Aurora''s POV


    Seeing Alpha Bane head over to where we were, gave me great joy as I was beginning to wonder what else I was going to do to escape the situation that I was in. Sophia wouldn''t let go of my wrists and I didn''t know how to free myself in that situation.


    I felt weak. I never imagined that I''d be unable to free myself from Sophia''s grip. I wondered how she was able to hold onto me so strongly. It was something that I couldn''t exin.


    Thankfully, Alpha Bane came to my rescue. I knew he came for me. I knew he hade to save me and that alone gave me so much joy. Yet, I felt even happier when I turned to see the look on Sophia''s face. She looked like she had seen a ghost. She probably didn''t expect him toe over. At that instant, it was clear from her eyes that she knew her n had hit a rock. That rock was Alpha Bane.


    I turned back to Alpha Bane and saw that he was looking at me. His eyes were steady and assured; like he was trying to tell me that everything was always and he had it all in control, without saying a word. I got the message loud and clear. I hope thedies got it too.


    They said nothing after the question that Alpha Bane asked them and for good reason too. How were they to tell him how they''d been bullying the Princess of the Pack in a renowned ceremony without any form of shame?


    "Well, I did hear some of the horrible things that all of you said to the Princess and I must warn you," Alpha Bane warned very sternly. "You should never speak to the Princess in that manner. You have no right to make jokes about my woman!"


    Thest line got everyone''s attention. Me too. I was shocked to hear him say that in the presence of everyone. Sophia too. She and her friends threw cursory nces at themselves with their mouths wide open. Yet, Alpha Bane looked defiant.


    "This is going to be thest time that any of you willy your filthy hands on her or throw jabs at her. I''ll make sure that you''ll live to regret it if you ever tried it, especially, you miserly peasants who have no right to be anywhere near her. You do know what would happen if the Alpha King heard about this, right?"


    "Please, don''t tell him," one of them begged. "It won''t happen again, we promise." "You better do as you have said, or you''ll certainly regret it!"


    Sophia stamped her right foot on the ground in frustration. It wasn''t that obvious but I spotted it and it only made me smile a bit.


    "I love you, Aurora," Alpha Bane dered, turning to look at me. "There''s no way to separate us in this world or the next."


    It felt like a dream. I didn''t envisage that the festival was going to go that way. I never knew that Alpha Bane would be so bold to dere all of that. It was all so surprising.


    "No matter what Sophia or any other person chooses to say, nothing can stop me from loving you, Aurora," he continued. "I don''t care about your former status in this Pack. I love you for who you are, Aurora and I am so grateful that you''re mated to me. I don''t believe it was a mistake, even though you''ve refused to ept me for so long."


    As he said all this, I couldn''t help but gasp in shock. I wanted to say something but I didn''t know exactly what to say. It was all too much for me.


    Princess Sophia''s POV


    I stood, with my friends next to me, watching everything that unfolded. I was so disgusted that I almost threw up at the sight of their stupid disy of affection. It wasn''t difficult to get me very upset, but they took it up a notch.


    I was livid; so much that I wished for nothing more than to tear them both apart with my bare hands. Yet, I knew impossible things and that was one of those. There was nothing that I could do and that knowledge made me get angrier.


    I looked around at my friends and noticed that they were conversing. I paused. I needed to hear exactly what they were talking about. I hoped that they were probably talking about how they were going to help me topple the idiot called Aurora but they weren''t. They had something else in mind.


    "They do look good together, you know," one of them said. Wendy, she was called. "I think they''re a great match if we''re being honest with ourselves. What do you think?"


    "As much as I hate to say it," replied another one of them. "You''re right. They look like they were made for each other. I mean, look at them, see how they''re staring


    at each other with dreamy eyes. I wouldn''t be surprised if they kissed right in front of us."


    "I think you''re taking it too far."


    "I don''t think so, Wendy. You just watch out and see."


    I couldn''t believe my ears. My friends were actually talking about Aurora and Alpha Bane in a stupid light. I couldn''t believe that they could do that to me. Right before me, they were shamelessly aligning themselves with the enemy.


    I boiled with anger, yearning so much to p them hard across their faces. "Fools!" I yelled at them, paying little attention to the people around me. "Be quiet this instant! You all should be on my side. That''s what friends are for, isn''t it? How can you all also turn your backs on me because of... Because of this-"


    Remembering what Alpha Bane said just a few minutes before that, I couldn''t call Aurora the name that I had in mind. The name stayed on my chest and despite it being so heavy, I just had to hold it inside. All I wanted was to let it out.


    I turned to see that people had begun to look in our direction. It must have been because I raised my voice. It wasn''t my intention to get the attention of everyone, especially not in that situation. Yet, it was the reality and I didn''t know what to do about it.


    Alpha Bane turned to me with a look that sent shivers down my spine. Then he took his gaze away from me and turned to the people.


    I watched him closely, trying to observe what he was going to do next. He dipped his hands in his trousers and I noticed that he grit his jaw. Aurora was by his side. She had shamelessly walked closer to him so that everyone would think that she was better than me. She only had them fooled. It was only a matter of time. I knew I was going to make them see that she was nobody.


    "Greetings, distinguished wolves from all the prestigious Packs in the region!" He yelled as I stared at him in dismay. "I have a special announcement to make to all of you; one that I am sure you all want to hear."


    All eyes were on us with everyone looking so keen on finding out what he wanted to say. I was too. I was worried to bits.


    I felt my hands begin to tremble as I wondered what he wanted to reveal. I knew somehow that it had to do with me but I didn''t know exactly what it was.


    That made me scared. Aurora turned back and looked at me in a way that got me even more worried. It seemed he had already said something to her about it previously but I wasn''t sure. I just guessed because she wouldn''t stop staring at me with a huge smile on her face.


    Alpha Bane coughed, clearing his throat, and opened his mouth to speak.