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
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’S POV.“Thank you very much for coming, Mrs. Thomas, I hope you enjoy yourself.” I wave the woman goodbye and proceed to make my way to the dais where I stand straight and admire the multitude of people in the room who have been gathered here today to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.The day I finally get my freedom to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do.When my father said he was going to throw me a party, I didn’t think it was going to be this grand. It’s like he invited all the pack members.“Aurora.” A familiar voice calls my name from a distance. Excitement blooms in my heart like rose petals when I see my father approaching with a cheerful smile on his face. He left a while ago to talk to a few friends of his.“Dad.” I walk into his outstretched arms and he wraps me in a warm, fatherly hug. “You’re here.”“Yes.” He breathes and takes a step back. “There’s something you need to know.” He announces calmly. A ridge forms between my brows as I give him a serious look.“What
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
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
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