07

Chapter 7

Aurora stood on the porch of her family's castle, a suitcase at her feet. The sun was setting over the trees, casting long shadows across the lawn. It was the last time she would ever see this place, the place she had called home for so many years. But she didn't feel sad; she felt numb. Her father was standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest. He didn't say a word, just stared at her with cold eyes. There was no warmth or affection in his gaze, just a stony indifference. He didn't care that she was leaving, didn't care that she would never see him again. He had made it clear that she was no longer welcome here, that her place was not in his pack. "You are a curse," he had always said, and taking her away was one of his greatest achievements. Aurora watched as her sister gave her a discerning look, filled with disgust, anger, and jealousy. Robert, her stepbrother, had no idea what her stepsister had done behind his back, nor did he care if she was leaving the