His Beautiful Salvation

Chapter 3

‎Aurora woke up in her cold, dark room, the bruise on her cheek still stinging from Julie's slap.She stretched her muscles, the ache in her back a reminder of the uncomfortable mattress she slept on. She quickly got dressed in the dark, and proceeded downstairs.

As she made her way downstairs, the smell of cooked meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, making her stomach growl unconsciously. She entered the kitchen, her eyes looking for any signs of activity. Julie was already there, supervising the maids as they prepared breakfast for the family.

"Finally, you're awake," Julie said, her voice cold and dismissive. "Good, I need you to do the laundry today. The dirty clothes won't wash themselves." She gestured to the pile of dirty clothes at the corner of the room, and Aurora's heart skipped.

When Julie didn't get a response from Aurora, she turned to her. "This is the only way you can be useful in this house, so get on with it." She gestured to the pile of clothes again.

Aurora nodded, without a choice, she walked over to the pile of clothes,her hands trembling as she picked up the first item. The smell of sweat and dirt filled her nose, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Just then, Nadine came into the kitchen,her eyes sparkling with excitement. " Mom, can I go practice my shifting in the woods today? I need to get the hang of it." She said happily.

Julie's face softened. "Of course,my darling. You are the future Luna of moonlight pack, you need to be strong." She reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Nadine's ear. Aurora felt a pang of sadness,at moments like this, she wished her mother was alive.

As Nadine left the kitchen, Julie turned to Aurora. "Are you still here, the faster you get moving, the better for you."

Aurora's hands clenched into fists, but she kept her head down. She knew it was pointless to argue or defend herself. Julie would never see her as anything more than a servant.

As the morning went by, Aurora found herself lost in chores. She scrubbed the floors,washed the clothes and washed the dishes. The recurring tasks were relieving, but they couldn't completely distract her from the pain she felt.

As she worked, she couldn't help but wonder what it will be like to be Nadine, to experience the love and acceptance of her family. To be able to shift and run with the rest of the pack. But those were dreams, and Aurora knew that,she didn't have that kind of life in store for her.

Aurora was done with her chores and decided to go to her room to rest, tired from the day's work. As she walked down the corridor, she noticed that the door to her father's study was slightly open.

She slowed down, curiosity getting the better of her. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but listen as she heard her father, and his beta, Marcus,speak in hushed tones.

"We need to be very careful, Marcus," Greg said,his voice low and serious.

"If word gets out that the werewolf hunters are getting closer, it'll cause panic,we have to handle this discreetly."

"I agree, Alpha," Marcus replied. "But we can't just ignore it. One of our wolves was killed last night, and the arrow that killed him was dipped in wolfsbane. That's not a coincidence."

"Increase patrols and keep an eye out for any strangers," Greg said, his eyebrows knitted together.

Aurora's eyes widened in panic as she realized what she was hearing. Werewolf hunters were bad news, they were like hounds, once they got a stench, they wouldn't stop until they found what they were looking for.

As she stood there, she felt a sting on her hand, and unconsciously she stepped back, causing the curtains to flutter and the flower vase on the nearby table to shake. The vase made a clinking sound, and Aurora's heart raced as she realized she'd been caught eavesdropping.

Greg and Marcus turned towards the sound, their eyes narrowing as they looked outside the door. Aurora ran, her feet barely making a sound as she tiptoed across the hallway, and back to her room. She leaned against the wooden door in her room, trying to catch her breath, and listening for any signs of pursuit. But the hallway was quiet, and she let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Julie and Nadine sat in the living room, sipping juice and discussing Nadine's upcoming marriage to the future Alpha of the moonlight pack.

"I'm worried, mother," Nadine said,her brow furrowed in concern.

"I can't stop thinking of the vision Elisabeth had," Nadine said again, her voice laced with worry. "What if it means something bad for me? For us? For the pack?"

Julie waved her hand dismissively,a smile on her face. "Don't be silly, visions are just visions,they don't really come true. Besides, Alex is the perfect match for you. His clan is powerful, and he'll make a great Alpha. This marriage will secure our pack's future."

Nadine shook her head, still unconvinced. "Alex said that his sister's visions always came to pass, what if-"

Julie cut her off, her voice firm. "Nadine, you are going to marry Alex, and you will become the future Luna of moonlight pack. Don't let some vision fill you with fear, just leave it to your father and I, we'll take care of it."

Nadine's face twisted,a mixture of fear and worry playing on her features. "Sometimes, I think.. maybe it's because of Aurora. She's always been a curse to this family. Maybe she cursed me."

Julie's expression hardened. "Nadine, don't say that. Aurora is just a disappointment, she has no power to influence your future.

"I hope you're right, Mom. I really do." Nadine said,deep in thought.

Julie's face softened. "Don't worry my darling, your father and I will take care of things.”