CHAPTER 5

Aurora  

Serena dragged me into the palace in a cruel manner. I was confined earlier in one of the rooms of the palace after the order from Ember Rivers. They were she-wolves who worked in the clothing unit, tasked with making me, to some extent, presentable. 

They roughly stripped me naked and shoved a worn-out dress on me. “Hurry up and wear it, you weakling.” Said one of the staff. This seemed to have pleased Serena, who sat in the corner, seething with anger at me. She huffed as I struggled to wear the dress.

Eventually, I wore it. I was pushed out of the room by Serena as she continued to look at me with disdain.

“You worthless girl, I hope you don’t embarrass the Alpha like you usually do,” Serena said in a sharp tone. Her utterances stung like a needle in my heart. I placed my hand on my chest and let out a deep sigh. Serena was taken aback by my resolve. Later, she regained her composure and continued pushing me from the back, feeling slightly irritated.

We finally got to the throne room, I saw Damon and Ember sitting on the royal chairs presiding over all. The hall became quiet as I entered. All eyes focused solely on me as I saw Damon's fingers pointing in my direction.

I had a puzzled look on my face as I turned to Serena for any sort of hint. She only had a smug face as she grabbed me and placed me in the presence of another pack of warriors. They had a different symbol on their crest. I looked at it closely and figured out it was the Silverfang pack. My eyes widened as they were famously known for being ruthless and without mercy.

“They are like savages…” I once heard some of the workers describe them. They have zero regard for human life. My heart started racing quickly as my eyes met a tall glass of drink of a man. He looked sophisticated in a tailor-made light blue suit that seemed to be barely containing his massive structure. Yet, it was neatly tucked behind the white long-sleeve shirt, revealing his golden links. His chiseled face is cleanly shaved, showcasing his handsome look. He stood with an aura of confidence that sparked the desire and fervor of everyone in the hall. Even when he stood facing Damon, there was a difference in their physique and charisma.

“Damon is no match for this man.” I thought to myself. It was obvious from the way the guards stood upright behind him that he was their Alpha.

Suddenly, his gaze met mine as I was brought closer to him. A fierce sensation ran through my body. I was beaded in sweat as my heartbeat raced faster. It was an overwhelming feeling that made my knees buckle. It was at that moment, I knew I was his mate.

Several emotions ran through me. “What if he rejects me?” I thought to myself. A wave of anxiety took over me as I bit my lips. Moments later, he greeted Damon farewell and, without any form of warning, grabbed my hands and stormed out of the castle.

Everyone gasped in awe at the sudden move, but no one dared to make a sound. After all, I’m now his to do as he pleases.

We were escorted back to the borders. Damon’s warriors slightly bowed to Alpha Darius with respect.

“Goodbye, Alpha.” They all said in sync. He nodded in approval and returned to his homeland with his personal bodyguards.

I turned to take one last look at the Moonfall land that I once called home. Tears welled up in my eyes as they rolled down my cheeks. With my peripheral vision, I caught Darius stylishly glancing at me. Yet, his face remained indifferent as we continued our journey. I snapped back to my new reality and took a deep sigh after cleaning my tears.

We finally reached his castle. It had a unique architecture, which gave it a grand look. He continued to hold my hands as we marched inside. His guards closed the door behind us, leaving me only with him in the bedroom. When we were finally alone, he let go of my hand. I massaged my wrist from his firm grip, which left some red rings around it.

“Ouch!” I grimaced as Darius gently held my hands. “Does it still hurt?” He asked in a gentle tone. I shook my head as he rubbed some ointment around the red swelling, which soothed it.

He later gestured for me to follow him to his bathroom, which I slowly did. It was massive with a showering bath and a large tub that could take four large-sized people.

“Take off your clothes.” He said in a gentle voice. I was taken aback by his utterance, but surprisingly, I was slightly excited. My cheeks turned pink, blushing. This was the first time I undressed in front of a man, but for some unspoken reason, I was happy it was him. He remained unfazed as he signaled I get into a large bathtub, I sat down inside, feeling nervous as I held the tip of my fingers.

He gently dumped a sponge into the bucket close to him as he sat down on the edge of the tub. He slowly dropped the sponge on my skin, it felt very soft and fluffy. It had a tingling sensation, which made me chuckle. He continued using it to gently wash from the back of my neck down to my chest area. I could hear his heavy breathing as he continued to wash over it. I also felt a burning sensation run through me as my heartbeat raced even faster. The warm water ran through my body, like it was washing away all my sorrows and sadness. I closed my eyes as he gave me the sponge to wash my inner thighs and sensitive regions. 

When I was through, he stood and handed me a long towel to dry myself. He left the bathroom for me to sort myself out.

I later came out and saw a brand new dress on the bed and a note.

“This is your new room, you can sleep here alone. I’ll check on you in the morning. Goodnight-Darius.”     

I wore the clothes and slumped on the bed, befuddled. “Did he not find me attractive?” I thought to myself as I finally dozed off to sleep.