The Ivory Queen
Chapter 27

***Aurora’s POV***

Last night, during my heat, Lluvia Blanca pulled out of the alliance with River Moon and the rest of the packs. Thanks to me, the Alphas now had to deal with the loss of a powerful ally, not to mention handle the repercussions of dismantling a 50 year old alliance. After Lluvia Blanca left, witches became an afterthought in the meeting, with the focus shifting to the redrafting of the alliance.

Oliver has been dealing with lawyers all morning, trying to minimize the damage of losing Lluvia Blanca as a business partner and pack ally. This unfortunately also means Adeline is with him as she controls Lune de Minuit’s shares of the company.

I sigh with irritation at the thought of the two of them together. I trust Oliver, however, and focus my attention on another important matter. I’m in the study with Rio, staring at the black book sitting on the shelf. I haven’t tried to open it since the day Evan and I went to the botanical gardens. I grab the book and take a seat at Oliver’s desk. My thoughts take me back to the day at the creek, when I made the vines snap Andrew’s neck and killed him. The same vines that sealed the book in my hand. I once again examine the gold lock, staring at the rowan tree sitting neatly in the center.

Just relax, Reyna says. You already know what to do.

I nod my head and take a deep breath. I place my fingers on the edges of the lock and concentrate on the vines. I feel my energy flow through them and attempt to twist the lock counter clockwise while visualizing the vines receding back into the lock. To my amazement, the lock actually budges, moving slowly to the left while the vines retract into the lock. I keep twisting until the lock stops turning and the vines sit on top of the cover of the book. My wolf howls in excitement and I gasp in shock.

How the hell did I just do that?

I told you. We’re not a silver wolf, Reyna chuckles.

Then what are we? I ask.

Read and you’ll find out.

My hands shake as I flip the cover. The first page contains an image of twin wolves sitting with their backs touching. Their fur is pure white, but it’s their eyes that catch my attention. Each wolf has both a pink and violet colored eye. I’ve never seen a werewolf possess heterochromia, much less with such odd colors. One wolf wears a beautiful gold sun medallion while the other wears a silver moon medallion. The medallions are encrusted with beautiful pink and purple gem stones.

I turn the page and read the title of the first chapter, The Children of the Moon and of the Sun. I stare at it in confusion.

What the hell does that even mean?

My thoughts are interrupted as Evan wanders in with his hands in his pocket. He looks at the book in my hands and his eyes widen.

“You opened it!” he says excitedly, rushing to the desk to get a look for himself. “How did you manage to get it unlocked?”

My wolf warns me not to tell him, so I just smile and shrug. Evan raises his eyebrow and raises his hands in surrender.

“Fine don’t tell me,” he teases. “So what’s it say?” He turns the book towards him and starts flipping through it. A frown forms on his lips. “Oh damn,” he says looking back at me. “I’m sorry, Aurora. That must be really frustrating.”

I stare at him in confusion. “What?”

“I mean its blank. There’s nothing on the pages. I guess your wolf was wrong about it having the answers to your questions,” he shrugs.

He can’t see the words?

The secrets in this book are for our kind only. You must never share its contents with anyone else.

Why not?

It’s not safe.

“Umm hello? Earth to Aurora,” Evan says as he waves his hand before my eyes.

I blink several times before closing the book. “Sorry, I was talking to my wolf. Umm… did you need something?” I ask.

“Oh no, we finished our game, so the guys just went to the training grounds,” he says.

“Why didn’t you go with them?”

He gives me a look that questions my intelligence. “You do realize I am your guardian, right?”

“Right, but you are not my slave, Evan. You can go with them,” I say.

He opens his mouth to protest but I interrupt him.

“Evan, I’m in the pack house,” I snap as I stand up and place my hands on his shoulders. “Go beat someone up. I promise I won’t leave the house.”

He hesitates. I give him a stern look and he sighs, giving in. He turns to leave before giving me one last look. I narrow my eyes and shoo him away.

Turning my full attention back to the book, I begin to read the first chapter.

While all werewolves are the creation of the Moon Goddess herself, Silver wolves were her first and most precious creation and are often referred to as the Children of the Moon. Apart from being significantly stronger than the average werewolf, silver wolves are gifted with special powers. The list of gifts varies but each silver wolf bears only one ability. Being the favored creations of the Moon Goddess, silver wolves are of noble b***d and therefore cannot be commanded by a normal Alpha.

The Silver wolves, however, are not the Moon Goddess’ only special creation. During the creation of the werewolves, the Sun God bestowed upon the Moon Goddess a vial of light which she used to create a powerful race of werewolves: the Gold wolves. Born with golden fur as a tribute to the Sun, these wolves can each control an element: Air, Water, Earth, or Fire. Gold wolves are of Royal b***d due to their creation stemming from both the moon and sun and typically rule over expansive regions and multiple packs. They can command both silver wolves and regular wolves, but cannot command each other.

A thought pops into my head.

Am I a gold wolf?

Nope. Reyna says. Keep reading.

The chapter goes on to describe the history and power of the Gold and Silver werewolves. I’m annoyed. If I’m not a silver or a gold wolf, then what the hell am I? My growling stomach interrupts my reading. I look at the clock and see that it’s only a little past 2 pm.

Damn it, it’s too early for dinner.

I close the book and lock it. The sound of my chair sliding across the floor wakes Rio up from his nap and he quickly jumps up in excitement.

“Come on boy, let’s go get a snack!”

We run down to the kitchen and find it vacant. I search the cabinets and grab a hot chocolate mix and fix myself a cup. In the bread box, I find my personal stash of Mexican breads and select a pink concha. Rio starts barking incessantly so I follow his gaze behind me. Three girls stand near the exit glaring at me. My stomach drops as I instantly recognize them as Erin’s friends: Leila, Hannah, and Laura. I give them a nervous smile and lower my gaze to avoid their hate filled eyes. I grab my hot chocolate and concha and move towards the exit but one of the girls moves in my way.

“Umm, excuse me,” I whimper, dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

Leila shoves me with her shoulder, catching me off guard and I fall on the ground. My mug shatters and the hot liquid spills all over me.

“So this is our Luna?” Leila spits as I fumble with the ceramic shards.

“Pathetic. And to think Alpha Oliver lost the Lluvia Blanca alliance over this witch,” snickers Hannah.

My eyes burn with tears as I continue to nervously pick up the shards. I cut my finger and let out a small whimper. Rio starts barking at the girls until Hannah steps forward and kicks him in the stomach, causing him to yelp.

“No, please don’t hurt him. He’s just a puppy,” I plead.

I try to crawl towards him but Laura stops me by placing her boot over my left hand. She applies pressure and I scream as she crushes my fingers, the ceramic debris cutting into my flesh. When she’s done, she squats down to my eye level and yanks me by my hair.

“Thanks to you, the borders between Lluvia Blanca and River Moon are closed,” she snarls. “I’ve only lived here for less than a week with my mate and now I can’t even visit my family back at Lluvia Blanca, you f*****g b***h!”

She slaps me across the face, splitting my l*p. She stands back up, and motions for her friends to leave.

“No importa quien seas ahora, siempre seras una mierda {It doesn’t matter who you are now, you’ll always be shit},” she calls out as they all exit, leaving me to cry on the kitchen floor.

I try to stifle my sobs as I pick up Rio in my arms. I examine his tiny stomach and see no bruising or cuts. He licks my face, assuring me he’s not injured, and I put him back down. With my good hand, I clean up the shards of ceramic and wipe down the kitchen floor. I wash my cuts under the kitchen sink and realize my middle and index finger are broken. I find the first aid kit and dress my cuts. Taking some popsicle sticks from the cupboard, I make two makeshift finger splints.

Upstairs, I quickly change out of my stained clothes and into my PJ’s before crawling into bed with Rio.

—

*TRIGGER WARNING: Suicidal thoughts*

I’ve been in bed for a while, shaking with fear. For five years, my own family tortured me while my pack took out their frustrations on me. I had grown used to their hate. Now, I was the soon to be Luna of the River Moon pack and yet here I was again being belittled and abused. It seems no matter where I go, I would always be nothing but a waste of space.

I hear Evan burst through the door and rush to my side. I bury my face in my pillow, ashamed to meet his eyes. Rio jumps up immediately, eager to greet him.

“Oliver called and said you were in pain. What happened?” he asks, his voice strained with concern.

My mate is always worrying about me. Why can’t I just be good and not cause trouble for him?

I don’t answer. Evan climbs onto the bed to reach me and I panic, scrambling off the bed and running to the bathroom. I lock the door behind me.

“Aurora, open the door! Hey! Open up! Let’s talk,” he shouts, pounding on the door.

I ignore his pleas, searching for the scalpel I hid in my drawer. Tears well up in my eyes when I find it, countless painful memories flooding my mind. My hand trembles as I place it against my wrist. Angry tears continue flowing down my face and I take a deep breath.

Aurora, don’t. Reyna says with great sadness.

Just one more time. Please, I just need one more…

More tears flow down my face as I try to concentrate. I steady my hand and press the blade down a little harder, still not breaking the skin.

Think of Oliver, she pleads.

I freeze in place and let out small scream of frustration. Oliver would be crushed if he saw a new cut on my wrist. Completely ashamed of myself, I tuck the scalpel back into the cloth and stuff it into the drawer. I climb into the bathtub, pulling my knees to my chest and sob so hard, my entire body shakes. Evan continues pounding on the door, his anger growing with very passing second. The door flies off its hinges, colliding with the floor as he bursts in.

“Aurora!” he shouts, trying to grab me.

I slap his arms away from me, but cry out in pain as I remember my broken fingers. Evan grabs me by the wrists, forcing me to stop. He sees my bloodied hand and pants with rage.

“What happened?” he snarls. “Who did this?” he says lifting up my injured hand.

I shake my head furiously, refusing to give an answer.

“Aurora?”

“Don’t touch me!” I cry. I yank my wrists from his grip and bury my face in my knees. Rio growls at Evan, warning him to back off.

“Aurora who-“

“It doesn’t matter! Just leave me alone! I hate it here!” I scream. “You should have just let me die. Why didn’t you just let me die?”

Evan’s face flushes with fury. “How could you say that? We care about you! We love y-“

“Just get out! Get out!” I shout, shoving him with my good arm.

“No! I won’t. I won’t leave you like this! Aurora talk to me. Please talk to me,” he pleads, grabbing my wrists to stop me from shoving him.

“Don’t touch me! Stop touching me!” I yell at him, pulling my arms back.

A look of hurt and shock washes over his face as he stares back at me. I slump back in the bathtub, quietly sobbing. I’m so tired, I just want to sleep. I curl up on the tub floor as Rio hops in the tub and wedges himself against my body. Evan pulls out his phone to dial Oliver, asking him to come immediately.

“It’s going to be ok, Aurora. Oliver is coming,” he says gently. He sits down quietly with his back against the bathtub. We remain silent as we wait for Oliver.