CHAPTER SEVEN: THE CHOICE

The portal light faded.

We landed hard. I stumbled but Kai's arms were iron around me. Steady. Safe.

When I opened my eyes, I couldn't breathe.

We stood in front of a castle. A real castle. Dark stone towers reaching toward the sky. Massive windows glowing with warm light. It looked like something from a fairy tale. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

"Welcome to the Obsidian Fortress," Kai said softly. "My home. And now yours."

Mine? Nothing had ever been mine.

He set me down gently but kept one arm around my waist. Like he knew my legs were shaking. Like he knew I might collapse any second.

"I don't understand any of this," I whispered. My voice sounded small. Lost.

"I know." He turned to face me. Those golden eyes burned into mine. "But you will. I promise."

The mate bond between us pulsed. Warm. Strong. So different from the agonizing pain still coming from Damon.

Damon.

My chest tightened. Even now, even after everything, the incomplete bond pulled at me. Hurting. Begging. Screaming at me that I'd made a mistake.

Kai's jaw clenched. "You still feel him."

It wasn't a question.

"I can't make it stop," I admitted. Tears burned my eyes. "I tried to accept the rejection but the words won't come. Why won't they come?"

"Because your wolf is stronger than you know." His hand moved to cup my face. "She knows the truth even if you don't yet."

"What truth?"

"That you deserve better than a coward who would reject his fated mate in front of hundreds of people." Fire blazed in his eyes. "That you deserve someone who sees your worth. Who would burn the world down to keep you safe."

The way he looked at me. Like I was precious. Important. Like I mattered.

"Why do you care?" I asked. "You just met me."

His smile was soft. Sad. "I've been searching for you for twenty years, Aurora. Ever since your parents were murdered. I knew their daughter survived. I could feel it. But your uncle hid you well." His thumb traced my cheekbone. "And now that I've found you, now that I know you're mine... I'm never letting you go."

Mine. That word again. The way he said it made the heat pool low in my belly.

"Come." He took my hand. His fingers laced through mine like they belonged there. "You need rest. Food. And answers. I'll give you all three."

He led me inside the castle. My wet shoes squeaked on marble floors. Everything was huge. Grand. Ancient and modern at the same time. Tapestries hung on stone walls. Chandeliers sparkled overhead. It smelled like old books and pine and something magical I couldn't name.

"This is too much," I breathed. "I don't belong here."

Kai stopped walking. Turned to face me. "You belong here more than anyone." He stepped closer. "You're Lycan royalty, Aurora. This is your birthright."

"I'm just an Omega."

"No." The word came out harsh. "You were never an Omega. Your uncle poisoned you with wolfsbane your entire life to keep your true nature suppressed." His hands moved to my shoulders. "You're a Silver Lycan. The rarest bloodline in existence. Powerful beyond measure."

My head spun. This was too much. Too fast.

"I don't feel powerful," I whispered. "I feel broken."

"You're not broken." His voice was gentle. "You're emerging. Your wolf is finally strong enough to break through the poison. That's why the bond was activated tonight. That's why you're here."

A woman appeared in the hallway. Older, kind-looking, wearing elegant robes.

"My king," she said with a bow. "I've prepared the guest chambers as requested."

"Thank you, Mira." Kai squeezed my hand. "This is Aurora. She's under my protection. Whatever she needs, you provide it."

Mira's eyes widened. She looked at me with something like awe. "Of course, my king. It would be my honor."

"Get her cleaned up. Fed. Find her proper clothes." He turned back to me. "I have matters to attend to. But I'll check on you soon."

"Wait." I grabbed his arm without thinking. "Don't leave me alone. Please."

His expression softened. "I'm not going far. I promise." He lifted my hand to his lips. Kissed my knuckles. The touch sent electricity through me. "You're safe here, little wolf. No one will hurt you in my kingdom."

Then he was gone. Walking down the hallway like some warrior king from legend.

Leaving me with Mira, who smiled warmly.

"Come, dear. Let's get you comfortable."

***

Back at Crescent Moon Pack, Damon stood at his office window.

Whiskey burned in his glass. In his throat. But it did nothing to dull the pain in his chest.

The incomplete bond. It felt like his heart was being ripped out slowly.

What had he done?

He'd seen the look on Aurora's face when he rejected her. The hope dying in those strange silver eyes. The way she'd crumpled like he'd physically struck her.

He'd done that. He'd destroyed her in front of everyone.

His wolf was going insane. Howling. Clawing. Screaming at him that he'd made the worst mistake of his life.

"Shut up," he growled at his wolf. "She was an Omega. I couldn't..."

*OUR MATE! his wolf roared back. OURS! GO GET HER!

"She's nothing," Damon said out loud. But the words felt hollow. Wrong.

A knock at the door. Vivian entered without waiting for permission.

"There you are." She smiled. Triumphant. "I've been looking for you. Everyone's asking about... well. The incident."

The incident. Like he hadn't just destroyed another person.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Of course." She walked to him. Touched his arm. "I know tonight was difficult. But you did the right thing. Can you imagine? That broken Omega as Luna?" She laughed. "You'd be a laughingstock."

Something in Damon's chest twisted. "Get out."

"What?"

"I said get out." He pulled away from her touch. "Now."

Vivian's eyes narrowed but she left. The door clicked shut.

Damon turned back to the window. Stared out in the dark forest.

Where was Aurora now? Was she okay? Was she crying somewhere alone?

Did she hate him?

His wolf suddenly went quiet. Then... alert.

Something was wrong.

The bond. It was moving. No. Stretching. Like Aurora was getting farther away. Much farther.

"No," Damon breathed. "No, she can't leave pack territory. It's against pack law. She needs permission..."

The bond stretched further. And further.

Damon's heart started racing. "What is she doing?"

Then he felt it. Magic. Old magic. Powerful magic.

He spun toward the forest. In the distance, purple and silver light exploded into the sky. Swirling. A portal.

"No." Damon's blood turned to ice. "No!"

He ran. Out of his office. Down the stairs. Through the packhouse. People shouted questions but he ignored them.

He shifted mid-run. Clothes tearing. Bones breaking and reforming. His massive black wolf burst into the night.

He ran faster than he'd ever run in his life. Toward the light. Toward Aurora.

The bond was screaming now. Stretching so thin it felt like it might snap.

*Don't go. Please don't go. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.*

He burst through the trees into a clearing.

The portal was there. Swirling. Beautiful. Deadly.

And standing at the edge, about to step through, was Aurora.

In the arms of another man.

A man with silver-white hair and golden eyes. A man who held her like she was precious. Who looked at her the way Damon should have.

Their eyes met across the distance.

Aurora's face was tear-streaked. Heartbroken. But also... determined.

Please, Damon begged through the bond. Don't leave me.

The silver-haired man said something to Aurora. She looked back at Damon one last time.

And he saw it in her eyes. Her choice.

"No!" Damon howled. Ran. Leaped.

Too late.

They stepped into the portal. The light swallowed them whole.

Damon's wolf crashed into empty air. Hit the ground hard.

The portal snapped shut.

The bond stretched so thin it felt like a razor wire cutting through his chest.

She was gone. Not just out of his pack. Out of his world entirely.

Damon shifted back to human. Fell to his knees. Threw his head back and screamed at the moon.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE?"

His wolf answered. Three words. Over and over.

We lost her. We lost her. We lost her.

And Damon realized with horrible clarity: he'd just rejected his soulmate.

And she'd found another.

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN