Chapter 4
1517 Words
Aurora’s POV
Soft sobs broke through the silence, halting my hands mid-fold above the open suitcase.
I looked up.
Lulu and Lily stood by the door, eyes swollen, cheeks streaked with tears.
My chest tightened. “Why are you both crying?”
Lulu swiped at her face, voice unsteady. “We don’t want you to go, Luna. You’re the reason this pack feels… whole. What happens to us when you leave?”
Lily nodded quickly, shoulders trembling. “Everything finally settled because of you.”
A tired smile pulled at my lips as I crossed the room. “You both knew this wasn’t permanent. I did what I came here to do.” My voice softened. “This pack is stronger now. It won’t fall apart without me.”
They didn’t look convinced.
I tried to lighten it. “I’ll give you my number. You can call or text whenever you miss me.”
That only made fresh tears spill.
Lulu stepped closer, expression painfully serious. “You’ve been a rare light in this place. Losing you is the biggest mistake this pack will ever make.” Her voice dropped, edged with something fierce. “We’ve seen what happens behind closed doors. We know how he treats you.”
A flicker of shared pain passed through her eyes.
“We shouldn’t be crying,” she continued. “We should be happy you’re finally escaping him.”
Lily straightened despite the tears clinging to her lashes. “You’ve endured enough. It’s time you take your life back.” Her voice softened. “But to us… you’ll always be our Luna.”
Something warm cracked through the heaviness in my chest. My wolf stirred faintly, soothed by their loyalty even as the rest of me ached to run.
A real smile—small, fragile, but real—tugged at my lips. “Come here.”
They rushed into my arms, holding on tightly, as if sheer will could anchor me here. The faint scent of lavender soap and starch wrapped around me, familiar and safe.
For a moment… I almost wished I could stay.
Lulu pulled back first, sniffing. “We should help you finish packing.”
They moved quickly, folding the few clothes I owned. It didn’t take long. It never did. Liam had made sure nothing truly belonged to me—every gown returned after events, every trace of luxury temporary.
“Where will you go?” Lily asked softly, tucking in a worn sweater.
“I’ll figure it out,” I said, though unease coiled low in my stomach, my wolf pacing restlessly beneath my skin.
I had messaged Emmett hours ago—my only connection outside these borders. My phone screen remained blank. No reply.
A soft knock echoed through the room.
“I’ll get it,” Lily said.
She returned pale as ash.
Liam loomed behind her, his pine-and-dominance scent flooding the space and making my wolf flinch.
“Leave us,” he commanded, voice low but heavy enough to press the air from the room.
The maids bowed their heads and slipped out. The door clicked shut, sealing me in with him.
His gaze drifted to my half-packed suitcase, a slow smirk forming. “I see you’re all set to crawl away.”
“I’m leaving,” I said, keeping my voice steady even as my pulse spiked.
“And where exactly does a stray like you think she’s going?”
Something in me tightened. “That’s no longer your concern, Alpha Liam.”
His eyes flickered with dark amusement. “No… that won’t do. You are the Luna of this pack.”
“Ex-Luna,” I corrected, sharper this time.
A low laugh escaped him. “Ex-Luna.” He tilted his head. “Yes… I think I like that better.”
The amusement vanished. “You’re not leaving tonight.”
My head snapped up. “What?”
“I won’t be painted as the villain.” His tone hardened, jaw flexing. “We’ll have a proper send-off party. You served this pack for three years—it’s only fitting.”
“I don’t want a party,” I said, the words slipping free before I could cage them. “I don’t want anything. I just want to leave.”
His gaze locked onto mine, cold and warning. “You don’t decide how things are done in my house. The maids will prepare you. And you will smile.” The finality settled like chains. “I won’t have anyone thinking this divorce was anything but your choice.”
Image, Control, Power, That was all it had ever been.
He turned and strode out, leaving the heavy scent of pine lingering like smoke.
I exhaled shakily, dragging a hand through my hair. This wasn’t a farewell. It was a performance. A final chance to humiliate me while looking noble.
“One more night,” I whispered.
Freedom was so close I could almost taste it.
***
The grand hall felt suffocating.
Crystal chandeliers spilled harsh light across polished floors while heavy perfume clashed with the sharp tang of wine and roasted meat, thickening every breath. Laughter and music swirled, but I felt distant—like a ghost already halfway out the door.
I kept a polite smile pinned in place, greeting guests until my cheeks burned.
“So,” a Beta woman drawled, her gaze dragging over me with open disdain, “what are we supposed to call you now?”
“Aurora,” I replied quietly. “Just Aurora.”
Her lips curled into a sneer. “Just Aurora. I suppose it was inevitable. Women like you don’t keep titles like that for long—you were only ever borrowed luxury.”
Soft giggles rippled from her friends.
I lifted my glass and took a slow sip instead of answering. Not worth it. Not anymore.
Count the minutes. Just count the minutes.
“May I have everyone’s attention?”
Liam’s voice sliced cleanly through the noise. He stood at the center, microphone in hand, every inch the perfect Alpha.
“As you all know, tonight marks Aurora’s final evening as our Luna. She came to us three years ago and brought stability to this pack.”
Cheers erupted. My fingers tightened around the stem of my glass.
“But sadly… Aurora has chosen to leave us.”
Whispers spread like wildfire. Eyes turned—judging, curious, pitying. My stomach twisted as my wolf pressed against my ribs, uneasy.
Of course he’d rewritten the story: the benevolent Alpha granting freedom, the ungrateful Luna walking away.
“I respect her decision,” Liam continued smoothly, flashing a practiced smile. “As your Alpha, I would never stand in the way of someone’s free will.”
The room roared with approval—all for him.
His gaze found mine across the crowd. A silent challenge.
I forced a smile and played my part.
Because just one more night… then I was gone.
The music swelled again. I slipped away to a small table at the edge of the hall, eyes drifting toward the exit. Freedom—so close it almost hurt.
A glass of deep red wine appeared in my line of sight.
“For you, Luna.”
I looked up—and the noise of the hall faded into the background.
The man before me felt different. Sharper. The air itself seemed to shift around his tall frame, his features cut with precise, almost dangerous perfection. His presence pressed lightly against my skin, commanding attention without a word.
When our fingers brushed as I accepted the glass, warmth spread slowly up my arm—deep, lingering, intentional. My wolf lifted her head, suddenly alert.
“Thank you,” I murmured.
“Why are you sitting here alone?” he asked, voice calm yet measured, as if he already saw through the lie. “This night is meant for you.”
“My feet hurt,” I said softly. “I just needed a moment.”
His gaze lingered a second too long, a faint, knowing smile touching his lips. “I could fix that.”
My breath hitched. “I’m fine.”
“I’m Alpha Lucian.”
The name settled between us, heavy with quiet power.
I met his eyes—deep swirling amber that pulled without permission. Something in my chest shifted, a spark I hadn’t felt in years.
“Aurora,” I managed.
“I know,” he replied, not curious but certain. Like it was a fact he had already claimed.
He leaned in just enough for his scent—cedar and fresh rain—to cut cleanly through the cloying air, grounding and electric at once. “I’ll be seeing you again, Aurora.”
Not a question. A promise laced with quiet danger.
Then he stepped back and melted into the crowd as if he had never been there.
I stared after him, pulse unsteady, the glass suddenly heavier in my hand. The wine tasted richer.
And for the first time that night, leaving wasn’t the only thing on my mind.
- Writer
