Chapter 6

Aurora

My heart hasn't stopped beating, and neither has my wolf stopped racing in my head.

MATE! MATE!

She keeps yelling, but none of the boys has reacted. Can't they feel it too? Why haven't they said anything yet? I continue to gaze at them worriedly, anxious about their answer.

But the curtains close, and nothing happens. The bright lights from the hall dim, and I get no response.

Is that it? Did they think I am not worthy? Is that why they didn't claim me?

I know revealing that I am their mate won't be good for me, but this blatant rejection from their side, where they didn't even acknowledge me, hurts.

I grit my teeth, but I am not given much time to lament because Stella turns towards me after the curtains close and yells.

"Aurora, shift fucking right now." She growls, and I whimper.

I step back, unprepared for her wrath. I roam my eyes on everyone else and see that they are all waiting for the show. My clothes were ripped to shreds when I shifted, so I don't have anything to throw on my naked body after I transform quickly.

It's normal among shifters to see each other naked, but I don't want to shift back in front of an audience like this.

I whine, asking Stella to give me some time, but her glare gets fierce. "Did you not hear what I said!?" She snarls, and I am forced to shift back on the stage.

I quickly wrap my hands around my body, feeling queasy. I hear Sadie scoff at my actions while I feel like crying.

Stella stomps towards me and raises her hand in the air, striking my cheek hard.

My neck drops to the side due to the impact. My eyes widen and pool with tears. I feel the raw sting of her slap clearly in my head.

My wolf clamours in my head, growling to fight back. She wants to get back at Stella for this slap, but I don't let her force the shift this time.

I can't fight back. Not against Stella because if I did, then the consequences wouldn't be good. I would get kicked out of the pack with no place to go, and I can't afford that, at least until I graduate from the academy.

I suck in sharply, letting out a moaning sound when she holds my jaw and digs her fingers into my skin painfully. "What the fuck was that?" She screeches. "How the hell did you have such a big wolf!?"

I wince when she grabs my arm with her other hand, digging her nails into my naked flesh. "Huh? Were you trying to overshadow me? YOU? A fucking nobody!?"

"No, I wasn't" Tears drip down my cheeks because of the pain she is causing me, and I shake my head. "It must have been a mistake. I am sorry, Stella. It wasn'tmy intention at all!" I plead like I always do so that she can calm down.

Willow has sent the others away, seeing Stella get out of control. They can't have her ruining her perfect image like this. Only these three remain, and I am grateful that the audience has been sent away.

"Oh, I know what your intention is." Her lips twist, and she smiles a sick smile before she wraps her hand around my hair, tugging it tightly. "You have always been a little whore. First you wanted the boy's attention, and now you wanted to dominate the stage." She yanks harder.

"But you won't succeed, Aurora. Never." Her eyes glint with contempt.

I moan with pain. "It isn't my fault. Weston suddenly charged at me out of nowhere, and that caused my shift. He was the one---

"Then you should have let him mauled you to the floor!" She cuts me off, leaning closer to my face. "You were supposed to get slammed onto the stage by him, and then I was going to save you, finishing my act as the moon goddess."

My eyes widen, and she leaves me with a jerk. My hair falls down my back, and I stand there naked with an aching scalp and arm.

So, it was her who planned all of that. That's why the performance changed, and everybody knew. I look at the rest of the three and see Sadie snickering, watching realisation dawn upon my face.

"I was the one who suggested it." She says, nudging Willow, who is smiling.

Riley throws her jacket at me as I stand here numb. I am unable to catch it this time and bend down to pick it up. I loosely wrap it around my body.

"This is my last warning to you, Aurora. Stop coming in my way if you want to live." Stella spits before she walks away, leaving me broken.

I know she hates me and is always anxious to throw me into the background, but I never expected her to be this hostile towards me. My head could have split open for worse because of her little act.

Crying, I clench the front panels of Riley's jacket on my body tightly, feeling horrible.

I hate my life all of a sudden. I feel angry, hurt and a lot of things at the same time.

I wipe the tears from my face harshly. I swore to be strong the first time Stella acted mean towards me, and Dad ignored me when I told him about it.

But look at me. It's still too easy to make me cry. This won't do. Mate or not mate, friend or no friend, I am going to survive and break free of this hellish life, and now I am even going to take my revenge against her.

Determined, I trudge towards the changing rooms, sniffing and wiping the tears that still keep on falling despite my determination because of the burning ache in my arm and head.

It's going to leave a bruise.

The door of the changing room is ajar, so I grab the knob and push it fully open, only to get my breath hitched when I see Dylan standing inside.

He is leaning against the lockers, and doesn't even flinch when his eyes land on me naked- no, not naked, but a barely clothed me, making my heart palpitate with his burning gaze.