Chapter 99
The palace felt different after Kairo left. Quieter. The halls echoed more. Servants moved slower. The wedding preparations continued—flowers were arranged, linens folded, invitations sent—but the joy felt thinner. Everyone knew the prince was riding to war. Everyone pretended it was fine.
Aurora spent the day in meetings. The queen showed her the final seating chart. Maids brought more jewelry to try. Musicians played the entrance song again. She smiled. Nodded. Said the right things. But her thoughts were scattered. Kairo running through the woods with his pack. Hardin left behind. The boy in her dreams who looked like Hardin. The ache in her chest that never quite left.
Night came early.
She returned to her room after dinner. The candle was lit. The bed turned down. She changed into her nightgown. White silk. Soft. She sat on the edge of the bed. Stared at the floor.
A soft knock.
She thought it was a maid.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Hardin stepped inside.
He closed the door quickly. Locked it. Looked at her.
Aurora stood up. “What are you doing here?”
Hardin said nothing at first. He crossed the room in three steps.
He cupped her face with both hands.
And kissed her.
Aurora froze.
She did not expect it.
But she did not push him away.
His lips were warm. Urgent. Familiar.
Her body remembered.
Her hands came up. Not to stop him. To hold him. Fingers curled into his shirt. She kissed him back.
It felt right.
It felt like home.
It felt like something she had been missing for a long time.
The kiss deepened. Slow. Hungry. Full of everything they could not say.
Aurora’s heart raced. No guilt. No thought of Kairo riding to war. No thought of the wedding. Just this. Just him.
Her body knew him. Her wolf stirred—weak, but alive. It recognized his scent. His touch. His heartbeat against hers.
They broke apart. Breathing hard.
Hardin rested his forehead against hers.
“I love you,” he said. Voice rough. “I missed you so much. Every day. Every hour. I thought you were dead. I thought I lost you forever.”
Aurora’s eyes filled with tears. “Hardin…”
He said, “You have nothing to worry about. I am all yours. Always have been. Always will be.”
He pulled back just enough to look at her.
“A lot happened when you went missing,” he said. “I was a shadow of myself. I couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep. I searched every day. I left the pack. Gave up the Alpha title. I declined every mate the moon goddess could have given me. Because she didn’t give me one. She gave me you. And you were gone.”
Aurora whispered, “I don’t remember…”
Hardin said, “I know. But your body does. Your wolf does. You kissed me back. You didn’t push me away.”
Aurora touched her lips. “It felt… right.”
Hardin said, “Because it is right. Leave all this. Come with me. Where it all began. To our pack. To our home. We can rewrite everything. Not as Sebastian’s mate. As mine. My mate. My lover. My everything.”
Aurora’s breath caught. “Hardin…”
He said, “You don’t have to answer now. Just think about it. But know this: I will wait. I will wait as long as it takes. But I won’t watch you marry someone else. Not when I know you are mine.”
Aurora looked into his eyes. Gold flecks in the candlelight. Full of pain. Full of love.
She said, “I’ll give it a thought.”
Hardin smiled. Small. Hopeful.
He kissed her again. Soft this time. Gentle. A promise.
Then a knock.
They pulled apart.
A maid’s voice. “My lady? I brought your evening tea and fruit.”
Aurora said, “Come in.”
The door opened.
The maid stepped inside. Tray in hands. She saw Hardin. Her eyes widened. Looked from Aurora to Hardin. Suspicious.
Aurora said, “Thank you. Put it on the table.”
The maid did. Bowed. But her eyes stayed on Hardin.
Hardin said, “I was just leaving.”
He walked past the maid. Out the door.
The maid watched him go. Then looked at Aurora.
“My lady… is everything okay?”
Aurora said, “Yes. Everything is fine.”
The maid bowed again. Left.
Aurora stood alone.
She touched her lips again.
The kiss lingered.
The words lingered.
I love you.
I missed you.
Come with me.
My mate. My lover.
She walked to the window. Looked out at the dark woods.
Kairo was out there.
Hardin was here.
The wedding was coming.
But now she had a choice.
Remember or forget.
Stay or go.
Kairo or Hardin.
She did not know.
But the kiss had made one thing clear.
She could not pretend anymore.
She had to decide.
Soon.