CHAPTER 5 – Rules

Aurora was escorted back to her mother’s room, and her bold and fearless demeanor seemed to disappear when she saw her mother standing in her room, waiting for her return.

“Mother!” she called out, running into her mother’s longing arms,

“My dear child, I’m so sorry for this.” Moira hugged her daughter not too tightly. She missed her daughter, but she wasn’t ready to squeeze the life out of her with her superhuman strength either. “I was so scared, Aurora.”

She pulled back a little to stare into her daughter’s eyes, “And I know that you must have been scared to death in there.”

“Not really, but when I climbed the steel bars at one point, my heart fluttered for a bit, but I didn’t show it. I didn’t want them to perceive me as weak,” Aurora said, “so I didn’t stop shouting. I think they got fed up with my screaming and decided to let me out.”

“Oh my child,” Moira hugged her again,

“I’m sorry, Mum, I should have stayed in the room like you asked.” Aurora muffled, “I was just bored.”

“No, dear, I should be the one apologizing for staying too long; something came up.” Moira, still hugging Aurora, slowly enwrapped herself in the scent of the child she had not seen in years.

“I know this might sound awkward,” Aurora muffled, “But I had been locked up for too long and I‘m starving, Mother. Think maybe I could eat?”

“Oh, pardon me, dear,” Moira chuckled, pulling herself back. “I’m just so excited to see my beautiful child. I missed you so much.” She slightly pinched Aurora’s cheek.

“And I missed you too, mum,” Aurora smiled lovingly. She had missed her mother.

“Now I want you to freshen up and change, and then you can eat.” Moira gave her a convincing look.

“Okay, I'd better hurry.” Aurora dashed into the bathroom, as Moira watched her disappear, and just then her knees gave up and she fell, sitting on her bed.

She thought to herself how Aurora was ignorant of what might come; this was not a usual family dinner, it was the alpha’s family’s dinner, and her dear child was going to be the only odd one among them. She was worried and scared for her child.

A few minutes later, Aurora had freshened up and dressed up, ready to eat.

“Okay, mum, can we eat now?” She asked, standing in front of her mother, who was sitting on the bed, and looked like she was lost in thought.

“Mum?” She called out  

“Yes, dear?” Moira jerked slightly.

“Food?” Aurora asked, with her brows lifted.

“Yes. Yes, about that,” Moira stood up and took her daughter slowly to sit in front of her mirror, while she stood behind Aurora, trying to adjust her shirt and hair. “We won’t be eating together, dear.”

“Okay? Why?” Aurora stared at the mirror, looking at her mother’s reflection, and noticed her hands slightly shaking as she combed through her hair. Something seemed off about her mother, and she knew it. “Are you okay, Mum?” She turned around to behold her mother’s face.

“Me? No, I’m fine,” Moira said, her lips trying hard to give off a smile.

“So, you were saying?”

“Yes, about food,” Moira slowly turned Aurora’s head towards the mirror, “The alpha...” She paused, realizing she was saying too much. Calling him alpha was going to raise questions, she was sure of it.

Aurora lifted her brows, signaling her mother that she was all ears. “The master of the house,” her voice shook, she cleared her throat to continue, “has asked that you have an early dinner with the family.”

Aurora’s brows lifted in response as she looked at her mother, “You are kidding, right?”

“No, I’m not.”

“So they decided to ask me to dine with them, after mistreating me in that prison?” Aurora voiced out in an underlying angry tone, “They must be joking. I’m not going, I am eating with you.” She folded her arms to her chest.

“NO!” Moira burst out, with her eyes wide with fear.

“I mean, no,” She calmed herself, looking at the surprised expression on Aurora’s face through the mirror, “you don’t understand, dear, you don’t have a choice. If the master says something, no one dares to go against it.” Moira tried to show a calm demeanor, fighting for her shaking hands not to give off a suspicious feeling to her daughter.

Aurora blew out air from her mouth, “Fine then.” She looked at her mother, “But I’m doing this for you and not him.”

“Thank you, my child.”

“But I’m going to give him a piece of my mind when I get there.”

“DON’T!” Moira cried, “That would be the end of us. Please don’t do anything silly.” She turned the chair around, facing her.

“My dear child,” Moira bent down to a face-off level with Aurora, “I might not be there for most of the time you grew up, but I believe that my mother raised a good girl.” She caressed Aurora’s cheek.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Aurora sheepishly grinned from ear to ear.

“Now, I want you to go in there, and be a good girl,” Moira said, tucking a strand of Aurora’s hair behind her ear with her shaking fingers, “don’t speak unless spoken to, don’t look anyone in the eyes, it’s disrespectful. The titles are: Master, young master, and Madam. Understood?”

“Isn’t that too many rules?” Aurora, surprised at her mother’s act, “It’s just dinner.”

“It’s not just dinner, child.” Aurora gave a serious look, “It’s judgment.”

“Okay, mum, noted.” Aurora relaxed in her chair. “Can I eat already?”

“You trust me, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then please, don’t fail me,” Moira heard footsteps coming. “They’ll be here any second now to escort you to the dining room. Please, behave.”

“Yeah, right,” Aurora said in sarcasm.

Moira looked at the door, and just then, a knock came.

“They’re here.”

“How’d you know?” Aurora asked in shock.

“Doesn’t matter, you have to go now, you can’t keep the master waiting.”

“Okay, see you when I get back,” Aurora said, standing up, “I love you, Mum.”

“I love you more, my sweet child.”

Moira watched as Aurora left the room to face her fate.

She had sent her daughter into the gathering of wolves, and all she could do was pray that they wouldn’t bite.