Chapter 136
Auren POV
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Lucien had deferred the party that he was supposed to give to the pack. He didn’t want to risk exposure to his newly born. He was an extremely protective father, there for them all the time. I hadn’t expected this from the Alpha of the North, but look where was he? My heart swelled with warmth and love seeing him cooing to Tamara. She was the apple of his eyes. He felt like she needed more protection as compared to his son. I would laugh at him, but he said that his daughter was the princess. There hadn’t been a single female born in the Shadowfang bloodline. So Tamara was a precious child.
“The Elders want to see you, Auren,” he said as we lay side by side. He curled his fingers around mine and was examining our joined hands against the light of the fire.
“Why?” I asked sleepily.
“Goddess knows!” he rasped. “These Elders have their own mind.”
“I’ll meet them tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to, if you don’t want it.”
I chuckled. “It’s not like they will kill me. It’s just a small meeting, Lucien.”
“Okay…”
The next day, the Elders arrived in the afternoon. Elder Ryna and Orlan. I had got the pups downstairs for them to see. they were so happy, with warm smiles etched on their wrinkled faces.
“Awww…” Elder Ryna breathed, bringing her hand to her heart. “Look at them!”
Elder Orlan leaned in to peek at the twins in my arms. “Bradley is so strong. And already full of life.”
Bradley had grown more than Tamara. He looked dominant at two weeks.
“And she is so beautiful,” Elder Orlan remarked with a kind smile to Tamara. “The first female in centuries of the Shadowfang Alpha line.” He clasped his hands. “I hope they aren’t troubling you so much.”
“They kick like wolves,” I said with a small grin. “Lucien’s convinced that they will shift early just to terrorize him.”
The Elders laughed, but soon Elder Ryna’s eyes turned serious. “And how are you, Luna Auren?”
And
“I’m… good,” I replied. “Actually really good.” I looked at them. There was no pain, no sickness. In fact, I felt stronger than I thought I would.”
Ryna and Orlan exchanged a glance. “That’s surprising,” Orlan muttered. “Given the nature of the curse…”
Lucien shifted in his feet beside me, his tension pulsing through our bond.
I gave
the pups
to the nannies who took them upstairs. Then I turned to the Elders and said, “I thought the curse would… do something. But look-” I took my hands up in front of me. Turning my palms, I said, “I feel more alive and healthier. Vivi is feeding me a lot!” I chuckled.
There was an awkward quiet in the room. After a while, Ryna gently said, “I hope that the mate bond between you reverses
the effects of the curse.”
“I hope so too!” Lucien muttered under his breath.
But he didn’t sound convinced. He looked worried as hell. And his worry was a cause of deep concern for me. I took his
13:24 Tue, 15 Apr Me
Chapter 136
hand in mine and said, “Lucien, I am well. Stop worrying so much, okay?”
He just pulled my hand up and kissed my knuckles in answer.
Lucien POV
barked by thorns. They were the phantom calls of the
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For the last one year, the bond between me and Auren had been shadow wolves. I felt the chills down my spine. But all of them had gone and the one that remained on my chest did bring flashes of pain now and then. At first, I thought that it was Auren who the Shadow wolves were after, but as the next week got
was after my life. It was like either me or her. over, the pain in my chest intensified and now I firmly believed that the curse
Our bond was quiet. It pulsed steady and strong. Auren’s joy and warmth was overwhelming. There was not an iota of fear.
It forced me to wonder if the curse was over? Did the curse spare her? If that was the case, then I was a happy wolf. We would both stay with our kids, watch them grow.
However, my happiness was short–lived. It began one quiet evening. Tamara had just finished feeding. I took her from Auren and nestled her against my bare chest. The soft breaths vibrated against my skin. She was so beautiful, like she was spun from moonlight. I inhaled her scent and a smile spread on my lips. Three weeks had passed without anything untoward.
I made her sleep in her cradle. Bradley was already sleeping. I chuckled as to how my pups were only interested in sleeping, having milk and doing potty. They had started recognizing their mom pretty well though. So whenever she cooed to them, they would talk back to her.
Just as I got up, I felt a sharp sting in my chest. I flinched. It was a single prick right over my tattoo near my heart. He placed my hand over my heart to stop it. It was like a ghost of heat. At that time, I didn’t pay attention and went to the bed to sleep beside Auren. However, over the next few days, it grew worse. The thorns, kind of twisted. They didn’t just sting. They fucking moved. It felt like they were crawling beneath my skin. Some nights I woke up in a sweat as pain gripped me hard.
But I didn’t tell it to Auren. Though she was worried and would keep asking me what was wrong, I didn’t tell her anything. She looked so happy. I couldn’t burden her again. Not after everything we had been through.
But the fucking pain wasn’t fading. It was only building.
Our pups were a month old today. I was thinking of giving a party to my pack members. It was a quiet morning. Sunlight
party as I walked to her. “Here, let me also-” spilled on the floor. She was talking excitedly about the p
Suddenly, white hot, blinding pain shot through my chest. My knees buckled. My arms seized mid–motion. Auren screamed, lunging forward. “Lucien!”
flesh. But I hit the floor before she reached me. I collapsed onto my side, a terrifying tremble coursing through me. My breath turned shallow and uneven. Right where my tattoo was, it felt like embers burning into my
“Lucien- Lucien! What’s happening?” she cried, her voice breaking. “Vivi! Tarian!” she shouted.
I looked at her, my vision blurring fast. I couldn’t breathe or answer. If I thought that the curse had forgotten us, it had just
And it wanted to claim me. Not Auren.
