“I, Alpha Darius Dane, reject you,” he declared, his voice carrying across the courtyard, thick with authority and finality.
“Aurelia, as my mate and Luna.”
A wave of whispers swept through the crowd.
Both wolves and witches leaned toward one another, exchanging hurried murmurs while curious eyes darted between the Alpha of the Crimson Fang pack and the Sorceress of Circe.
Aurelia stood there with the wine glass still in her hands, her brows creased at first before relaxing into an annoyed look.
The winter wind tugged at the dark fabric of her gown and brushed against her honey-toned skin, but she didn’t feel it.
She was feeling something else.
It was anger and by Circe’s hand something close to a murderous intent.
Moments ago, she had been enjoying the evening.
A glass of wine in hand, half-listening to her companions debate the merits of the feast while she contemplated whether the journey north had been worth the inconvenience.
Then he had appeared.
The infamous Alpha Darius Dane.
He had pushed through the crowd, his eyes widening the instant they landed on her.
For one brief second, something resembling shock crossed his features.
That’s when Aurelia felt a hum in her skin, a warm feeling racing in her veins.
Aurelia could hear her heart thumping in her chest.
Then their eyes met.
Her pale grey eyes met his warm amber-brown ones and for a moment the world just went quiet, they existed in their own bubble for a half second.
Then just as quickly as it came…
She watched the softness on his eyes harden into annoyance.
Now he was before her as if she was something foul beneath his feet.
The entire gathering had gone quiet as they watched her with their eyes sharp for any reaction from the Oracle of Hecate.
They waited for her screams, her anger, her plea but Aurelia just stood there with her wine glass still in her hand.
Her eyes still fixed on the probable six foot two man that had taken a step towards her.
She didn’t feel humiliated.
Well not completely.
What really got to her was the audacity of this overgrown mutt to walk up to her after she had spent weeks on the treacherous road to this place, endured the ruthless weather and the constant howling only to get rejected by this man in front of his pack and her companions at first glance.
“A witch cannot rule by my side”
Oh heavens he was still talking!
Their eyes met again.
The bond pulsed between them faintly, as if wounded by talk of rejection.
An amused smirk painted Aurelia’s face as her eyes narrowed on him.
She stepped forward crowding how space.
“You speak as if I want you” her voice was cold as the north air.
The crowd hushed as they watched the scene unfold.
“I, Aurelia Dusk, Sorceress of Circe and Priestess of The Titan Goddess, Hecate” she continued looking him in the eye as she spoke every word, “accept your rejection” at that moment something snapped inside her.
She saw Darius stagger back as if struck.
Pain lanced through her chest, sharp and disorienting, stealing breathe from her lungs.
Her face twisted for a moment before masking it with a neutral face.
Around them the crowd started to whisper again but she ignored them all.
She turned back before anyone of these unruly mutts would see her strain.
Her vision swayed and her legs wobbled beneathe her, luckily a hand caught her elbow just in time, steadying her.
“Easy does it” a voice murmured beside her.
One of her companions.
“I think it’s the bond,” she added quietly, rubbing a hand on her back to sooth her.
“I didn’t think it punished those without wolf blood”
Neither did she.
But Aurelia said nothing.
It was probably the gods punishing her for choosing herself and not the over bloated ego of some mutt with supremacy issues.
The ache in her chest slowly dulled into something heavy and distant, like a bruise forming beneath the skin.
She let herself be guided through the thinning crowd toward the waiting cabin.
Behind her, the murmurs slowly disappeared till it was just the crickets.
“—In front of his pack!” she heard her mother’s enraged voice come through as they passed the threshold.
Her mother’s expression softened the moment Aurelia was guided into the cabin.
“There she is,” one of her sisters said, hurrying forward.
Aurelia lowered herself into a chair with all the dignity she could manage, which wasn’t much considering she felt as though someone had reached into her chest and was twisting her ribs apart one by one.
“Well?” she snapped through gritted teeth.
“Someone cast a healing spell or something.”
A younger follower immediately raised her hand.
“I can—”
Her mother caught the girl’s wrist and gently pushed it back down.
“No spell can fix this.”
Aurelia stared at her.
“What do you mean no spell can fix this?”
Her mother sighed.
“She’ll have to endure it.”
Aurelia let out a disbelieving laugh that turned into a groan.
“Endure?!” she repeated with a scoff “I feel like the ground after an elephant stamped”
Her mother turned to one of the younger girls.
“Escort her to her room.”
Then she lifted a hand and murmured something under her breath.
Magic brushed against Aurelia’s skin like a warm tide.
Almost instantly, a wave of drowsiness settled over her.
“Sleep will dull the pain,” her mother said.
Aurelia wanted to argue, but the exhaustion was already creeping through her limbs.
The younger girl helped her to her feet, draping one of Aurelia’s arms over her shoulder as they slowly made their way toward the staircase.
Her mother had been right.
With her mind wrapped in a hazy fog, the pain in her chest felt distant and muted.
It wasn’t completely gone but it was now easier to bearable.
As they reached the stairs, her mother’s voice drifted faintly through the cabin.
“Prepare to leave for the Isle.
We depart at first light.”
Aurelia nearly sighed in relief.
Finally.
They would leave this miserable northern wilderness and return home, where the air smelled of salt and flowers instead of snow and wet fur.
The younger girl led her into her room and helped her settle onto the bed.
Aurelia pulled the covers up to her chin and sank into the mattress.
.
.
.
It was the middle of the night when she jolted awake.
Her skin slick with sweat and her entire body felt like it had been set ablaze.
She sat up and grabbed the jar of water beside her bed gulping it down without a second thought.
It relieved her for a second before the heat came back twice as bad.
Her skin burned, it had nails digging into them.
Aurelia threw aside the covers and stumbled toward the window.
She shoved it open, welcoming the rush of icy air that swept into the room.
But it also did nothing to help.
The heat wasn’t outside her, it felt like it was deep in her skin and had somewhat pooled down to her lower regions.
Aurelia’s thoughts were sluggish and unfocused, it felt like she was between being awake and asleep.
She stripped herself down till she was in nothing but a thin chemise she had worn under her dress earlier, but the room still felt too confined.
She staggered towards the door but stop realizing it would wake everyone if she left through the hall, so instead she opened a portal.
Aurelia stepped inside the golden circle of light and soon she emerged in the middle of the forest.
The wind caught her hair, carrying to her the smell of pine and snow.
She swayed a bit as she took a step forward.
The cold grating air outside wrapped around her but she it did nothing to sooth her.
The heat intensified, burning deeper into her.
Her hands moved between her thighs to feel the wet patch that had formed there.
“Fuck” she heard herself breathe.
This was probably part of the punishment.
She stepped forward to move but stopped when she heard growling behind her.
Aurelia slowly turned and there he was, a majestic black wolf twice her size.
“Darius” she called, her voice thick with yearning need, she stepped forward and it felt like the heat started to feel different.
The wolf slowly morphed into the man that had rejected her a few hours ago.
Aurelia didn’t think, she run to him jumping into his arms and covering her lips with his.
He didn’t push her away, Darius replied with the same intensity, his hands roamed her body and tongue explored every bit of her mouth.
Tasting the citrus on her tongue.
And soon their bodies were merged as one.
____
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