5

《 Aurora's pov 》

I rise to my feet and regret it instantly. The ache was too unbearable but I knew I had work to do if I didn't want to get severely punished.

I walked out of my tiny room, shifting my eyes away from the she wolves that walked the halls. Confidence oozed from them, something I lacked.

Shifting downstairs I made my way inside the kitchen where the enormous pile of dirty dishes greeted me. There was only one male Lycan, Peter who was one of the patrolling wolves. Apparently, he was good at locating anything.

As I entered the kitchen, his eyes lift from his phone and fell on me. He doesn't look at me in disgust but offers a small smile before going back to his phone.

Peter's dark curls sweep over his forehead, his broad shoulders slouched in exhaustion as he swiped his thumb over the screen of the phone. He must be, I was certain he was one of the wolves patrolling last night.

Taking my eyes off him, I strutted to the dirty dishes, fingers already protesting to wash all these hundreds of plates and glass. I would do anything for a break but knew it wouldn't be possible.

My fingers had just clutched one of the dirty plates when his voice rang out." The meatloaf seemed pretty good last night wasn't it?"

My lips part as my face flamed red. I whirl around careful to not knock down any breakables by my sudden movement.

Peter lifts his gaze from the screen of the phone and looks up at me in amusement. "Next time you're having a late midnight snack, try to not look out at the woods. Never know which wolf is lurking."

My stomach drops and my heart pounds. He was going to tell Gomery and Alpha Raphael. They'll skin me alive this time and feed my corpse to the entire pack.

Peter's eyes drop to my chest and I suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Calm down Aurora, your heart is ready to burst out of your chest."

"I'm so-rry, please don't tell-

"I won't. I won't tell Gomery or Alpha. " Peter reassures moving his eyes off my chest.

I am confused by his words and his intentions.

 What were his true intentions? Why would he not inform Gomery or Alpha? 

This was a good opportunity for the wolves to witness Gomery whipping me for eating the food I wasn't supposed to. 

I gauged Peter and I couldn't seem to read him. Yes, he wasn't one of the wolves that taunted me or purposely push me, but he had never talked to me before. Never said a word or spared a glance my way. Truthfully, he always acted like I never existed. So why now?

"Why won't you?" I whispered, afraid I had overstepped my boundaries. Wolves can be very vicious, I knew first hand. Him being one of the patrolling wolves, I assume he could be brutal when he needed to be.

Peter shrugs and goes back to scrolling through his phone. " Don't feel like it." 

His answer was very confusing. While he scrolled through his phone, I tried to read him again. I couldn't. "You were patrolling the back woods." The words rolled off my tongue before I could stop them. He had to be, that would explain how he saw me last night. I had been facing these woods.

I bit my tongue harshly when Peter's blue eyes dart up to fall into mine.

He doesn't look angered or irritated by my words, his eyes portray nothing. "I was." Was his clipped answer. 

But my stupid mouth continued, not understanding that at any second, angering Peter could lead to my downfall. "I thought the Crystal River wolves don't patrol in these parts of woods?" 

"We don't." His clipped tone made me understand that if I asked any more questions I'd be sorry. So I nodded, bit my tongue, and turned away to start my chores.

It was better I mind my business

____________

Cassandra's pov

I stagger back when Alice purposely brushes past me, her shoulders colliding against mine painfully. "Bitch." She snarls as she walks away. I lift my fingers to my shoulder and rubbed the tender spot.

She has no class for a wolf, Ro my wolf says with irritation. 

No, she doesn't, I answered her agreeing with her statement. A lot of them in this pack don't.

Being the lowest ranking made those who were superior have an upper hand. Wolves were supposed to be one, a pack, to lay your life for. But this pack, was nothing as such. You'll be lucky if they spared you a glance. If you have no ranking then you're nothing.

I sighed and continued my way to the Alpha's study. My dad needed those renderings for the cabins Alpha Raphael requested for him to start building on the west side of the territory. I was supposed to collect them since it was his turn to take care of mom today while I run chores. 

Mom wasn't feeling so good, didn't look good either. Her scent was off and the smell of her wolf was slowly fading away. I could see it in dad's eyes whenever I catch his gaze, he knew. He knew she didn't have long.

"We can find another way, Raphael. There's still hope." Luna Lisa's voice cracked through the door. 

"I can conceive Raph, I just need more time." She pleaded. There was no response for a good minute.

I stopped and took a couple of steps back and leaned against the wall. I knew it wasn't such a good idea to eavesdrop on the Alpha and Luna but something told me I should. I'm not sure why but I listened on and prayed the Alpha wouldn't sense my presence or hear the pounding of my heart.

He'll chop our ears and scoop out our eyes if he sees us Cas, Ro whined in fear.

Shhh, I'll just tell him I came only for the renderings. He won't suspect a thing.

"There is no hope Lisa! The other packs think I am too weak to not have produced an heir already! We've been trying for years and you fucking haven't caught my seed." Alpha Raphael roared. 

The sound of his beast made my wolf queasy. She knew that if he were to catch us eavesdropping, we would be no match for his strength surpassed ours. 

"Don't make it out to be my fault Raphael!" Luna Lisa cried out. I winced at hearing the frustration in her voice.

"Then whose fault is it?!" Alpha Raphael growled. "You're the one with the problem here Lisa, not me."

What an asshole, Ro grumble and I couldn't agree with her more.

"I don't understand why her? Why her out of everyone in this pack, you choose her to be the one to carry your seed?" Luna Lisa wailed. 

"She's a freak and she's not like us, your heir may turn out to be weak as her." Luna Lisa continued to voice out her anger and disappointment. 

Who was she referring to?

"You have it all wrong Lisa. I am doing this for us. It's time Aurora contribute to the pack. It's time she gives back for having a roof over her head. Torturing her isn't enough, forcing her to carry a wolf pup would destroy her. The pain she'd feel will be extraordinary and more painful than what we've put her through."

My heart tightens and my stomach drops at hearing his words. He was planning to use Aurora. He was going to force her to carry his seed. He was a sick bastard.

"This is still a bad idea Raphael, she is weak. Your heir would be considered very weak." Luna Lisa tried to get through Alpha Raphael. "There are other unmated wolves who you could force to take your seed instead."

"My heir would have Alpha's blood. He won't be considered weak. I want Aurora to be the one to carry my heir. " Alpha Raphael spat.

"You're a bastard Raphael! You just want to stick your cock into the fucking bitch, don't you? I've seen the way you look at her. Just for her to go through pain you say? Dirty liar-

I couldn't listen anymore, my stomach twisting with unease as his words settled in. I couldn't let him do that to Aurora, she had suffered enough under his hand. Forcing her to carry his wolf pup would destroy her since she isn't a wolf.

Either way, she didn't deserve this. She deserved freedom and happiness.

Feeling sick to my stomach, renderings long forgotten, I turned and walked away quickly. I needed to save Aurora from this horrible fate. As soon as possible.