Proven Heart

Twenty-three: Years

Aurora looked at the wolf nervously one last time before she left the room. Her apparent fear stretched across her pale face.

The wolf had never felt this scared before. Scared for her life, her mate, but most importantly, her son. This level of danger just walking around the halls had her on her feet.

It was the sole reason why she was so hard on the wolf. In her depths, Aurora loathed her. Though she acted innocently, Selena Highcliff was a danger unseen.

Ever since she was a pup, the first son’s curse had plagued her family.

~•°•~

Thirty Years Ago

Though she was little, Aurora always had the sheer fascination of what it was truly to be a spy, just like her mom and dad. She learned a few tricks by just observing them. Sadly, this often landed her in hot waters.

But that never stopped her from anything.

Aurora stalked the halls of her home after being tucked into bed, masking her scent with wolfsbane as he tiptoed towards her parents’ room.

For the past few days, she had learned about a ‘hit’. The thought of going on a spying mission made her giddy.

“Are you sure about this, Walt?” Her mother asks cautiously. “Alpha and Luna Albrich are against the whole idea.”

Aurora peeked through the keyhole, trying her best not to breathe too loudly.

“It’s a simple hit, darling. I’ll be home tonight in one piece.”

“But Daniel and his family are our friends. Let’s not be a part of this, please. We have no real clue about this curse and as far as we know, Caleb is a kind and loving wolf and so is his wife, who is carrying twin pups in her tummy.” Her mother argued.

“He has the first son’s blood,” he said. “Their kind must not coexist with us. They are trouble and will kill us all.”

“Says who?”

“The Alphas and Lunas of other packs. If they fear him, why shouldn’t we? They may be a Morris by blood, but by name, they are nothing. This opportunity will set us up for life. Think of our daughter. We can finally leave pack Albrich, move to the city and give her a life far from here. That’s what we always wanted, right?”

Aurora gulped. Never had she gotten so cold before. The mere thought of leaving the pack made her want to cry.

What about her friends? Will she ever see them again?

Her childish heart felt like it was being squeezed through a small hole. Her life was all in pack Albrich and leaving meant she would need to make new friends and be in a weird new place. She feared that her shyness would eventually overtake her.

Aurora’s mother didn’t utter another word. All she could see through the peeping hole was her mother barely holding her tears and then her parents sharing a long, tender kiss.

Her father stepped away, making her jolt, and carefully slink back into the hall and hid behind a tall display case, waiting for her father to disappear.

“Walter, be safe.” Her mother whispers.

“I will. Don’t worry. What’s one wolf to a dozen?” He replied, leaving his wife on the verge of tears.

At the sound of heavy feet thumping on the ground, Aurora followed her father.

She had readied herself and wanted to prove that she was at the right age. At eight years old, some pups were already allowed to work as assistants for front liners.