Chapter 18
1745 Words
Lucian’s POV
“No, I can never be in love with that kind of woman,” he said sternly.
I couldn’t help but scoff. I had known Liam for years. I could always tell when he was lying.
“You don’t love her,” I said, “but you want to see her suffer.”
“Exactly. That’s what I want—to see her suffer. So you better team up with me and we’ll make her pay.”
A small smile tugged at my lips.
“Alright then. I might think about it.”
Liam frowned. “You don’t have to think about this, Lucian. You must do it with me.”
“If I say yes, will you leave me alone?” I asked.
“You’re sending me away?” he snapped.
“Maybe. Liam, I just want to rest my head, okay? Let’s talk about this another time.”
“f**k you,” he muttered and stormed off.
The smile on my face disappeared the second he left. Aurora was engaged. She had truly moved on.
Sharp pain exploded in my chest again. I clutched it tightly, fingers digging into my shirt. I had seen so many doctors, but none of them could tell me what was wrong. The pain kept getting worse, like something was ripping me apart from the inside. It hurt so f*****g much.
I closed my eyes and leaned back, breathing through it until the agony slowly faded away.
“When will this finally stop?” I whispered to myself.
***
Walking through the quiet museum was exactly what I needed. The calm atmosphere helped ease my mind. I stopped in front of a beautiful sculpture, completely lost in its fine details. The way the light danced on the stone was mesmerizing.
A sudden flash from a camera broke the silence.
“Hey, you can’t take—” I stopped mid-sentence the moment I saw her.
Aurora.
Her eyes widened the second they met mine. For a moment, neither of us moved.
“You can’t take pictures,” I finished softly.
“I couldn’t help myself,” she said, her gaze locked on me. Then she quickly looked away and turned to leave.
“Aurora, wait.” I reached out and gently caught her wrist. Her skin felt warm against my fingers. “You like this piece. You should stare at it a little more,” I added awkwardly, not wanting to let go.
“No, thanks,” she replied with a small, half-hearted smile. “I shouldn’t stare at anything for too long.”
She pulled away gently, and my hand slipped from her wrist. I stood there, heart racing. What am I doing? I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to apologize again. I wanted to say anything just to keep her near me a little longer. I wanted to hold her hand again.
Go find her, my wolf urged.
Yes. I should.
I followed quietly behind her, but my steps faltered when I saw her meet two men—her fiancé and another guy. The moment she reached them, her face lit up with a bright, genuine smile. The same smile she used to give me when we were together.
The pain slammed back into my chest, ten times harder. It felt like a knife twisting deep inside. My knees grew weak. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to be the one standing beside her. I didn’t even understand why, but the need was killing me.
The pain grew sharper. It burned so badly I almost growled out loud.
“f**k,” I cursed under my breath, pressing a hand hard against my chest as the pain grew worse. It felt like fire spreading through my ribs, squeezing tighter with every breath. I leaned against the wall, eyes shut, waiting for it to pass. Slowly, the agony faded again, leaving me drained and shaking.
I can’t keep living like this. I needed a permanent solution before this pain killed me.
When I opened my eyes, Aurora was gone. I hurried out of the museum just in time to see her getting into a sleek black car with the two men. My jaw tightened. Who the hell were they? Where did they come from? I hated feeling this way—jealous, desperate, spying—but I needed to know how important they were in her life now.
Aurora’s POV
“Why are they always around me?” I said the moment we stepped inside the house. My voice came out sharper than I wanted. “I just want to stay far away from them, but they keep finding me.”
“Who knows? Maybe it’s fate,” Damon replied with a small shrug.
“I rebuke that fate,” Emette cut in, annoyance clear in his tone. He stepped closer, his eyes burning with protectiveness. “Those bastards tried to ruin you once. Now that they failed, they’re looking for every way to break you again. But I won’t let that happen. Not ever again.”
His possessive tone wrapped around me like a warm shield. A faint smile touched my lips despite everything.
“Let’s not think about them anymore, okay?” Emette said, softening his voice. “I made food for you.”
“Do I get a share?” Damon asked playfully.
“No,” Emette answered instantly.
“Hmm. We will share,” I said, grinning.
“No, Aurora. It’s just for you—your favorite, fish soup.” Emette glanced at Damon. “He’s allergic to fish.”
“Ohh,” I replied.
“Come with me.” Emette gently took my hand and led me to the dining table. “Let me heat it up for you. Coming right up.”
He disappeared into the kitchen. My eyes moved to Damon. He wasn’t smiling anymore.
“Hmm, Emette didn’t mean to be rude or anything, he—”
“No, you don’t need to apologize,” Damon said, his voice light and amused. “He loves me. That’s just how he is with me, and I love it.”
The warm light in his eyes told me he meant every word. I had worried their dynamic might hurt him sometimes, but seeing the way he looked—so sure and happy—I realized it worked perfectly for them.
“Here you go,” Emette said, placing a steaming bowl in front of me.
“Thank you, my amazing chef.” I smiled up at him and took a big bite. “Mmm… it still tastes the same. It feels like years ago when you always cooked for me.”
The familiar taste brought everything rushing back—the old days, the laughter, the safety I once felt. My eyes filled with tears before I could stop them. Ugly sobs broke out as I cried right there at the table.
“No, no—don’t get all emotional, Aurora. I’ll cry too,” Emette said, his own eyes glistening as he pulled me into a tight hug.
I laughed between the tears.
“I’m really happy you’re here, Aurora,” Damon said softly, his eyes warm. “I love seeing Emette this happy.”
Emette walked over and wrapped an arm around Damon’s shoulder, pulling him close. “I am happy,” he said, voice full of quiet joy. “I have the two most important people in my life right here. Of course I’m the happiest man alive.”
I couldn’t help smiling as I watched them. They stayed right there, watching me eat, chatting and telling me stories about their relationship. Damon used to be cold, uptight, and cruel, they said, until Emette came into his life and changed everything. Now they were stuck together like they couldn’t breathe without each other.
Later that night, during movie night, I asked, “Do you guys ever plan on making your relationship public?”
The question made them go quiet. Especially Emette. He shifted uncomfortably.
“I would love to go public,” Damon said, glancing at Emette. “But only when he’s ready.”
“I honestly don’t know,” Emette replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t want people treating me differently. For now, this feels safer.”
“You don’t have to care about what anyone thinks,” I told him gently. “They’ll adjust eventually. But I respect your choice. Take your time. Just know that love is always love.”
A small, grateful smile crossed Emette’s face. Right then, a loud explosion boomed from the TV. All three of us flinched hard before bursting into laughter, the awkward moment melting away.
***
I hadn’t been to a party in so long. Now here I was, walking in as Damon’s fiancée. My stomach twisted with nerves. I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong.
“Aurora,” a sharp voice called from behind me.
I turned and saw them—the betas who used to mock me every chance they got, always trying to tear me down. My chest tightened.
“You know, after you stopped being the pack’s Luna, I never expected to see you in a place like this,” the leader said with a nasty smirk. “Who invited you? Or are you working here as a server?”
The group burst into laughter. I stayed silent, jaw clenched.
“Was that rude? Sorry,” she continued, fake sweetness dripping from her voice. “I just thought you should know this place isn’t for people without status. Especially not an ex-Luna.”
My face burned with humiliation, but I kept my lips pressed tight.
“Aurora,” Damon’s voice cut through the air, warm and smooth. He walked up with a bright smile and slipped an arm around my waist. “Why did you leave, baby? I told you to wait for me.”
“Baby?” the beta girl repeated, eyes wide with shock.
“Alpha Damon… what are you doing with someone like her?” she asked, voice shaky.
Damon’s expression turned cold and hard. “She is my fiancée. Speak to her with respect.”
The smug smiles on their faces collapsed instantly. Their jaws dropped, eyes darting between us in disbelief. A slow, satisfied grin spread across my lips as I leaned into Damon’s side, finally feeling a little bit of power return.
- Writer
