Three Weeks with the Wolf I Should kill Chapter 05
Was Even One Second Real?
Aurora’s POV
I’m in the bedroom sorting through the latest intel
Winston sent when shouting erupts outside. Before I can stand, the door flies open and Jackson bursts in, breathing hard.
“Alpha, eastern border. Our patrol walked into an ambush. Five warriors down, critical.”
Kieran’s already moving. “Get everyone combat- ready.”
“Done.” Jackson glances at me, then back to Kieran.
But they’re outnumbered badly. You need to be there.
“I know.” Kieran turns to me and his whole face changes, softens. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I’m coming with you.” The words escape before I can think. Ember’s roaring in my head, demanding we go, we fight, we protect our mate. The pull is visceral, overwhelming.
“No.” His voice goes firm. “Stay here.”
“But-”
“Please.” He leans down, kisses my forehead quickly.”
Just wait for me.“
Then he’s gone, and I’m standing here with my hammering against my ribs heart.
The next few hours drag endlessly. I pace the room,
can’t sit, can’t focus. Ember keeps pushing at me, restless and agitated. She wants to shift, wants to run after him. Every instinct screams that we should be there.
“He’s an Alpha,” I say out loud to the empty room. He’s strong. He’ll be fine.”
But fear sits heavy in my chest. The logical part of me knows I should want him hurt, should see this as one
less threat to Nighthollow. I can’t make myself feel that way. Just thinking about him injured makes it hard to breathe. The idea of him not coming back–I can’t even let myself go there.
When the sky starts darkening, I stand by the window and stare at the territory entrance. My eyes are burning by the time I finally see movement. Voices
calling out urgently. I’m running before I realize I’m moving.
Warriors carrying stretchers. On one of them is Kieran. His left arm is mangled, shirt soaked through with blood, face sheet–white.
“No.” The word rips out of me, I grab his hand before anyone can stop me. “How bad? What happened?”
His eyes crack open. When he sees me, he tries to smile. Fails. “Just a scratch.”
“A scratch?” My voice breaks. “Look at yourself”
“I need to work.” The doctor tries to push me aside but I won’t let go of Kieran’s hand. The smell hits me then–silver. Silver bullets. The kind that stops our healing.
“You idiot.” Tears are running down my face and I don’t care who sees. “Why go yourself? Why not bring more backup?”
“Aurora.” His other hand lifts toward my face but drops halfway. “I’m okay.”
The doctor starts extracting silver fragments from the wound. Kieran’s jaw locks, sweat beading on his forehead, but he doesn’t make a sound. One of the warriors steps forward, face grim.
“Alpha, you changed that patrol route at the last minute. Nobody should have known.”
“And?” Jackson’s voice cuts sharp.
“The rogues were waiting, Like they knew exactly where we’d be.” The warrior’s expression hardens.”
We found markers at the ambush site. Nighthollow scent,”
“More than that,” the warrior continues. “We intercepted communications. Someone’s feeding intel to Winston Gray. Nighthollow’s Beta.”
Winston. My Beta. They think he’s working with rogues?
“That’s impossible! Winston wouldn’t–”
The words burst out before I can stop them. I freeze. Everyone freezes.
Jackson’s face goes from confused to shocked to furious in seconds.
Nobody from Ironridge would defend Winston. Except me. Aurora Thorne. Alpha of Nighthollow. Who just revealed she remembers everything.
“I didn’t…” I start, but there’s nowhere to go with this. No explanation that makes it better.
I never leaked anything to Winston. I had chances- every strategy meeting, every deployment plan. I could have given him everything. But when it came down to it, I couldn’t. Couldn’t betray Kieran.
But now all the evidence points at me, and I have no way to prove otherwise.
Jackson turns to look at me and his eyes are ice–cold.
“Alpha.” His voice is flat. “We need to talk.”
The room empties once the doctor finishes. Just Kieran, Jackson, and me left. Kieran sits on the edge of the bed, those gray eyes locked on my face. The expression there hurts to look at. Not anger. Pain.
Raw and barely contained.
“When did you remember?”
His voice is calm. The kind of calm that’s worse than yelling.
I open my mouth. Nothing comes out.
“First day you woke up? Or later?”
“Kieran-”
“Answer me.”
I look down. “Few days ago.”
Jackson laughs, bitter and sharp. “So this whole time, you were playing us.”
“I can explain-”
Jackson’s phone buzzes. He checks it and his face goes darker. “Nighthollow forces just showed up at the border. Winston Gray is demanding we release their Alpha.”
I close my eyes. Winston thinks I’m a prisoner. Came to rescue me without asking first. This couldn’t look worse.
The door slams open. Council members flood in, faces twisted with rage.
“This is who you saved?” An elder points at me, shaking with fury. “I told you she’s Nighthollow’s Alpha! Our enemy!”
“She played you!” Another voice joins in. “Used that amnesia act to steal our intel!”
“Typical Thorne treachery!”
“Execute her!”
The voices pile up, getting louder. More people push into the room. I try to speak, try to defend myself, but with Winston’s forces outside and my obvious deception, every word sounds hollow.
Kieran stands slowly. Blood seeps through his fresh bandages. He looks at me. Just looks.
That expression reminds me of being six years old at the funeral pyres. Same sense of loss. Same feeling of betrayal.
“These past few days.” His voice drops so low I almost miss it. “Was even one second of it real?”
My throat closes. I want to say yes, want to tell him I‘ m confused, I don’t know what to do. But I can’t speak.
Because I did deceive him. I did use his feelings. Even if mine were real, who would believe that now?
Kieran laughs once. No humor in it. “I’m such a fool.”
He turns to Jackson. “Escort her back to Nighthollow.
Tell Winston this is the last time.”
He stops, and when he speaks again, his voice is ice.”
From now on, Ironridge and Nighthollow are done.”
“Kieran, wait-” I reach for him.
“Don’t.” He steps back. “Don’t touch me. Don’t look at me with that face. Don’t make me think…” He cuts.
Himself off. “Forget it.”
He walks out. Back straight, rigid. But I see his hands curl into fists, see them shaking slightly.
That’s how he looks when he’s forcing himself not to break.
I know because I’m doing the same thing right now.