The gentle pressure of his hand in hers, the way his silver eyes seemed to melt when they met hers—those were the moments that defined her reality, her unwavering trust. Now, they seemed like lies, broken and beyond reach. The agony was overwhelming, a deep-seated hurt that seemed ready to engulf her completely.
Time slipped away, stretching and contracting, leaving her unsure if hours had gone by or just mere minutes. Time had become an abstract concept. Aurora stood beside a swift river, the cold waters shimmering under the glow of the moon. She bent down to drink, her tongue reaching out to the water, yet even this basic action seemed devoid of meaning. The wolf within her stirred, restless and agitated, prompting a string of frustrated whines to escape her lips. The echoes filled the quiet air, a poignant reminder of her solitude.
Kieran was the one responsible for this. He had left her, shaming her before the whole pack. And for what purpose? Is it to keep her safe? From where? The questions swirled in her mind, and she released another growl, this one tinged with anger.
She transformed back into her human form, falling to the ground beside the riverbank. Her body throbbed from the transformation, yet the discomfort paled in comparison to the emptiness that gnawed at her heart. Her scream erupted, a raw sound that sliced through the air and echoed over the water. It simply wasn't sufficient. She felt an overwhelming urge to tear down the trees, to obliterate something—anything—that could reflect the chaos raging within her.
***
At the pack's lodge, the news of Aurora's disappearance had circulated, leaving her family in a state of panic. Lyra paced in the lodge, her hands twisting nervously as she attempted to comfort Aurora's mother, who was close to breaking down in tears.
"She'll come back," Lyra said, trying and failingly to sound convincing. "All she needs is a little time."
"And what if she doesn't?" her mother whispered, her eyes glistening with tears, red and swollen from worry. "What if something goes wrong out there?"
"She's strong," Lyra said, but the words rang empty even to her own ears. Aurora had always displayed remarkable strength, yet heartbreak had a tendency to unravel even the most resilient of spirits.
The Alpha dispatched a search party, yet there had been no trace of her thus far. He remained the Alpha of the pack, bearing the responsibility to safeguard his members. The forest stretched endlessly, and Aurora was intimately familiar with its hidden corners like no one else. If she wished to remain hidden, she certainly would.
Kieran lingered at the edge of the lodge, his face betraying no emotion. Since the ceremony, he had spoken very little, and his quietness only intensified the frustration of those nearby.
"This is your fault," Lyra snapped, her eyes blazing with intensity as she confronted him. "You caused this to her." You shattered her.
Kieran clenched his jaw, remaining silent.
"Please, just say something!" Lyra yelled, pushing him away. "Clarify your actions!"
"I don't owe you an explanation," Kieran said at last, his voice barely above a whisper. "This isn't about you."
Lyra's laughter held a sharp edge of bitterness. "So, you don't feel the need to explain yourself? What's going on with Aurora? Do you really believe she doesn't have the right to understand why you hurt her this way?"
He averted his gaze, his silver eyes shrouded in a mystery that Lyra couldn't quite understand. "This is the safest option for her."
"Safer?" Lyra's voice held a note of disbelief. "Are you even listening to yourself? She's out there, all by herself and in pain, because of you."
He remained silent, prompting Lyra to let out a frustrated huff before she turned on her heel and walked away. She was done with his vague riddles. Aurora was counting on her, and she was determined to track her down—come what may.
Aurora's family and friends weren't the only ones on the hunt. The forest resonated with the haunting sounds of wolves, their howls echoing through the trees as they roamed the woods in search of something elusive. Yet Aurora stayed just out of reach, her wolf form leading her further into the wild, away from the pack and their worries.
Her mind was a tumultuous storm, swinging between anger and hopelessness. She found herself unable to shake off the memories of the ceremony, particularly the way Kieran had gazed at her, his eyes distant and inscrutable. She had poured her heart into loving him, and he had discarded it as if it were worthless.
She shivered as she transformed back into her human form, the cool night air brushing against her bare skin. She hugged herself tightly, battling the tears that were on the verge of overflowing. Yet, it proved futile. The dam shattered, and she wept, her sobs deep and unfiltered.
Her mind drifted to her parents, her friends, and the future she had always dreamed of. It seemed like a distant memory now, like a dream she could never grasp again. The wolf within her howled in sorrow, a sound that resonated deep in her chest, even in her human guise.
She roamed the forest for hours, shifting between wolf and human, her feelings changing as erratically as her shape. She screamed, she howled, she cried—every feeling surged within her, a flood she could no longer contain.
As dawn started to creep over the horizon, Aurora felt utterly drained. Her limbs throbbed with fatigue, her throat burned with irritation, and her mind was a chaotic jumble of thoughts. She sank to the ground beneath a cluster of pines, her head resting against the rough bark.
She shut her eyes tightly, yet the pain persisted, clawing at her insides like a wild beast. Her mind drifted back to Kieran, recalling his voice, the warmth of his touch, and the promises he had made. The memories wrapped around her like a warm blanket, yet they pricked at her heart, a bittersweet reminder of what had slipped through her fingers and what would forever remain out of reach.
"I hate you," she murmured into the stillness, yet the words rang empty. She didn't feel hatred towards him. She despised his actions, yet her heart remained tethered to the love they once knew. That was the most heart-wrenching aspect of it all.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, Aurora's fatigue finally took over. She slipped into a troubled slumber, the forest standing as her sole companion. Deep within her heart, a flicker of defiance remained, yet at this moment, she felt too shattered to fan its flames. She would rise once more—but not today.