The Next Morning, 4:00 AM
Aurora jolted awake, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. Sweat clung to her skin as if she had just run for miles.
Her chest heaved, and her fingers trembled as she gripped the blanket tightly. The remnants of her dream—or was it a nightmare?—still lingered in her mind, shadowy and foreboding.
She sat up, her heart pounding as though it wanted to escape her ribcage. “What the hell was that, Mum?” she muttered under her breath, dragging herself out of bed and toward the bathroom. “Can’t I just f*****g have my wolf like everyone else does?”
She cursed her ancestors as she splashed cold water onto her face, letting it drip down her chin and soak the neckline of her flimsy nightshirt.
Looking up into the mirror, she barely recognized herself. Her eyes wer
