Aurora's feet moved into the forest as if guided by an unseen force, her mind swirling with a tempest of feelings. The whispers and faint noises of the pack assembling drifted away, giving way to the soft rustle of leaves and the haunting quiet of the forest beneath the bright full moon. She felt lost, unsure of her destination, but the urgent need to break free from the heavy burden of recent events propelled her forward. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, each one a desperate effort to soothe the storm raging inside her, yet the harder she fought, the more it seemed she was coming apart at the seams.
The betrayal crashed over her in unending waves. It gripped her heart, pulling her further into a pain she never knew existed. She stopped beneath a massive oak, her fingers pressing into the coarse bark as if it could hold her steady against the world. A sob broke free from her lips, sharp and unrefined, as she leaned her forehead against the tree, tears flowing quietly down her cheeks. Her breaths were ragged and uneven, each one a small, fractured sound that betrayed the pain clawing its way to the surface.
She stopped under the immense oak, her fingers gripping the rough bark as if it could tether her to the world around her. Yet, in this moment, nothing could anchor her. The sense of betrayal cut deep, an ache that was impossible to ignore. Kieran's words lingered in her thoughts, a harsh refrain she couldn't shake off. "This evening, I shall not be choosing a mate."
What's the reason? The solitary word reverberated in her thoughts, more powerful than any scream or wail. It gnawed at her, unyielding and unresolved. She recalled Kieran's promises, the way he had spoken to her with such conviction, as if the future was something they could grasp together. She recalled the comforting warmth of his hand enveloping hers, the way his silver eyes had gently softened as they met her gaze. Each memory was a sharp edge, slicing deeper than the one before.
"One day, you'll stand beside me as Luna of the Mooncrest Pack. I know you will strengthen us and I'm so lucky to have found you, Aurora. I love you."
The word that used to bring solace now seemed to taunt her with a harsh irony. He had vowed to give her the world—a shared life, a future woven with love and companionship—and now, in this moment, he had broken it all apart.
She collapsed to the ground, her legs unable to support her any longer, as her body trembled with the intensity of her cries. The ground below her felt frigid and unrelenting, yet she remained indifferent. The agony crashed over her like an unstoppable tide, leaving her breathless and unable to escape. She pressed her hands to her chest, trying to keep the fragments of her heart from falling apart, but it was futile. The fissures ran deep.
A deep, throaty growl emerged from her throat, surprising in its intensity. The sound emerged from a place of deep sorrow, a wail that resonated with the very essence of her being. She pushed herself up, her eyes clouded with tears, and took unsteady steps deeper into the woods. The moonlight appeared more intense, nearly dazzling, and the surroundings took on a sharp, distorted quality. Each shadow appeared to taunt her, and every gust of wind served as a harsh reminder of her loss.
She shook, her feelings swirling within her, too fierce to hold back. She dug her nails into her arms, the sharp sting pulling her back to reality, but it still fell short of what she needed. The wolf inside her awakened, filled with restlessness and unease, and she allowed it to emerge. She craved an escape, a way to let go, and the beast was more than ready to respond to her need. Her bones twisted and stretched, muscles undulating as her human shape transformed into that of a wolf. Fur erupted along her arms and back, and her pained scream transformed into a howl that reverberated through the forest, primal and deeply moving.
Aurora raced into the wild, her paws striking the ground with a power that echoed the tempest within her soul. The wind whipped around her, chilling her skin, yet she embraced it with open arms. It was an improvement over the void that Kieran had created. She sprinted aimlessly, her sole aim to break free from the anguish that clung to her like a persistent shadow. Once more, her howl pierced the air, a mournful cry that echoed among the trees. It was a call to the void, a sorrowful plea to the moon overhead, as if she were pleading for answers that she understood would remain elusive.
She ran for hours, the forest dissolving into a blur of motion and feeling. She bounded over fallen logs and splashed through frigid streams, the physical effort barely calming the turmoil raging inside her. At last, she came to a halt by a swift river, the water shimmering under the glow of the moon. She bent down to sip the cold water, her tongue brushing against the surface, yet even this basic gesture seemed empty. With a frustrated growl, she glared at her reflection, watching it ripple in the current as she let her anger simmer.
Memories kept crashing over her like relentless waves. Memories of the nights spent with Kieran flooded her mind, the conversations about the future intertwining with the serene moments when it felt as if they were the only two souls in existence. She recalled how his voice had wrapped around her name, gentle and imbued with a sense of awe, as though she were a treasure to be cherished. She recalled the ceremony, remembering how his voice had been unwavering, filled with certainty, as he turned her down.
A surge of anger coursed through her, and she lashed out at the riverbank with her claws, scattering dirt and debris in all directions. She transformed back into her human form, falling onto the icy ground. Her body throbbed from the transformation, yet the discomfort paled in comparison to the emptiness that gnawed at her heart. Her scream tore through the air, raw and guttural, a primal outpouring of all the emotions she couldn't articulate.
She huddled in on herself, her arms clutching her knees as waves of sobs shook her frame. Tears flowed down her face, warm and persistent, tracing lines through the grime on her cheeks. She felt tiny, shattered, and completely isolated. The forest stood still around her, as though it shared in her sorrow.
"Why?" she murmured into the shadows, her voice quaking. "Why would you do this to me?"
Silence enveloped the scene, broken only by the soft flow of the river and the faint whisper of leaves dancing in the breeze. Aurora shut her eyes, feeling the heavy burden of her fatigue settle in around her. Yet, despite her body's plea for rest, her mind clung tightly to the anguish. She was uncertain about how she would confront tomorrow, unsure if she had the strength to do so. All she understood was that the girl she once was—the girl who had faith in love and promises—had vanished, leaving behind a stranger she had yet to recognize.