Chapter 54

Chapter 54:

He was staring at me as if I were his last hope.

Why did I feel like I was letting him down?

Why did his gaze make it seem like I was his savior?

I was just like him—helpless, confused, uncertain about the future.

What was wrong with me?

Where was the selfless Aurora?

Put your people first or save your own life?

I had to think about my own happiness.

What did I really want?

Despite spending hours pondering that question, I still couldn’t find an answer.

A part of me desperately wanted to be the hero, to sacrifice myself for the pack—just as a future Luna would.

My people needed me. Their voices echoed in my mind, pleading.

Think, Aurora. Time was running out.

But the harder I tried to think, the more my mind spiraled into confusion.

I halted before my father’s room, standing motionless for a brief moment before pushing the door open.

The somber faces of my parents greeted me as I stepped inside. They watched my every move, their expressions tense, as if they had already reached a conclusion before I even arrived.

My father’s Beta stood near the door, his gaze sharp and calculating, like a hawk watching its prey. Though his eyes remained fixed on his phone, likely monitoring the state of the pack, the moment I looked up at him, his expression hardened.

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But behind his rigid stare, I sensed something else.

Sadness.

Why were men so determined to conceal their emotions?

My mother was the first to move. She rushed toward me, wrapping me in a tight embrace, her body trembling against mine.

Her tears spilled onto my cheeks as she wept like a child, refusing to let go.

Gently, I pulled away, wiping her tear-streaked face with my fingers before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

For a fleeting moment, a spark of hope lit her eyes.

“Rory, your father and I have talked. You don’t have to choose between the two options. You will come with me to my parents’ house. You don’t need to bring anything if you don’t want to—I’ll have your servants gather everything once we arrive safely at the pack. The ship is waiting for us at the port. We must leave quickly before our enemies catch up,” she said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I took a step back, slipping my hand from hers, a deep confusion settling in my chest as I stared at her.

“What about Dad?” My eyes met his, but he looked away, biting his bottom lip painfully.

I gasped in shock at the realization of my parents’ concluded arrangements. I would never be a part of it—not without my father. “Dad isn’t coming?” I half-screamed, breaking free from my mother as she tried to pull me into an embrace. “Why would we leave him behind?”

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