Chapter 7 - Bonds

Aurora Wildheart stood in her third-floor guest room, her silver-blue eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the four-poster bed’s canopy, her thoughts a tempest of the missing women, and Vincent’s cryptic message: The shadows are restless. Stay safe. Her forbidden bond with the vampire liaison was a quiet anchor, yet the mystery of her past—lost before The Emerald Forest Pack took her in at seven—pressed heavier, whispering of secrets that could unravel her world.

A soft knock broke her reverie. Marcus stood in the hallway, his emerald eyes glinting with their familiar mischief, though a shadow of concern lingered beneath. His midnight blue hair was tousled, his casual sweatpants and fitted shirt a contrast to the mission’s tension. He held a bag of popcorn and two cocoa packets, his boyish grin a balm to her unease. “Permission to invade your sanctuary, Wildheart?” he asked, his voice warm with the ease of their long-standing friendship.

Aurora’s lips curved into a smile, the weight in her chest lightening. “Only if you’re sharing, Gamma,” she teased, stepping aside to let him in. She pulled on a cropped tank and sweatpants, mirroring his relaxed vibe, and gestured to the cozy sitting area by the window. “What’s the occasion? Trying to bribe me before we face Nightshade’s horrors?”

Marcus chuckled, tossing the popcorn bag onto the counter. “Figured we could use a break after that forest nightmare. Besides, I owe you for the Cascades.” His tone was light, but his eyes held a depth that spoke of their shared history—a bond forged in fire and trust.

As the microwave hummed, filling the room with the buttery scent of popcorn, Aurora stirred cocoa powder into mugs, her thoughts drifting to their past. Three years ago, in the rugged Cascades, Marcus had faced an impossible choice: his mate, Illiana, had joined a rogue scientific faction experimenting on shifters, forcing him to confront her betrayal. Aurora, then a new operative, had stepped in, sparing him the act of ending Illiana’s life to protect the Order’s secrets. That moment had cemented their friendship, a silent vow to have each other’s backs. They’d since faced vampire covens, rogue shifters, and a banshee uprising, each mission weaving their trust tighter. In the Hollows, Marcus’s cocky trap-triggering had nearly buried them in a collapsing crypt, only for Aurora’s quick reflexes to save them, their laughter echoing in the aftermath.

“You don’t owe me anything,” Aurora said softly, handing him a steaming mug. “We’re a team, Marcus. Always have been.”

He took the mug, his fingers brushing hers, a gesture of comfort. “Yeah, but you’ve got a knack for pulling me out of dark places. Like when I thought I’d lost everything after Illiana.” His voice softened, the pain of his lost mate a shadow in his eyes. “You didn’t let me drown.”

Aurora’s heart ached for him. “You’d do the same for me,” she said, settling onto the couch. “Like when I froze during that wraith mission in the Fog Marshes. You talked me through it, kept me grounded.”

Marcus grinned, a spark of his usual mischief returning. “Had to. Couldn’t let my favorite sparring partner get eaten by a ghost.” He paused, his expression turning serious. “But you’re distracted, Aurora. It’s not just the creature. What’s eating you?”

She hesitated, the prophecy’s weight pressing down. “It’s… everything. The energy targeting us—Maya, Kira, me… I’ve been feeling like there is some kind of connection between myself, my past and everything happening here with Bloodmoon and Nightshade. I feel a weird connection to this pack and the runes. More than once I have sensed that Althea and Damien know something about my past… I don’t remember my life before seven, Marcus. What if I’m tied to Nightshade’s rituals? What if all of this is about to get worse and more complicated?”

Marcus leaned forward, his emerald eyes intense. “If you are, we’ll face it together. You’re not just some prophecy pawn. You’re Aurora Wildheart, the wolf who saved my sorry hide and outsmarted a vampire lord. Whatever’s coming, we’ve got this.”

His confidence bolstered her, but a flicker of unease lingered. Earlier, during Damien’s briefing, she’d caught Mikhail’s gaze lingering on her, his amber eyes unreadable, a subtle intensity that felt… off. He’d always been a mentor, guiding her enhanced abilities—her uncanny speed, her heightened senses—but today, his scrutiny felt like he was searching for something more, something he wasn’t sharing. She brushed it aside, unwilling to voice her suspicion without proof.

A sharp knock interrupted them. Kira stood at the door, her turquoise eyes wide with urgency. “Aurora, Marcus, downstairs—now. Damien has called an emergency meeting. Another attack.”

They raced to the conference room, where the team gathered around the oak table, tension crackling. Damien stood with Althea and Leo, his dark eyes stormy. A young woman, Mara, sat trembling, her auburn hair disheveled. “She escaped an attack near Nightshade’s border,” Damien said, his voice heavy. “Tell them, Mara.”

Mara’s voice shook as she looked directly at Aurora and no one else. “It was like the creature you fought—smoky, red eyes. It spoke in my mind: ‘The Nightshade calls for the chosen.’ Then it showed me your face, Aurora. Only your face. I barely reached the runes in time.”

Aurora’s blood ran cold, her gaze locking with Maya and Kira’s. The implication of the message is chilling. “Chosen?” she asked, her voice steady despite the fear. “What does Nightshade want with us?”

“What does Nightshade want with you?” Kira asked Aurora. “Anyone else feel like they intentionally let Mara get away?”

Damien’s jaw tightened. “Our elders believe Nightshade’s rituals summon a dark force, targeting women of power. The runes protect us here, but out there, we’re vulnerable.”

Mikhail’s voice cut through, calm but edged with something Aurora couldn’t place. “We need to decode the runes. They may hold a counterspell. Aurora, your instincts are sharp - any insights?”

His focus on her felt too pointed, his amber eyes lingering a moment too long. “Not yet,” she replied, masking her unease. “But Kira’s right, we should study them with Althea.”

Marcus, sensing her tension, mindlinked Aurora. “You okay? Mikhail’s acting… intense.”

She nodded, forcing a smile. “Just jumpy. Let’s focus.”

As the meeting adjourned, Marcus lingered, his grin returning. “So, about Althea.. noticed her blushing at my charm earlier. Think I’ve got a shot?”

Aurora laughed, the sound easing her nerves. “You’re incorrigible. Keep dreaming, but don’t let Rylan and Liam catch you mooning over her, they’ll never let you live it down.”

Marcus winked. “Let ‘em try. I’ve got charm for days.” His playful bravado, paired with their shared history, reminded her why she trusted him above all. As the runes hummed, shielding them from the darkness, Aurora knew the Nightshade threat, and the mystery of her past, would test their bond, but with Marcus by her side, she felt ready to face the shadows.