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(Aurora's POV)
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Just as I entered the entrance to the bar, the unpleasant odor of alcohol along with the sickening smell of lust came straight. I had hardly ever been in a bar and wouldn't even know what alcohol felt like.
A drunken man with vomit-inducing burps suddenly appeared in front of me and immediately grabbed my ass before I could react.
"Shit Asshole! Get off!" I angrily kicked him aside as he bared a mouthful of yellow teeth, once again giving me a lecherous grin. I fought back the rising feeling of vomiting in my stomach and the urge to cut his cock off on the spot as I still remembered my mission for the day.
Mrs. Brooklyn would soon find out the one under the covers was my disguise. And if words got out about Roman Regalia's precious daughter sneaking out to a bar to meet a man, my father would lock me in a room for a year till the day I got married.
I had no time to waste.
Julia hid behind me, trembling as she tried to drag me out of this dark place, and I hurriedly held her arm, signaling to her that I would protect her. Though I could not shift, my royal alpha blood was still strong.
My eyes searched the whole bar, I was sure I would catch that asshole as I already remembered the obvious royal symbols in their attire. When my eyes immediately lit up as they caught sight of the box deep in the corner, an angry voice stopped my way.
"Hey you, stop there!"
Oh, crap!
"What are you two girls doing here?" That voice startled me. More so, it was a familiar voice. My uncle, Theo.
Julia immediately looked in that direction as if seeing a savior, and before I could stop her, she ran toward my uncle. That traitor! I'll be sure to tickle her when we get back. Julia was most ticklish!
But how did Uncle Theo come here? Had my disguise been recognized so quickly? Were they here to take me back as my father ordered? Thinking of this, I immediately tried to run away from his sight but his two guards blocked my way.
"Aurora? Julia?"Uncle Theo walked closer to us with a stern voice: "What are you doing here? This is not a place for young girls like you two. Go home!"
I bit my lips and avoided the stare from Uncle Theo's grey misty eyes. Mine were the same. Just like my mother's eyes. Uncle Theo was my mother's elder brother and he had always been on my side.
Somehow, I felt he was not on my side that night. Even, I felt like he was disappointed by my presence at the bar.
"Are you here for the cursed Prince, Aurora?" His tone turned down after he suddenly realised something.
I pursed my lips trying to find an excuse, but wise as he was easy to spot my little lie. I immediately pulled on his arm, making a pitiful face, "Uncle Theo, please. I just want to meet him once. You know me... I don't want to marry someone I never knew about," and I would surely want to punch Prince Charming's face if I get a chance.
After my father, Uncle Theo would definitely be the second man who loved me the most, and every time I made such a face, he would grant me anything I asked. But tonight it wasn't working.
He sighed deeply as he held my shoulder, "Not a good time to meet him, Aurora, especially at this place. This place is for adults to get drunk, and adults do silly things when they are drunk. Go home, child."
Again. They started lecturing me about age again. Even though there was only a year left for me to turn into an adult, I was still a child in their eyes.
"Ah! My stomach aches ......" Julia suddenly crouched down in pain covering her stomach, I immediately got her intention as I caught the strange grin she was giving me. When Uncle Theo looked down to care about her, I dove into the crowd
I heard Uncle Theo's angry voice rising behind but before they could get me, I approached the box where I noticed earlier.
Then, I felt different. A sweet scent made me turn my head to the side as I followed the gust of wind that moved the scent away from me. I was drawn to it. My heart was beating fast, and I felt a strange sensation on my skin. What was wrong with me?
I closed my eyes to locate where the scent was, drawing my body closer to it. As I opened my eyes, it was then I saw a blonde woman caressing a man's cheeks. She whispered some words in his ears that made the man kiss her passionately.
His hand moved down to her waist and pulled her voluptuous body closer to his. That scene watching them hunger to taste each other's lips was making me blush and hot. It was as if the temperature of the night had risen around me.
"Oh, look at that! Roman's future son-in-law has found himself a mistress."
"So, it is true that he has a thing for Witches."
"Wait till Roman finds out about this affair."
And those words had unexpectedly crushed my heart as I realised the hot guy who was openly flirting with that woman was none other than my fiancé! Logan Charming.
Oh, Goddess! I was right! I really should have punched his face hard.
I was about to vent my anger and scold loudly at his face but my steps froze then moment he suddenly stopped and turned to meet my gaze. Those jewel-like blue eyes lit up instantly as if he recognised who I was. And then I felt a surge of strange heat burning down my spine.
I had no idea what happened to me. And my legs were carrying me away from the bar door before I could utter any word.
I finally got my breath back as I fled out of his sight. What the hell was that strange feeling just now? Why was my heart wrapped in an inexplicable sourness when I recalled the image of him kissing another woman?
I meant we've never met, there's no way I could have feelings for him. Even if he was an invincibly handsome guy, it wouldn't disprove the fact that he was an asshole. I have to cancel this marriage!
"Yes, I have to tell Father that Logan Charming is a slutty bastard. There must be other ways to end the war." I repeatedly said that in my head, like chanting some prayers.
I was soon blocked by Uncle Theo, "You need to come with me. Now. No questions."
"I don't want to go anywhere except for home." I requested, but my voice somehow cracked.
"Aurora, what happened? You look.. not yourself." Julia knew me well. She handed me a handkerchief to wipe my tears, "Did someone hurt you? Are you crying?"
"No! I'm not crying." I replied, trying to make myself sound fine. Crying for Logan Charming? Kidding me? I'm not going to shed a tear for that kind of scum!
"Both of you, come with me." Uncle Theo waved to two other men to stand behind us, making sure we followed them to the car.
"To the safe house," he turned to look at Julia and me, with a serious look on his face, "Stay in the safe house. No matter what, do not leave that place. You got that?"
I sensed something was wrong, but he didn't give me any chance to ask questions. He left us behind with the two guards who clearly were not interested in us asking questions.
As I sat in the back seat of the limousine, I looked out of the heavily tinted windows and saw Logan Charming running towards our moving car. "What does that idiot want from me?"
"Aurora, what's wrong? You haven't looked well since you came out of the bar..." Julia looked at me with worry, "Have you met with Prince Charming?"
I wanted to comfort her that I was fine but I somehow couldn't make a word. My heart felt like being squeezed so tightly by a big hand that I couldn't even breathe smoothly, especially when the scene Logan lingered on the blonde woman's lips came back to me.
Suddenly, the car that had been driving normally was forced to stop as if it had encountered some obstacle, and my forehead hit the back of the seat so hard that I couldn't call out the pain in time to see the figures past by the car window. Then, from the driver's side stretched in with a grayish-white claw!
Without a blink, it broke the neck of the driver and the smell of blood immediately filled the entire cabin-
Oh, my Goddess! What happened?
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(Aurora's POV)
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My nails pinched into my flesh as Julia and I watched the wolf kill the other two guards Uncle Theo left to protect us. We got a big trouble and I had to calm down.
When the car door to our side was violently opened and Julia screamed, I kicked open the door on the other side dragging Julia to escape out. However, the man blocked our way quickly.
It was an adult wolf and he smelled foul and unpleasant. His claws still carried the blood of the driver and his eyes locked on us evil as he licked the blood that splattered in his face when he had just cruelly killed the driver. One thing was strange, I couldn't distinguish if he was rogue from his scent even though he looked very like that part.
I hadn't turned into my Wolf yet and Julia was an immature wolf still in training. This would be a tough fight and I hoped we could win or at least hold on until someone came to help us.
"Don't struggle, little ones." He walked towards me and Julia with a nasty grin. "Serve me a good time quickly and I'll leave your dead bodies complete. I'm still in a hurry to join the mission from the chief."
My eyes widened as I realised he was not alone. Mission? What were they going to do? And how the hell did they sneak into Mystic Town?
I hissed but as I prepared to attack, and next second another claw immediately pierced his chest, causing him to fall with an incredulous look.
"Forgive me for coming late, Your Royal Highness." Seeing the familiar face of my father's guard, we let out a sigh of relief. But what the outlaw said earlier still worried me. They must be planning something evil and I had to tell Father!
"Where is my father? I need to see him now!" I asked anxiously.
But the guard avoided my question just trying to take me away. "Your Highness! This is no place for you! Please follow me to the safe house."
Nearly at once, I sensed things went wrong. I had Julia trap him and I immediately ran towards the Regalia Mansion.
However, when I was alone standing at the gate, the gruesome sight in front of us made me shiver.
Blood was painting the slippery ground wet. Dead bodies of my people were seen covering the grounds. Until then I realised that night, our pack got attacked. Brutal Attack.
Tears filled my eyes as my eyes recognized the familiar and broken bodies. Billy the baker who always baked the fluffiest bread to coax me when I cried, Beatrice the florist who always greeted me with her bright smile, Mrs. Brooklyn who was strict with my schoolwork but always tucked me in at night...The people I cherished were all now lying here, lifelessly. This scene was enough to kill me thousands of times.
I walked like a numb dead until I kicked at a harmonica. My heart clenched as I recognized it was the gift I sent to Vega. The boy was an orphan but a talented musician and I always took him as my little brother.
My hands were shaking as I picked up the harmonica covered by blood, and my tears dropped down like a dike broken.
Those bloody beasts! They didn't even spare the underage kids. He was only fourteen!
What had we done wrong to deserve such a cruel slaughter?!!
Why?!!!
Hatred converged in my heart and I vowed to find out the enemy and kill all his beasts. I tried to link my mind with my father just like I did thousands of times along the way, but again, it didn't work.
An unspeakable panic spread through me. No-no-no!
"Aurora!"
Hearing Julia's voice certainly gave me some comfort. She arrived a little later because she had to help me block the guards. Thankfully, she was here. Unharmed.
"Julia, over here." I waved in her direction but the moment I met her again, I sensed something was disturbing her mind. Although Julia's mind had always been a complex labyrinth, that moment was different.
"Aurora, we need to go. Regalia Wolf Pack is under attack. You need to come. I think it is the best solution if we go back to the safe house. I think it is that way. No, that way. Let's go."
"No! I need to find my parents. I sense something evil has come to them. I need to save them!"
"Save them? Aurora, you have not even shifted to your Wolf form. Even at the age of seventeen. How are you going to save them?" Julia grabbed my hand and forced me to follow her, "I will protect you. Stay close to me. Uncle Theo wants me to take you to the safe house right now."
The tone she used to talk to me was strange and the way she looked at me was a bit cold but at that moment, I didn't realize it. My mind was focused on worrying about my parents. I had lost so much and I couldn't lose them anymore.
"You go first, Julia. I'll meet you there later when I find my parents."
Letting go of Julia's hand, I ran the opposite way from where Julia was planning to take me. I was running towards the scent I thought I felt coming from my parents.
"Aurora!"
Ignoring the call coming from my best friend, Julia, I ran faster than I ever did in my life, sensing danger was coming towards my parents.
Running into the woods, I had no mood to care about the bruises the branches left on me. All I had in my heart was to find my parents sooner.
As long as Alpha and Luna were alive, our pack would have faith to unite against the enemy. We still have the hope to win!
The scent of my father was getting closer. I could smell the blood but meanwhile, I could also feel his heartbeat. He was alive!
Before I could excitedly call out to my father who was finally in my sight, I witnessed something gruesome.
A horrific scene that would taint my mind for the rest of my life.
In the center of the woods, a large grey Wolf cruelly tore his head off.
I felt my heart getting ripped into pieces as I watched my father's head roll to the ground and blood spurted. It stopped to look in my direction and his eyes were still wide open, as if telling me to run.
"NO! Daddy!"
A heartbreaking scream came out of my mouth, scattering the crows that had been waiting on the branches. The big bad Wolf heard my scream and turned to look at me. Those blue eyes! They were very familiar.
'Aurora, you need to run as fast as you can. Run! We are losing the war. I can't –' The distress-sounding voice heard in my head came from Julia. I felt my blood frozen when I felt the sharp pain in my chest.
And that pain probably came from Julia. I could not breathe. I felt suffocated.
"Julia? Julia! No! Please, no!"
Tears burst out when I sensed our link disappearing as that only meant one possibility. I lost my best friend forever. I shouldn't have left her alone.
Remorse and pain rushed my mind, I wiped away my tears and looked up with only hate in my eyes. This damn big bad Wolf. He must be the leader of this attack.
I had to kill him!
However, when the big bad Wolf came closer to me, I couldn't help but take steps back feared by his strong aura. For the millionth time, I cursed my inability to take my Wolf form to fight back.
"Please, Wolf. Help me to shift. Help me fight!"
I slipped down on the wet grassy ground covered with broken body parts. Struggling to stand up, I was frozen to see that grey Wolf shifted back to his human form. I balled my fists as I recognised that face.
Logan Charming! The Cursed Prince and my damn fiancé.
I felt anger boiling in my veins, but I could only turn and run away, knowing well that I could not fight him only in my Human form.
After all, he was already recognised as the strongest creature in this world. A feared one.
"Aurora! Stop!"
Dropping his calling behind me, I ran with all my might. Though I couldn't shift, I never lost to any wolves in speed. The whole border was already heavily guarded by his men and there was only one place that I might find a silver lining.
I gasped as I stopped and took a look down from the cliff. The river was rushing and at some point, it started to rain heavily in the sky. Beans of rain hit me but except for escaping, I felt nothing.
"Aurora, please stop. You need to listen to me. I can explain." Logan Charming had caught up with me.
"Explain? You killed my parents! I saw everything. You murderer!" I scoffed as I turned around to look at him. Seeing that face again brought back the image of my father's tragic death. I gritted my teeth.
"Aurora, do not take any steps further. You'll fall down the cliff. Come to me. I can explain." He seemed to care about my safety. Hmph, another trick to fool people. I wouldn't let him fool me as he fooled my father.
"Shut up and get away from me. I hate you, Logan Charming." I looked at him with hateful eyes, "Listen, Logan Charming, I reject our engagement and I will kill you even if I come back to be a ghost. I'll bite you to death!"
"No! Aurora!!"
Ignoring his heart-breaking calling, I closed my eyes as I jumped down the cliff facing the night starry sky.
I didn't know if it was the right decision. But there was only one thing I was sure of.
That I would definitely want to kill Logan Charming with my hands if I survived the fall.
I prayed to the Moon Goddess for her protection and to give me one chance to fight for justice.
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Three Years Later.
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(Charming's POV)
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As the moon rose high in the darken sky, I looked up hoping that what I feared most did not happen. I was not a religious person to begin with. But from what I have learnt, Werewolves are protected by the Moon Goddess who watches over her creation.
Well, I guess I could be one of her creations. A defect creation for sure.
Looking up at the sky, I whispered a little prayer, "Moon Goddess, wherever you are, if she is alive, keep her safe. Bring her back to me."
"Who are you talking to, my Prince?"
Oh, I had forgotten about the women I had sex with last night. Two very sexy-looking women were standing at the door of my balcony. Not wearing a single piece of cloth.
"Do you come here often, my Prince? Exclusive penthouse it is. Are you going to take us to your castle next?" her bronze skin shimmered under the small light coming from the room. She looked at me hopeful that I would make her one of my permanent women to f*ck each night.
Not a chance. The relationship was not my thing.
"Leave. Both of you. Take that chance."
"But my Prince, the night is still young," the other one giggled and took steps closer to me. She was good with her hands that went down to my hardness.
I moaned with desire and lost myself to those women touching me. Again.
I closed my eyes and saw a glimpse of that horrible night again come back to my mind. The scene where Aurora was determined to jump off the cliff came before my eyes. She got it all wrong.
A misunderstanding that might have cost her life.
I had ordered all my men to search for her. Everywhere around where she had fallen down. For days and many nights, the people of Mystic Town gathered to locate her body. But nothing was found.
They all said she had died, and it hurt my Wolf deeply. That hurt was making it hard for me to fulfill my sexual desire. It was as if no woman out there could truly satisfy my needs.
A hole felt in my heart. And I have tried to fill it up to feel whole again.
Since Roman Regalia's death, all the supernatural creatures started to fear me, and I was the one elected to be their Alpha King. Out of fear and not out of respect.
And I felt myself getting stronger at each full moon cycle. The craving for Human blood heightened at the full moon cycle. That time was near. Too soon.
The Supreme King of the Humans as well as all the supernatural creatures had also agreed for a Human Prince like me to sit at the throne for Alpha King of the Werewolves. A ridiculous thought at first.
But my Father had convinced them that I was able to restore balance for all beings. A belief that was not mine.
My friend, Hector laughed at the idea, particularly when he had seen the other side of me when I turned into the hideous monster that killed mercilessly. A secret that my Father tried his best to keep hidden from our Supreme Council.
The monster in me controlled my body and made me do things that I refused to do. I could feel it was getting stronger. I could feel I was losing myself.
My pain and headaches had gotten more intense. Every full moon, I had to hunt to keep myself alive and pain-free. I had become a true monster, a cursed one.
"My Prince, what are you doing?" one of the women I was f*cking asked me as I thrust deep inside of her not caring if it would hurt. The other woman was already unconscious by our side.
"I'm sorry. I'll make sure your family will be cared for" Those were the words I would say before I suck their blood dry, making them lifeless. Some of them would survive but most otherwise.
I hated myself. I hated the curse.
But I knew there was no hope for me.
I don't think the Moon Goddess would give me a second mate.
That night three years ago, I lost my cure forever.
*****
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(Aurora's POV)
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"Congratulations to be one of the NightShades, Rory."
I wiped the sweat off my forehead as Luke walked towards me while applauding. He was the one who happened to save me at the bottom of the cliff three years ago. And Rory is my new name now.
I was no longer interested in being Aurora Regalia. She was dead to my people and dead to me.
I trained myself day and night, not daring to slack off a bit. Just to win a chance. A chance for me to get what I wanted most.
Revenge.
"Thanks, Luke. Could not have been where I am today without your help." I smiled and walked towards him while holding a set of knives in each hand, "Fight me."
My Wolf answered my calls when I fell down the cliff three years ago. It heard my call. Roxy was her name. I thought I was crazy hearing voices in my head.
The shift came like a flash, and I needed time to get used to it. Fortunately, Luke found me on the ground where I had fallen down. He hid me where no one could find me.
A hidden cave that I never knew existed in Mystic Town.
"Focus, Rory. I can see your mind is wandering somewhere else," he said after taking control of one of my knives.
He was fast but I was faster. It did not take long for me to get my knife back while we were both on the ground. His strong body was on top of mine. The closeness of our warm bodies touching each other was making me breathless. Luke was indeed a good-looking Werewolf but he was not my mate.
Though my wolf Roxy still expected someone as our own mate, I was sure it would no longer be my focus in life.
Even after I killed Logan, all that would be left of my life was to run away.
As the moon rose high in the pitch-dark Woods of Purple Mountain, my eyes gleamed with what others called it to be an eerie luminous of grey shades.
My transformation into my Wolf form then began, cracking my bones and muscles shifting beneath my skin. It was no longer a painful experience for me.
Luke got up and transformed into his Wolf. A large brown-coloured Wolf with yellow eyes. A well-known Rogue Wolf that led the NightShades. It was a delightful sight to watch him shift.
I no longer feared the pain of the body contorted and twisted as I morphed into a white Wolf with sharp fangs showing my strength.
Legend said I was special. A white Wolf was a rare type and said to be powerful. I hoped I would be powerful enough to bring Logan down. I heard he was getting more powerful out there pretending to be the righteous Alpha King.
That thought angered me. As I jumped on Luke to bring him down, he pulled my arms to put me down again. 'You are slow. Focus, Rory.'
'Who are you calling slow, Luke?' I kicked his knee and rolled him over to the side. We fought each other trying to make one of us call the fight to end. I love to win.
I ended our little game by kicking his abdomen, making him fall off into the river. A moment later, he got out of the water in his Human form. Naked. Hot and sexy.
I smiled in my Human form while seated on a large rock formation waiting for him to walk closer to me. "I won and I would like my prize now"
"Prize?" he chuckled and stood in between my legs. I loved the way he caressed my lips with his thumb. "The prize is what you seek for many months. A way to get closer to Logan Charming and fulfill your destiny to kill him. Do you like this prize?"
The smile froze on my face, and I asked him to repeat his words, "Come again?"
"You heard me. We got a way into Rivera Castle. And you, will be sent on this assassination mission."
No amount of rhetoric was enough to describe how excited I was. After the tough days of three years, I finally got what I wanted.
I made a slight smile as I looked up at the moon. I was grateful to the Goddess for keeping me alive. So that I could earn this chance to kill my enemy in person.
'It's time to take your blood to atone for all the sins, Logan.'