Chapter 1 The Royal Bastard

Two months later

Dressed in a white lace gown, Aurora sat at the long dining table beside her husband Prince Philip, who had remained distant and cold since the wedding. Everybody noticed that. Mockery grew louder in the banquet hall. 

“I bet Prince Philip will dump her in a month,” a blond girl snickered.

“One week tops,” her male companion sneered.  

“Prince Philip doesn’t even want to talk to her, how pathetic is that,” another girl piped in. 

“If my father has an important fort that could help resist the rogue forces, sitting next to Prince Philip will be me,” the blond girl ridiculed, exchanging nasty looks with her friends. 

Ignoring the mean comments, Aurora held her head high like the real princess she was despite the gloating and condescending stares thrown in her direction. 

She scanned the crowd of snobbery dignitaries with cold eyes. The Alpha King and his Luna Queen weren’t here. They didn’t attend the wedding ceremony, either. It would be difficult for the outsiders to imagine why they missed such a big day for their most beloved son. 

But Aurora knew why. She was Aurora Coleman now. The wolfless daughter of an alpha from    a backward pack in the far north, whom their son had to marry because of a deal made a long time ago. Their absence was to let the kingdom know that she was of no importance.

Aurora searched the bustling hall for a familiar face. She had been desperate to see that face for six years. 

A tall man entering the hall appeared in her eyesight. He walked to their table with a command like he owned the palace. The other guests who noticed his presence stopped what they were doing. The hall became silent suddenly. You could hear a pin drop.  

Aurora found herself staring at him. He was insanely handsome, wearing a tailor-made dark suit. He must be 6’2 with a muscular build. It was as if the Moon Goddess herself carved his perfect angular face with a knife. But the most attractive thing about him was his mesmerizing golden eyes. 

Aurora realized she was staring at the notorious royal bastard Prince Nicholas, fathered by the Alpha King with his mistress. He was said to be the greatest warrior after the death of Alfred Adkins,  famous for his ruthlessness on the battlefield. 

Women at the table were ogling at him ostentatiously, trying desperately to get his attention. But he was staring at Aurora intensely as he stalked to the table. 

“Sorry, I’m late,” he said in a low baritone voice when he neared their table. 

He stopped opposite where Aurora sat and pulled the chair. 

“Congratulations, brother,” Nicholas nodded to Philip. 

Philip forced a taut smile as a reply. It was a known fact he didn’t want the union. He didn’t even care to hide it. 

“Welcome to the fucked-up family, sister-in-law,” Nicolas greeted Aurora. Philip winced at his words but said nothing. 

A strange feeling Aurora couldn’t tell tugged at her heart. Her wolf peeked at the gorgeous man curiously through her eyes. But Aurora held the subtle emotion down. 

“Thank you, you must be Prince Nicholas,” Aurora said in a calm tone. 

“Call me Nick,” he commanded, his golden eyes locking with hers. 

“I prefer Prince Nicholas,” Aurora stated coldly, fully aware of the angry and jealous glares other women shot at her. 

“So serious.” The corners of Nicholas’ mouth curved up slightly. 

Their conversation was interrupted when maids started to file in with dishes in their hands. 

It was then that Aurora spotted Maggie. Her hair had turned gray in the short span of six years. And she also grew thinner than she remembered. 

Maggie saw her, too. They looked at each other for a long moment. No word was exchanged, but so much had been said. A mist clouded Aurora’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed the mixture of joy and sadness and looked away. 

Hide your feelings, as Maggie had taught her since that fatal day. They must not expose their connection if they want to survive in their quest for justice. 

Aurora focused on the food on her plate, ignoring the intense stare from the man opposite her. Why was he keep staring at her? 

Nicholas couldn’t keep his eyes off the raven-haired girl sitting next to his half-brother. He didn’t know why. Even his wolf perked up and grew a bit restless when they saw her. In his 31 years of life, his wolf was always calm around women. 

He must admit she looked breathtaking in that lace gown that hugged her curves. A pang of jealousy stabbed his heart when he thought she was his brother’s wife. But he quickly brushed it away. 

She was nothing like what he had imagined. It was said she was a timid girl shunned by her own family. She was tossed into the hands of a maid and forced to live in a secluded forest at a very young age after her family discovered she was wolfless. 

But sitting opposite him was a girl who looked regal and serious. Her maturity didn’t match her age. It was like she was on a mission to destroy something.

There was also a coldness in her beautiful wide black eyes. And something more. He couldn’t read it for now. Wolfless Aurora Coleman piqued his interest. 

The brief yet lingering eye contact Aurora shared with the head maid Maggie Thornton didn’t escape his eyes. Nicholas had a gut feeling they knew each other. Things were getting interesting in the boring palace.  His lips curled up. 

The fixed stare Aurora received from Nicholas made her feel nervous. Did he find something suspicious? She excused herself and stood up, making her way to the bathroom down the hallway. 

A tall redhead appeared out of nowhere and stopped Aurora by pushing her against the wall with a loud thud in the quiet hallway. Aurora’s wolf snarled, eager to come out and punish the disrespectful act. 

Aurora had to remind her wolf that they were playing wolfless Aurora Coleman to repress the boiling warrior and alpha blood in her wolf. Her wolf huffed but gave up. 

“Don’t you dare ever think you will replace me! Philip will get rid of you one day! I’m his rightful Luna!” the redhead hissed. 

Scarlett Black. Long time no see. An imperceptible smile played on Aurora’s lips. 

Aurora tried to walk past her. She didn’t want to be involved in a catfight on her first day in the palace. But Scarlett kept pushing her with hostile forces. 

“Are you his mate?” Aurora decided to fight back. In words. 

 Scarlett’s face turned red like the color of her hair at the question. She didn’t expect to be talked back by a pathetic hillbilly. 

 “I’m his mate! How dare you challenge me? You wolfless bitch!” she shrilled, but her confidence wavered.  

“That’s not what I heard,” Aurora stated coolly. Scarlett turned livid. 

“Of course, you haven’t heard. Your pack probably doesn’t even have electricity. Philip has chosen me as his mate,” Scarlett retorted with her nose in the air. 

“What if he finds his true mate? Will he abandon you?” Aurora asked. Aurora didn’t care who would be Philip’s Luna. She was only here to play his wife until she completed her mission.

Fueled by humiliation, Scarlett stretched her hand to slap Aurora. Before Aurora could react, a big hand grabbed Scarlett’s arm roughly. 

Both she and Aurora turned to face the figure towering over them. 

It was the royal bastard Nicholas. 

“Philip wouldn’t like this side of you, Scarlett,” Nicholas shook his head mockingly.

“Let me go, you bastard,” Scarlett protested, trying to wrench away from his hold.

“Only after you apologize to Luna Aurora,” Nicholas twisted her arm. A sickening loud crack was heard. Scarlett let out a shrilling cry. 

“I’m the council speaker’s daughter, you cannot treat me like this,” Scarlett shrieked. 

“Oh, on the contrary, I think I can,” Nicholas twisted her arm harder, making her howl in pain.

“Please, Prince Nicholas,” Scarlett wheezed with tears on her face. 

“Let’s see if Luna Aurora agrees to let you go unpunished.” Nicholas looked at Aurora. 

Aurora nodded. Before releasing his hold on Scarlett’s arm, Nicholas warned, “If I catch you acting disrespectful toward Luna Aurora one more time, it wouldn’t be so simple as a dislocated arm. You know how cruel I can be.” 

Scarlett shivered at the threat laced in Nicholas’ words.

“Apologize,” Nicholas demanded. 

Scarlett cowered with a whimper at the waves of dominance rolling off from the alpha prince. 

“I’m sorry, Luna Aurora, I won’t disrespect you again,” she lowered her head. Her apology lacked sincerity, but Aurora let it go. 

After watching Scarlett scurry away, Aurora turned on her heels before being stopped by the alpha prince. 

“You owe me a thank you,” Nicholas raised his eyebrow at Aurora.

“I didn’t ask for your help. I can take care of myself,” Aurora rebutted.

A glint of amusement crossed Nicholas’ golden eyes. No woman had ever rejected him before. 

“You are surrounded by a den of snakes. You may want my help one day,” Nicholas stalked closer to her, inhaling her sweet scent subtly. Her scent smelled familiar, but he wouldn’t pinpoint where and when he had scented it. His wolf purred at her scent. 

Aurora stepped back to create distance between them. His masculine smell had an effect on her. 

“I seriously doubt it,” Aurora countered, feeling slightly agitated. The arrogant alpha prince made her lose her cool. Aurora didn’t like it. She needed to keep a calm mind to carry through her plan. Emotions, even the slightest bit, were dangerous. 

Nicholas inched closer to her, leaving no space between them. He towered over her petite body and lowered his head. 

“Don’t be so cocky, little wolf. One day when you need my help, I would love to see you beg me,” he whispered in her ear, his hot breath fanning her neck. 

Then he stepped back and walked away without looking back, leaving Aurora glaring at him with her ear flaming red.