AURORA
I sat before the mirror, my heart pounding as I stared at my reflection. Today was my wedding day. The reality of it felt overwhelming, and a strange mix of excitement and anxiety filled me. I was about to marry Ethan. He had been nothing but supportive and kind to me. But still, there was that nagging feeling of doubt. Was I doing the right thing? Behind me, Jada, my handmaiden, was gently combing my hair, murmuring softly. “You look beautiful, Luna,” she said, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror with a smile. “Thank you, Jada,” I replied, smiling back, though I wasn’t sure I believed it. I felt nervous and uncertain. I glanced down at the necklace around my neck, the last gift from my mother. Its weight felt familiar and comforting to me. Even though I told myself that I was going to let myself be at home here, I was not entirely sure that I allowed myself to be that. I was still a little bit wary about the pack, and I did not want to beat myself over it because it was too early to feel completely at ease here. The vision that my necklace had once shown me had never left my mind, and today, as I sat here, I found myself wondering if it could offer me any answers for what I wanted. Maybe if it could tell me the past, it could tell me the future of how I was going to end up when I married Ethan. “Jada, could you get me some water?” I asked, forcing a smile. “Of course, Luna,” she said, giving a quick curtsy before she hurried out of the room. The moment she left, I turned my focus to the necklace. I held it tightly in my hands, closing my eyes. I took a deep breath, feeling my heartbeat slow as I focused on my question. ‘Am I making the right decision?’ I waited, the silence stretching, but nothing happened. Disappointment washed over me, and I sighed, loosening my grip on the necklace. Maybe it wasn’t meant to work like that. Maybe I was foolish to expect anything at all. I even wondered if it gave me that vision in the first place, or maybe I was just hallucinating it. The disappointment bit down on me hard. But then, as I held it one last time to get it off me, I felt a flicker of pulse from the pendant. I closed my eyes, the world around me fading as a vision began to take shape. Evelyn’s face appeared first, her sharp beautiful features focused with determination. She was standing beside Damian, and they were somewhere unfamiliar. Dark and shadowed, with the soft crackling of fire in the air. I realized that they were with a witch, the dim light illuminating the vial of dark liquid that the witch held out to Damian. The witch’s voice echoed faintly, “Slip it into her food or drink. Once ingested, she will lose control of her mind and will want to be back to you like you want.” Damian’s face was blank, almost emotionless, as he took the vial. A surge of anger rushed through me, and I gasped, the vision fading as I found myself back in my room, gripping the necklace with white knuckles. I felt sick, and enraged, the remnants of the vision burning in my mind. They were trying to bring me back against my will. They were willing to use magic to control me. I stood abruptly, my thoughts racing. Damian and Evelyn weren’t just letting me go even after everything they had done to me at the pack. They had wanted me gone for so long and I had finally fulfilled their wish. Why can’t they just fucking let me be now that I was out of their crosshairs? They were planning something twisted, something that could destroy any chance I had at freedom. I needed to go back and put a stop to this before they made their move. I glanced down at the wedding dress I was wearing, realizing how impractical it was for what I needed to do. Hurriedly, I slipped out of the gown, pulling on a comfortable white shirt and a pair of jeans instead. I also slipped on a jacket because the weather was cold back in the pack. I didn’t have time to think. I just knew I had to act. As I headed toward the door, Jada reappeared, carrying a glass of water. She stopped, her eyes widening when she saw me dressed in jeans instead of my wedding dress. “Luna, the wedding is in an hour. Where are you going?” I took a steadying breath, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be back before the ceremony, Jada. There’s just something I need to take care of.” She looked uncertain, but she nodded slowly, her worry evident in her eyes. “Be careful, Luna.” “I will. Thank you.” I gave her a reassuring smile, though my heart was pounding with urgency. Without another word, I slipped out of the room, making my way to the car park. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as I got into one of the cars, using the keys that were kept down in the basement. I guess they trusted the security in the pack that they were willing to just leave everything open. As I got in the car, I knew I wouldn’t make it back in time, but stopping Damian felt more important than any wedding ceremony. The ride was fast and tense, my thoughts racing as I replayed the vision over and over. The image of Damian holding that vial, his expression cold and determined, was burned into my mind. He was willing to use magic to force me back to him, to take away everything I had gained. A few hours later I arrived at the palace. As I approached, the guards eyed me warily, but I held my head high. “I need to see Damian,” I said, my voice steady. One of them raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. “The Alpha didn’t mention expecting you.” “I don’t care if he’s expecting me or not. I’m here, and I’m not leaving until I see him.” There was a tense pause, and then one of the guards nodded, gesturing for me to follow him. They led me through the familiar halls, and my heart ached with memories, but I forced myself to stay focused. I was here for a reason, and I wouldn’t let anything distract me. When we reached Damian’s quarters, the guard knocked briefly before opening the door. “Alpha, you have a visitor.” Damian looked up, surprise flickering across his face when he saw me standing there. “Aurora?” He rose from his chair, clearly thrown off by my sudden appearance. I took a steadying breath, meeting his gaze. “I know what you’re planning, Damian.” He blinked, his expression shifting into something colder. “And what exactly am I planning?” “Don’t play games with me,” I snapped, my anger simmering. “I know you went to a witch. I know you’re planning to use magic to try to bring me back here against my will.” For a moment, there was silence, the tension thick in the room. Damian’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Oh, I think I do,” I replied, my voice cold. “And I’m here to tell you to stop. Whatever you’re planning, whatever vial or spell you’ve got, you need to stop it. I’m not coming back to you.” Damian’s face twisted with anger and resentment, “You think you can just leave, Aurora? That you can run to another pack and live happily ever after with Ethan?” “That’s exactly what I think,” I said, my voice steady. “And if you try to interfere, I’ll fight back.” He laughed, the sound cold and humorless. “You think you can threaten me? I am your Alpha.” “You’re not my Alpha,” I shot back. “Not anymore.” There was a flicker of something in his eyes—hurt, maybe, or anger. But he quickly masked it, crossing his arms as he regarded me with disdain. “Fine,” he said, his voice low. “Go back to Ethan. But remember, Aurora, no one crosses me without consequences. You are going to come back to me one way or the other. Your sweet man that you are so proud of is not who he says he is.” I forced myself to hold his gaze, refusing to let his words intimidate me. “I’m not afraid of you, Damian.” With that, I turned and walked out, my heart racing with relief. I had faced him, stood up to him, and walked away with my head held high. As I got into my car and drove back to Blackwater, I felt a surge of strength that I never felt before. I was stronger than he knew, stronger than I had ever believed I could be. This was my life, and I would fight to protect it.AURORA Driving back to Blackwater, I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my mind spinning with anxiety. I knew I’d crossed a line. I had left on my own, slipped away without telling Ethan, and now I had to face him. I did not even want to think twice about what he was thinking at the moment. I did not know how many people he had invited today to witness the wedding, and he just thought that I stood him up. Did he regret deciding to marry me?My chest tightened at the thought of his reaction. He had every right to be angry. If the roles were reversed, I’d feel the same way. I would perhaps even have a worse reaction than he would ever think of having. When I arrived at the palace and stepped inside, I immediately spotted Ethan and Kiara in the sitting room, casually watching a movie. They looked relaxed, and at ease, and for a moment, I hesitated, feeling like an intruder. She was probably there with him when I left. She must have convinced him that she was right to be wary of me in
AURORA The next morning, I woke up with the biggest smile on my face because it was my wedding day. I have been married twice, and it was not a love match but there was something to this one that I liked. The air was filled with the buzz of celebration. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the soft fabric of my dress, my heart pounding. Today was the day I would become Mrs. Grey. It felt surreal, almost like I was living someone else’s life. I never thought I was ever going to get married again. When you get married to the alpha of your pack, you are set to know that you are only going to separate from him when death carries one of you. But I did the impossible and I am out of the clutches of that. I took a breath while I was trying to keep my veil in place. I heard a gentle knock, and Jada entered, her face lighting up when she saw me. “You look beautiful, Luna.”I smiled, “Thank you, Jada. I can’t wait for the wedding to happen already.”She tilted her head, giving me a knowi
AURORA When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was that Ethan wasn’t beside me. The sheets were cold, his side of the bed empty, as though he’d never been there at all. A pang of disappointment crept in, and I felt a flush of embarrassment as I replayed the events of last night. I’d let myself believe, just for a moment, that maybe there was something real between us. But now, lying alone in the morning light, it was hard not to feel foolish. I tried to not have expectations, but it was hard when he held me in his arms like he did last night. I got up, trying to shake the feeling of vulnerability that lingered. I washed up and dressed, mentally reminding myself that this was just an arrangement, nothing more. What had happened between us was part of our agreement, a way to fulfill the contract, and nothing else. As I stepped outside, I spotted Sarah, Ethan’s sister, walking toward me, her usual bright smile in place. She waved, and I forced a smile, trying to bury the disap
DAMIANSitting alone in my chambers, I poured another glass of whiskey, the amber liquid shimmering under the dim light. I’d lost count of how many drinks I’d had tonight, but the bitterness in my chest wouldn’t go away, no matter how much I tried to drown it. Everything had fallen apart, and I couldn’t figure out where it all went wrong.Evelyn had left a few days ago, saying she was taking a trip with some friends, and I hadn’t heard from her since. Her absence gnawed at me, leaving a hollow space that only made me more suspicious. I needed answers. Why had my plans with the witch been exposed? Who had leaked the secret of my attempt to bring Aurora back? And was Evelyn involved? There could barely be a reason why she had left immediately after we had gotten in touch with the witch. A sharp knock on the door broke through my thoughts, and I looked up, bleary-eyed and irritated. “Come in,” I called out, setting the glass aside and trying to shake off the fog of alcohol.A guard ente
AURORA I clutched my diamond emerald necklace on my neck as I felt pain in the lower part of my body. He was doing it again. Damian was cheating on me with his girlfriend Evelyn while I stood there trying to look pretty beside him for the ball. But that was even the least of my concerns, even though I had been married to him for four years and he never attempted to treat me right. I had just found out that my ungrateful and wicked husband had killed my mother. I was not sure of it. I looked at the necklace closely in the mirror. I have owned it for several years but it had never shown me something like this before. When I was getting ready and I was clasping it on my neck, I had a vision and saw Damian standing in front of my mother’s dead body. Could he have really been the one that killed her all those years ago? I could not sit here and continue thinking about it because I was not going to get any answers. I needed to go and ask him. I looked over at the divorce papers
AURORA He looked like he was born of a fruit plucked from Heaven. The man stood way taller than me, and the authority around him was impossible to ignore. He had medium, well styled raven hair. His skin was tanned and the angles of his face were sharp. His chiseled jawline and high cheekbones made him look surreal. His eyes were piercing and green, almost making me tremble in my shoes. Who was this man and why have I never seen him here before? From his well styled and obviously expensive suit, I could tell that he was an important and rich man. “I am so sorry,” he looked down at the spilled wine and then at my clothes. I could not help but notice the little accent in his voice that made my heart flutter. “Come on, let me get you cleaned up.” “No, that is fine.” I called out for one of the waitresses. When she saw the spill, she cleaned it up with some wipes. I did not want water to touch my clothes yet. I was planning to dry clean it to keep the quality intact. “I am so so
DAMIAN “Gosh, you are so perfect.” I whispered to my girlfriend, Evelyn as we left the royal ball. The royal ball’s main purpose was for alliances with other packs that I was not on good terms with. I wanted to cut off that tradition but as much as I hated to admit it, it was very good for creating new allies and new business collaborations. It was easy to ignore my enemies when I had the most beautiful woman in the world by my side. I decided that I wanted to announce my girlfriend to all of them today. I was never going to marry Evelyn and she knew that. Divorcing my mate was going to make me seem weak and that was something I could not afford right now, especially with some of my half-brothers who wanted the throne for themselves even though I was the heir. As the alpha, I could have as many women as I wanted even when I was married or mated. Aurora was forced to marry me because of some mate bond between us that I did not even care about. It was almost hilarious because th
AURORA We got on the way and three hours later, we arrived at Ethan’s pack. The massive gates opened to reveal a sprawling landscape unlike anything I’d ever seen. Ethan slowed the car, glancing over at me with a reassuring smile.“Welcome to Blackwater, Aurora,” he said softly. I took in the sight before me. The towering trees, lush greenery, and rows of beautiful old buildings were very different from the kinds we had back in my pack. It was different in a good way, or maybe I felt that was because I was finally away from Damian. Everything felt peaceful to me. I was so glad I made this decision. When he stopped the car, a guard stepped forward and opened the door for me. I smiled at him, whispering some words of gratitude before I got down. Ethan passed over the key to another guard who was going to park the car. He came beside me as we walked into the palace. “Take a moment to settle in. You can make yourself comfortable here, Aurora. I’ll come back soon to introduce you to ev