Chapter 10

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.