All Chapters of Moon Reaper’s Substitute Bride: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

~AURORA~The gathering dragged on like a nightmare I couldn't wake from. Cassian remained at the center of it all, surrounded by Moon Reapers and nobles who pressed him with questions and cautious congratulations. I stayed near the edge of the hall, trying to become invisible, but my body felt dull. Every forced smile I managed strained my face. My head throbbed from holding it high, from pretending the whispers didn't cut me to the bone.Seraphina had been circling like a predator all evening, but when Cassian was pulled into a deep discussion with a group of high-ranking warriors, she finally broke away. Her gown moved against the floor as she approached me, that triumphant smile sharpening into something cruel. I never thought this day would come. I thought I had finally gotten away from the Varkas people. Now, I had no choice but to see Seraphina every day. And as long as she was here, I would surely be seeing more of my stepmother. My stomach twisted. I wanted to retreat, to

~AURORA~The night felt heavier with Vincent still standing there, his presence like a shadow I couldn't escape. I turned to walk deeper into the gardens, desperate to get away, but his hand caught my arm—not hard, but firm enough to stop me. The faint spark of our old mate bond flared weakly at the contact, a painful reminder of what once was. I yanked my hand away, heart pounding.I did not want to hear anything else that he had to say. I did not care. He was no longer important to me. "Vincent, leave me alone," I whispered, voice breaking with the tears I was still fighting. I did not want him to see me cry, especially since these tears had nothing to do with him. He stepped closer, eyes intense under the moonlight. "We need to talk, Aurora. Please. Things are different now."Why did he keep saying that?I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp in the quiet garden. "Different? Seraphina is inside announcing herself as the true princess, the only family I've ever known just threatene

~AURORA~The garden erupted into chaos the moment Seraphina's voice shredded through the night. "What on earth is going on here?" she demanded, rushing down the path. Her eyes widened in genuine shock when they landed on Vincent, still bleeding on the ground where Cassian's power had thrown him. "Vincent?" She gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest as if the sight physically pained her. Her gaze darted between the three of us—me with my tear-streaked face, Cassian showing barely contained fury, and Vincent pushing himself up with a groan. Seraphina covered her mouth with both hands, eyes sparkling with what looked like concern but felt far too fake. "Vincent, I told you I have no choice but to marry Cassian. You shouldn't have caused a scene. There is nothing you can do to stop this arrangement. Nothing that any of us can do."I stared at her, disbelief cutting through my pain. Did she really believe Vincent had come here to stop her union with Cassian? Was Seraphina

~AURORA~Something was terribly wrong with me.My skin felt like it was on fire, a deep heat that radiated from within and left me flushed and restless. I stood before the tall mirror in my chambers, staring at my reflection with wide, bewildered eyes. My cheeks burned a bright red, my lips slightly parted as I struggled to draw steady breaths. The thin nightgown clung to my damp skin, doing nothing to ease the fever that seemed to consume every inch of me.I pressed a trembling hand to my forehead. It was hot to the touch, yet I didn't feel sick in the usual sense—no aching joints, no nausea, no cough. This was different. Wild even. A sudden sharp tingle sparked between my legs, intense and electric, making my knees buckle slightly. I gasped, gripping the edge of the vanity for support as a wave of heat formed low in my belly. The sensation was both terrifying and shamefully arousing, a throbbing need that made my thighs press instinctively together. What was happening to me?

~CASSIAN~I was losing my fucking mind.Aurora lay beneath me, naked and glistening with sweat, her body a vision of raw, desperate need. I hated seeing her like this. I wanted to do everything in my power to ease her pain. To show her that I could help her through this. But there was only one option left and I didn't know if I could fucking take it. The scent of her heat wrapped around me like a drug—sweet and intoxicating. My cock throbbed painfully against my pants, straining so hard it hurt. Every instinct screamed at me to claim her, to bury myself deep and flood her with my seed until the pain eased. But I had held back for so long, determined not to take her like this—vulnerable, in heat, when watchers were close.She cried out again, a broken, needy sound that shattered what remained of my restraint. "Cassian. . .please. It hurts."Her small hand grabbed mine, dragging it down her sweat-slicked body. My fingers brushed over her heaving breasts, her trembling stomach, unti