Shadows of Betrayal: A Werewolf's Vow

It was very tragic to be wolfless, and it was virtually hard to hide it from the others in my life. It may seem possible to steal someone else's wolf, but believe me—that's a one-way ticket to trouble. They said, "Aurora Rays, you're going down," and I was held by security personnel, unable to look up. My ex-mate and the next to become alpha, Clarkson, gave me a cruel glare and held my "best" friend's hand tightly. "Aurora, tell us: did you take her wolf? Your purportedly reliable friend!" He gave a fierce bark. As the cuffs on my feet jangled, I snarled back, "Never." My eighteenth birthday party was in full swing three days ago. It was unexpected for the entire Pack Moonery, which includes the alpha Mr. Rays and Luna, as they have known me for a very long time. "Aurora, happy birthday!" Mr. Rays stated while holding my hands. "Thanks, Mr. Rays," I said with a grin and a respectful nod. "I've enjoyed seeing you develop. He put a kiss on my hand and remarked, "You're a close family friend." "Thank you so much for that," I smiled back. "Now, do you know where that son of mine is?" Winking, Alpha Rays enquired. His son, Clarkson Rays, who was my childhood friend, was not present. "I've yet to see him. Remind him that he still hasn't handed me my present if you locate him first, I joked. "I most definitely will. "Enjoy the celebration," Alpha Rays said, waving before vanishing into the throng. All the members of the pack who were about my age were there, dancing, eating, and celebrating a wonderful three-tier cake decorated with sugar wolves and trees. The event tent, where champagne flowed for the momentous occasion, was decorated with string lights. At our parties, Alpha Rays permitted a small amount of champagne, even though I was just eighteen. As I moved among the crowd, I heard people yell, "Happy birthday, Aurora!" and was delighted that everyone was joining in the celebration. I could now locate my true mate and become a complete pack member because I was officially eighteen. Growing up with Clarkson, despite being an orphan fostered by Alpha and Luna, it was good to feel a part of the whole pack. I could feel my wolf, Clara, enjoying herself in the background. All day, she had been restless, waiting for midnight to come around so she could turn eighteen and meet her match. My buddy Esme hurried up to give me a hug and exclaimed, "Aurora!" "Happy birthday!" "Hey, Esme," I gave her a return embrace. She said, "Are you excited to find your mate tonight?" "Yes, if he's here," I bit my lip in response. "All OK, best of luck. I'm cheering for you," Esme said with a smile, bumping my shoulder before vanishing into the throng, and I returned the favor. My attention was drawn to someone else as Esme vanished into the throng. The clock struck midnight, my breath caught, then Clarkson appeared and approached me. My inner wolf let out a howl before rolling onto her back and exposing her belly. I felt a wave of heat come over me and a chill go down my spine. My partner was Clarkson. He halted as he got closer, the broad smile on his face wavering a little. I swallowed and wondered if he sensed it as well. Would he feel content? Would he take offense? Since we had been friends for so long, I was unsure of Clarkson's response. "Hey there, birthday girl," he murmured as he drew nearer to me and clasped my two hands. In my mind, Clara purred, pleading for more. My cheeks burned from her response, and I looked down, hesitantly grinning. I asked, "Can you feel that?" He answered, "I do," in a heavy, serious voice. I locked eyes with Clarkson, and he ran his thumbs over the backs of my palms, like chilly frost flakes stuck to a leaf. "Did you know?" I enquired. Since Clarkson was already older than eighteen, he was aware of our mate-bond prior to now. "Not at all. There was something going on with you that my wolf sensed, but not strongly enough. Not till this evening," he clarified. I trailed off, sighed, "Is this..." I questioned, "Is this a good thing?" In return, Clarkson gave me a smug smile. Inquiring, "Why wouldn't it be?" he squeezed my hands. "We've known each other so long, and this just feels right." "Yes, it does," I nodded in response. "If Xavier were still alive, he'd be happy for us too," he said. Clarkson's closest buddy, Xavier, was lost in the previous war, but he would have been our pack's Beta. Clarkson said, "Let's dance," drawing me into the crowd of people moving to the tunes. With his black, fitted suit and his blond hair pulled back, Clarkson exuded a gentlemanly appearance. I looked a little awkward in my satin floor gown. I gasped as he put one arm around my back, sending a thrill down my spine. I placed my hand on his shoulder while he held onto my free hand. Our bodies were inches apart as we danced. Once more, my wolf howled, pleading with me to approach. His breath, which smelled like sandalwood and pine, touched my face. I half closed my eyes, savoring the aroma and warmth. "You look stunning tonight," whispered Clarkson. "Th-thanks," I muttered as I leaned in and rested my head on his shoulder. He knew every move in a sensual, elegant dance, and he knew how to hold on to me in a way that felt intimate and unique. I felt like I had eyes on me halfway through the dance. Glancing over Clarkson's shoulder, I noticed Esme observing us with an odd look on her face. My heart began to ache. I was aware of Esme's crush on Clarkson. I had only been friends with Clarkson before today, but we were going to be much more than that now. I knew Esme would be upset with me since she was crushing on Clarkson. Even though I felt sympathy for her, I was powerless to stop myself because he was my partner. Clarkson drew me aside after our dance and said, "I got you something for your birthday." I replied with a giggle, my whole body tingling with pleasure and delight. "I knew you'd have a present for me." Holding out a little jewelry box, Clarkson opened the lid to show off a charm bracelet with many holly leaf charms and additional loops to hold additional charms. I said, "Wow," as soon as I saw the necklace. "I felt that the holly was fitting. You have the same striking colors and beauty as the holly bush, but you can also be tough like the leaves. All of those features are really charming to me. He said, "I want to be there for you too, but I know you can take care of and protect yourself." I grinned and said, "That's so sweet," peering between the charms and his sparkling eyes. After pulling the bracelet from its packaging, Clarkson fastened it around my wrist. I exposed it to the light, causing the charms to glitter. That's only 50% of the current situation. I will make the announcement that you are my mate at the upcoming pack convention now that I know. Clarkson said me, "I'll name you my mate and the next Luna of Moonery." My cheeks flared up once more. After only a few minutes, I couldn't believe how drastically my life had altered. I had a deep sense that Clarkson and I would make a wonderful couple. Surprisingly, Esme moved to stand between Clarkson and me and remarked, "Aurora, I think congratulations are in order." She gave him a quick peek over her shoulder. "It looks like you found your mate." With a smile, I answered, "Thanks." Esme had a slightly forced smile. I expected her to be upset, but instead she gave me a glass of wine and raised one for herself, clinking it against mine. My family has a tradition of having drinks with close friends after a person finds their soul match. A unique beverage that guarantees wealth and a long, fulfilling partnership," she remarked, taking a sip from her own glass. The drink smelled good. It looked and smelled unfamiliar. It's merely composed of mistletoe. Nothing negative. Come on, it's lucky for you," Esme prodded. I looked at Clarkson, and he gave me a supportive nod. With a shrug, I took a taste of the beverage. It had an overly sugary, sickening taste. After coughing, I attempted to finish the beverage. Though it required some work, I didn't want to aggravate Esme further than I already had. "All right, I'll stop taking up your time. Once more, congratulations," remarked Esme. She gave us a kiss and spun around. As soon as I could, I set the glass down on a table. "I'm not sure what that is, but it was extremely sweet," I uttered, dangling my tongue. With a laugh, Clarkson wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Let's enjoy your celebration, come on. We still have the remainder of our lives to arrange." I laughed and went with the flow. I was standing on the stage's edge on the day of the pack convention. While out there, Clarkson and his dad were keeping the pack informed about developments and conversing with them. They were giving the pack an update on the rogue issue right now. I didn't need to listen to Clarkson because he had already told me everything. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, anxious to be the next Luna and his mate, standing in front of the pack while Clarkson introduced me. Some individuals must have suspected it already, I had a feeling. I had been inseparable from Clarkson since my birthday celebration. It was easy to play it off like we were simply friends because we had always been nice. Not that we were hiding it, but Clarkson wanted to create the biggest impression he could. Big, showy gestures appeared to really appeal to him, and I was cool with it. I felt desired and special as a result. His family had been like a surrogate family to me because I didn't have a large family. I reached out to my wolf without realizing it as I stood there attempting to still the butterflies that raged in my stomach. She was usually agitated when I was. In the back of my thoughts, she was oddly silent. I was panicking out, so I questioned why she was all right. I reached out to touch her, but I was unable to sense her. She seemed to have suddenly disappeared from my thoughts. My hands began to tremble. There was an extreme problem! I attempted to halt the tremors by shaking my hands, but tears quickly came to my eyes. I began to hyperventilate as I blinked them back. Thump, thump, tump. My heart pounded, it was all I could hear. Something wasn't right. I felt nothing for her. I was unable to feel her. No way could I find her. My wolf had vanished.