Aurora''s POV


    It was time for breakfast and I sat at the dining table, alongside my parents and Alpha Bane. Alpha Bane sat next to me and it was a mistake that I allowed.


    As we kept eating and talking, he kept touching me from under the table which, as much as it felt good, made me very ufortable, especially since my parents were there.


    "Hey, you''re distracting me," I said to him in a whisper, trying to hit his hands off me but he was having none of that. He loved what he was doing and nothing was going to make him stop. After a few fruitless attempts to get him to stop, I finally gave up and let him have his way.


    Luckily for me, my mother decided to talk about something quite interesting, forcing him to pay attention. "How was the festival, Alpha Bane?" She asked him, as he immediately took his hand out from beneath the table.


    "It was amazing. I must admit, my expectations were met and exceeded by far. It was by a long shot, the best that I have attended so far. You did a very great job and I mustmend the entire Pack for their efforts."


    My dad was pleased to hear that. Even more than my mom who had asked the question. U could see it in his eyes. There was always this thing with men and their egos. They always loved to have it massaged.


    "I agree, mom," I said, even though I wasn''t asked. "This was my first and I must say that it was worth all the stress and hassle. I think the maids and guards in the Pack deserve some sort of reward for all they did to ensure that it was a sess. This festival will surely be talked about by everyone who came right until next year''s festival."


    "And they''ll have it," my father affirmed. "Nobour deserves to be left unrewarded and although they did all that they were supposed to do, I can''t deny that they took it up a notch. I watched them work through fatigue and exhaustion, just to ensure that we weren''t made aughing stock to all the Packs that graced the asion. They will surely be rewards, my child. You can count on that." "Thank you, dad."


    I looked to my right and saw a maid who was trying to pick something up in the sitting room. She was all smiling so I guessed that she must have overheard what was being talked about. I was happy.


    In a few minutes, we were all done eating and my father stood and cleaned his lips. Then he cleared his throat and looked at Alpha Bane. "We need to continue our discussion from yesterday, Alpha Bane. We should head outside."


    I was curious as I wondered what the conversation was all about. If they couldn''t finish it yesterday, then it surely had to be something very serious. "What is it that you''re discussing with my father?" I asked Alpha Bane in a very subtle voice.


    "It''s a secret, my love; one that isn''t in my power to reveal at this time," he winked at me. "In due time, you''ll know. Please, don''t forget our date this evening. "


    He leaned in and kissed me for about a minute, right in front of my parents. I was a bit embarrassed but he didn''t care. If he didn''t have to leave, I was so sure that he''d have kissed me for much longer. Thankfully, he didn''t.


    As he turned around and walked away with my father, I never took my eyes off him. I watched him as he walked to the door and left.


    "Aurora," my mom called me, bringing me back to reality as I turned to her and blinked twice.


    "What''s going on between you and Alpha Bane, my child?" She asked, looking so curious and understandably so.


    "Well, mother, after spending a lot of time with him these past few months, I think I''m slowly falling in love with him."


    She looked at me keenly and I wondered what was going through her mind. I didn''t know if she was going to be happy for me, especially since he had a thing with Sophia.


    "From the way he''s been acting around you and the kiss that I just witnessed, I do think the feeling is mutual. He has told you that he loves you too, right?"


    "All the time, mom," I answered cheerfully. "He says that all the time and he does show that he means it in his actions. It''s quite easy to love him, mom. He''s amazing. I love him too, mom. I love him so much."


    My mom''s eyes suddenly got teary. She reached out and grabbed my right hand and then kissed my knuckles. She was so emotional and it almost made me cry too.


    "I''m so happy for you, my child," she said to me. "I''m so d to see you this happy. It''s what you deserve and I am sorry that I wasn''t able to offer you that for such a long time."


    "It''s alright, mom," I said to her, eager to see her stop crying. "It''s fine."


    "No, my child," she countered. "It''s not alright. Something like that could never be alright."


    As she spoke, I could see the genuineness in her voice. She looked truly sorry for all that I had been through even though it wasn''t her fault at all. I could see the love in her eyes; how she cared for me and wanted nothing but the best for me and I wondered how life would have been if only I hadn''t been switched with Sophia.


    I wished that the hands of time could be turned. I''d have had no need to deal with all the trauma and pain that I endured as a result of all that happened. I would not have suffered the cruelty of Mrs Scott. I would have found out just how valuable I was on time. I could have enjoyed love in its purest form from a young age. Sophia and her mother did take so much away from me. They made me believe that a lie was the truth for several years.


    I cursed them in my heart. I wanted nothing more than for them to reap what they sowed. That selfish pair! They deserved whatever they were experiencing in that dungeon. It was where they truly belonged.


    "Every day in this Pack, I''ll do all that I can to make it up to you, my darling," she vowed. "I''m thankful that Sophia is no longer here. She''s out of our lives for good, never to return. I''ll show you all the love and care that I failed to show you when you needed it."


    I nodded as I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. Then I immediately reached out to her and wrapped my hands around her in a hug.