I clenched my teeth together and ripped myself out of his grip. "Don't you dare touch me like that again. And let's get one thing straight, just because I'm going with you doesn't mean that you own me. And, it sure as hell, doesn't mean that you..." I gazed around at his pack who were all staring at me intently. "... Or any of you will disrespect me."

Tony stepped forward, as if he wanted another chance at the alpha. I turned on my heel to face him and pointed a sharp finger at him. "No," I said. I glared at Mom. "War with Ares is over, just like our alpha wanted it to be," I said. "Go get Ares clothes so he doesn't have to walk around here half-naked with his ugly ass."

Without another word, I stormed to the packhouse listening to Ares growl behind me. Hit a nerve. I hit a big nerve. Moon Goddess, he wasn't ugly. But his heart was, his soul was.

"Aurora," Mom said, following after me. I rolled my eyes and walked faster. I slammed every door in the packhouse that I needed to in order to get to my bedroom. I hoped that they slammed right in her face. Each and every one of them. It was childish, but at least I didn't sell her out to Ares just because I was afraid of him.

I threw my door open and stormed into the room. Ruffles stared at me with wide eyes from my desk. She was gnawing on the plastic of a potato chip bag. I opened my closet door, threw my suitcase onto my bed, and angrily opened it up.

Stupid. This was so stupid.

She sold me out. Fucking sold me out.

To Ares. To Mars. To whoever the fuck he was.

I bet she did it because she didn't think I was fit to become alpha. I bet she did it because--

The door opened, and Mom walked into the room. "Aurora," she said softly.

"Alpha," I said. "Excuse my language, but I'm fucking busy packing my fucking bags to leave this fucking pack."

She growled at me. "Do not speak to me like that. Do not speak to me like this wasn't the only choice. He had us cornered. He would've killed everyone here without a second thought."

"There's never only one choice," I said. "There's always another way." I pressed my lips together. "You taught me that, but you seemed to have forgotten about that since you got Jeremy killed."

She glared at me with glowing eyes and slapped me hard right across the face. "Do not bring Jeremy up. This has nothing to do with him."

I growled loudly and stepped toward her. "It has everything to do with him, and you know it. Ever since that day, you've been terrified of losing your pack members. Ever since that day, you've lost your spark, you've lost your edge, you've been scared of being an alpha."

"He was your brother," she said harshly. "Don't talk to me like you know anything about losing a child. Don't talk to me like you know anything about leading a pack. I've been training you for years to become an alpha like Jeremy was going to be and you-" She stopped herself.

My heart raced. "What, Mom? What did I do?"

She pursed her lips together. "Forget it, Aurora."

"No," I said, heart clenching. "Tell me." I lowered my voice. "Tell me how I will never fill his shoes. Tell me how you've trained me for years yet I still aren't good enough for you. Tell me that you have never thought that I'd be strong enough to lead this pack."

"Aurora, stop."

Tears filled the brim of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "Tell me, Mom."

Her chin quivered. "I never meant to make you feel that way."

"Well, you did." I turned back to my suitcase. She placed her hand on my shoulder, but I pulled away from her.

"Aurora," she said softly. "You can't even shift into your wolf."

"I can shift," I said. My wolf whimpered inside of me, feeling defeated. She knew she couldn't shift like we used to. She knew she was a disappointment to Mom and to this whole pack.

"When are you going to admit it to yourself, Aurora?" she asked. "It takes you five minutes to shift sometimes. Five minutes and all I hear is your wolf whimpering the whole time."

I paused for a long moment. It was true. I hadn't been able to shift since those rogues attacked us and my spine broke into a million pieces. "It's not my fault," I whispered.

I wanted her to admit to me that this was her fault, that she was the reason that I couldn't shift, that she made the senseless decision to fight a group of rogues for power and land. Not me.

Yet, she just shook her head. "You can't lead this pack the way that this pack needs to be led," she said. My heart ached. Moon Goddess, I never asked for this life. "And I'm not letting anyone else in this pack die."

"So, you decide to never see your daughter again? Just like you won't ever see your son again?" I asked, tilting my head.

She snatched my chin in her hand, squeezing it roughly. "Sacrifices need to be made to ensure this pack's survival. Don't make me feel bad for this decision, Aurora. I wouldn't have agreed to it, if I thought Ares would hurt you. I could see it the second he laid eyes on you that you're his mate. With him, you'll at least be safe. He's the strongest alpha in the east."

I glared at her, tears in my eyes. "Leave," I said.

She pressed her lips together and released my chin from her grip. She turned on her heel and walked right out of the room, shutting the door behind her. I growled and let one single tear fall. Then I sucked it up and continued packing for Hell.