Chapter 2 Aurora POV

The softness of the bed beneath me felt like heaven after months of sleeping on the hard floor of my hiding place. My exhausted body had finally given in to the comfort, and for the first time in weeks, I slept deeply without nightmares.

“You worthless piece of trash! How dare you sleep in the guest quarters!” Luna Morgan’s shriek jolted me awake, her face twisted with rage as she raised her hand to strike me.

But then we both heard it. Heavy footsteps approaching in the hallway, the distinctive sound of Alpha Magnus’s boots on the marble floor.

“Hide! Now!” Luna Morgan hissed, her fury quickly replaced by panic. She shoved me toward the bathroom just as the door opened.

“My darling, what a wonderful job you have done preparing the quarters,” Alpha Magnus’s voice boomed as he entered the room. “You must have been cleaning for weeks to get them so pristine. How lucky our pack is to have such a gracious Luna.”

I pressed myself against the bathroom wall, hardly daring to breathe as Luna Morgan’s voice took on that sickeningly sweet tone she used around her mate.

“Oh, you flatter me, Magnus. I did work very hard to ensure everything was perfect for our distinguished guests. These twelve Alphas deserve nothing less than perfection.”

My heart hammered against my ribs as they moved through the room, Alpha Magnus commenting on every detail. Finally, their voices faded as they moved to inspect the other guest quarters.

Luna Morgan returned moments later, her face dark with promised punishment. “You have embarrassed me for the last time, slave. When the Alphas leave, you will pay dearly for this.” She grabbed my arm roughly, her nails digging into my skin. “For now, you disappear. I don’t want to see or smell you anywhere near these rooms while our guests are here.”

She dragged me through the servants’ corridors to the cellar entrance, throwing me down the narrow stairs. “Five days. You stay hidden until they leave, or I swear by the Moon Goddess, I will end your miserable existence myself.”

The cellar door slammed shut, leaving me in darkness. At least here I could rest without fear of discovery. Mrs. Avalon had hidden food and water in the old wardrobe, enough to sustain me for a few days. These visits from important pack members were the only times I felt truly safe, locked away from the constant torment.

I found my usual spot near the boiler pipes, their warmth a small comfort in the cold cellar. Despite the harsh awakening, exhaustion still pulled at me. I had been so tired lately, more than usual. The fatigue seemed to seep into my very bones, making every movement feel like swimming through thick honey.

Sleep claimed me quickly, and with it came the dreams.

After what felt like hours in the suffocating darkness of the cellar, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed fresh air, needed to feel the sun on my skin before I went completely mad. The Alphas wouldn’t arrive until evening, and surely I could steal a few moments in the small field behind the pack house without being discovered.

The afternoon sun felt wonderful on my face as I lay in the grass, finally able to breathe freely. I had found some stale bread hidden in the old wardrobe, and though it wasn’t much, it was better than the gnawing hunger that had been my constant companion.

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth soak into my pale skin. For a moment, I could almost pretend I was just a normal girl enjoying a peaceful afternoon, not the pack’s punching bag.

“Look what we have here,” a familiar voice sneered. “The little slave thinks she can relax in our territory.”

My eyes snapped open to find Tristan standing over me with three of his friends, their faces twisted with cruel amusement. My heart sank as I scrambled to my feet, but they quickly surrounded me.

“Did you miss us while you were hiding, Aurora?” Tristan’s voice dripped with false sweetness. “We certainly missed having our entertainment around.”

“I was just…” I started, but Marcus, one of Tristan’s lackeys, cut me off.

“Just what? Thinking you deserve to enjoy the sun like a real pack member?” He shoved me hard, and I stumbled backward.

“She’s getting too comfortable,” another voice added. “Maybe we need to remind her of her place.”

They began to circle me like predators, each taking turns to push, shove, and taunt. My cheek, still tender from Luna Morgan’s latest beating, throbbed with each impact.

“Your parents were traitors,” Tristan spat. “They deserved to die, and so do you.”

“You’re nothing but a burden on this pack,” Marcus snarled, grabbing my hair and yanking my head back. “We should have let you burn with them.”

The words hit harder than their fists. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to protect myself, but there were too many of them. Finally, I saw an opening and ran, their laughter echoing behind me.

I ran until my lungs burned, until my legs gave out, until I found myself at the edge of the cliff overlooking the ravine. The same place where my parents used to bring me to watch the sunset when I was little.

I collapsed to my knees, sobs wracking my body. The pain in my chest felt like it might tear me apart. Six years of this torment, six years of being told I was worthless, that I should have died with my parents. Maybe they were right. Maybe it would be better if I just ended it all.

I crawled to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the jagged rocks below. It would be quick, and then the pain would finally stop. No more beatings, no more cruel words, no more sleeping in hiding places like a scared animal.

“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad,” I whispered to the wind. “I tried to be strong, but I can’t do this anymore.”

I closed my eyes and leaned forward, ready to let gravity take me away from this nightmare existence.

But then something extraordinary happened. A warmth spread through my chest, different from anything I had ever felt before. It wasn’t painful like the usual ache of my broken ribs or the sting of fresh bruises. This was…protective. Loving. Strong.

“No.” The voice in my head was firm but gentle, distinctly feminine. “This is not your ending, Aurora.”

My eyes flew open in shock. “Who… who’s there?”

Then I passed out.