Chapter 98
The palace yard was alive with tension the next morning. Dawn light painted everything gold. Guards lined up in rows. Armor gleamed—dark leather, silver buckles, swords at their sides. Bows were checked. Quivers filled with arrows. Shields tested for cracks. The border news had spread like fire. Wolf hunters in the village. Armed with silver blades and traps. Killing wolves. Poisoning water. The pack could not wait. They had to act now.
Aurora stood on the high balcony with the queen. The wind pulled at her hair. She wore a light cloak over her dress. She held the railing with both hands. Her knuckles were white.
Below, Kairo stood in front of the selected guards. Twenty men. Strong. Trained. Ready. He wore dark leather armor. His sword hung at his hip. His face was serious. No smile. No warmth. Only duty.
He spoke loud so everyone could hear.
“We run to the village. The hunters are few, but they are dangerous. They use silver. They know our weaknesses. We will stop them. Protect our people. No mercy if they attack first. But if they surrender, take them alive. We want information. We want to know who sent them. Understand?”
The guards answered together, “Yes, Your Highness!”
Kairo unrolled a small parchment. The list of names.
“These are the selected,” he said. “Theo. Jax. Garrick. Rylan. And sixteen more. The rest stay here to protect the palace and the village.”
Aurora listened carefully. Her heart beat fast. She waited for one name.
Hardin.
It did not come.
Hardin was not selected.
Part of her felt happy. Glad. Relieved. A small, secret warmth spread in her chest.
She did not know why.
Maybe because he would be safe.
Maybe because she did not want to imagine him running into danger, silver arrows flying.
Maybe because she was afraid of what she would feel if he left.
She pushed the thought down. It felt wrong. Kairo was the one going to war. Kairo was her fiancé. She should worry for him. Not for a guard.
The queen touched her arm. “He will be back soon. Kairo is strong. He always comes back.”
Aurora nodded. “I know.”
But her eyes stayed on the yard.
Kairo looked up. Saw her on the balcony.
He smiled. Small. Sad. Raised his hand.
Aurora raised her hand back.
The queen said, “He is worried about you. He wants to come back for the wedding.”
Aurora said, “I want him to come back safe.”
Kairo climbed the stairs to the balcony.
He came to Aurora. Took both her hands.
“I will come back in time for the wedding,” he said. “I promise. Eight days. I will be here. We will say our vows under the full moon. Like we planned. The dress. The flowers. The music. Everything will be ready.”
Aurora looked into his eyes. They were warm. But tired. Worried.
She said, “Be careful. The hunters… they use silver. They know how to kill wolves.”
Kairo said, “I know. But we are stronger. We are more. We will stop them before they reach the village center.”
Aurora said, “Promise me you will come back.”
Kairo said, “I promise.”
He pulled her into a hug. Held her tight. Kissed her hair.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Aurora said, “I love you too.”
Kairo looked at the queen. “Mother. Look after her. Keep her safe. Make sure the preparations continue. I want everything ready when I return. The dress. The hall. The feast. All of it.”
The queen said, “I will. Go with the Goddess. Come back whole. Bring our warriors home.”
Kairo nodded. Kissed Aurora’s forehead one more time. Soft. Long.
Then he turned. Walked down the stairs.
He went to the center of the yard. The selected guards gathered around him.
Kairo looked at them.
“Shift,” he said.
Bones cracked. Bodies changed. Twenty wolves appeared. Different colors. Black, gray, brown, white. All big. All strong. Kairo’s wolf was silver. Tall. Powerful. Eyes storm-blue.
The wolves howled once. Short. Unified.
Then they ran.
Paws hit the ground. Fast. Silent. Into the woods.
The trees swallowed them.
Aurora watched from the balcony. The pack disappeared into the green.
She felt empty.
The queen hugged her. “He will be fine. He always is.”
Aurora nodded. But her eyes stayed on the woods.
Hardin was not with them.
He was still here.
In the palace.
Doing guard work.
She felt glad.
A small, secret gladness.
She did not know why.
But she did.
She turned away from the balcony.
The queen said, “Come. We have work. The flowers. The music. The vows. We must finish everything before Kairo returns.”
Aurora followed.
But her mind was not on flowers or vows.
It was on the woods.
On Kairo running with his pack.
On Hardin staying behind.
On the puzzle pieces in her head.
The boy who saved her.
The guard who held her. The man who loved her.
She walked with the queen. But inside she was lost.
She needed to decide.
Remember or forget.
Stay or go.
Love Kairo or love Hardin.
She felt guilty for even thinking the last one.
But she could not stop.
The palace prepared for war.
The wedding preparations continued.
But Aurora felt like time was running out.
For Kairo.
For Hardin.
For her.
She looked back at the woods one more time.
Kairo was gone.
But Hardin was still here.
And that made her heart beat in a way she could not ignore.
She walked into the palace.
The day went on.
Fittings.
Plans.
Talks.
But Aurora’s mind stayed on the woods.
On the war. On the man who stayed behind.
She did not know what to do.
But she knew one thing. She could not keep pretending.
She had to face it.
Soon.
Before Kairo came back. Before the wedding.
Before she said vows she might regret.
She had to know the truth. She had to remember.
She had to choose.