Chapter 8 The Hunt Begins

Chapter 8 The Hunt Begins
I did not sleep.

I sat in the cave the whole night clutching her gift in my hand, staring blankly at the stream where she had vanished from my arms. The same place where only hours ago she had been laughing, blushing beneath my touch, whispering my name as if I was her whole world.

And now she was gone.

I did not even know what I was feeling anymore.

Shock?

Anger?

Desperation?

Obsession?

Perhaps all of it together, clawing inside my chest until breathing itself felt painful.

Aurora was a witch.

A witch.

My mate was a witch.

I dragged both hands through my hair and laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in it.

“Why, Moon Goddess?” I whispered hoarsely into the emptiness of the cave. “Why did you have to play me like this?”

My voice echoed back to me in mockery.

Witches were the mortal enemies of wolves. She knew it. The Goddess knew it.

Then why?

Why give me her?

She was everything I had ever wanted in a mate—sweet, shy, stubborn, passionate, beautiful… too perfect.

And a witch.

The very word should have filled me with disgust.

Instead, all it brought me was pain.

I looked toward the entrance of the cave where the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the curtain of falling water. Gold danced over the rocks, but even dawn looked hollow without her.

My fists clenched.

My heart throbbed in a way no battle wound ever had.

I replayed everything.

Our first meeting.

Her beautiful eyes looking at me with fear and wonder.

Her long hair shining brown under sunlight.

The way she smiled when she blushed.

The way she trembled in my arms last night.

I could still feel her warmth on my skin.

Still smell her.

Still taste her.

A stupid smile touched my lips at the memories before my gaze drifted to the box she had left behind.

And anger surged through my veins all over again.

I rose abruptly.

My wolf stirred viciously.

My eyes glowed golden.

“Aurora!” I shouted, my voice making the cave tremble. “You are mine… in life or in death, no matter what!”

My breathing turned ragged.

“I am going to get you back,” I growled into the roaring waterfall, “and torment you for this… for making me feel this madness.”

The words left me harsher than I intended.

Then quieter—

“And then maybe break this damn mate bond.”

But even saying it felt like a lie.

Because some part of me already knew—

I could never let her go.

Never.

Rage burned through me and I shifted.

Bones cracked, muscles stretched, fur erupted—

and within seconds my wolf stood where I had been.

But something felt different.

I felt bigger.

Faster.

Stronger.

My black fur shimmered strangely under dawn, carrying a golden lustre through it.

I stilled.

Even my wolf sensed it.

But my mind was too consumed by Aurora to care.

I shot through the forest toward the palace.

At the Werewolf Palace

The moment I entered, servants scattered.

I shifted back and stormed into the great hall.

“Jack!” I roared.

My Beta appeared instantly and bowed.

“My Alpha.”

He could sense through our bond that I was furious.

Good.

Everyone should sense it.

“Call everyone,” I ordered coldly.

He blinked. “My Alpha?”

“Everyone,” I snarled. “Search division. Intelligence. Trackers. Every damn wolf.”

Within minutes the hall was filled.

I threw one of Aurora’s rubber hairbands on the table.

“Track her.”

Silence.

Then murmurs.

Jack looked stunned.

“My Alpha… who—”

I slammed my fist down so hard the table cracked.

“I want Aurora here before nightfall.”

Gasps filled the room.

“Raze the forest if you have to. Dig the ground. Search every border. Do whatever you must.”

I leaned forward, eyes blazing.

“But find her.”

Jack hesitated.

“And if she does not wish to return?” he asked carefully.

A dangerous smile touched my mouth.

“She will.”

Because whether she likes it or not—

she is mine.

Aurora’s POV

I woke with a start, breathing hard, my whole body heating as if fire flowed through my veins.

I pressed a hand to my chest.

“What… what is happening to me?”

Then I knew.

Christian.

He found it.

He must have found the gift.

He must be furious.

The thought alone broke something inside me.

I pulled my knees to my chest and began crying.

Not quiet tears.

Violent sobs that shook my whole body.

“I didn’t want to do this to you,” I whispered between sobs. “I really love you…”

I buried my face against my knees.

“But I knew you would hate me once you knew my identity.”

Why?

Why me?

Why did fate make me so unlucky?

It would have been kinder if the Goddess had never given me a soulmate at all.

I cursed fate.

I cursed my clan.

I cursed the ancient hatred between witches and wolves.

And I cried until I had no strength left.

Then suddenly…

something cool wrapped around me.

White smoky tendrils.

Soft as silk.

Living.

They coiled around me gently, unknowingly quieting my sobs.

A strange peace washed through me.

My eyelids grew heavy.

And I slipped into unconsciousness.

When darkness claimed me, a lady dressed in white appeared beside me.

She was adorned in golden jewels and looked radiant, almost celestial.

She knelt beside me and caressed my hair, smiling sadly.

“My child,” she whispered, “I am sorry you must go through this.”

Her touch was warm.

Motherly.

Ancient.

Divine.

“But this life is yours, and the decisions you make will affect not only you… but the entire celestial realm.”

Her eyes shone strangely.

“You need to be strong.”

“You need a compassionate heart. You need to experience all the emotions to become strong, you are yet to find your true identity and true purpose”

She placed a hand upon my forehead.

Golden light spread.

Then she whispered softly—

“May you rise… and become a benevolent ruler.”

And just before I woke—

she vanished.