Chapter 75
Sunlight poured through the high arched windows of the grand dining hall, glinting off crystal goblets and silver platters.
Aurora entered on Kairo’s arm, dressed in pale blue silk that made her look even more fragile against the opulence.
The king and queen were already seated at the head of the table.
Their expressions were kind—but today there was something else beneath the kindness.
Curiosity.
Calculation.
Queen Elowen smiled warmly as Aurora took her seat.
“Good morning, my dear. Did you sleep well after last night’s unpleasantness?”
Aurora lowered her eyes modestly.
“Better, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern.”
The queen’s gaze lingered, sharp despite the softness of her voice.
“You are stronger than you appear, Aurora. That is good. Strength will be needed for what comes next.”
Kairo frowned slightly. “Mother—”
The queen raised a delicate hand, silencing him.
“We have indulged the mystery of our guest long enough,” she said calmly. “The palace whispers. The court wonders. And soon, the kingdoms will demand answers.”
She turned fully to Aurora.
“You arrived half-dead at our borders. No memory. No name. No mark of origin. Yet you heal faster than any human should. Your grace, your presence… it feels almost familiar.”
Aurora kept her face blank, heart steady.
The queen leaned forward.
“I believe you may be one of the moon-blessed. A werewolf.”
The word hung in the air like a blade.
Kairo stiffened beside Aurora. “Mother, she has no memory of—”
“Which is why we will test her,” the queen interrupted gently but firmly. “Today. The old way. The Moonstone Ritual.”
Aurora’s fingers tightened around her goblet, but her voice remained soft.
“A test… for what, Your Majesty?”
“To see if the wolf lives within you,” the queen replied. “If your blood answers to the moonstone, we will know you are werewolf. If it glows silver, your wolf is intact. If it burns red… your beast has been broken or sealed. And if it does nothing…”
She paused.
“You are human. And everything changes.”
Aurora let her eyes widen—just enough.
Fear. Uncertainty. Fragility.
“I… I don’t know if I’m ready.”
Kairo reached for her hand under the table. “You don’t have to do this.”
But the king spoke for the first time, voice deep and final.
“She does. For her safety. For the kingdom’s. If she is werewolf, she belongs among her kind—or under our protection as an ally. If she is human… certain arrangements cannot stand.”
His eyes flicked briefly to Kairo.
Aurora caught the meaning.
If human, she could never marry the prince.
Royal bloodlines did not mix with mortals.
She let a single tear slip.
Perfect timing.
“I understand,” she whispered. “I’ll do the ritual.”
The queen nodded, satisfied.
“Good girl. It will be this afternoon, in the sacred grove. Only the royal family, the high priestess, and two guards. Private. Dignified.”
Kairo’s grip on Aurora’s hand tightened—protective, possessive.
Aurora squeezed back gently.
Inside, her mind raced.
A test.
A real one.
She didn’t know what her blood would do.
She didn’t know if Rhianna’s wolf still lived inside her.
Weakened. Dying. Lost.
Or if it had survived the darkness… and was simply waiting.
The Unknown Blood
Later, in the privacy of her chambers, Aurora stood before the mirror again.
She lifted the sleeve of her gown, studying her arm.
Smooth. Unmarked. No scars from claws, no mate mark, no pack sigil.
She pressed her nails into her skin—hard enough to draw blood.
A thin red line welled up.
It healed slowly.
Too slowly for a healthy wolf.
Faster than a human.
Not nothing.
But not whole.
She stared at the fading scratch.
What will the moonstone say?
A knock.
The spymaster slipped inside, bowing low.
“You requested me urgently, my lady.”
Aurora didn’t turn.
“Tell me about the Moonstone Ritual. Everything.”
The woman stepped closer, voice low.
“The stone is ancient. Carved from a meteor that fell under a blood moon. It reacts only to werewolf blood. Human blood does nothing. Sealed or broken wolves cause pain—red fire in the veins. Intact wolves… the stone sings. Silver light. Pure.”
Aurora’s reflection smiled coldly.
“And if the wolf is… dormant? Weakened?”
The spymaster hesitated.
“Then it depends. Sometimes dim silver. Sometimes red. Sometimes… nothing. The stone does not lie.”
Aurora turned at last.
“Prepare an escape route. Quiet. Through the eastern tunnels. Tonight, after the ritual.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “You think it will go poorly?”
“I think,” Aurora said softly, “that I may not like the answer the stone gives.”
She walked to the window, gazing out at the sacred grove in the distance.
“But I will survive it.
Whatever it reveals.”
The spymaster bowed and left.
Aurora stayed at the window a long time.
For the first time since waking in this palace…
A flicker.
Deep inside.
Like claws scratching faintly at a locked door.
Not fear.
Not memory.
Just… something waking up.
She pressed a hand to her chest.
Come on, little wolf, she thought.
Show them who we really are.
Or hide well enough to keep playing the game.
Either way…
I win.