Kaelen
I was frozen, unable to process what I was seeing.
Before me stood a white wolf, streaks of silver coursing through her coat like lightning. Her eyes were a swirling mirror of the galaxy, a cosmic dance that seemed to shift and pulse with life.
She was as tall as I was—an alpha wolf, no doubt—and every inch of her radiated power and dominance. The scent that wrapped around her was an intoxicating blend of Crimson Rose and Amber, warm and familiar, sparking a yearning I couldn't ignore.
Ragon, my wolf, growled with primal excitement, eyes locked on her, saliva pooling at his gums. The air between us crackled with tension.
Her gaze met mine, sharp and knowing, filled with recognition and hunger. We stood there for what felt like an eternity, drinking each other in as the night deepened around us.
Then she smirked, the corners of her lips lifting into a teasing smile. "My little alpha, why don't you get dressed first? Then we can talk."
Her voice, like silk and fire, sent a shiver down my spine and had Ragon shifting restlessly within me.
We both grabbed the clothes that had been left for us and retreated behind the trees, but I could feel her eyes following me, her presence a fire that I couldn't resist.
When I emerged, she was waiting, her beauty striking against the backdrop of moonlight. Her silver-streaked fur gleamed, her frame radiating strength, and those eyes—those deep, cosmic eyes—held me captive. It was a beauty that stole my breath and made my pulse quicken, a mix of fierce grace and undeniable power.
My mind spun, emotions clashing in a storm I was struggling to control. She had taken our children, but there was something in the way she stood, a spark that made me question everything.
She wasn't Ella. My mind was screaming it, even as my wolf whispered otherwise.
A low growl escaped me, raw and deep, an instinctive reaction.
"Easy there, dear mate," she teased, a playful challenge lacing her words.
Hearing that voice again was like a song I'd never forgotten, resonant and haunting.
She stepped closer, the confidence in her every move telling me she knew exactly what she was doing. "Aurora Silverlight, the Rogue Queen."
My heart stilled. Aurora. The Rogue Queen? The name echoed in my mind, filling the space between disbelief and something else I couldn't name.
"Where are my kids?" I demanded, forcing my voice to remain steady.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, her lips curling into a smile that made my pulse quicken. "You mean our pups?"
Relief bloomed in my chest as she added, "They're safe in the car with my beta and warrior."
The bond flared to life, reassuring me that my children were unharmed, their laughter safe in my mind. It was the first moment in ages that I felt my heart lighten.
But a dozen questions crowded my mind, demanding answers. The fear of what this all meant for Kyric and our pack gnawed at me. If she wasn't Ella, then the future I envisioned would change. But if she was Ella… then hope flickered in the shadows.
"Tell me about Ella," she said, tilting her head with curiosity.
"Why?" I asked, suspicion in my tone.
"Because I lost my memory four years ago," she said, her voice softening. "And I know Riven and Rowan are my children. That makes me Moriella, doesn't it? But I need to know how I ended up there."
I sighed, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me. "What's the last thing you remember before losing your memory?" I asked.
She paused, her expression darkening. "There was a war between us and the ferals. We won, but the aftermath is blank. Everything after that is a void."
I could see the determination in her eyes, a hunger for her own truth. I couldn't tell her everything now, not with so much at stake. "How about we start by knowing about me, my brother, and our pack once again?" I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
She pouted, the look so irresistible that it took everything in me not to reach out and claim that lush mouth.
Raising an eyebrow, she turned, taking steps toward the car. The motion was graceful, confident, and full of promise. I followed, my eyes fixed on the way her hips swayed, the curve of her form moving with a sensual allure that made my blood heat and my wolf stir.
The tension between us grew, a palpable thread of anticipation that coiled tighter with every step she took. I could feel the pull, the magnetism, but I knew better than to act on it—not now, not when there were so many unanswered questions.
Her every movement was a challenge, teasing me with what I craved but couldn't claim just yet. The air between us crackled, charged with a desire that was impossible to ignore, and I was left struggling to contain the fire she ignited in me.
But as we moved into the open lands and the cool night breeze brushed against my skin, my mind began to clear a little. The doubts still lingered, gnawing at the edges of my thoughts, but I knew one thing for certain—I couldn't bring myself to doubt the woman standing before me now.
My brother's voice crackled through the mindlink, demanding to know what the storm of emotions was about. "We found our mate, our Luna, our Moraiella, our Ella," I told him.
The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating. I knew that silence was his reaction, one so extreme it could only be matched by the bond we shared—the twin bond, as deep and unwavering as any mate bond.
"I will fucking be there by tomorrow morning. Send me the location. Our beta and warriors are more than capable of running the pack, and there are no more threats," he said, the urgency in his voice clear.
A small smile tugged at my lips as I glanced toward the car, where Ella—or Aurora, as I needed to remind myself—was talking with the kids. The sight was the most peaceful I had felt in the last four years. It was as if my wolf, who had retreated and only contacted me in times of crisis, was finally starting to heal too.
I knew that everything would start to fall into place. The pack, which had been cowering in fear and uncertainty, would find stability. Our neighbors, who had lived in constant tension, would learn that the fury of the Nightshade pack had a new focus. And most importantly, my sons, who had grown up without the love of their mother, would finally have her back.