AURORA’S POV
I was deep in a peaceful sleep, dreaming of the day I would finally become Luna, when the door to my room burst open and my mother stormed in like a hurricane.
The sound of it jolted me awake, and I sat up quickly, my heart racing with irritation.
I blinked against the bright morning light, as I struggled to make sense of what was happening.
I had been having such a wonderful dream, one where I was standing beside Zane, the pack cheering for me, and everyone bowing at my feet.
And now my mother had ruined it with her frantic yelling.
“Aurora, wake up!” My mother’s voice was sharp and frantic.
“Where is your sister?
I just realized she has not been home for days!
Do you know where she is?”
I rubbed my eyes and let out a long, dramatic sigh, and said flatly with annoyance.
“Mother, how should I know where Aria is?
I am not her keeper.
I am not responsible for her.
She is a grown woman, or have you forgotten?
She can do whatever she wants with her pathetic little life.
I have more important things to worry about.”
My mother paced the room, her hands waving wildly like she was trying to swat away invisible flies, and ranted angrily, “This is a disaster!
Do you have any idea what people are saying?
They are whispering about this family!
They are saying Aria has run off and disgraced herself!
And I have to sit there and pretend I do not know what is going on!
Do you know how humiliating that is for me?”
I watched her with a smirk on my face, as a thought formed in my mind.
Then I cleared my throat and said hesitantly, “Maybe she is at that fool’s house, Mother.
The one who got her pregnant.
She is probably hiding there, pretending she did not bring shame to this family.
You know how she is.
Always running away from her problems instead of facing them like a real woman.”
My mother’s face went pale instantly, and then red with fury.
She snatched her phone from her pocket and dialed furiously, her fingers trembling with rage.
When Aria answered, she screamed into the phone, her voice shaking with fury.
“You slut!
Where are you?
You have been gone for days!
Return home immediately!
Do you hear me?
Now!
I will not have you bringing any more disgrace to this family!”
Then she hung up and stood there, breathing heavily, her chest heaving with anger.
I lay back against my pillows and sighed dramatically, and said with a voice dripping with false sympathy.
“Well, I hope you are happy, Mother.
My sleep has been cut short because of her.
I have a long day ahead of me, you know.
I need to look perfect for when the Alpha Prince finally decides to show himself.
I cannot have bags under my eyes because of Aria’s nonsense.”
My mother turned to leave, but she stopped at the door and looked back at me, and said in a more softer voice but still laced with worry.
“Aurora, when do you think the Alpha Prince will come?
Have you heard anything from him?
Has he sent word?
Has he called?”
I shrugged, my voice cold and careless.
In fact, I am not even sure if he will come at all.
He has been avoiding me lately.
He always has some excuse, some project, some meeting.
It is like he does not want to see me.”
My mother shook her head firmly, and said with conviction.
“Even if he does not want to come, he cannot disobey his father.
Alpha Alaric is a man of tradition.
He will make sure Zane does what is expected of him.
You just wait and see.
He will come.
He has no choice.”
She left, closing the door behind her, and I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile.
Aria was coming home, and I was going to enjoy watching her suffer.
I could already picture the look on her face when our mother tore into her.
It was going to be a beautiful sight.
I heard the shouting before I even saw them.
My mother’s voice echoed through the house, sharp and cruel, and I knew Aria had arrived.
I smiled to myself and took my time getting dressed, choosing a beautiful dress that made me look elegant and untouchable.
I wanted to look perfect while my sister was being torn apart.
I wanted her to see exactly what she could never be.
When I finally walked downstairs, I found my mother standing in the middle of the living room, her face twisted with rage.
Aria was standing near the door, her face looking pale and her hands trembling.
She looked like a frightened little mouse, and I felt a surge of satisfaction.
I sat down on the couch, crossed my legs, and watched with a small smirk on my face.
This was going to be entertaining.
This was going to be delicious.
My mother was screaming at Aria, calling her names and demanding to know where she had been.
Aria tried to defend herself, saying she had been at Mira’s house, but my mother was not listening.
She was too angry, too humiliated.
And I was loving every moment of it.
I watched Aria squirm, watched her try to come up with excuses, and I felt a warm sense of triumph spreading through my chest.
“Tell her, Aurora,” Aria said suddenly, turning to look at me with desperate eyes.
“You know I was at Mira’s house.
Tell her.
You came there yourself.”
I looked at her with wide, innocent eyes, my voice dripping with false sweetness, as I asked, “Who, me?
Please, sister, if you are going to lie, at least make it convincing.
I have not seen you in days.
I have no idea where you have been.
You disappeared, and I was worried about you, but you did not even call.
That is not my fault.”
Aria’s face fell, and I felt a surge of satisfaction.
She was trapped, and there was nothing she could do about it.
My mother slapped her hard across the face, and I winced internally, but I did not show it.
I just kept watching, with my smile perfectly in place.
“You are a disgrace!” My mother screamed.
“A disgrace to this family!
You are ruining everything!
Ruining your sister’s chances!
Ruining my reputation!”
What have I done?”
My mother stepped closer, and said venomously, “By staying out of this house as an unmated she-wolf!
That is how!
You are bringing shame to us!
You think I do not hear the whispers?”
I decided to join in then, my voice filled with false sweetness.
“Return where, Mother?
Or have you forgotten?
You want her to bring the bastard she is carrying into your house?
She is pregnant, Mother.
Aria is carrying a bastard pup.
That is why she ran away.
She is ashamed, as she should be.”
Aria’s face went pale, and I watched her crumble.
My mother reached into her pocket and threw a pregnancy test at her feet, and I smiled.
This was the moment I had been waiting for.
Aria denied it, of course.
She tried to turn it on me, saying the pregnancy test was mine.
I felt a flash of anger, but I stayed calm and denied it too.
“Then let us go to the family clinic,” I said, my voice confident.
“Both of us.
We will take a test and let the doctor tell everyone who is telling the truth.”
Aria agreed, but then she turned to my mother and said something that made my blood run cold.
“If I go, the doctor will know that the future Luna has been taking pregnancy tests.
Everyone will know that the future Luna is no longer a virgin.
And they will also know that if she is pregnant, it is not for Zane.”
My mother’s face went pale.
“No,” she whispered.
“No, we cannot do that.
That would ruin everything.”
Before anyone could say another word, a maid hurried into the room, her voice breathless and urgent.
“Ladies!
The Alpha Prince is at the entrance!
He is here!”
Everyone froze and I felt my heart stop.
Zane was here.
I was not expecting this.
I was not ready for this.
But I would not let anyone see my fear.
My mother rushed to pick up the pregnancy test strip from the floor.
Then she looked at both of us, her voice sharp and panicked.
“Do not talk about this again.
Any of you.
If you know what is good for you, neither of you should be pregnant.
Do you understand?”
Then she ignored Aria completely and rushed to me, smoothing my dress and fixing my hair.
She looked at me with desperate eyes and asked softly, “Aurora, are you ready?”
I took a deep breath and smiled, my voice steady and calm.
“I am ready, Mother.”