THE LITTLE WOLF.
1273 Words
Aurora rubbed her eyes and let out a long yawn. When she used the toilet, her gaze dropped to the bright red stains in the middle of her underwear. Fear rushed through her in an instant. Her heart raced.
She screamed.
She ran straight to her uncle, Lake Vargynja, her pants still half down.
“L–Lake!”
He stopped typing on his laptop the moment he saw her. His brows drew together as his eyes swept over her pale face, then down to her legs.
“I think I’m hurt,” Aurora said, panic rising with every word. “Th-there’s blood. Maybe Quinn hit me too hard yesterday when she punched my stomach.”
Lake stood up immediately.
“I’m injured,” she cried, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I don’t want to go to the hospital.”
He knelt in front of her, steady, holding the sides of her underwear. “Take it off,” he whispered.
Aurora did as he asked and stepped back, staring at the red stain with wide eyes. Her thoughts raced. What would people say if they found out? Would they be afraid of her? Would they stop playing with her?
“Jane can help with this,” Lake said, setting the underwear aside. Then his expression softened, and a small, reassuring smile touched his face. “Aurora… you just got your period.”
“P-period?” she whispered, the word unfamiliar and strange.
“Congratulations,” he mumbled, leaned forward and tapped her forehead lightly, a simple, comforting gesture.
“Don’t tell anyone yet,” he added, pressing a finger briefly to his lips. “You’re normal. Completely normal. You can keep this to yourself for now, okay?”
Aurora nodded slowly, still trying to understand, but the calm in his voice eased the fear tightening her chest.
His green eyes stayed on hers, steady, grounding, as if he were silently holding her together. He reached for her hand and gently pulled her into an embrace. Aurora didn’t resist. She leaned into him as though her body remembered that this was a safe place.
“But why should I keep it to myself?” Aurora asked curiously, her small arms tightening around his neck.
Lake sighed softly. “You’re only seven years old, Aurora,” he said carefully. “A beta isn’t supposed to have her period so early. People would talk. They might say unkind things or treat you differently, and none of that would be fair to you.”
He pulled back slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Lake knew exactly what the consequences would be if the clan noticed the signs too soon. If they suspected Aurora was developing faster than she should, questions would follow, dangerous ones. He needed to protect her, to keep attention away from the quiet little girl in his arms.
For now, the pack had to believe she was a beta.
If they learned she was an omega, everything would change. And not for the better.
The pack's alpha smelled faintly of vanilla. His hands rested firmly on her back as he held her, and Aurora closed her eyes. The tightness in her chest slowly loosened, and the world felt a little lighter again. Without asking questions, Aurora trusted her uncle and knew that whatever happened, he was right.
Aurora waited outside on a frosty night for Lake to come home.
She was tired of staying indoors all day, even after watching television, playing video games, and spending time with her friends and her Barbie dolls. None of it helped. The luxurious duplex still felt cold and lonely without him.
Lake had been gone for a week in New York, traveling across the country for months, leaving Aurora behind with only a nanny and the maids. Though he called her every day, it never filled the space his absence left behind.
It wasn’t the same.
She knew he had gone to California three days ago instead of Italy. She had even seen him on the news. Mrs. Jane kept telling her how busy he was, how he would be home soon, how she shouldn’t feel lonely, but Aurora did, no matter how hard she tried to distract herself.
There was an emptiness in her heart that wouldn’t go away.
She didn’t know where Lake was anymore. He wasn’t answering her calls, only updating Mrs. Jane instead. Still, when she was told he would be home before dawn, excitement fluttered inside her.
But dawn was still far away, and he hadn’t returned.
Time crawled. Aurora grew restless. Eventually, she left the duplex and sat down on the white-designed staircase outside, believing somehow that waiting there would make him arrive faster.
She missed him too much to sleep. Staying inside her room felt unbearable when she knew she wouldn’t fall asleep. At ten in the evening, the house felt too large, too quiet, too empty.
So she waited.
She didn’t care how cold it was or how late it became. She stayed there, hugging her knees to her chest, her bare feet slowly going numb. Only then did she regret wearing a sleeveless yellow gown.
Mrs. Jane had warned her. Aurora hadn’t listened.
She played with her toes absentmindedly until the sound of footsteps startled her. Mrs. Jane stopped behind her with a worried sigh.
“I think you should wait inside, Aurora. You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.”
“I’m not leaving until Lake comes back,” Aurora mumbled, turning her face away, her long white hair falling over her cheek.
“Why don’t you try to sleep?” Mrs. Jane touched her shoulder gently. “Your skin is cold. Come inside, or you’ll get sick.”
Aurora refused to move.
If Lake didn’t come home tonight, she wouldn’t sleep at all.
“I’m not a weak wolf, Mrs. Jane. You can go to sleep. I’ll be fine.”
“Aurora, Alpha Lake will kill me if he finds out you’re awake this late,” Mrs. Jane pleaded. “And if you get sick, I’m done for. Please let’s go inside.”
“Don’t worry,” Aurora muttered, sneezing hard. “I’ll talk to him myself.”
Mrs. Jane tried to take her arm, but Aurora pulled away sharply.
“Leave me alone.”
“Aurora—”
“I’m not sleeping until I see him!” Aurora shouted, tears threatening to fall. “You said he was coming today. Why isn’t he here? He won’t answer my calls, only yours! I’ll sleep when Lake shows up!”
She knew she was acting like a spoiled child, but she didn’t care. If she got sick, it would be his fault. He had promised to always be there.
Why did he always leave her?
Mrs. Jane sighed softly. “I know how you feel, Aurora. But think about how Alpha Lake would feel.”
“Go away…”
“Aurora.”
The voice stopped everything.
Aurora’s head snapped up.
That voice sent warmth flooding through her chest. She turned and saw him walking toward her.
Lake.
He wore a fitted silver suit, his straight, shoulder-length blonde hair moving with the wind. His piercing green eyes locked onto hers, and he looked every bit like a Greek god.
Tall, muscular and flawless. A moderate dark transparent eyeglass over those eyes.
Smooth skin. Sharp features. Strength wrapped in elegance.
The Alpha of the Vargynja Pack.
Aurora jumped to her feet and ran to him, tears spilling freely as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
He staggered a little in surprise.
"Aurora."
- Writer
