Aurora's POV

“Mom, hurry up! They are almost here!” I called out, wiping my hands on my apron.

“I'm coming, I'm coming.! Stop nagging me, Aurora!” she snapped, barely sparing me a glance as she rifled through her wardrobe.

It shouldn’t surprise me that she looked decent today, sober, well- groomed, her make-up flawless. No stench of alcohol, no unkempt hair. All of this facade was always alive whenever Elara, my sister was to come around. For mum, Elara was worth it.

Mum would make sure she quit drinking a week before Elara’s arrival because she wanted to preserve a good image in front of her perfect daughter, hiding the cracks that only I had to see. A dull ache pressed against my chest but I ignored it. It had always been this way and I wasn't upset. This was just….normal. Wasn't it? Each family had a favorite but I wasn’t the one.

The rich scent of lamb stew filled the air as I stirred the pot, my hands moving on auto pilot. It didn’t matter that my mum never noticed the effort I put into this. It didn't matter that she never asked what my favorite meal was. This was for Elara, and family meant sacrifice, or so I thought.

Maybe that was why I never confronted mum about it. Maybe that was why, despite the way she barely acknowledged me when Elara wasn't around, I still loved her. It wasn't cruelty, she was just flawed. Imperfect like every mother in the world.

After setting the stew aside, I quickly joined my mum to arrange the dining table.

“The lamb stew smells amazing, doesn’t it, Mum?” I asked, hoping for just a nod of approval.

“Hmm? Oh, I suppose so.” She responded coldly but I should be used to it by now.

It had been two months since I last saw Elara, and now, she was bringing someone important-her mate, Dante. The son of our current Alpha, Alderic, a noble leader that had supported my mother and me after my father's passing. The way she gushed about him over the phone made it clear she adored him. I could almost hear her voice in my head, excited to break the news of how he was a perfect, strong and capable leader, and that soon, he will be the next Alpha of our Pack.

I have heard so much about Dante, even before Elara started to sing praises of him. I have heard rumors of how he, Dante, was said to be an exceptional warrior and a natural-born leader. I had no doubt he would cherish her.

She was the last daughter anyways, and she deserved every good thing that came her way.

“They're here!” Mum called out

I felt a quick rush of nervousness coursed through me as I placed the last dish, cleaning my hands swiftly, before practically running to the front door.

The moment I stepped into the living room, my feet froze mid-step, and for an instant, the world seemed to stutter and fall silent.

A scent-rich, deep, and intoxicating, wrapped around me, stealing the air from my lungs.

My body stiffened, my breath caught in my chest as the atmosphere thickened, heavy and suffocating. Then, my gaze landed on the man standing beside Elara.

Dante.

The moment his name formed in my mouth, my wolf, Fay, howled, a desperate, agonizing cry that sent a violent shudder through me.

Our eyes met, locking in an instant that felt stretched beyond time. He stiffened, his shoulders went rigid, his jaw clenching as though holding back a reaction. A flicker of something flashed through his deep gray eyes. Was it recognition? Panic? But in a second, it was gone, replaced by cold indifference

Just when I tried to process what it was, Fay stirred out some unknown words before finally settling on one.

‘Mate. He is Ours.’

My eyes widened in shock and utmost disbelief. What?

No. This wasn't real. It can't even be.

“This isn't our mate, fay. This isn't real, this can't be real”. But Fay growled in defiance. The pain in her voice is almost unbearable. “ He is ours, the bond is real” she whispered

A shudder rolled down my spine, my heart hammering against my ribs. How cruel can fate be? How could the moon goddess be so heartless?

I still refused to believe it..

I forced myself to look away, blinking rapidly as I gathered my composure. Elara was happy, that was all that mattered.

If my silence kept her happiness intact, then wasn’t it the right thing to do?

But why does it feel like my heart is tearing apart?

Or have the Moon goddess made mistakes?

I had so much in my mind that I wanted to ask, but that one question popped up. To whom? To whom will I have this disgraceful discussion with. The thought alone was too heart wrenching to bear.

Pasting a smile on my lips, I turned to her. “Elara,” I said, forcing my voice to be light. “ I am so happy you are home” The words felt like daggers on my tongue, every syllable a betrayal to the war raging inside me.

She grinned, stepping forward and pulling me into a tight hug that lasted for seconds. “I missed you so much, Aurora. And I have purposely made this moment a surprise.”

I smiled, landing a kiss on her forehead. “And we have patiently waited, my love. I am glad to see you smiling again.”

She pulled back, her emerald eyes shining with excitement. “I want you to meet my mate,” She said almost immediately, turning to Dante. “Dante, this is my sister, Aurora.”

Dante stood motionless beside her, his expression unreadable. I extended my hand, a simple, polite gesture-one that should have been easy for him to accept.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he forced a thin smile, stiff and detached, and offered only a curt nod. My hand hovered awkwardly in the space between us, a silent rejection that sent a sharp pang through my chest.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, but there was no warmth, no sincerity, just a hollow courtesy.

“Hum”… Fay whimpered in my mind, the sound laced with sorrow. I swallowed hard, willing myself to stay composed, but the ache inside me deepened, spreading like a wound torn open.

Was this truly selflessness, or was I simply unwanted? Even by the one the Moon Goddess had chosen for me? I retreated my hand, faking out a smile.

“The pleasure is mine,” I lied.

Yes I did. There were no good reasons for me meeting my mate who was now my sister's boyfriend.

I could feel it in his eyes, something was eating him up and me staying more further here, would only cause me more harm than good.

“Aurora, are you okay?” Elara's voice came into my head, jolting me back to the present situation and as expected, she had a curious face on.

“I…of course,” I quickly said, offering them to the dinning sit. “I just need to check on dessert.”

Before she could question me further, I turned on my heel and hurried to the kitchen. I needed space. I needed air. Anything that could make me forget all that had just happened.

I barely made it outside before my knees nearly gave way. My breath came in short uneven gasps. My chest burning from the weight of everything I had just endured.

“This isn't happening, this isn't happening” I kept repeating to myself. But no matter how many times I whispered it, the truth clung to me like a second skin.

“He is our mate. You have to claim him before your sister does. He is ours.” Fay insisted as I held onto my head.

“No! Just stop it! Whatever is already owned by my sister isn't mine anymore. There might be a coincidence here. Trust me.” I said, trying to believe my own words but it still didn't make sense.

“A coincidence? You got his scent right which your sister, Elara can't. There is no fake here.”

“Stop. If he is really the one then we will find a solution for it.” I calmed and with that, I forced myself into the house to overhear them talking about the wedding plans.

“Oh my dear. Alpha Alderic will be so proud to hear of this. We will start the wedding preparations at once”.

My mother's voice was filled with joy, but all I could hear was the shattering of something inside me. A quiet, aching destruction. My heart twisted painfully as Elara leaned into Dante's side, her fingers brushing against his hand as if it belonged there.

My hands curled into fists beneath the table, nails digging into my skin, grounding me as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Don’t tell me you are having a wedding conversation without me.” I said from behind, earning stares from them as I joined them on the table. Mum was having the time of her life, but suddenly turned and asked if I would not give my blessings?

“Of Course mum, Elara's home is already blessed” I said, smiling sheepishly.

Elara turned to me, smiling. “Aurora, when are you bringing home a mate?”

My grip on my fork tightened.

“I mean,” she giggled, “you’re beautiful, kind… What's taking you so long?” The words struck like a slap, but I forced a light chuckle. “Maybe someday.” A lie. A painful, bitter lie. Across the table, Dante stiffened, his hand flexing against his thigh. No one noticed. But I did.

I suppressed my Jealousy as I continued to watch Elara place kisses on Dante every little opportunity she had. Dante began to feel more free, supporting all of Elara's ideas. I could sense the fact that he had already accepted that the pull between us was a dead end.

I started to eat without any more discussion but then, my phone rang. My mum was less interested, nothing about me mattered to her, but Dante's eyes immediately darted to my phone, then he glared at me as if he was waiting to see what I would do next.

Staring at the caller, a beautiful smile appeared on my lips. Someone who knew when he was needed, my friend, Zeff.

I took a glass of water, sipping a little from it as I rushed out of the place. “This is important.”

“I am sure you are having the best moments of your life.” Zeff's teasing voice entered, making me sigh.

“I don't think so.” I muttered.

“Hope I am not intruding?” That chilled voice that sent shivers down my spine whispered and I froze.

“No, uhmmm, Yes” I stuttered as I turned and saw Dante standing behind me. I quickly hung up the phone and told Zeff that I would call him back because I was very busy at the moment.