6

AURORA

The distant Beat moved through the night and settled deep inside my body. Each steady beat matched the rhythm of my heart until a quiet, growing need filled my chest.

The feeling had been building all day. Every hour added another layer of anticipation. Energy hung in the air, and I tried to take in as much of it as possible.

Standing naked beside the window, my eyes searched the sky. No moon shone above the forest tonight. Only darkness stretched across the horizon.

The ceremony was finally here.

Even now, it felt unreal.

Years earlier, there had been an attempt to live like everyone else. College had seemed like a simple escape at the time. A way to step away from pack rules and live a normal life.

That idea had collapsed quickly.

Failure pushed me back home, back into the protection of my father and the Ironwood Pack.

At first, returning felt like losing freedom again. The traditions, the expectations, and the strict structure once felt suffocating.

But time changed that view.

After my mother died, something restless lived inside me. A constant storm that never settled. Nothing quieted it. Not distance, not pretending to be human.

The wolf never allowed that lie to last long.

Pack rituals gave the wolf what it needed. They calmed the animal part of me. When the wolf felt satisfied, the human side could finally breathe.

“You look stunning.”

The deep voice behind me cut through my thoughts.

My body jerked slightly as I turned.

“Theron, you’re not supposed to be here.”

The cloak lying on the bed was pulled around my shoulders as I slipped my arms through the sleeves.

“I couldn’t stay away,” he said quietly. “You know that.”

Theron crossed the room without hesitation and wrapped his arms around me. His warmth pressed against my back. His breath brushed softly along my ear.

“I’ve waited a long time for tonight.”

A small smile appeared as I looked up at him.

“I’m sure the wait will be worth it.”

Teasing him was a dangerous habit.

Especially tonight.

More than a year had passed since I accepted the arranged mating claim between us. At the beginning, the idea had felt heavy. Now his presence beside me had become familiar.

His dark eyes held the same expression they always did. Heat mixed with challenge. A tension that never fully disappeared.

The wolf inside me responded every time.

“Have I ever told you how much I like that mouth of yours?” he murmured.

His lips moved against mine before I could answer.

Heat spread instantly through my body. My core tightened.

“Oh, I know what you like about my mouth,” I said softly.

My teeth caught his lower lip, drawing a small drop of blood.

A low growl rose from Theron’s throat.

The sound only made me smile.

It had taken a long time for us to reach this point. Now the tension between us buzzed constantly.

Another minute like this and the ceremony outside would be forgotten. We would likely end up tangled together on the floor before anyone noticed we were missing.

My hand pressed against his chest and pushed him back.

“We can’t start this now. You know that. Pull yourself together, wolfie.”

His glare was immediate.

That nickname always irritated him.

Male wolves reacted strangely to frustration. The more annoyed they became, the stronger their desire grew.

Theron was already close to his limit.

Push him further and I would probably end up pinned against the wall with him deep inside me before either of us remembered the pack waiting outside.

Patience had never been one of his strongest traits.

Jax was different.

Calm and steady in ways Theron never tried to be. No matter how far I pushed, he always stayed in control.

That restraint drove me mad.

And he knew it.

A quiet guilt stirred in my stomach.

Turning away from Theron, my eyes returned to the dark window.

“What is it, Aurora?” he asked gently.

He stepped closer but stopped himself from touching me again. Even he understood we needed space.

“Jax understands why things must happen this way,” I said slowly. “But keeping him hidden still hurts.”

“Then say something,” Theron replied. “You’re an alpha. Change the rules.”

My head snapped toward him.

“Don’t start that again. You know exactly what would happen if my father found out the truth.” Frustration sharpened my voice. “He would never allow me to lead the Ironwood Pack tonight. He’d hand the position to one of his useless male lieutenants simply because they’re men.”

Theron’s expression tightened into a small smile.

“You may be underestimating him,” he said. “Your father might be stubborn, but he understands the heat you deal with. The constant hunger that never really disappears.”

A tired breath slipped out as I moved past him and sat down in the chair near the corner.

This conversation had happened too many times already.

Tonight was important.

Walking away again was not an option.

“The truth would make him furious,” I said quietly. “Jax has been the one helping me through those times. Not you.”

Silence filled the room.

“The choice has already been made,” I continued. “Theron and I will complete the mating ceremony. After that, I become pack leader. It gives the pack the best chance for change.”

My eyes stayed fixed on the floor.

“Jax will live with us as my guardian until the moment is right. When the truth can finally come out.”

Theron did not respond.

Looking at him felt difficult.

Surprisingly, the two men accepting each other had not been the hardest challenge. That part had settled sooner than expected.

But tonight would still change everything.

Theron would stand beside me publicly as my mate.

Jax would remain in the background.

One day the rules would change. Wolves and their human protectors would no longer be forbidden from true bonds.

But tonight was not that day.

The air in the room slowly thickened with tension. My skin prickled under it.

The wolf stirred restlessly in my mind.

Soon that restless feeling turned toward Theron. The instinct to challenge him. To prove dominance.

The thought almost made me laugh.

He never backed down.

Our fights were always equal.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

My stomach tightened.

“It’s time, Aurora. Everyone is waiting outside. Your father is ready.”

My father.

Tonight existed because of his conditions.

He agreed to pass leadership of the pack to me, but only after Theron and I completed a traditional mating ceremony.

Still, doubt lingered.

Trust between us had always been fragile.

Part of me suspected he already knew about Jax. Perhaps this ceremony was meant to force my hand.

The first black moon since my return had arrived.

Old memories pushed against the back of my mind.

Painful ones.

That door closed quickly.

The past had no place tonight.

Confidence in my bond with Jax steadied me. He understood why Theron was necessary.

The wolf demanded balance.

Theron gave that balance.

“I’ll be out in a moment,” I said toward the door.

My hand reached toward Theron.

“I guess it’s time.”

Instead of taking my hand, he pulled me against his chest.

His mouth crashed against mine.

The kiss was strong and demanding.

Possessive.

Claiming.

Thoughts blurred as emotion poured through him. Months of restraint finally broke loose.

The taste of him was warm and sharp.

Sweet in a dangerous way.

When the kiss ended, I stepped back slightly before steadying myself.

His blue eyes held mine.

Dark with need.

Getting lost in them would have been easy.

But duty waited outside.

These rituals pushed the wolf to extreme heights. Every barrier between lovers disappeared.

We had waited this long for good reason.

The ritual deserved respect.

And Jax would be there.

“Don’t worry,” Theron said with a crooked grin. “When this is finished, we’ll find a way to make it up to Jax.”

That familiar troublemaking smile made my stomach flip.

“Yes,” I said softly. “We will.”

We walked downstairs together.

Theron stepped outside first.

I followed moments later.

Hundreds of faces waited in front of the house.

Every eye turned toward me.

Theron moved into position among the pack.

My father stepped forward and embraced me.

“You look beautiful tonight, Aurora,” he said quietly. “Your mother would be proud.”

Emotion pressed against my throat.

“Thank you, Father.”

No more words followed. Tonight was not the moment to let emotions escape.

The doubts between us would wait.

Turning toward the crowd, he raised his voice.

“Let us go.”

The pack began to move.

One by one we walked into the dark forest. The path toward the clearing was an old tradition my father always insisted on honoring.

No one argued.

Darkness surrounded us, but sight was never a problem.

Every sense sharpened.

The scent of damp earth filled the air. Grass brushed softly against my feet. Leaves shifted under each step.

A light wind moved through the trees.

The forest was quiet.

Even the wildlife stayed still.

An entire pack of shifters walking through the woods had that effect.

Ten minutes later the clearing appeared.

Stepping inside, I moved to my place behind my father and in front of the pack.

His hands lifted slowly.

At that signal, cloaks dropped to the ground.

Every member of the Ironwood Pack stood naked under the dark sky.

My cloak followed.

The shift in awareness came immediately.

Magic stirred in the air. My senses sharpened further.

The wind changed direction.

A new scent drifted across the clearing.

Humans.

The protectors were already in place beyond the circle. More guards watched the town itself.

My senses sorted through the familiar scents until one stood out.

The one I always searched for.

Behind me.

Less than twenty paces away.

Jax.

The man assigned to guard me since the day the moon first awakened the wolf inside me.

Once every month there was a time of weakness.

Only twenty-four hours.

Admitting that weakness still scratched at my pride.

But Jax had earned my trust long ago.

He would give his life protecting me if it ever came to that.

The thought was quickly pushed aside.

Nothing would happen tonight.

In all the years my father led the Ironwood Pack, no one had attacked during that vulnerable time.

The secret was guarded carefully. Only wolves and their guardians knew the truth.

Jax’s quiet presence calmed the restless wolf inside me.

My attention returned to the clearing.

Adults shifted restlessly around the circle.

My father’s voice carried across the space.

A slow wave of desire began to rise through the pack.

A small smile touched my lips.

Yes.

Tonight would be a very good night for Theron and me.