Aurora's heart was racing as the moonlight forest wrapped around her. Shadows danced in time with her thoughts, which were also racing. The cold touch of fate was still in the air, reminding her of the curse that had been following her steps for far too long. She clenched her fists tighter as she thought about the alphas she had picked.

The moody figure of Damien came out of the darkness, and his stormy eyes locked on hers. "We're all in this together," he whispered, a promise that was both weak and strong. Aurora nodded and felt, if only a little, the weight of their shared load lift.

Ethan's laugh...