Aurelia's POV How long has it been? "Your highness," I smiled at the guards as I walked past, feeling a bit self conscious at their greetings. I thought I would've gotten used to it now… well I was trying but the thought that everyone in the Pack knew my name and my title, was a bit terrifying. The Castle had been rebuilt as well as the properties that had been destroyed in the war. "Your highness!" Mia called in a sing-song voice. She rushed over to me with Glenn and Olivia by her side. It was nice to see them again. After the mating ceremony two weeks ago, I had sent a few guards to search for them and luckily, they were alive and well. I wish I could say the same for Casey. She fell alongside the Wild Rose Pack. "I've set everything already," I paused. "Well, the maids did. Let's go?" they nodded eagerly and we headed straight to the tunnels where everything came to an end. With the breeze in my hair and the laughter of my friends, I felt relieved. I never thought I could be
Aurelia's POV Patches of grey and pink floated across the afternoon sky, and birds chirped happily in the trees nearby. The smell of green grass and rotting leaves filled my nostrils as a small gust of wind tossed the hems of the turquoise dress that adorned my body. "Will be back soon, mother." I called out to my mother, and without waiting for her usual ambiguous reply, I stepped out of our home. I stretched my lithe body, my gaze landing on the mountains which surrounded our pack, and a smile spread across my face. Our pack was sure beautiful. I took calm strides, towards the woods. My wolf leapt yet again, and I rolled my eyes. I had suddenly felt the strong urge to shift, and knowing my wolf fully well, I wasn't getting a moment's rest, if I didn't grant her wish. The woods was silent, as I walked deeper into it. I avoided the thorny shrubs, clasping my hands behind my back, and humming a tune to myself. So relaxed, was I, like I had nothing to do that morning. Like I didn't
Aurelia's POVHe didn't respond, stretching out his right arm towards me instead, just before falling to his knees. I caught him before the rest of his body could make impact with the ground and laid him softly on the lush green grass.“What happened to my parents?" I asked, yet again.He struggled to get his words out, and I placed his head on my lap to give him the support that he needed.“The...They..” He stuttered, and I leaned in to grasp the words he was saying.“Huh? They what?”“They tried to s-save me.”“They tried to save you? From who?”He pointed at his injury, and for whatever reason, it didn't make sense. My entire family had died trying to save this stranger from what or whoever had given him those injuries. The entire Beta pack was gone.Tears welled up in my eyes and I gripped his shirt, my hold tighter than the first.“I…don’t…know.” he muttered. He looked like he was on the verge of breaking down himself, and it made me feel even worse. No amount of tears could bring
Aurelia’s POV My eyes slowly peeled open, taking in my bright surroundings. The air smelled like freshly baked muffins, and I could hear voices chattering in the distance. I tilted my head to the left, only to find that I was in the arms of a gorgeous young man. Stunned, I stared into his light gray eyes. There was something oddly familiar about him, something I couldn’t quite place my hands on. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked, laying my head against a pillow. I nodded in response as I tried to wrap my head around where I was and why his face looked so familiar. My tummy grumbled lowly, and my cheeks turned crimson in embarrassment. I was suddenly aware of the intense hunger that plagued me. “The maids will bring you something to eat shortly. Get some rest.” He said and made his way to the door. “Umm... excuse me. Where am I?” I asked. He turned, obviously shocked by my question, like I should have been able to tell from the moment I opened my eyes. “You’re at the royal
Aurelia's POV"Aurelia...Be mine."I froze, unable to move a muscle as I stared at the Prince with my jaw hanging loose. His words simply left me in shock. Was this supposed to be a dream? I wondered but his thumb rubbing my lower lip in a slow and sensual manner that sparked discomfort in me was enough to remind me that I was very much awake.His lips spread into a smile as he slowly pulled my face closer to his own with his hold on my chin. "Why do you look so surprised, Aurelia?" He chuckled like the look on my face was somewhat funny."Y-Your H-Highness," I stuttered but his index finger rested on my lips, shushing me."I can't help but be interested in you. Have you seen you?" His smile widened. "You grow even more beautiful by the start of each day," he complimented in a voice filled with fascination like he couldn't get over it."It's impossible to stay away from you. I tried, Aurelia," his voice took a defeated tone and his shoulders slumped like he had been hurting all these
Aurelia's POV"Are you turning me down, Aurelia?" Prince Norton barked. He couldn't control his temper. He clenched down on his jaw till the vein at the side of his head popped out.His Alpha pheromones slammed me like heavy wind in a rainstorm and my knees wobbled threatening to give out."Do I have to remind you who you're standing before?" He scoffed and marched towards me.I staggered back, trying to get away from him but he caught my arm in his tight grip and pulled me against him. His other hand grabbed my chin forcing me to look into his blood lusteyes.I whimpered in fright as I twisted and turned in his grip, trying to set myself free but it proved impossible."You dare to reject me?" He asked with mock astonishment and arched his brow. His breath fanned my face and tears welled up in my eyes."You're hurting me," I whispered the words hoping he would let me go but his expression was bland and unreadable."No," he said with a slow shake of his head. "You're hurting yourself.
Aurelia's POV"The Prince wants the Royal Hall swept and mopped before morning," Maggie informed me. Her eyes were sad and she looked everywhere but me.It has been a week already. Who would've thought that time would fly so fast yet feel so slow when scrubbing the castle grounds and weeding till one becomes very familiar with looking at bloody hands?I turned down Norton a week ago and ever since, I have paid with my blood, my sweat and my tears."Maggi," I called her name in a breathy whisper. "It's 10p.m. everyone knows that the maids retire to bed once it's 10p.m." I clenched my fists by my side and bit down on my jaw. My resentment towards Norton grew inside of me like a tumour.Why wouldn't he just let me be?"I know," Maggie ran her hand up and down her arm as she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other."But, he called me to his study and told me this. I can't make it up," I knew she wasn't lying and I wasn't saying that she was lying.I was simply on the side that
Aurelia's POVThe sound of the thin cane hitting my back made me jerk but there was nowhere to run to.The two guards who held my arm did it with such power and I wondered if I wasn't as little as I thought I was.Norton grinned maliciously as he watched them whip me with a thin but excruciatingly painful wooden cane."This will teach you not to put your hands on me," he said with satisfaction. In the end, he had dashed out only to return with a few guards to punish me, lying that I had pushed him to the ground.I counted over ten strokes with gritted teeth and when they finally left me, my back was bleeding.I was exhausted but I still had to clean the Royal Hall and I wasn't even halfway done. I cleaned myself up and got to work immediately.* * *"Ow, ow," I winced as the ice touched my shoulders but I had no choice but to relax into it."Sorry, dear, it'll be over soon," Maggie sighed as she watched Barbara, one of the maids I was