Wolf Moon Ritual

Aurora’s POV

The night of the ball had finally arrived and I was so nervous to face Alex and to even begin to endure tonight, but I were also so excited to be with him and enjoy my first ball with my pack. It would be the first time he would properly see me in the dress, with my hair and make up done. I know he had sneaked peeks but they couldn’t compare to the real thing.

Shay and I both got ready together in her room at the manor house where the ball is held at. It doubled as a hotel which I thought were pretty handy for occasions such as these. Shay had curled my hair loosely and half pinned it up, my makeup consisted of smoky eyes with a hint of gold glitter in the corner giving them an extra pop and painted deep red lips.

After a few hours we were both ready and toasted to a good night and happy hunting with the complimentary bubbly that were in each room. “I’ve got you something.” Shay announced as she padded over to dresser at the left side of the beautifully charming room and pulled out a small blue velvet box. “What is it?” I asked as she handed it over to me. “Open it.” I looked at her perplexed, was I meant to get her something but I didn’t know.

I slowly opened the box as a pair of gleaming diamond earrings sparked up at me. I finger automatically tracing them and I stared at them. They were gorgeous and mine? “Shay, I can’t accept these. It’s too much.” She giggled taking the box from me and plucking one of the jewels from the box any putting it in place within my ear, before repeating the process on the other side.

Before I could even say anything a soft knock came from the door before it were pushed open and both Ruby and George came into the room. “Don’t you look beautiful.” George stated and presented me with another blue velvet box only this one were bigger than the last. “Thank you. But please I can’t accept any more gifts.”

“Nonsense. Of course you can.” Finn sarcastically snorted from the doorway. I didn’t even know he were there, too overwhelmed with the gifts I were receiving. I swallowed looking between everyone in the room’s faces and dropped my eyes to the box George were still holding. He opened it to reveal the most amazing necklace I’ve ever seen. The chain wasn’t a chain at all but a thin rope of diamonds with a drop ruby that were cut into the shape of a rose. Tears flooded my eyes, I were stunned.

With dexterous skill George had place the necklace around my neck and secures the clasp in place. “Please this is too much.” I pleaded. Ruby cupped my cheek and looked into my eyes with her motherly expression that always calmed me. “And yet it’s not enough. These gifts are for you as a welcome to the family.” She pulled me in for a hug to which I returned without a moment of hesitation. I extended the gesture to Shay, Finn and of course George, thanking them profusely as I would when were home to all the other members of the pack.

“You complete the family my dear. Now let’s go and find that mate of yours.” George said as he ushered us all out of the room and towards the stairs. Before we made it there I got a subconscious message from Alex asking me to meet him at his room. I sheepishly excused myself from the group and almost raced to meet him.

Before I even could knock the door swung open and Alex’s jaw hit the floor. “You look amazing.” He said as his eyes nearly popped out of his head as they roved over my frame. Clearing his throat he pulled me inside closing the door with his foot and engulfed me in his arms, his lips immediately finding mine. Pulling back he smiled while resting his forehead to mine. “You look good yourself. Very handsome in a tux.” He lightly kissed me again just once.

We stayed in our embrace just looking into each other’s eyes before he broke the silence. “Whatever happens tonight just know it means nothing.” I looked away from his eyes my nerves creeping back in as I wiped red lipstick from him. “I know and I trust you.”

Reluctantly leaving each other we went our separate ways down the stairs to find the others and to get this night underway. I didn’t know what to expect but I know that by 23.30pm, 6 hours from now captured or not me and Alex were leaving to start our own special night together.

***

Dinner were delicious and the dining hall had now been transformed into a ball room with a small buffet table and large bar over to the right side of the hall, some tables had been kept out surrounding the dance floor but no where near as many as there were. Alex had left me with Shay and Cole as he kept up appearances and mingled with other packs and of course Crystal hung off his arm. Her tight red dress leaving nothing to the imagination. I kept feeling small twinges every time she kissed his cheek but all in all tonight were going well and of course no detective work could really be done yet, but still we wondered around the gathering as I listened out for a specific familiar voice.

The night dragged on and we were at the bar, I hadn’t seen or heard from Alex in 3 hours, which didn’t help my nerves in anyway and my anxiety level kept on raising.

After my fourth glass of wine I started feeling funny, dizzy even, but it wasn’t the alcohol that caused it. Cole caught me as I stumbled along side him and Shay back into the ball room. “I don’t feel too good, I think somethings wrong with Alex.” I realised it was him when I started to see flashes of the entrance and reception desk all in a fast blur.

The feeling didn’t ease as myself and Shay made it into the ladies room. I gripped onto the vanity as my head span, I didn’t understand what was going on but I instructed Cole to go looking for Alex while we were in here. I felt nauseated but managed to hold onto the delicious meal we had earlier in the evening.

“What’s happening?” Shay asked concerned at my side. Alex’s movements continued to whirl in flashes in my mind and made my head spin. He were walking somewhere but I couldn’t tell where. My head was splitting in two with how much it pounded.

It all seemed to ease once he was in one place, but still I couldn’t tell where as the room were dark. I felt as if I could take a deep breath and my heart started to slow. “Feeling better?” I looked over at Shay nodding. But my eyes went wide as an agonising scream escaped my lips and my legs gave out from under me. I slammed to the floor hard, my heart feeling as if it was being ripped from my chest.

I placed my hand over my heart trying to keep it in its cavity, as another scream erupted from me. Cole burst into the bathroom coming to my aid. Only to find no threat just me on the floor holding myself as Shay was trying to soothe me. “What’s wrong with her?” Cole frantically asked. “I don’t know.” Shay answered with a breaking voice.

“Its… Alex… He’s mating… with her.” I panted out between gasps of pain. Both Cole and Shay understood immediately and both stared in disbelief.

“Where is he?” Cole roared. I was taken off guard with his instant switch to anger from his normally calm exterior. I shook my head I didn’t know. Cole gripped my shoulders forcing me to look at him. “Focus, look back in his memories.” It was hard to understand what he wanted me to do with the pain tearing at my heart and mind, as flashes of them together tore through me.

I tried my hardest to focus on what Alex were seeing before the pain started. It was hard to concentrated as his mind didn’t focus on much, as the room span I saw the numbers ‘204’, a room number maybe.

“I saw the numbers 204, a guest room number maybe.” I said to Cole. He shot into action and left the room in an instant. I struggled to get to my feet to catch up, Shay tucked herself under my arm and supported me as we left the ladies room and went after Cole.

We found Cole infuriatedly pressing the elevator call button. The familiar ding rang notifying us it was here, we all got in my weight was momentarily switched to the rail inside giving Shay a breather. She tried to calm Cole down but only succeed in making him more irritated. The doors skid open and Cole was again in action. His long strides out matched ours 2:1 as we ambled down the corridor.

Cole didn’t bother knocking and used his extra strength to pop the door handle and lock in one flick of the wrist. “Oh hey.” Crystal said as if we hadn’t just caught her sliding her underwear up her legs and back in place. My heart shattered into a million pieces as I took in the room. Alex’s once perfectly pressed suit were scattered in pieces at random points of the room and he lay out cold with only a sheet haphazardly thrown over him to cover his manhood.

Crystal readjusted her dress and looked over herself in the huge mirror on the wall. “Wow, making love under the summer solstice moon is just something else ain’t it?” Sadness was all I could think about, me and Alex had plans to do just that for the first time as wolves, beside the river with candles as we watch the stars.

I continued to stare at him sleeping, as tears started to well in my eyes. How could he do this to me? Crystal sidled up behind me looking over him, there mixed arousal permeated the room, making me feel sick to my stomach. “By the way, I know who you are and I can’t wait to tell my father.” She whispered into my ear with a callous tone. The anger started to boil in my veins as I stood from a hunched over position to straight up and looked at her. “Ahh.” Shay exclaimed at the side of me no longer keeping her hand on my arm for support.

I span and stalked forward, as Crystal saw my mood change she backed herself up against the wall. My hand came up to her throat pinning her there. I could feel my eyes blazing into hers and the faint flicker on my hand. “Ahh, your burning me.” She whimpered and struggled. “If you knew who I were then it wasn’t very smart of you to push me was it.”

Fear shot through her, the taste pungent on my tongue and I revelled in it. A tiny pop sound pulled my attention from her contorted mascara streaked face to the necklace around her neck, the glass heat cracking due to the heat. “Fuck, what the hell happened.” Alex questioned while holding his head at the temples with the palms of his hands.

I made another round with my eyes looking at her, the necklace and then him as it clicked in my brain. Immediately letting go of her throat I ripped the chain from her neck and examined it. She had used some sort of forbidden magic to control him and it worked as perfectly as she wanted it to.

When I looked back to her I was shaking in pure fury, even my breathing was shaky and laboured. She were clutching her throat, I could see the perfect outline of my hand print burned onto her neck. “Get. Out.” I seethe. She didn’t need to be asked twice as she scampered out, stumbling on her heels as she went.

“Rose.” Shay started but I stopped her with a look. Hearing my name pulled Alex out of whatever haze he were feeling. I could feel blurriness in the back of my mind but didn’t pay it much attention.

He shifted in the bed, holding the sheet to keep him covered as he stated at me. His sorrowful and apologetic filled eyes burned into mine as he reached for me. But I flinched away from him. I didn’t want him to touch me, not after being with her.

“Aurora please, I didn’t know what I were doing.” I couldn’t process that right now and pushed every bit of pain I had felt over the last 20 minutes down the mate bond. He contorted in pain and writhed on the bed. “Hurts doesn’t it. That’s what I felt while you were fucking her.”

He groan clutching his chest while curling into a ball. My anger start to wain at him brought to tears with the pain I felt that I am now sharing with him. Tears of my own brimmed my eyes and my legs gave out, dropping me to the floor. I let go of the anger and just cried. I heard Shay shuffling Cole out the room and closed the door behind them giving us the privacy to talk.

“Aurora, please... Please believe me when I say I would never do that to you intentionally.” He crawled over to me and pulled me into him. I sobbed feeling calmer about the situation because he held me but I still pushed him away. The smell was a heart breaking reminder that although forced, he was still with someone else. But could he be completely to blame for it? No. I could get over this and deep down I knew he wouldn’t betray me like that, but it didn’t stop the pain in my heart.

“You need to shower in bleach to get the scank smell off you.” I tried to joke but my heart wasn’t in it. Alex kissed my hair not wanting to leave me alone. “Come with me.” He pleaded. “I’m not shower-“ He cut me off. “No, no just be near me. Please. After I just felt your pain and agony I can’t bear to be away from you.” I sighed. “Fine, but I’m not helping.” I seethed.

He chuckled. “That’s fine.” He kissed my hair again, stood and offered me his hand to help me up. If I wasn’t in this dress I wouldn’t have accepted but I actually did need help or a crane. He led me by the hand into the bathroom and switched on the water. As he were already nude he just climbed in. I sat on the closed toilet seat silently and just tried to regroup myself.

The hate that I felt was nothing compared to the sadness of my heart. I bit back the tears and just listened to the water hitting his body and Alex’s shuffling as he washed himself free of the foul smell. I never thought I’d think that of the innocent fragrances of lilies and jasmine but I could no longer distinguish between her and them.

Looking up to him as he stepped out, dripping with water and it sliding down his rock hard body made everything in me heat up. My desire flared as I followed water droplets skate down over his skin and I wanted to replace them with my hands. He said nothing but I could tell he was reading everything I felt for him in this moment. My breathing unsteady and mouth dry, needing him as I needed water.

“Aurora…” At the sound of my name I snapped out of my desire and fled from the bathroom into air that was toxic. Tears welled in my eyes again threatening to fall. I could no longer be here, no longer stand in the room where they connected and definitely no longer be apart of the festivities that I could faintly hear from two stories below us.

I took off running, I ran from the room, the venue and from him. I kicked off my heels as my heels sunk into the soft lawn, I reached around myself trying the get the dress off my body it was too beautiful to ruin. Laughing pulled me out of my tantrum of not being able to reach the zipper and my head turned in the direction of the musical sound.

I took the two steps towards the stone built gazebo. I knew it was wrong to spy but this is what we were here for, this is the proof we needed to stop the whole engagement. I saw Crystal pushed up against the wall, her body enveloped by strong arms and her long leg wrapped around him. “Rick stop. We can’t do this here.” She giggled as her hands dug into the broad figures blonde hair. “No one is around. I need my mate.” He huskily groaned into her neck as he kissed it. The wet sound churning my stomach content. “You fucking that idiot hurt, I need to reclaim what’s mine.” Crystal’s head was lolled back enjoying the feel of his touch. “Then take me.” She moaned lowly into the air.

His hand hitched up her dress from the thigh that was wrapped around him, exposing her to him. She fiddled with his belt and dropped his tuxedo pants to the floor. He moved closer to her and shifted her body higher. They kissed deeply and I wanted to overt my eyes badly but I needed to get the proof we needed.

“Someone break out the popcorn we have a show to watch.” Cole’s voice boomed at the side of me. I didn’t even know he was approaching me let alone be beside me. The two figures before us froze, both heads whipped in the voices direction. Crystal’s eyes flashed in fear and shock as the blonde guy growled low and menacingly.

She wiggled in his arms trying to free herself from him and started to dispute what happened. Her stuttering showed that she was flustered by being caught.

“Aww, no show.” Cole moaned rolling his eyes. “Fuck you.” The guy growled again as he readjusted his clothes back into position. Cole ignored him and turned to face Crystal with a look of disgust clear on his face. “I think Alpha George will be interested to find this out. Don’t you?” She froze, shock replacing the fear. “No please.” She begged but Cole ignored her and turned with an arm lazily thrown over my shoulder. “Shall we celebrate?” He mused as we went back in the direction of the party.

Running footsteps thumped behind us followed by a seething growl. Cole pushed me aside and turned just in time to dodge a fist that went flying his way. Quicker than I could blink Cole had the angry blonde pinned to the lawn. He thrashed violently trying to get free while Crystal screamed at Cole to release him.

“What’s going on out here?” An older voice shouted into the night air. The thrashing stopped momentarily but continued as more and more people fanned out of the doors. “Stopping this idiot from attacking me.” Cole still amused said to the older man.

As I stared at him, recognition faintly pricked at the back of my mind. I’ve seen him before, but where? His features were sharp, his tall frame loomed over the men on the floor. His dark eyes glared at me after he had enough of seeing the two beneath him.

My eyes widened, as the same eyes as my father burned a hole right through me. This is my uncle, Crystal’s father. It was in George’s office that I last saw him before I was punished for nothing at his urging. A cocky smile lifter the side of his mouth, he knew who I were and he would have told my father exactly where to find me. Fear paralysed me to the spot.

“Cole?” A softer male voice questioned. George stood on the lawn staring at them still on the ground. “Alpha George, you might be interested in what I have just found out.” Cole states with a stern voice. “It’s not true. Whatever he has to say is a lie.” Crystal screeched.

“How do I know? he hasn’t said anything yet.” George flicked a cold glare at her. She huffed and stamped her foot. “Daddy tell him, he saw nothing.” She pleaded with him. His cold stare didn’t relax as he now looked at his own flesh and blood. I think with the people in the skirmish and the dishevelled state of her he gathered what had happened and he wasn’t happy. “Shut up you stupid girl.” He spat and turned his attention to George.

Not wanting to make more of a scene for the gathered spectators. “Shall we take this inside.” He extended his hand as if to guide the procession. “Of course.” George walked back into the party. “All of you with us. Now.” He shouted back at us all and stormed off after George.

Cole was back on his feet in and took my arm, leading me inside. Crystal ran ahead of us inside, probably wanting to be the first inside to have her say, the guy Rick hot on her heels. I panicked at Cole’s side, taking trembling steps forward. “Don’t worry. Everything we be fine.” I let out an uneven breath and continued forward silently.

We were the last to walk into a smaller meeting room just off the kitchen. “Right, so now everyone is here can you tell me what happened.” George asked, formality in his harsh tone. “They were having sex in the gazebo and twisted the truth to say I were with Rick because he didn’t want Shay to find out.” Cole laughed loudly filling the room after she finished speaking. “If you’re going to lie make it convincing.” He said before bursting back into laugher. I stared at him as perplexed as everyone else. How could he laugh at a time like this. “This is all her fault.” Crystal stabbed a finger in my direction. “She has a vendetta against me.” I froze, I didn’t do anything just like last time but didn’t want a repeat of last time. “This time she has brought Cole into her madness.”

All eyes were on me but I couldn’t move or say anything, panic and fear keeping me routed into position. “Don’t blame her for your actions.” A new voice rings into the air. Eyes switching to the new comer and releasing me from their judgement. A wash of calm took over my mind but I was still on edge. Alex was propped up against the door frame to the room, twiddling something small in his hands.

“You weren’t even there.” Crystal spat. “Wasn’t I?” His eyes burning into hers, she gulped and looked down guiltily. “Seems father that she has been betraying us all along, and controlling me with this.” Alex stepped forward into the room and dropped the object into his father’s awaiting hand. George looked at the heart shaped glass vial now between his thumb and first finger. He smelt the bottle, eyes hardening and turning to fury as his eyes cast over at Crystal who still hadn’t looked up other than to look up at her father.

“Care to explain Rex.” He seethed looking between the two. “I don’t know what that is.” The older alpha chimed with an arrogant air to him as he lifted his chin. “And you.” He asked in Crystals direction. “I… I don’t know.” She stuttered fear in her voice. “Well it seems this is wolfbane. For those that know.” He turned to Rex. “I’ll give you another chance.” He said, his demeanour changing. More fear peeked within me, I knew that change all to well. Flashes of my childhood dancing in a terrifying loop in my mind.

“We would never do that. There would be no point in controlling your son when we need your support in the troubling times ahead.” Rex stated in the same tone as before. George’s eyes flickered with indifference. “Well only one way to find out if it’s true.” He extended a hand towards Crystal. “If you will.” He said in a low voice. She looked to her father for support but he said nothing.

She moved forward and hesitantly placed her hand in the alphas. George stabbed her palm making it bleed and licked the blood that pooled there, his eyes flickered and went white as he held her hand tightly in his. After a few agonising minutes his normal muddy brown eye colour seeped into the white.

“Seems someone is trying really hard to guard their actions, but they can’t hide the truth.” He threw Crystal’s hand back at her. “You will be punished for your intent and for your affair your trying desperately to hide. I’ll let you know now, the engagement is off.” He turned to Rex and was about to say something but the man sprang into action.

Arms wrapped around me and cold steel pressed against my throat. “Do as you must with her, but this one is coming with me. My brother is missing her dearly and I am going to take her back to him.” Alex roared in front of me Cole at his flank and Shay appeared at the open door with Ruby by her side. “You will let me pass or I will kill her right here, and you will lose your mate this time forever.” Alex didn’t move his positioning lowering to attack, his eyes gleaming gold and teeth sharpening.

“Let her go.”