Page 26

Aurora

I clutch Ronan closer to my chest, pressing a kiss to his temple. I can't imagine how close I was to losing him. The weight of all that happened in the past day crashes into me like a tidal wave, bringing with it little flashes of every possible way things could've gone wrong.

I'm grateful we're all okay, but I can't stop beating myself up for not seeing through Damon. I let my eyes sweep through what is left of the estate and decide that all the lives that were lost were lost as a result of greed.

Lucien's fingers graze mine, his touch hesitant at first, but when I don't pull away, he grips my hand tightly. His touch sends a shiver down my spine, not from fear or uncertainty, but from the realization that despite everything, despite the pain and the betrayal, we were never meant to be broken.

"It's time to go home," he says, a soft look lingering in his gaze as he locks eyes with me.

Home. Where is that? Blackwood? My apartment back in Phoenix? I've created a life for myself, one I fought for with every drop of blood in my veins. And as much as my dream was to be Luna a few years back, it's safe to say I have bigger commitments.

"Mom, are we going with Uncle Lucien?" Ronan asks, tugging at my other hand.Uncle Lucien. We're going to have to do something about that one quickly. There's nothing pleasant about the look on Lucien's face.

"I don't know, sweetie. I was thinking you'd love to go home."He scrunches his nose in disapproval. "But I want to go to Blackwood. Uncle Liam said I could run with him when I'm bigger."

I look up to find Selene gently watching us. She walks over to me, pulling me away from Lucien and Ronan.

"I know we've not had the best relationship, and our history is quite tricky, but take this from me. There's not one day he didn't search for you."This is the first time I'm having a one-on-one conversation with Selene, and I certainly didn't expect it to be this heavy and straight to the point. I can see why she's widely respected. She's bold and never shows fear."He was mated to you." The only words I can form tumble out of my mouth, and her lips dip into a warm smile.

"Lucien and I had a wonderful friendship. We were good partners, too, but hardly the picture-perfect couple." She reaches out to squeeze my hand gently. "I know forgiveness is not easy, but as someone who is currently going through the loss of a mate, I can tell you it's way easier than dealing with eternal loss."

"And if it helps, Lucien never touched me, not once in the five years we spent together," she adds. It's all I can do to hide the shock on my face.She chuckles, releasing me from her hold and returning her hand to slowly rubbing her belly. I can't tear my eyes away from the motion. It reminds me of all the times I felt alone and how the feeling of the little one inside me was what kept me grounded.

"He'll be worth it," I reply, and she smiles in response. Some conversations don't require words.

"I hope I can reach out when it gets a little tough," she says it like a light joke, but I don't miss the glint of fear in her eyes.

I doubt Selene will have a story similar to mine. She has the support of her pack, Blackwood, and her family, but nothing beats the presence of your mate or the journey of single parenthood. It's something I've come to know over the years. "You can reach out anytime."She nods, leaving me to return to her warriors while I make my way back to Lucien and Ronan, who are already chattering like birds.

He looks different with his wolf spirit. He's standing stronger and taller. Everything about him seems magnified, and I feel him like the air on my skin. My wolf has been restless since she felt her mate return.

"Hey," he smiles when he sees me. "What's it going to be?"I take one look at him and another at Ronan, and I find my answer. "Let's go home.""We're ready, Alpha," Liam calls out, bowing with a mock salute and earning him a chuckle from his friend. I don't know if it's possible, but he somehow seems happier about the return of Lucien's wolf than Lucien is.

Liam ushers us into the cars lined up for us. Selene insists she returns to her pack but promises to keep in touch, and to my greatest shock, Ronan picks sitting with Lucien over sitting with me.

The rest of the journey is spent in a comfortable silence with a few light-hearted jokes here and there. Ronan constantly asks questions about every twist and corner along the way.

We arrive at Blackwood at night to find the pack gathered in front of the packhouse. Their eyes are filled with curiosity, reverence, and something else—hope. They can sense the change, the shift in power, and in fate.

Lucien steps forward, his voice steady and commanding. "The battle is won. Silver Pack is defeated, and they'll not pose a threat to us or any other pack."A howl erupts from the crowd, a declaration of loyalty and unity. My chest tightens as Lucien turns to me, his golden gaze burning with something deeper than possession, something raw and real.

"One more thing," he says, his voice quieter now. "I wish to introduce you to your Luna, Aurora Belmont, my fated mate."

Time stills and murmurs spread through the pack. I feel a wave of nerves explode through me as I watch the shocked faces in the crowd. The bitter, familiar feeling of inadequacy raises its ugly head. What if they don't think I'm good enough? I might have attained impressive heights in the human world, but over here, I'm still the orphaned half-blood that lives in the cottage close to the woods.

"Come," Lucien stretches out his arm to me, and I slip my shaky fingers into them. "They'll love you," he whispers, and I draw in a shaky breath.

"Go on! Mark her already!" A booming voice teases from the crowd, and a chorus of affirmatives drown out the shocked gasps and murmurs.

I always had a clear picture of what I wanted my mating ceremony to look like, and this hurried decision is obviously a far cry from it, but everything seemed to be perfectly in place.

"You don't have to do this now."I meet his gaze, my fingers tightening around him. "I want to."It is the easiest yes I've said in my life, and I have no single doubt in me. This is the life I want, and this is the person I want it with.

The breath he releases is shaky, filled with relief, and something that sounds dangerously close to reverence.Before I can process it, his lips crash against mine, stealing the air from my lungs, claiming me the way he knows how to. My body melts into his, and my fingers tangle in his hair. The bond between us sparkles like wildfire. It isn't just passion or a drunken mistake on a rooftop. It's years of longing, regret, and love buried beneath the weight of pride and mistakes.

The pack roars in celebration, but I barely hear them. All I know is Lucien, the way he holds me as if I might disappear, the way he trembles against me, and the way he whispers my name like a prayer.

We break the kiss to catch our breath, and my eyes land on Ronan, who is wearing the cheesiest grin. Lucien's eyes follow mine, and he chuckles. "He's just like you." I finally let myself say it after several years.

Lucien smirks, "of course he is. I'm his father."I roll my eyes at him. Guess the arrogance is going nowhere.************

I've had to deliver jobs with very narrow deadlines at work and make my team perform the impossible in a short window of time, but nothing prepared me for the speed at which Blackwood can arrange a mating ceremony. It took exactly three days to get everything in order.

I can already hear the soft melody coming from the garden as a few young women prepare me for the ceremony.With one last dab of lipstick, the makeup artist steps out of my way to admire her work. "You're ready," she says, and the woman who has been playing around with my hair adds one last detail before leading me to the mirror.

My jaw goes slack at the sight in front of me. I'm in a flowy white dress with little moon figures embroidered into it. My hair is put up in the most elegant bun, leaving my neck bare—a spot that'll bear Lucien's mark in the next hour.

"You'll make the most beautiful Luna," the makeup artist says, beaming next to me, and the others nod in agreement."The queen has arrived to bless your union. This is literally the best mating ceremony I've witnessed."

"The queen is here?" I only texted her to thank her for what she did and to keep her updated on how things are going. My mating ceremony only came up as a passing addition to the text. I never bothered with invites because I figured she'd be really busy, but wow.

"She arrived not too long ago," the woman who helped with my dress says, beaming at me. "You must've found favor in her eyes."

"He's here." Someone announces, and I suck in a deep breath before making my way to the gathering.

I spot him without difficulty, towering over every single person and looking absolutely mouth-watering in the traditional pack attire.

"You're….." he trails off, his eyes raking all over me and leaving flickers of fire in their wake. "You're absolutely beautiful, Rora."

Heat spreads from my neck to my face, and I force my eyes away from his to break the intensity of the moment.

The elders begin their chant, low and steady. Their voices weave ancient magic through the air. The ceremony is sacred. It's the final bond that ties an alpha to his Luna. I swallow hard as Lucien takes my hands, bringing them to his lips, his golden eyes never leaving mine.

"Are you ready, my love?"

My chest tightens at the endearment and the way his voice wraps around me like a whispered vow. "More than ever."

Lucien tilts his head, baring his neck to me, an unspoken invitation, and I blink in surprise. The alpha usually gives the mark first.

"I want to give myself to you first," he says, and my wolf surges forward, instinct taking over. I lean in, sinking my teeth into his flesh. A deep, guttural growl rumbles through him, his body jerking at the force of the bond snapping into place.

Mine.

His arms tighten around me, pulling me closer, and he wastes no time in sinking his canines into my neck, the act sending a strong wave of arousal and pleasure so intense I had to grip his shoulders to keep from falling.His breath rages against my ear. "I love you, Aurora."

I look up at him, my fingers tracing the new mark on his skin. "I love you too, Lucien."

The pack erupts in howls, their joy echoing into the night, but all I hear is the steady beat of Lucien's heart beneath my palm, strong and sure."Aren't you the most beautiful Luna I've ever seen?" My head whips around so fast it almost disconnects from the rest of my body.

"Katherine," I let out an excited squeal, pulling her into the biggest hug. "You never said you'd be coming."She let out a small laugh, pulling me deeper into our hug. "That would've defeated the purpose of a surprise.""I've missed you so much."

"And I, you, but that's not the topic for today." She flashes me her signature lopsided smile. "Let's talk about how you're now a Luna and how your mate is currently looking at you like you just dropped from heaven."

I follow her eyes to find Lucien's eyes on me. He's surrounded by Liam and a few others, but his attention is completely on me. The intensity in his eyes sends a sweet surge of shiver down my spine."Oohh. I know that look," Katherine teases, waggling her brows, and I playfully swat her shoulder."You just never change."

"No. You love me this way."

I don't argue with the fact. Back when I was in a very dark place, Katherine's warmth and light energy played a key role in getting me going. She always knew what to say to make me feel better and never hesitated to help.

"Thank you," I find myself saying. "Thank you for everything."My voice cracks a little, and Katherine pulls me into another hug. "No crying on your big day. It's gonna ruin your makeup."

Like I said, warm and light.

From the corner of my eye, I spot Selene making conversation with some of the pack members, and I wave her over."Selene, this is Katherine. Katherine, this is Selene." They exchange quick pleasantries, and just like all the women I've run into, Selene rains praises on me and blesses my union before excusing herself to speak to her brother."

I spend extra time talking to Katherine, and we fill each other in on the past years and make jokes till she excused herself to go spend some time with Queen Alice, giving me the chance to observe the world around me.

The celebration picked up and was not too far from me. I spot Ronan sitting on Liam's thighs and nibbling on a piece of chicken. A feeling of completeness fills my heart at the beautiful sight, but Lucien has other plans of his own.

Warmth presses against my back, strong arms wrap around my waist, and a familiar scent envelopes me. Lucien buries his face in my neck, his lips brushing against his mark on my skin."Come with me, "he whispers, tugging me with him as we make our way out of the gathering and into the pack house.His bedroom door closes with a soft click, separating us from the world outside.Lucien wastes no time in pulling me into himself. "Thank you," he murmurs, peppering kisses on my neck, "for giving us a second chance. You won't regret this."

"I know," I reply, my voice strained and heavy with anticipation."Ronan has to stop calling me uncle." He says between kisses, and I chuckle.

"I don't know about that. I think I love the sound of it."Lucien takes a fast nip at my skin, and I yelp."You were saying?" His brow is cocked, and there's a hint of amusement playing in his eyes.

"I'll have a talk with him tomorrow morning. I promise.""Mmh.." He returns to his sweet assault on my neck. "And what are you going to ask him to call me?""Daddy," I purr in a voice so wanton I couldn't believe it came from me.

A sound escapes him, something raw and unfiltered, and then his lips are on mine, claiming and consuming. I waste no time in matching his fervor, my hands flying to his hair and tugging at the strands while drinking in every sound he makes.

I feel like we've been dancing around an extended foreplay, and my body has been hanging on a thread, waiting for this moment.

My hands start to pull at the buttons on his shirt. Usually, I like a bit of foreplay, but not tonight.I've spent a great quarter of the mating ceremony eating him up with my eyes, and now I can't wait to feel all of him.

The buttons don't budge, so I settle for tearing the shirt off him."So impatient," Lucien chuckles against our kiss before dipping his head to swallow me in one quick swoop.

The kiss is more intense than the first. His hand wraps around my neck, angling me for better access and squeezing lightly.The combination of his lips on mine and his hand on my neck gives me a heady feeling. My knees buckle from the intensity of the feeling, but Lucien is quick to catch me, expertly wrapping my legs around him without breaking our kiss.I don't feel Lucien move. I only feel the soft fabric of the mattress on my back when he drops me on the bed.

He breaks the kiss to trail his lips down to the nape of my neck, sucking at my pulse area while his hand grabs my boob, squeezing the soft mound of flesh gently before proceeding to roll the peaking bud between his fingers.

A low moan escapes my lips, my back arching from the hot bursts of pleasure shooting through my spine.

Lucien plays around with my nipple a little before letting out a frustrated growl and stripping me off my dress.His lips come down at the nipple, hot and searing. Sucking, tugging, and nibbling, while his free hand played with the other, drawing a deeper moan from me.

"Lucien…""I love when you say my name like that," he groans, pressing himself against me so I can feel his pulsing length on my pussy.

My walls clench at the sensation, and I can feel an unimaginable rush of arousal pulling inside my panties.

"I want you," I moan into his ears, gripping his shoulders and wrapping my legs around him.I roll my hips on his length, loving the feel of his muscles tensing beneath my touch."You keep that up, and I'm going to cum before I get the chance to fuck you."For some reason, the thought of him coming from just me grinding myself on him seems so hot to me that I increase the rhythm of my movement. Wrapping my legs tighter and grinding harder.Lucien let out a groan at the same time I moan. The act is supposed to be to get him off, but the pressure from his shaft on my clit is too much for me to bear. I find myself increasing my pace and chasing after a high I can almost taste.

Just as I am about to topple over the edge, Lucien grips my hips, holding me in place and dulling the sensation that is building inside.

I let out a sound of protest, but his hold only grows tighter. "The only way you'll be coming is either on my fingers, my mouth, or on my cock. No selfish orgasm. Am I clear?"My stomach flips at the authority in his voice, and my head bobs on its own. I've always loved it when he takes control.

"Now, be a good girl and take off your panties for me."He releases me from his hold, creating enough room for me to slip off my underwear.I hear his breath hitch and a string of curses follow. "So fucking beautiful."

"Spread your legs for me."The position had me feeling unnaturally exposed. He was still dressed in his pants while I was stark naked and spread out for him.

"Wider," he urges, his voice ragged and almost breathless."A wave of self-awareness watches over me, and I can only move my legs a few inches apart.

"Wide Aurora. You don't know how many nights I spent dreaming of you. I want the sight of your pussy engraved in my brain."My legs must've grown a will of their own because they made a path smoother than a hot knife through butter following his words, and I feel the heat of his eyes on my pussy.Something about the hunger in his eyes emboldens me, and I begin to tease myself for him.

His hungry eyes follow my hands from my boobs, where I cup and play with the soft flesh before slowly settling between my legs.I hesitate for a moment before grazing my finger over my clit, shivering from the tiny bolts of electricity shooting through me.

Lucien's eyes are glued to me. Wide and unblinking, and he's increasingly steady. But the throbbing vein in his forehead gives away how hard he's trying to contain himself.

"You like watching me?" I whisper, my voice shaky as I draw light circles on my clit.Lucien doesn't give an answer. He merely swallows thickly, deeply captivated by the movement of my hands.

I spread my legs wider, slipping a finger into my pussy. The wet sound merges with my soft moan. "You like—"

Lucien does not let the words fall from my mouth before he snatches my finger away and immediately replaces it with his mouth.

"Oh fuck!" Heat spreads through every part of me, settling deep into my veins and reaching areas I wasn't even aware of.

Lucien sucks and flicks at my clit with his tongue before slowly introducing his long thick finger into my pussy.

The stretch is nothing compared to the pathetic work my tiny finger was doing. He almost feels me up. And when he adds a second finger, curling them to hit the spot inside, I'm a panting mess of sweaty gibberish and wanton desires.

His tongue and his finger find a steady rhythm, and he maintains it, tearing at the seams that hold my world together till they can no longer sustain their weight beneath the speed of his fingers, and everything comes crashing in at once.

"Lucien!"

My orgasm hits me like a flash of white light, dulling out other senses and magnifying the feeling between my legs. My hips gyrate off the bed, rocking recklessly, but Lucien holds me in place. His mouth did not leave me till I rode through the waves in loud screams and teary eyes.

Lucien's mouth finally detaches from me as I crumble onto the bed in a mess of liquid bones and heavy eyes, but he's not done.

I don't recall hearing the metallic clang of his belt hitting the floor or the rustle of him removing his pants.

All I feel is the thick head of his cock parting my folds and slamming into me before I can open my eyes.

I almost pass out from the wave of pleasure that slams into me. I've always heard that sex with your mate after you've marked each other was great, but great does not come close to the way my blood is boiling over or the way my walls are quivering and clenching tightly against him.

"You fit me so fucking well." He groans, pulling all the way out before slamming himself back into me and rolling his hips to stimulate my clit.

"Goddess," I cry out, my voice hoarse from screaming and tears pulling at the side of my eyes.Lucien catches my lips in a bruising kiss, drinking my moans while his hips repeatedly slam into mine, drowning the room in wet sounds of flesh hitting flesh and the nearly embracing, squishy sound from my pussy.

"I could fuck you all day and still want more," he groans into our kiss, and I only hope he keeps to it.

I've had sex with Lucien multiple times, but everything about this feels different, from the depth to the vulnerability to the passion and intensity. It's all too much, and I know it's not just about the mating bond.

It's from the years we spent apart. The broken bond that had to fix itself. A trust level that's been tested and rebuilt and a love that had to regrow from scratch.

We are more than we ever were to each other, and every part of us recognizes it.

"I love you." The confession came before he delivered a long, hard stroke, taking me with him to the clouds and back.

I wrap myself around him, clinging to him as we ride through the waves of pleasure together till his movement slows down to slow lazy strokes.

"I love you, Aurora Ravenclaw." He whispers between ragged breaths, pressing a kiss into my hair."I love you, too," I mutter, torn between the soft lulls of sleep and the feeling of my insatiable pussy clenching around his hardening cock.

This is going to be the longest night, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd rather have these sleepless nights with him than have a long-rested night without him.I know without an iota of doubt that the rest of my life has just begun and it's going to be far better than the last. I'm going to enjoy every single chapter of it, and, honestly, I can't wait to dive into it already and explore all the beautiful things the Goddess has in store for us.