heavy with the weight of their decision, one that would shape the future of the pack. The King’s failing health had left them no choice but to convene, and the murmur of voices echoed off the stone walls as they deliberated.Elder Doran, the oldest and most respected among them, struck his staff against the ground to call for order. “Brothers and sisters, we gather today at a critical juncture. The King’s health has declined beyond recovery, and our pack cannot endure this uncertainty any longer.”The room fell silent. Each elder exchanged solemn glances, understanding the gravity of the moment.“We must act,” Elder Nalia said firmly. “The Alpha King has served us well, but his time has passed. The pack requires stability, strength, and leadership.”Elder Doran nodded. “It is clear that Lucien, as the rightful heir, must ascend to the throne. His leadership has been tested, and he has proven
Author’s POVThe royal chambers were cloaked in an uneasy silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of fabric as maids moved quietly about their tasks. The once-mighty Alpha King lay on his grand, ornately carved bed, his once-proud features now gaunt and pale. The trial and the truth it had unearthed had taken a toll far beyond what anyone had anticipated. The air in the room was heavy with the mingling scents of herbal remedies and despair.The royal physicians gathered near the door, speaking in hushed tones. Their faces bore the same somber expression—a silent acknowledgment of the inevitable. One of them, an elderly man with graying hair and deep-set eyes, stepped forward to address the council members waiting outside the chamber.“The King’s condition is grave,” he began, his voice steady but laced with sadness. “His heart and spirit have been deeply wounded. The mental and emotional strain has weakened him beyond recovery. I’m afraid… there is little we can do.”The words