*~Aurora’s POV.~*
Fear the oldest trick in the book
sohow the one we decided would win us this war. Cayden had already laid the plan out in front of us. Lilith and I wrapped the rope around his body, tying off each marked spot. Hazel kept those marks morized in her palm, and we promised each other that no matter what war we were about to step into, we’d win... and still make it back tonight, so I could have my abecking burial in New Orleans tomorrow.
We all stood. I looked at every single one of us, and the sa fire burned in our eyes. This was going to be our last fight. We had been fighting forever. We fought Dahlia. We fought ourselves. We fought Jonathan. These bloody demons were nothing compared to the battles we’d survived — not when we stood together.
Emotion tightened my chest. I just hoped we all made it out alive, because we couldn’t keep running. We couldn’t keep living in fear. We couldn’t keep pretending there was soplace waiting to save us. There wasn’t. So we moved — not back ho, but straight onto demon ground.
The mont we arrived, the cold hit . It wasn’t like last ti. Back then, this place had been alive — demons roaming everywhere, those white‑haired monsters living their wicked little lives. Now? Nothing. No footsteps. No voices. Just a heavy, choking darkness pressing down on everything.
Good. It should be dark. It was their last day in this demon house — because we were here.
Cayden turned to us. "You know the plan."
"Yes, I know." I flexed my hand. Hazel had wrapped it earlier to hide the mark. "Are you sure?" Cayden asked.
"I’m very sure," I said. "Darius will lose his head if he sees again. Better we do this once — and do it right."
The plan was simple: I would go in first. The others would follow, but not directly. They’d sneak in from the sides, slip through the gaps, and access the demon stronghold while every single creature inside focused on . My presence alone was enough to draw their attention. Darius would never let anyone else strike first.
I walked inside as the demon doors groaned open. The others stayed behind, disappearing into the shadows. Every pair of silver eyes — every icy blue stare — snapped to . A shiver crawled down my spine. For a mont I thought about Rebecca, and my heart softened... but then I rembered my sister, and it hardened all over again.
I shut the door behind .
A growl echoed across the hall.
"She ca back! Soone get Lord Darius!"
And then — suddenly — he appeared. Darius stepped out of the darkness like he had been waiting for . His eyes widened, shocked.
"Aurora?"
I stood my ground as I locked eyes with him.
"Hello, Darius. I’m back," I said, swallowing hard.
His eyes flashed — fear, suspicion, sothing I couldn’t na.
"You ca back," he hissed.
I nodded. "You killed my sister. And you said you’d keep killing everyone I love if I didn’t return. I had no choice but to run away from them."
He smiled as he walked closer. I stepped back, my heart thumping in my chest. I couldn’t risk my life — or my baby’s — not now.
His gaze dragged slowly from my legs to my face, and my pulse spiked. He took my hand, and it trembled in his grip.
"Oh, my poor little girl," he crooned. "You’ve already caused enough damage. You killed Rebecca."
"And you killed my sister."
"I know," I said quietly.
He shrieked, and before I could speak again, his hand crashed across my face. Tears blurred my vision as the sting exploded across my cheek. I felt Leon through the bond — rage pounding, barely held back by the others.
"Even though I don’t like hitting you," Darius snarled, "even though I don’t like any of this... you force my hand."
I straightened, forcing my spine tall, pretending the slap hadn’t rattled .
"I deserve that. And I won’t run again," I said.
He narrowed his eyes.
"How should I believe you, you lying little cunt? I’ve done nothing but love you. Nothing but obsess over you. And this is how you repay ?"
"I’m sorry," I whispered. "I’ll prove it. I’ll do anything."
"Oh, really?" His voice dipped into a cold whisper as his hand snapped around my throat. His fingers sank in, digging cruelly. "Let see how far you’ll go."
My vision blurred.
No. No—
POW.
Everything stopped. Every demon head turned.
Leon stood there — half-shifted, half-wolf, shaking with fury.
Damn it.
The plan just broke.
Caspian and Cayden jumped down beside him. I had no choice but to move to shield Leon. Hazel and Lilith were still hidden — thank the gods — which ant part of the plan was still alive.
"Oh?" Darius sneered. "So you did run away from them. You said you ca back alone. You said you wanted—"
His hand whipped across my face again. I crashed to the floor, my vision swimming.
"Aurora!" Leon roared, trying to lunge, but Darius stepped between us.
"She is my wife," Darius snarled, "and she is carrying my child. Stay away from her."
Leon bared his teeth, but Cayden held him back.
Darius spread his arms. "Do you know where you are? You are in a palace surrounded by demons. Our territory. You have no power here."
Cayden fired back imdiately.
"And do you know who I am? I’m an Alpha — ex‑Alpha, actually — of the strongest pack in the world. I’m Cayden Salvatore. Rember that na. Because I’ll gladly die... as long as you die with ."
Darius tilted his head. "Shouldn’t you be ho protecting your darling little twins? Why are you here?"
"Their mother is ho with them," Cayden said instantly.
I loved how quickly he lied.
"Really?" Darius smirked. "Well, you might want to hope soone’s protecting them. You know... unforeseen circumstances. Like what happened today. Christian lost it. Have you sent soone to check on them?"
Cayden froze.
Darius smiled innocently.
"Can we stop talking?" Cayden cracked his knuckles. "Let’s get this over with."
Leon snapped fully into his wolf form. Thousands of demons — maybe more — snarled and surged forward.
And then half of them collapsed.
We all turned.
Hazel and Lilith stepped out — mother and daughter — both smiling.
"Hey!" Hazel called. "I want to join in. I’m a natural-born Crescent. I just linked my life to those demons, so when I killed myself, they died. And since I’m a natural... I ca back."
Lilith smirked beside her.
"And I birthed this natural."
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