AURORA
Night came not long after that and I lay to sleep, but it did not come, so I did not sleep. Morning came by so slowly. When the morning sunlight eventually streamed through my window, I felt a pang of frustration. I didn’t want to face anyone today. Especially not Ethan. I had trusted him, and believed that he was different, yet he had hidden something so big from me. There was something fishy in everything that was going on. I should have thought of that before I left my pack with him. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling a mix of hurt and anger still bubbling inside of me. Even if he had meant well, which I was sure he did not, he should have told me. That was the least he could have done to me. A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. “Come in,” I muttered, pulling myself up into a sitting position. Jada entered, carrying a small bag with neatly folded clothes. “Good morning, Luna,” she greeted softly. “I brought you some fresh clothes.” I forced a smile. “Thanks, Jada.” She set the clothes down on a nearby chair, and I picked them up, grateful for something to distract me. I quickly dressed, choosing a simple yet elegant outfit, and combed my hair, trying to shake off the lingering frustration. I wanted to stay back in my room all day, but my stomach grumbled. I was so hungry. I knew that if I stayed back, Ethan was eventually going to come to the room. There was no escaping him since I was in his palace, so I decided to just go downstairs and eat. When I finally headed downstairs, my heart sank when I spotted Ethan waiting for me in the sitting room. He looked up as I entered, his gaze warm. “Good morning, Aurora. You look beautiful,” he said with a soft smile. “Thanks,” I replied, my tone distant as I sat down on the opposite side of the room, keeping my eyes on anything but him. Ethan’s expression faltered, and he leaned forward, concern evident in his eyes. “Is something wrong?” I crossed my arms, exhaling sharply. I was not the one for confrontation, but I knew this was going to eat me up inside if I did not ask. I badly needed answers. “Why didn’t you tell me about the curse, Ethan?” His face fell, and he shifted uncomfortably, clearly caught off guard. “Aurora, I—” He hesitated, his eyes darting away as he tried to find the right words. “It’s complicated.” “Complicated?” I repeated, the hurt seeping into my voice. “I’m supposed to marry you, and yet you didn’t think it was important to mention that every woman you’ve attempted to marry had died? Did you just think of me to be one of your own trials to see if the still existing curse was existent? Did you bring me here to fucking kill me?” Ethan’s face twisted and he looked genuinely remorseful. I wanted to smack that look out of his face because I clearly knew he was not remorseful about anything. “Aurora, please understand. I didn’t tell you because the curse is broken. It’s not a threat anymore.” I shook my head, standing up. “You think of me as a fool to believe you again.” “Aurora, wait.” He stood up, reaching out as I turned to leave the room. I thought I was going to go outside but instead, I stumbled into another dining room. I immediately recognized Kiara along with two other women I hadn’t met yet. Had he decided to put me in another room to have breakfast away from his family? I did not know if that was even a good thing or a bad thing. “Join us.” Kiara spoke with a faux smile on her face. I wanted to leave, but something made me rooted on my feet. Ethan gestured for me to sit, and after a moment’s hesitation, I took a seat beside him. He looked around the table, his gaze settling on each person. He looked over with a look of gratitude before he turned back to his family. “I know this is bad manners and the wrong place to say this, but since all of you are here, I want to make something clear. Aurora is the woman I’ve chosen to marry. This isn’t just a contract. It was my decision. I asked her to leave, and I asked her to marry me." I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, and I forced myself to meet their gazes. This was all useless. I wanted to stand up and leave, but I couldn’t. It felt like I was rooted in my seat. Ethan turned to me, his expression gentle. “I would never lie to you, Aurora. The reason why I did not tell you was because I did not think it was necessary because the curse had long been broken. I know you may not want to believe me, but I would allow you to research and find the answer to all of this yourself. You can ask everyone about it, within my close family and you can get someone to doublecheck the broken curse if you still do not believe me.” My heart pounded as I looked around the table. The silence stretched uncomfortably, until Kiara finally spoke up, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. It almost sounded like it wasn’t her. “He’s right, Aurora. The curse was broken years ago.” I looked at her, surprised. “Then I still do not understand why did you not tell me.” “I am sorry for not telling you. I just thought it would be better if you did not know.” Ethan apologized. Kiara’s expression contorted into an apologetic one also. “Well, this is a relief knowing you are not here to scam him out of his billions. Also, I admit I didn’t know how to act around you. I was defensive. And rude.” She paused, exhaling slowly. “I owe you an apology.” I blinked, caught off guard by her sudden change in tone. “It’s fine,” I replied, still processing everything. Ethan smiled gently and gestured to the two women seated beside Kiara. “Aurora, I’d like you to meet Mila and Sarah. Mila is the daughter of my beta, and Sarah,” he said with a proud smile, “is my sister.” Mila gave me a polite nod, her eyes kind but reserved. “Welcome to Blackwater, Aurora. We did not get to meet because I have been busy.” Sarah, on the other hand, grinned at me, her resemblance to Ethan unmistakable. “We’re happy to have you here, Aurora,” she said brightly. “Really.” “Thank you, both of you,” I replied, smiling a bit. It was nice to meet people who weren’t looking at me like I was an outsider. The atmosphere around the table gradually lightened as we continued chatting. I found myself enjoying the conversation, learning little details about each person. Mila was a serious, dedicated medical enthusiast while Sarah was bubbly and adventurous, her personality a stark contrast to her brother’s calm demeanor. As breakfast wrapped up, Ethan turned to me, his expression soft. “Aurora, once again, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner about the curse. I was worried that it would scare you away. But I promise you, I wouldn’t put you in harm’s way.” I met his gaze, searching his eyes for any sign of deceit, but all I saw was sincerity. I nodded slowly. “Thank you, Ethan. I appreciate you clearing things up.” He reached out, his hand brushing mine, and I felt the tension between us zap once again. “I want you to feel at home here.” I nodded, trying to hide away the blush on my face. As we all stood to leave, Sarah caught my arm, smiling warmly. “If you ever need anything or if you just want someone to chat with, please don’t hesitate to come find me,” she said, her eyes sparkling with genuine kindness. “Thank you, Sarah. I’d like that,” I replied, feeling a little less alone. Kiara approached as well, though she looked a bit uncomfortable. She gave me a quick nod, her voice quiet. “Thank you for accepting my apology. You have a good heart.” I smiled, feeling some of the resentment I’d held toward her fade. “Thank you, Kiara. I understand. It’s hard to trust someone new.” She nodded, a slight smile on her lips before she turned and left with Mila. Once the others had gone, Ethan and I lingered in the dining room. He looked at me, his eyes warm. “Are we okay?” I nodded. I was glad he was taking time to still apologize about it. It was cute. “Yes. We are.” I grinned at him. He let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing. “Good. I don’t want anything like this to come between us again." There was a softness in his tone, a vulnerability that caught me off guard. “I don’t want that either,” I admitted, surprising myself with the honesty in my voice. We stood there in silence for a moment. I saw his eyes wander all over my face, and they settled on my lips for longer than they should have settled. I felt my insides heat. Ethan seemed to come back to his senses immediately after. He smiled at me again weirdly before he muttered, “Bye.” And then left the dining room. I tried to put out the butterflies in my stomach, but they seemed to multiply even more as I made my way back to my room.DAMIAN Evelyn got everything ready in record time while I was trying to get my claim back on the throne to be strong after my mate was gone. They had given me some time to bring her back to the pack and make her my wife once again. I knew that I had to be fast, and Evelyn was quick to make that happen.The road stretched out before us, winding and empty. The towering trees seemed to loom closer with every mile. I sat in the back seat, arms crossed, my thoughts tangled and chaotic while I still tried to catch on with some work. Wyatt, my beta, was driving while Evelyn sat beside him in the front, her eyes flicking back at me from time to time.It felt strange, like this whole trip was a bad idea. It felt like a betrayal to my pack and everything I’d once stood for. But then again, nothing felt right since Aurora left. My anger, emptiness, and everything seemed magnified now that she was gone. She had left me so exposed to my feelings that getting up during the day had become a hassle
AURORAI 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 e
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