Chapter 62: Secrets of the Royal Bloodline

Aurora

“What is the purpose of your visit here, Eleanora?” Wolfgang asked.

After our encounter outside, Wolfgang led me, Eleanora, and Remus straight to his office and had Mrs. Kala bring beverages for us.

Eleanora, being the peculiar one, ordered just a kettle with boiled water. She retrieved some kind of herbal infusion from her bag and prepared tea for herself.

“I’m here to help my goddaughter out,” she answered nonchalantly.

“~Goddaughter~?” Wolfgang and I said at the same time.

“Yes. Your parents did me the honor of naming me your godmother,” she said with a warm glance at me.

“But why now, after all these years? Before we started looking into Aurora’s mother’s past, we had no idea you even existed,” Remus said.

“I had to go on a long trip, but as soon as I heard of my dear Rebecca’s death, I sent someone to look after you. Of course, I didn’t expect her to become your father’s second chance mate.”

I couldn’t help the loud gasp that escaped my lips.

“Montana…” I said as a lone tear ran down my cheek. I hadn’t mentioned her name or spoken about her since her funeral. The pain was still fresh.

“Yes. I came across her on my travels—a lonely rogue who fled an abusive home in an unstable pack. She was underweight and covered in bruises. She was running from another rogue when I stumbled on her.”

A painful look filled Eleanora’s eyes. “I saved her from the rogue, and she became my ward. Once she had recovered, I assigned her to become your guardian until I came back to collect you and prepare you as the next royal wolf.

“But as the Moon Goddess fated, she became your father’s second chance at love, and she raised you as her own. For that, I’ll be eternally grateful to her,” Eleanora finished.

“I wish I’d known the truth,” I said wistfully.

“I know, my dear. It pained me when I found out about her death, but that was when I realized it was time to come and train you properly,” Eleanora concluded.

“Why now? Why couldn’t she be trained before?” Wolfgang asked.

“How could I train her if she hadn’t awoken her powers?” she retorted.

“But where have you been the last couple of years? Why didn’t you come find me when my dad died?” I asked her.

“I wanted to, sweetie, but I needed to find the answers I was searching for,” she said tenderly. “Raising your mom was difficult because I had little knowledge about how to control her powers.

“After she died, I knew I had to seek more answers to help Rodrick raise you, so I went out searching for the origin of it all. The first royal.”

“What do you mean the first royal? Is she still alive?” I asked.

“No, she died hundreds of years ago, but she left behind her memoirs. Everything we need to know is written here.”

She gave a wave of her hand, and an old book appeared before us. “This will help you master all the powers of a royal.” She placed the book on my lap. It looked like it would crumble to bits if I so much as touched it.

“You don’t know it yet, Aurora, but you are destined to become one of the strongest wolves in existence.”

“If my mother was a royal, too, then why wasn’t she strong enough to live through childbirth?” I asked.

“Your mother was only half royal,” Eleanora explained. “She was half human, which made her body weaker. She knew what her fate might be from the moment she conceived you.”

“Why would she even take the risk?” I asked. My mother knew the risks of having a child, and yet she still did it?

Eleanora took my hands in hers. “It was no risk for her. You were a blessing to your mother. She loved you from the moment she found out she was expecting you.”

She caressed my cheek. “She thought that you were the hope your kind needed to keep the royal bloodline alive.”

“And we’re supposed to believe everything you just said?” Wolfgang interjected. “For all we know, you could be working with those hunters.”

“What the… She is the woman who raised my mother, Wolfgang!” I growled.

“Yeah, and she ditched her as soon as she married your dad. How can we be certain that she isn’t here to harm you?” he countered.

“You mean the same way you harmed my Aurora?” Eleanora spat back.

The air thickened with tension as Eleanora and Wolfgang stared each other down.

“So, Mr. Alpha. Care to explain why you treated my Aurora the way you did when you first found out you two were mates?” she asked, taking a sip of her tea.

“It was a misunderstanding, but we’re moving past it,” Wolfgang said with a straight face.

~Are you kidding me! We are nowhere near moving past it!~

“So, it was fine for you to mock my little girl, prancing around with another she-wolf, harassing her, and even threatening to turn her into a rogue? Yet you question whether my intentions are sincere or not?”

Eleanora’s skin tone had shifted to a pale green. She seemed to be morphing into some unknown creature. Then her eyes turned golden, and the house began to shake.

Wolfgang, Remus, and I stood up, on guard. What little sunlight shone through the windows was quickly covered by rumbling clouds, casting an ominous shadow within Wolfgang’s office.

If it hadn’t been for our enhanced eyesight, I couldn’t have seen the beast transforming before us.

“You were gifted with an outstanding mate, yet you decided to neglect her to the point where she almost lost her life!”

Thunder roared as lightning flashed through the room, and I heard the distant screams of pups who were scared.

“Are you threatening me, witch?” Wolfgang’s alpha blood kick in, and Remus had already taken his glasses off, ready to shift in case.

I could hear warriors running up here ready to attack. They had been on edge since Eleanora appeared. I had to do something before this ended up in a terrible situation.

~“Aurora, let me take over for a bit.”~ Rhea chimed in, and I allowed her dominance.

“Enough!” Rhea’s voice boomed over the entire place, catching Wolfgang and Eleanora off guard. The clouds that had covered over the sky quickly disappeared as Remus and some wolf warriors burst through the door.

“At ease! Stand down!” Rhea ordered them so they’d not pounce on Eleanora.

They all froze at the threshold at her command.

“This is no time for arguments between you two. Eleanora, you said you’re here to help me control my powers. I’ll trust in you, but if you put anyone in the pack in harm’s way, I will kill you without a doubt.”

I spoke as Rhea rendered back dominance of our body. “As for you, Alpha Wolfgang. You and I are yet to be mates, and I’d appreciate it if you refrain from trying to ‘protect’ me.”

I snapped at them both, and I saw how Wolfgang’s demeanor changed from dominant to submissive immediately.

“Wolfgang, I need her to help me control these powers. She is the only one who knows about the royals and the secrets behind it all. Allow her to stay here for the time being.” I said to him.

“Alpha, Lady Aurora is right. We have been looking for Miss Winchester, after all. We have no other choice but to trust in her,” Remus added, even though his stance was still defensive.

Wolfgang huffed in annoyance. “Very well. I will allow it. But I’m keeping a close eye on you, witch. I will have a warrior assigned to be your guardian.”

“Wolfgang, I don’t think that is necess—” I started to say but Eleanora cut me off.

“It’s okay, Aurora. It won’t bother me to have a pup following me around. Now, I’m extremely tired. Where will I be sleeping?” she said as she waved her hand.

“I guess it will be with me back at my place. Let’s go,” I said as I picked up the book and walked out the door.

The warriors made way as we went through, but Wolfgang stopped me by grabbing my hand, the frigging sparks lightning up with his touch.

“Aurora, I think it’s best if you two stayed here at the mansion. You will be safer.”

I jerked my hand out of his. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself,” I said. “Plus, I don’t think she means us any harm.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I don’t know. I just feel it. My wolf and I feel it,” I said to him.

He stared at me for a while and then sighed as if giving up. “Fine. But I’m staying with you both,” he said.

“Fine,” I said in annoyance, and I swear I saw his eyes light up with excitement before he quickly masked it with his stoic expression.

I knew even if I said no, he’d still barge in, and I didn’t want him to give Eleanora any more reason for her to hate him.

“I’ll meet you back at your place at dinner. For now, I’ll appoint a bodyguard and Mrs. Kala to go with you,” he said as he turned to one of the warriors.

“Wolfgang, that really isn’t necessary. We’ll be fine,” I said.

“Please, just do it for my sake. To give me peace of mind,” he pleaded.

“Fine.”