To Live or to Love

She was running.

Aurora was running out of time, running out of patience. She fought against the urge to release her claws.

“I want you now,” she moaned huskily, unable to take it anymore. He laughed and swayed her head to the other side. He teased his lips on the mark he had left there earlier on. They were lying on a queen sized bed in a room. The room was simple, with walls made of burnt mud which gave it a natural beauty while the door was pitch black. A small wooden bookshelf filled to the brim stood near the door; in the corner of the room was a queen sized bed that held a mound of covers.

That mound of covers was in fact the impatient Aurora, lying next to her mate, Derek.

“You are mine,” he said, looking directly into her eyes. His brown almond shaped eyes sparkled.

“I am yours,” she said, nodding in affirmation. The wolf in her leaped in joy.

****

The sun had just set behind the mountains, and the sky had turned into a beautiful shade of orange and pink. In Gondar Square, which housed the home of Alpha king, the people were getting ready for the annual mate-calling ceremony. The air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers, and the sound of drums and singing could be heard from every corner.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, the villagers gathered in the central square, where a large fire had been lit. The fire was surrounded by a circle of young men and women, all dressed in their finest clothes. They had come from far and wide to see the heir apparent announce his luna, and hopefully find theirs too.

The atmosphere was electric, with a sense of excitement and anticipation filling the air. Young men and women sang songs of love and longing, their voices rising and falling with the beat of the drums. The sound of the music grew louder and more intense, and the villagers began to dance around the fire, their bodies moving in a hypnotic rhythm.

As the night wore on, the drinking began. The villagers passed around large jugs of honey wine, which they drank from large gourds. The wine flowed freely, and soon everyone was feeling a little light-headed and giddy. The merriment continued late into the night, with people laughing and singing, and the drums beating in the background.

Finally, as the moon rose high in the sky, there was a sudden hush.

The crowd was dense, but he still stood out from the rest. He was taller than most of the spectators, and looked elegant in his neatly woven blue robe. He had a long face with prominent cheek bones, topped with brown, hooded eyes. Slightly plump mouth with a perfectly arched bow on the top of the lip; straight nose and procelain-like shade of skin. His skin was smooth as it shone brightly under the moonlight.

His eyes beamed as he scanned the gathering. His hair was neatly packed in a ponytail which dropped slightly above his waist. He walked slowly, making everybody catch a glimpse of him in his elegance.

She smiled to herself, admiring him. Walking down the aisle with her mate was a dream come true for her, not excluding the fact that she would have walked down the aisle with the prince even if he was not her mate.

“You are nervous,” Derek breathed against her ear, the air coming from his mouth brushing against her skin and sending chills down her spine. “You will be fine. I'm right beside you.” He held her hands gently as they walked side by side.

Aurora could feel the heat of his body against hers, and her heart started to race.

“It won't hurt you,” he said as they got to the center of the field. Not like he cared. The field center was where the two lands met, the Blood Moon pack and the Scorpion Zeal pack.

With his eyes firmly locked on hers, Derek reached out and took her hand, pulling her close to him.

"How painful do you think it—" she whispered.

"Shh," he replied. "Trust me."

And then, without further warning, Derek lowered his head and sank his teeth into the soft flesh of Aurora's neck. She gasped in surprise and pain. It was worse than she'd imagined it, but she didn't pull away. In a few seconds, the sting had started to fade.

For a moment, everything went quiet. The music and the dancing faded away, and Aurora felt like she was floating in a dream. She could feel Derek's strength, his power, flowing into her through the bite.

And then, suddenly, it was over. Derek pulled away, his lips and chin stained red with blood. Aurora could feel the wound on her neck, aching and throbbing now that the evening's air rested on it, but she knew that it would heal quickly.

Derek stepped back, looking down at her with a mixture of love and possessiveness. Aurora looked back up at him, her eyes filled with wonder.

"Are…are you okay?” he asked.

Aurora nodded, feeling a sense of peace and contentment settle over her. She knew that she belonged to Derek now, and she was happy to be his. The ceremony continued around them, but Aurora and Derek stood there, locked in each other's embrace, as if they were the only two people in the world.

Then remembering they were in the midst of hundreds, Derek cleared his throat awkwardly and turned to face them.

"With my fangs, I will put my mark on you!" he started, his hands still raised and his head, slightly bent backwards. A loud crashing thunder hit the sky, causing the children flinch and run to their mothers for safety. The crowd clapped their hands in joy and cheered. It was the most important part of the mating process, that everyone looked forward to.

She searched the gathering for her best friend, Miranda. Her eyes met hers and she gave her a wink. She was lucky to be mated to someone else by the moon goddess after so long. She had promised herself to make to make her relationship with the prince work. The marking was so important to her. She tightened her fist and bit her lower lips.

"With my hands, from the storm I'll shield you," he said, and was about to continue when lighting flashed across the sky with thunder trailing behind it.

"With my mouth, with love I will shower you," he ended. He turned to Aurora and sealed the bond with a light kiss. Just like a church wedding, the initial marking would be sealed with a kiss before the final marking, which would be sealed in the bedroom.

The crowd cheered again. The noise was mostly coming from the right hand side while those on the left hand side did nothing, nor did they cheer or clap. The people of the Scorpion Zeal clan were glad.

The people of the Blood Moon pack looked like they were forced to come. Trying so hard to hide the fact that they were against the Wedding. The two clans were not on good terms and it was obvious in their cheers. She held his hand and smiled.

When she held his hand, her eyes stealing glances occasionally, she wondered why he wasn't showing much reaction. She could feel the bond, strong and overwhelming. It took her a lot of effort to keep herself from jumping into his arms.

The mating came first.

However, why wasn't he showing much reaction that he felt the bond too…?

Soon the spinsters and bachelors split the two amongst themselves, pulling each to their side of unnecessary convos. Aurora was no longer considered a spinster, and she was quickly surrounded by the other women from the Scorpion Zeal pack, who congratulated her.

Aurora was stiffened by the clinginess of these women she barely knew.Thankfully Miranda was still around to see to her friend's awkward predicament.

“Does it hurt?” Miranda asked Aurora while helping her apply a soothing lotion to the wound on her neck. It had gone a good way into healing.

"A little," Aurora admitted. "But it's nothing compared to the joy I feel in my heart."

Miranda smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Aurora. I mean, if you're happy of course.”

“Sure, I'm happy.” Aurora nodded, feeling a sense of appreciation settling over her. She was grateful for her friend's support, and she knew that she had made the right choice…

Except that something did not make her feel content about the whole fiasco.

Or was she just being her overly-sensitive self?

Meanwhile, Derek was among his few bachelors, who were barely close enough to him to be termed friends—just a group of young men from the aristocracy who all thought that was what made them special.

If anything, Derek didn't mind their company this night.

"Looks like you're finally settling down, Derek," one of them joked.

Derek barely made a sound in response, only smiled that bore deeper words beneath them.

The men laughed at his stiffness, but there was a note of admiration in their voices.

Just then, one of his father's men approached him. "Young lord, the Alpha has summoned you to the palace," he said.

"I'll be there soon," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.

“Why did you mark her?” Ragnar asked immediately as Derek entered the room. He was the Alpha of the Scorpion Zeal pack and also a father to Derek.

Ragnar was a tall, imposing figure, with broad shoulders and a thick beard. He was dressed in a fine silk robe, with gold embroidery and jewels adorning his cuffs and collar.

His chambers were opulent and imposing, befitting of his status as the leader of the werewolf clan. The room was large and spacious, with high ceilings and ornate mouldings. The walls were covered in tapestries, each one telling the story of a great battle or heroic feat.

The floor was covered in a thick, plush carpet that felt soft underfoot. In the center of the room, there was a large four-poster bed, with silk sheets and a velvet canopy. The bed was adorned with gold and silver embroidery, and the pillows were plump and inviting.

In one corner of the room, there was a small sitting area, with a comfortable sofa and several chairs arranged around a low table. The furniture was upholstered in rich fabrics, with intricate designs and patterns. Opposite the sitting area, there was a large fireplace, with a roaring fire burning brightly in the hearth. Above the fireplace, there was a large oil painting, depicting Ragnar in his prime, dressed in battle armor and wielding a mighty sword.

On either side of the fireplace, there were tall bookshelves, filled with leather-bound tomes and ancient manuscripts. The books were arranged in neat rows, and the spines glimmered in the firelight.

In one corner of the room, there was a large wooden desk, with piles of papers and documents stacked neatly on top. The desk was adorned with a few trinkets and knick-knacks, including a silver inkwell and a quill pen.

In all, the room had a grand, almost regal feel to it. Every surface was adorned with rich fabrics, ornate carvings, and valuable objects. It was a space that spoke to power and influence, and it was clear that Ragnar was a man who knew how to wield both.

Ragnar's rage was palpable. "What have you done, Derek?" he spat. "Do you not realize the consequences of your actions?" Ragnar's eyes fumed with anger, his fists clenched as he gritted his teeth. “I told you not to mark her. It was meant to be just a party, for heaven's sake!”

“Father, this is just to gain her trust,” Derek replied with a slight bow to show his respect.

“How long would it take you to just get an antidote from a pup? Tell me, how long?!” Ragnar questioned with a snarl, forcing his claws back into his skin.

“The relationship between our pack and their pack is making everything hard for me, father. You have been a very notorious man. You started most of the wars. You defeated a lot of packs and took over their pups. Your sudden kindness came as a shock to everybody. I had to do that to show her I was different, unlike the rest,” Derek explained.

Alpha Ragnar gritted his teeth. He hated the word, kindness. He hated the fact that he had to pretend. He hated the fact that he had to apologize to the Alpha King at the field in the presence of everybody. He clenched his fists. He was going to make the Alpha king pay for it. The antidote was his first priority, at the moment. His life depended on it, and so did his pack.

Alpha Ragnar gained his power and respect from defeating a lot of packs. Ranging from attacking all packs, kidnapping pups, to negotiation with rogues and empowering them, he had earned a name for himself. He was an unkind man who would not settle for less. He had tried to fight the Blood Moon pack once but got defeated.

"Why do you always fail to redeem yourself as my blood? Why?”

Derek felt his father's rage burn his skin. “I did it for our plan to go as well as we…”

"Off with your mouth, boy!” Ragnar yelled, flinging a golden cup that was at his reach and the clanging noise was enough of a discomforting distraction. His eyes narrowed. "You do not understand the gravity of the situation," he said. "Until the disease wipes us out? Is that your plan?”

“No, father,” Derek replied, his voice getting lower.

He clenched his fists. The antidote belonged to the Blood Moon pack which the Alpha king would not let go of without a fight, but Derek was ready to give it his all. They had tried to get the antidote by force, declaring wars but they were no match for the Alpha king. Their joy knew no bounds when the moon goddess mated him with the daughter of the Alpha king. Now, it was his turn to make use of the opportunity.

“Your mother, your sister, Fel,” Ragnar continued. “Is this how you would keep watching?”

Ragnar's heart was filled with emotions, but he was bent on not showing it. He was the leader of the pack. He had to be strong for his pack. Derek clenched his fists again, this time, letting his claws sink into his palm.

“Even if you have to kill her, do it, Derek. Just get the antidote,” he instructed as he let the liquid flow freely out his eyes.

Derek knelt down in front of his father, bowing his head in submission. "I know I acted rashly, father. I should have consulted with you before marking Aurora. But I can make it right. I can get the information we need from her pack, no matter the cost."

Ragnar leaned back in his chair, studying his son with a critical eye. "You do know our lives and honour depend on this, right?" Ragnar growled lowly.

"I know," Derek replied, his voice steady. "But I'll do whatever it takes to get that information. I'll deceive Aurora if I have to. I'll pretend to care for her, to love her. I'll make her believe I'm on her side. And then I'll take what we need and leave her behind…I mean…end her life—father."

Ragnar studied Derek for a long moment, his expression inscrutable. Finally, he spoke. "You have a lot to learn, son. But I'll give you this chance to prove yourself. Bring me the information we need, and you'll have my trust once again."

Derek nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He had always wanted to prove himself to his father, to show that he was worthy of his respect and admiration. And now, he had better not slip up this time.

As he left the royal arena and made his way into the woods, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. His conversation with his father had left him feeling conflicted and guilty, and the weight of his actions was starting to bear down on him.

The woods were thick with trees, their branches reaching up to the sky and casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The ground was soft and springy beneath Derek's feet, and he could hear the sound of his own footsteps echoing through the trees. The air was cool and crisp, and he could smell the scent of pine needles and damp earth. It was a peaceful and serene environment, but Derek found himself unable to fully appreciate it.

His mind was consumed with thoughts of Aurora, and the deception he would soon have to inflict upon her.

As he walked deeper into the woods, the sounds of nature surrounded him. He could hear the distant call of a bird, the rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze blew through the trees. The only other sounds were the ones he made himself, the crunching of twigs and leaves beneath his feet.

Despite the peaceful atmosphere, Derek couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at him. He knew what he had to do to gain his father's trust back, but the cost was high. He would have to deceive the one person he had started to care for in a way that made him feel sick to his stomach.

The weight of his actions hung heavy on his shoulders as he walked, and the once peaceful woods now felt ominous and foreboding. He could feel the weight of every step he took, as if the earth itself was protesting his deceit.

He came to a clearing and sat down on a log, taking a deep breath and trying to calm his racing thoughts. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of his own breathing.

As he sat there, he couldn't help but feel a sense of longing for a simpler time. A time before the weight of his father's expectations and the burden of his own actions had taken hold. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind.

But the peace he sought eluded him, and he couldn't escape the guilt that followed him like a shadow. He knew that he had to move forward, to do what was necessary to gain his father's trust back. But at what cost?

The words “Kill her, get the antidote” kept ringing in his head.