chapter 3
1056 Words
Aurora stood before Killian in his private chambers, her spine straight despite the tension thickening the air between them. His golden eyes burned into hers, filled with dominance, possession, and something else—something he refused to acknowledge.
“You will serve only me from now on,” Killian said, his voice rough with command.
Aurora clenched her fists at her sides. “I serve the pack, not just you.”
Killian’s wolf rumbled inside him, demanding submission, but she gave none. He stepped forward, invading her space, the sheer force of his presence suffocating.
“You’re mine,” he said, his voice barely above a growl.
Aurora held his gaze, refusing to look away. “I belong to no one but myself.”
A flicker of something crossed his face—was it admiration? But just as quickly, it was replaced by coldness. He scoffed, turning away as if dismissing her, but his clenched jaw said otherwise.
“Get out,” he ordered.
Aurora turned on her heel and left without another word, her pulse pounding in her ears.
Killian collapsed into his chair, gripping his temples. His wolf clawed at him, enraged by his actions, wanting him to pull her back, to claim her.
His Beta, Alaric, entered without knocking, his sharp eyes scanning Killian’s state. “She’s getting to you.”
Killian’s head snapped up. “She’s nothing to me.”
Alaric folded his arms. “Then why do you look like a man on the verge of losing control?”
Killian let out a humorless laugh. “Because she is nothing but a stubborn, unworthy maid, and yet…” His voice trailed off, frustration tightening his muscles.
Alaric studied him carefully before sighing. “You can lie to yourself all you want, Killian, but if you keep pushing her away, you might regret it.”
Killian glared at him. “Leave.”
Alaric obeyed but not without a knowing look, one that said he saw through every wall Killian was trying to build.
Meanwhile, whispers spread through the pack.
Siara observed Killian’s behavior, keeping her emotions controlled, but beneath her calm façade, jealousy simmered.
Davina, however, was far less composed. “She’s making a fool of him,” she hissed to one of the other pack members. “Killian is the strongest alpha, and now he’s distracted by a nobody.”
Siara tilted her head. “Careful. You underestimate her.”
Davina scoffed. “She’s not worthy of him. I was supposed to be his mate before the Moon Goddess ruined everything.”
Siara said nothing. Instead, she watched Aurora from a distance, her mind calculating.
In another part of the packhouse, Alaric overheard an elder speaking in hushed tones.
“The lost heir… the child from the Moon War… she was never found.”
Alaric narrowed his eyes, a strange feeling twisting in his gut.
Aurora tossed and turned in her sleep, plagued by visions—flashes of a past she couldn’t remember. A man with kind eyes. A woman singing softly. The scent of pine and blood. Then fire. Screams.
She woke with a start, heart hammering.
Something was wrong.
Morning came, and Killian, still furious at himself for his lack of control, made a decision.
“If she thinks she’s strong enough to stand against me, let’s see how she does in a real test,” he said.
Alaric frowned. “Killian, this isn’t a good idea.”
Killian’s gaze was ice. “She needs to be put in her place.”
The test was announced, and the pack gathered. Aurora would face challenges designed for warriors, not maids.
Siara and Davina stood among the spectators, smug satisfaction in their eyes.
Aurora stepped forward, her expression unreadable.
The first task was a fight against three male warriors. She dodged blows, countered with swift movements, but she was taking damage. The crowd murmured, some mocking, others watching with intrigue.
Killian leaned forward in his seat, a strange unease settling over him.
Aurora was bleeding, but she wasn’t backing down.
The second task required endurance—running through the dense forest with obstacles.
Davina smirked, whispering something to one of the warriors. Moments later, a branch snapped, sending Aurora tumbling into a pit.
Gasps rang out.
Killian shot up from his seat, hands gripping the armrests.
Silence stretched before Aurora pulled herself up, ignoring the pain, and continued forward.
Something flickered along her skin—the faintest glow of her crescent tattoo, unnoticed by all except Alaric.
The final challenge was brutal—lifting a heavy log while fending off an opponent. The weight pressed down on her shoulders, her legs shaking.
Killian’s chest tightened. Why did he want her to win?
With a cry, Aurora pushed forward, throwing her opponent off balance and slamming the log down.
The pack erupted into cheers.
Killian stood abruptly and walked away.
Inside his chambers, he paced, his emotions warring within him.
Aurora arrived soon after, her body bruised but her eyes burning with fire.
“You forced me into that.”
“You needed to be tested,” he countered.
Aurora’s voice shook, not with fear, but fury. “You wanted me to fail.”
Killian’s hands clenched. “You’re my mate. You have to be strong.”
Aurora stepped closer. “I don’t need you to tell me what I have to be.”
The tension crackled between them, electric and undeniable.
Aurora’s vision blurred with anger. “I will never be weak, but I will also never be yours.”
Her words cut deeper than she realized.
Killian grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not painful. “You already are.”
Aurora tried to pull away, but he yanked her forward. Their breaths mingled, and before she could think, his lips crashed onto hers.
The world tilted.
Heat flared between them, the mate bond igniting in ways neither of them were ready for.
Aurora’s fists pounded against his chest, but then her body betrayed her, melting into the kiss.
Killian’s control shattered as he deepened it, his wolf howling in satisfaction.
Aurora suddenly pulled back, eyes wide, breath uneven.
Killian’s hands trembled as he reached for her again.
But she turned and ran.
And for the first time in his life, Killian felt like he was the one losing control.
- Writer
