Chapter 1

I let out a moan as I woke up and it was already and I had no idea what had happened the day before...

I gasped because I had to make the tea but then I realized it wasn't my room nor it was my bed... It was a large bed with a large sheet that was covering my body...

Speaking of which, I felt a little light underneath the sheet. I looked under and immediately I froze... Because I wasn't wearing anything...

Not even a single lingerie.

I gasped as I recalled every shard of memories from the previous day. My heart thumped and I felt my cheeks turning red. I did it...

I did it with Alpha Cedric...!

I had no clue that the mate bond was this strong that I had lost all of my control the moment he touched me. Even Adelaide, my wolf, hummed a merry tune as she groomed herself... We had finally found our mate and not to mention we did it several times that I lost count...

I had no idea that I was here in his room the whole day, yesterday... I slapped myself as I recalled the ways he did it with me. He was gentle, rough, harsh and everything as we were both enjoying ourselves and then suddenly my right hand went to my neck...

My heart thumped because he had marked me...

A small smile lingered in my lips as I released a breath. Finally, I found my mate and maybe now, I would be able to live in peace... Only my mate could give me that much calmness and peace... It felt like he was my salvation and I could feel his scent all over me as it made me so happy...

Now, my life would be different... A hope came across and flooded in my heart as I recalled the dreaded past of myself. My previous pack, the Spirit claws was nothing but a pack where I used to get bullied and beaten. It was my pack but after my father and mother were exiled for being the traitors, my life turned into a hell.

My parents were the Betas of the pack but the Alpha betrayed them. They were called traitors due to the selling information about the pack but I knew it wasn't true. My parents loved the pack to their hearts. They would never do something like this... They always stood behind the Alpha and his family to support them and devoted themselves to the pack.

But the Alpha was merciless enough not to cut their heads since the rules say that traitors are punished by death sentence. He let me stay there since I was only thirteen but I wished that my parents took me with them.

Because of being called the traitors' daughters, they started to bully me. I never had my coming of age ceremony to find my mate, all I got from the pack was insults, a bunch of bruises and more insults... I was tired when I turned 19 because by then I was losing my hopes of living and more than that I lost all the hope to find my mate...

Until The Blood howlers pack, Alpha Cedric's pack destroyed them when there was a dispute among the borders... My pack didn't stand a chance as they crumbled down before their feet. I wanted to laugh because that's how it should have been. They treated me like that all those years but now when they were being treated the same, it made my heart feel at ease even if it was short lived...

Because the next thing I knew was being a slave of the Blood howlers... They had captured most of the members and those who didn't want to surrender themselves, they killed them.

So, now I was merely a slave... However, things changed when I was tasked to serve into the Alpha's wings.

I looked beside but saw the bed was empty with only me... I was surprised to find that the place beside me was cold as if he had left at night... Where was he?

Why wasn't he with me? I thought we were mates so after that we would be waking up together cuddling to each other like normal mates...

Somehow my heart dropped that he wasn't there and the bed felt so empty as if it emptied my heart as well.

I shook my head and tried to think positively. Maybe he had some urgent work to do... Of course he had!

After all he was an Alpha... He must have been gone for that. He wouldn't leave his mate like that, would he?

I tried not to think much as I took my clothes from the floor and wore them. I wasn't sure what to do. I needed a shower as I was aching all over and I felt sore but as a slave I had to clean and wash the clothes...

But I was mated with their Alpha, would he still want to make me do that? Knowing so well that I was his Luna? There was no way they would do that... There was no way he would allow that... Maybe Cedric went to tell his men that I was his mate...

I heard heavy footsteps coming toward the room and butterflies fluttered in my belly as I imagined him to come inside with a large smile on his face.

But it was the opposite... The moment the doors opened, I saw an angry and irritated looking Cedric coming inside the room.

I stood there as I asked, "Cedric... Where were you?"

He looked at me with a look that told me he didn't like that I called him by his name without the honorifics... But last night, I had called him by his name countless times...

He scoffed and asked, "So, just a one night love made you this daring to call me by my name?"

I was stunned as I blinked... What was he talking about?

He came closer as I stood there with a stupid face and my eyes still watching him like I didn't understand any of these...

He said with a cold voice as his large structure intimidated me, "You were only allowed to call me by my name because the situation demanded it. Don't think you can just call me without the honorifics..."

My heart dropped as he added, "And I see you are still looking into my eyes... I guess I hadn't allowed a mere slave to look into my eyes..."

I said, my voice hitching and my tears threatening to come out, "B-but Cedric... We are m-mates..."

I was stunned but Adelaide was more stunned than me as she could not make any noise or anything. She was like a frozen statue as she looked at him through me. Just one look at her and I knew she was breaking from inside slowly...

I said to her, 'Adelaide... Don't worry. He must be joking...'

I knew how many days, weeks, years she waited for her mate. She hadn't lost her hope to find her mate like me. She used to tell me that she would be happy once she met her mate and she would get her own family... And it broke my heart as I saw her eyes moistened, her hopes crushing one by one...

Cedric laughed and asked in a mocking tone, "Mates? Do I look like I would need a mate who is a slave and end up being a laughing stock?"

My heart rumbled as my tears came around the corners of my eyes... I took large breaths as I clenched my teeth, not wanting to cry before him. I said, trying to calm my shaky voice, "You enjoyed... You even marked me..."

He looked tip to toe of me as he said, "That I did because it was hard to control the mate bond... And I certainly enjoyed it as much as you did."

Not a single word came out of my throat as he said, his voice harsh as if it had rubbed the hot iron on my back, "Just because I marked you that doesn't mean you are my Luna... Or, I have accepted you as my mate."

He came so close that his breaths fell on my face and he added, "In fact, I had plans to reject you from the start but I couldn't do so yesterday... There's no way a filthy slave could be my mate."

He took a breath as he ordered, more like threatening, "And be sure not to tell anyone about it or else..."

Funny how thirty lashes didn't feel so painful like his words did... His words cut deeper into my skin as all I could do was staring at him, my eyes blank as I knew what was coming in my way...

And the first tear drops fell from my eyes as he added.

 "I, Alpha Cedric Schultz, the Alpha of The Blood Howlers pack rejects you, Aurora Woodward of the Spirit Claws pack as my mate."

Chapter 2

The rejection was so harsh I felt my heart clenched tightly. It was impossible to calm my nerves down as I started to take breaths. My whole body started to shake in excruciating pain as it was becoming painful...

Even my wolf, Adelaide felt the same as she howled painfully. Soon her howls turned into whimpers as tears ran down from the corners of my eyes and I tumbled down on the floor.

How could he? How could he do this?

Wasn't he feeling any ounce of pain while rejecting his mate?

I had heard him being the cruelest Alpha and merciless but I had no idea he would be like this to his own mate...!

But before I could ask him anything, I had lost my consciousness.

All the hope I had accumulated that night, he didn't take long to crush them in a blink of an eyes. He crushed it under his feet like it was nothing but a bunch of autumn leaves in his path...

After the rejection, nothing changed...

I was still a slave for him and his pack and the bullies continued... There were insults and beatings but I kept accepting everything because I felt like a part of me was lost after that day. My wolf Adelaide didn't talk to me after that day... She disappeared... And now, I was just a wolfless slave...

"Aurora, give me the needles, I need to sew her skin and put on the ointments so she can heal fast." Uncle Garrett, the pack doctor, said as I got snatched out of my thoughts and went to the desk to get the needed things however, I heard a growl.

"No... I don't want this slave to touch anything with those filthy hands of hers..." She said as I turned back... She was the Gemma's daughter, Emily and my tormentor.

Did I forget to say that this pack hated slaves and treated them even worse than my previous pack?

I wasn't allowed to come near the pack house, I would have to lay my eyes down if I came across the superiors of the pack such as the Alpha, beta, gamma and so on... As a slave I held a position far lower than any of them... Even the lowest rank wolves held a position higher than me.

However, it was because of uncle Garrett, I was in the pack house at the doctors' quarters. He caught me treating one of their slave's wounds skillfully so he had urged their beta to take me under his wings as his apprentice...

It had been a month as I was working in the Alpha wings, cleaning and washing and in my free time I was working as a nurse under Uncle Garrett.

After being insulted and rejected by Cedric...no, Alpha Cedric, I had stopped looking at anyone's eyes... It wasn't due to submission but I was tired. And not being able to talk to Adelaide made it even worse.

As she was gone, my powers had been gone too. I was now wolfless and I couldn't feel any of their auras anymore. The domineering auras that tried to make me intimidated weren't working anymore because I couldn't feel them. My healing powers were gone too as now, I had bruises and cuts more prominent...

Emily had been making sure I got punished on each step so I was getting lashes and all. But no amount of torture could break me anymore. First the rejection broke me and the next, Adelaide... Her disappearance made me empty.

The moment Alpha Cedric rejected me, I had decided to go away.

I wanted to go far away so I could live with only myself... I didn't need any mates and besides, I had lost my powers so, I wasn't getting any more mates either... Maybe it was good that Adelaide disappeared...

I kept my eyes low as uncle Garrett treated Emily. I said, "I'm sorry, I will keep it in my mind..."

Emily scoffed, "You better if you don't want the Alpha to give you the death penalty."

I wanted to scoff but I kept quiet. There was a rule that if a slave mistreated any superiors of the pack, they won't even check if it was true or not. It was a death penalty...

After a while, Emily went away still mocking me. As she left, uncle Garrett asked, "What is it? You seem a little...sick?"

I smiled weakly and shook my head. "I am fine... It is nothing."

However, I noticed my appetite had increased and I felt dizzy most of the time while working... Maybe I was sick. Was this the side effects of losing my wolf? Or maybe because of the rejection?

Uncle Garrett smiled and said, "Anyway,Aurora, you have been really great, excellent even. As I had said, I had applied for your nurse certification and Alpha Cedric had allowed that."

He did? That was really shocking but then I needed the certificate because it paid a crucial role in my escape. I had decided to run away from this pack and start over.

But then, suddenly my dizziness hit me as I stumbled back and was about to fall when uncle Garrett caught me. He looked worried as he asked, "Are you alright? You look weak..."

"Just a little tired..." I said but then he looked at me weirdly and asked, "Are you feeling anything else besides exhaustion?"

I said with a nod, "I am feeling hungry lately and I'm also vomiting other than my exhaustion..."

He was surprised as I raised a brow... He started to inspect me. He checked my vitals and somehow he looked a little serious.

I asked, "Did I get any virus or something?"

He hummed and said, "Yes, you did and it seems you are not going to get rid of this virus..."

I got stunned as I gasped... Wait! What kind of virus?! I was already going through a lot but now...

I was about to ask him what did he mean but I was cut off as he said with a big smile on his face, "Congratulations, Aurora, you are pregnant."

Chapter 3

And that made me froze... I... I was pregnant...?!

And suddenly, the realisation hit me like a brick falling on my head. I could be since I had missed my periods. I thought it was because I wasn't given proper food or anything but it was the because of the pregnancy, I had no clue.

Uncle Garrett said, "Whoever the father is must be very lucky..."

I was surprised as I asked, my voice shaking... "Wh—why is that?"

He grinned and said, "I heard two heart beats so I'm thinking it is a twin!"

My breath caught in my throat... Twins...

If it was a twin then it was Cedric's. They were the heirs of this pack and if he came to know if this, I would be killed instantly... Along with my children.

Because I clearly heard he didn't want me to tell anyone about our passionate night.

I said, trying my best to smile but in inside, my heart howled with fear, "Uncle Garrett, that's great. But can you keep it a secret? I mean... I don't want anyone to find that out."

I didn't want Cedric to find that out...

He nodded and said, "Alright... I guess people nowadays likes to surprise their mates..."

I simply gave him a nod.

Uncle Garrett didn't understand thq situation I was in as he only smiled and gave me the certificate... Now that I had it, I knew what my next move was. I needed to escape as soon as possible because if I didn't, Cedric would come to know of my pregnancy.

As soon as I got the certificate, I said, "Now, if you will excuse me, I will have to wash the clothes..."

Uncle Garrett nodded as I left but as I was turning around the corridor, I got collided with a hard chest. I looked up and immediately froze.

It was Cedric...

My heart thumped. What if he heard the heartbeats of the children?! My breathing got fastened as I immediately stepped back and looked down saying, "I apologize, Alpha Cedric, for not looking out if anyone is coming..."

I didn't call him with his name and instead used honorifics because he did say that one mating could not make me his mate nor his Luna.

But somehow it made him pissed off... I felt anger radiating from him and I needed to go away as soon as possible. I said, "If you'll excuse me, Alpha Cedric, this mere filthy slave needs to go do her work."

I crossed past him as my feet hurried however, almost immediately, I felt a hand grabbing my waist and yanking me toward it. I stumbled back as my back hit the wall and I saw it was Alpha Cedric.

I hissed in pain and immediately looked down but the close proximity of his face made my heart thump. I didn't want to get the wrong idea and sway again in his arms like that day. I was a stupid to think he would accept me and hoped that he would make me his Luna. But not anymore.

I had sworn not to succumb to his touch and got swayed in his delirious touch.

"You dare to use that mocking tone of yours while talking to me..." He hissed on my face.

I said, still looking down, "A filthy and mere slave would dare to mock the Alpha of the Blood howlers pack."

He gritted his teeth in anger as my heart thumped. But I wasn't afraid of him, I just felt that my anger was rushing to my head as adrenaline rushed with it.

"Aurora!" He let out a growl which would have made me cower in fear but I wasn't because I had no wolf so he could intimidate... He said, "Look at me!"

I wasn't looking at him as he caught my chin and yanked it up yet my eyes were downcast. He hissed, "Look. Fucking. At. Me. Aurora!"

But I said, my voice breathless with all the adrenaline and anger rushing through me, "A mere and filthy slave should not look into the eyes of the Alpha of-"

I nearly screamed as he punched the wall just beside my ears, giving it a large crack and my heart started to thump loudly in my chest. I finally looked up at him in shock as his eyes had darkened with anger. His pupils dilated as I saw the pair of golden pupils... It must be his wolf. They were fighting to get control.

He looked at my face for a while and asked, "Where is your wolf? I can't seem to sense her..."

I smiled dryly as tears rumbled around the corners of my eyes and I said, "That's none of your business..."

He clenched his teeth and caught my arms so tightly that I moaned in pain. He was surprised as he tore my sleeves. The bruises were prominent on my pale skin as I couldn't heal them anymore. They had turned purple and he could see that I wasn't healing at all.

He was surprised as he asked, "Why aren't you healing...?"

I struggled myself free from his grip as I felt nausea hitting me hard. I started to run away from him as tears started to fall. I sniffed as I ran through the corridor, didn't want him to see me crying before him and let him enjoy my vulnerable side. I did not want to seem pathetic so I ran and wiped my tears away as I entered my small room.

I closed the doors and started to cry. I missed Adelaide... And everything here hurts me more... Even the closeness of Alpha Cedric hurt me as it reminded me that because of him, I lost my only friend... And now, I was pregnant...

I had no one to go talk to and I had to make sure he didn't hurt my children... I was scared and more than that I was helpless.

And suddenly, my gag reflex struck me out of nowhere as I ran toward the bathroom. My nausea hit me and I threw up everything I had eaten that morning. I didn't feel good as I wanted to go away as soon as possible. I wanted to leave this place and now that I had gotten my certificate, I could go.

I had been planning my escape already and I knew tonight was the perfect chance for me as I had heard, another pack's Alpha was coming with his daughter. And it was Alpha Cedric's fiance.

They were going to celebrate it tonight as they were going to disclose the engagement tonight. It hurt me to see my mate going to accept another Luna for himself but I had no choice... Because he had rejected me already.

That night, I left the Blood Howlers pack sneakily as I swore not to return ever... 

Chapter 4

Alpha Cedric:

I was a bit of pissed as I had to engage the daughter of Alpha Theodore from the Midnight Blue pack.

Well, my father, the former Alpha had already settled things down without discussing it with me. I didn't have a problem aince this alliance would only benefit me and my pack but I didn't like anyone ordering me around and expect I would listen with obedience. Even it was my father.

A knock came at my door as I said, "Come in."

It was my beta. He came inside and saif, "Alpha Cedric, the former Alpha, your father has come..."

I groaned. "Now?!"

He said nodding, "It seems we have a bit of a situation here..."

I asked, raising my brow, "What situation?"

He gulped down and looked everywhere but me as it made me concerned. Because I knew my beta, Luc.

He was a really confident wolf and if he was sweating now because of something that only meant, my father had done something...

I asked, "What is it, Luc?"

He released a sigh and said, "It seems the Alpha of the Midnight blue is coming today with his daughter for formalising the engagement..."

I got stunned as I blinked at him... "What! Today?!"

I stood up angrily and my father came inside from behind Luc, with an even angrier gaze. He said, "Yes, tonight!"

I gritted my teeth and said, "Why didn't you discuss anything about this? You know I want to find my mate before I can make my mind to accept an arranged mate!"

I knew my father was eagerly finding a mate for me but I didn't really want to get into any kind of marriage yet. I lied him about finding the mate as I had already rejected her...

Immediately, my mind replayed the night I had shared with her... Aurora...

My father growled, taking back my attention, "Finding your mate?! All I hear is that you being cooped up in this office all day. When will you find your mate?!"

I was about to say something when he grumbled, "I just want to see my grandchildren! I guess you know that I won't be getting any younger?"

I let out a sigh. I knew my father wanted nothing but some grandchildren... He had become alone after my mom died so, it was all he wanted now. I couldn't deny that I wanted my own children too but I still needed to make this pack steady before that.

I nodded, "Alright... But don't expect me to agree on everything you say!"

He grumbled more and left as he said, "If you had found your mate, I wouldn't have to do this."

My head thumped as I looked at Luc. He had been witnessing thus banter between us for a long time...

He shrugged and said, "Since you wouldn't be getting any mate, why don't you just marry the daughter of Alpha Theodore?"

I didn't answer him as I said, "I just need some time..."

And I went outside of the office. I didn't know why but since the night I had spent with Aurora, I couldn't help but remember her face all the time. Even now... I was feeling it hard to forget her even when I had rejected her. She was just a slave so... There was no way I could accept her as my Luna...

But my heart thumped in an unusual way as my wolf, Philip grumbled, 'You didn't even ask me!'

I let out a sigh... I hadn't asked Philip too that I was going to rehect my mate. And now he was angry at me as he hadn't been talking to me lately.

As I was turning around the corner, I got collided with something delicate. I looked down and saw it was Aurora... I got stunned because no matter where I go, I kept seeing her. Or maybe it was my illusion?

However as soon as she apologized in a dramatic way, it made me angry. Was she mocking me?!

I caught her tightly as she kept struggling but I scoffed in my mind as she had no power against me. But then I felt something odd. Her delicate hands were so thin that I felt like they could break if I give a bit pressure. Even her waist had shrunken down a lot. Her body felt so small against my large one that I almost felt scared to hold her too tight. It felt different than the last time...

And then I realized I could not feel her wolf... What was going on?

I asked, "Where's your wolf...? I can't sense her."

And at the same time, my wolf, Philip got restless as he tried to gain control over me. He growled in my head, 'Cedric! I can't sense her at all... She's gone!'

I was surprised... What did he mean by she was gone? And as Aurora was struggling with me, her sleeves got torn...

And I froze...

There were a lot of bruises and scratches and marks of someone beating her. But the surprising fact was that they had turned purple... It was as if she wasn't healing anymore...

Philip whimpered... 'She isn't healing... That only means that...'

Her wolf was gone... But how? And why?

I felt my heart clenching as I saw Aurora's eyes moistening and as she said that it was none of my business, my heart dropped. I didn't know why I felt like this but it seemed I was still attached to her even if I had broken the bond. I felt the hurt she felt and it made me stay still in my tracks as she started to ran away.

I could have gone behind her but I didn't... I chose to stay on my ground even if my whole being wanted run behind her.

If only I had went...

I regretted it because that was the last time, I had ever seen her.

My engagement got finalised and the next thing I heard that a slave had escaped. It was none other than Aurora who had ran away...

Chapter 5

[Three months later]

I had escaped successfully from the pack that night. Since the Alpha of the Midnight blue was

coming with his daughter to formalise the engagement, I had used the crowd in my advantage

to sneak out.

They were all busy preparing for the big event and I knew it was my only chance. I knew the risk

that if I got captured, I would be killed instantly but still for the sake of my children, I had to do it.

To protect them.

As I had escaped, my life had turned around in a better way. With the help of the certificate, I

had started to work under a small hospital. I was working as a nurse and my life had changed.

In this three months, I had been diligent and hard working to save enough money for my

children. I may wasn't the richest mom out there but I had decided to give them just as much as

I could afford.

I had a job, I had a small apartment and more than that, I was free... I had decided to raise my

babies all by myself. I knew Alpha Cedric would not mind if I had escaped from under his nose

or not since he had already rejected me and besides, I knew he would not want the children too.

Because he didn't want a slave as his mate so it was hard to think he would want a slave to

bear his heirs...

I was trained by uncle Garrett so my skills had honed by now. And because of that the money

was good. I would not say it was a highly paid job but I was happy. I was just happy that I would

not have to be chained under some petty rules and would always get beaten even if it wasn't my

fault.

I didn't want that kind of lifq for my children too. I knew how harse and unfair it would be for my

children so, I was proud that I had ran away from there...

I wanted my children to grow in a healthy environment and in a healthy surrounding.

I also had friends... Well, they were mostly my colleagues or the doctors. And they weren't

werewolves... But they were very helpful and caring especially, Jason...

He was a doctor here and he had been taking care of me. He evan knew I was pregnant and he

was making sure that I didn't work hard or else it could harm my babies...

I didn't know humans were so much more helpful than werewolves...

I had started to live here with the humans since it could become a good neighborhood for my

children. The werewolves in the packs were just too greedy and unfair to everyone. They were

also selfish.

I did not want my child to grow in that kind of environment. I knew they would be safe and grow

in a loving atmosphere if I stayed here.

I saved money for my babies and I was positive that I could be a good mom.

I had just finished my work as I was returning to my apartment. I wanted to have my favourite

donut as I went to the donut shop nearby. The boy there was really sweet as he gives me a free

donut every Friday. And today was Friday.

I was humming a tune however, suddenly, I smelled blood. I looked around but I couldn't see

anyone as I shrugged and started to walk back to my home.

And suddenly, I saw a wolf coming out of nowhere... It was black and his eyes were glowing

golden. He was so large that it didn't take me long to know that it was a werewolf.

I gasped and was about to scream for help because I thought it was going to attack me

however, it didn't. Instead, he tumbled down before my feet as my heart thumped.

I looked around because they might call animal rescue if they saw the bloodied wolf but then,

the wolf started to turn back to its human form.

From its size I knew the wolf might have higher rank and even though it was heavily injured, it

could heal fast however, what I saw was unbelievable. The wolf had turned back to human but I

could not able to see his face.

I gasped as I saw the wounds... It seemed like someone had attacked it with the wolfsbane.

There were burns on his skin and blood was coming out as I felt bad for him.

But it also meant that if I didn't treat him, he would die. Although I decided not to involve with

werewolves ever again, I couldn't simply just let him die naked in the streets. Besides, if others

find out him, they would take him to the hospital where they might come to know that he was

different...

So, I decided to tend him until he was recovered and maybe I could demand money out of him...

That could make me save a few penny... I almost felt proud of myself but then I felt shameful

because how could I think of this in this situation where he could die?!

But what was he doing here? In the human society? I knew werewolves don't really come

around the humans. If they came it would only because of business.

I let out a frustrated sigh as I took out a shawl from my bag which I carried always for cold

weather but he needed it more than me.

I wrapped it around him and as I tried to drag him, his face came to my view and I froze...

The face looked really familiar... Dark hair, a good sculptured nose, thin lips, thick eyes brows

and strong body... The way I remembered...

I shook my head. What was I thinking?!

Even if I knew it was a serious moment, I could not help but think about that night... As the

memories came crashing before my eyes.

Because the wounded wolf was none other than Alpha Cedric Schultz, from whom I had sworn

to keep my distance and from whom I had sworn to hide my pregnancy.

But it seemed fate had decided something else for me because I had sworn not to go back to

him or near him yet, he was here before me, wounded and dying.

I could go away without treating him but then he could die and I didn't want that.

Now I had no choice but to take him with me but then I realized that he didn't know of my

pregnancy... And I had decided to hide it from him no matter what.

Because if he knew about it, he will kill us...