Replace her

AURORA'S POV

The house smelled faintly of lilies. 

The same ones that had been placed over my sister’s coffin, Sarah.

Her dead wolf’s scent was now faint everywhere and the corners of the pack house that used to echo with laughter now felt empty.

We had just returned from the burial. The soil was still fresh on our shoes and the sky was still dark. My mother’s veil was soaked from the drizzle that began the moment they lowered the coffin into the ground.

No one spoke when we entered the pack house not until when my father, the Alpha entered inside.

He tossed his coat onto the sofa, his expression cold and composed, as though the funeral had been nothing.

"Aurora ....",

“We just buried her, Kane, please, not now. Not this conversation again.” As soon as my father started, my mother immediately cut him shot in mid sentence. She was standing by the doorway, her trembling hands gripping the edge of the table.

“This conversation is long overdue,” My father turned slowly toward my mother, his face calm in the way that frightened me most.

“We both know why she did it.”

My heart clenched at his words. I stared at him, shaking my head. 

"She didn’t want to get married to him but still the agreement  was already signed and we have to fulfill it, Aurora is going to replace her", My father spoke, point blank.

My mother gasped softly, clutching her chest. “kane. stop! How can you say that? She is not his mate, what will she do when her real mate comes", She cried but he ignored her.

"Aurora you going to get married on behalf of your sister", My father said, his tone flat and final,

My heart seemed to stop beating for a moment after listening to him and my knees buckled. My mother rushed forward, catching me before I hit the floor.

“Please, Dad. Please, not me” I cried out. I couldn’t take it anymore. My throat burned, my chest heaved, and every breath felt like swallowing fire.

“Aurora dear, you don’t have an option. I’ll destroy everything you have ever wanted. I’ll destroy your life if you don’t do this,” he said calmly.

 “Kane, please. She’s all I have left. Haven’t you done enough? Haven’t we lost enough?”,

My mother stood between us then spoke with her voice trembling but firm.

 “Lost enough? How are we going to rule this pack without his help. “The agreement was made, Clara. Alpha Dane gave us his warriors to protect this pack from the rogues. It’s done. Whether it was Sarah or Aurora doesn’t matter anymore. Our word must be kept.” His eyes flicked to her with irritation.

My mother’s lips parted in shock. “You can’t mean that. You can’t give her away too!” She stepped closer to him.  “We just buried our daughter, Kane! You want to replace her with our last child? You’re not thinking straight!”

"I’m trying to protect this one before she follows the same path Clara.” My father retorted angrily.

“Protect her?” My mother’s voice cracked. “By selling her to a ruthless Alpha twice her age? To a criminal., he killed his own mate now he wants my little daughter", My mother spoke.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he poured himself a drink. The clink of the glass echoed in the silence, making the situation worse.

Everything was just a joke to him. I was a joke to him. My life, my happiness didn’t matter to him. Tears freely fell from my eyes as I shook my head, unable to accept what he was doing to me.

My mother moved towards to him again. “Please, don’t give our second daughter away. We don’t even know what happened to the first. Yes we saw the suicide note, Kane but it didn’t make sense! She was scared, but someone must have killed her!”

My father immediately slammed his glass down on the table after my mom's words. “She killed  herself! Because she refused to do what was right for this pack!”

The sound made me flinch. My mother pressed her lips together to stifle a sob. She clutched my hand tightly as though she could protect me from him.

“Now, go and prepare your things Aurora , He will be here soon. So, you better look presentable for him,” he said.

My mother’s finger nails elongated and dug into my arm. She was pissed off but had nothing to do.

“Kane, no. Please, don’t make her do this.” She spoke but he turned away from her completely, not interested anymore. 

“No, I won’t!” I shouted and that made him halt his movement. Anger and defiance were my last resort. He wouldn’t listen to my pleading.

“Shut up!” he roared, making me flinch.

“Please, she’s not ready,” my mother whispered, tears streaming down her face. “You’re pushing her to the same fate. Don’t you see? You’re killing her too.”

“Enough, Clara!” he barked. “He’s the well-feared Alpha. You will treat him with respect after the marriage. You will do whatever he wants you to do. He has already signed the papers and that makes him your husband. Learn to obey and respect your father!” he shouted, and I didn’t know what to say or do. I sat there on the floor lifelessly listening to him.

My mother’s sobs filled the room. She knelt before him, her pride forgotten. “Kane, please, I’m begging you. Don’t do this to her. I’ll find another way. I’ll talk to the Alpha", 

He looked down at her coldly. “You think you can negotiate with Alphas like him? You think money can undo what’s already been signed? You should have learned by now that softness only brings ruin.”

 “You’re not saving her, Kane. You’re delivering her to her grave.” Her voice faltered.

He didn’t respond. His silence said everything. I knew my father was a misogynistic, male chauvinistic jerk, but I never thought he hated us this much. We were from burying my sister but he didn’t care.

“Lock her again in her room.” He turned to the guards standing by the door. 

I looked up at my mother one last time. Her lips quivered as she reached for me, but one of the guards held her back. 

“Please, let me be with her. She’s my daughter... please!” They didn’t listen, they dragged me away, their hands rough against my arms and my mother’s voice faded behind the slammed door.

I was used to this.

My whole life, my whole existence I have been in this room, locked away whenever I annoyed my father.

When I finally returned to my room, it felt like stepping into someone else's life. The books on my shelf, the soft blanket, the moonlight pooling on the rug-it all belonged to a girl who thought her first shift meant freedom.

I sat on the bed, staring at nothing as I thought and planned.

What could I do? Where could I go?

Nowhere.

I had nowhere. But still I had to think.

A knock broke the silence.

"Miss?" a timid voice called. I recognized it, it was Elsie, one of the younger servants. Kind, but nervous. Always nervous.

"Your father says you're to come down for dinner."

Dinner. As if nothing had changed.

I didn't bother moving.

"Miss?" Elsie again, gentler. "He said… he said not to make him come get you."

That got me to my feet. My father didn't make idle threats.

I smoothed my dress with trembling hands, forcing my wolf to quiet. There would be a time to fight. But not tonight. Tonight, I needed to see the man they intended to bind me to.

"I'm coming," I responded.

The dining room doors were open when I arrived. The rich scent of roasted meat and herbs filled the air, so normal it felt wrong.

And then I saw him.

Alpha Dane sat at our table. That was enough to make me freeze.

.