Chapter 247 Future couples

*~Aurora’s POV~*

“Enough talking about babies when you two aren’t even married yet,” she said, rolling her eyes. “We originally came here for your wedding dress. And turns out, the people aren’t even around. We’ll check back later.”

“So what are we doing now?” I asked.

“We’re going back. Darius would lose his mind if he knew I brought his fiancée out without his permission.”

I crossed my arms. “He doesn’t own me. I can go out whenever I want. If I’m going to live here, I should at least know every nook and cranny of this place.”

“Oh, you should?” she said with a half-smile. “Yeah, I’m not denying that. But at the same time, maybe you just don’t know Darius well enough yet. He’s not the kind of man who lets others touch what he owns.”

“He does not own me,” I snapped.

“Not yet,” she replied quietly. “But once he marries you—every demon owns his wife. That’s just how it is.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Will your husband own you?”

“No,” she said flatly. “I’m too strong-headed to submit to a demon. I never thought I’d get married, honestly. I can’t live under a demon man’s control.”

“I can’t either,” I said under my breath.

She smirked. “If you can’t be submissive, what makes you think you’ll last here? You don’t really have a choice, Aurora. Just… do the right thing.”

She squeezed my hand gently and led me back to the main hall. When we arrived, she escorted me to my room and shut the door behind me.

I just stood there, staring at the walls that now felt like a cage.

So this is how it’s going to be? Locked away every time, like some fragile treasure that can’t breathe without permission?

And absolutely not— I would never be submissive to some damn wolf. I am Aurora.

I looked down at my hands, staring hard at them, trying to sense even the faintest trace of my power. Nothing. Not a flicker. Not a hum. Not even the warmth that usually tingled beneath my skin.

It was gone.

I should have gotten myself out of here when I still had the chance—together with Leon. But I didn’t have enough magic to cast that kind of massive spell. I could only teleport one of us, and I chose him.

My chest tightened painfully. He probably wouldn’t even notice I was gone. There’s another Aurora now—an imitation, walking and breathing in my place. Maybe, just maybe, one of them would notice something off… but no. That sounded too foolish, too hopeful.

Who would notice?

No one.

They’d barely realize the Aurora with them is fake. They’d move on. They’d live.

I buried my face in my lap, trying not to cry. The lump in my throat was unbearable. But gods, it was hard not to—

“Versa!”

I shouted the spell word, stretching my hand out desperately. Nothing. Not even a spark.

Annoyance twisted into my gut until it became pain. I clenched, biting back a groan. “Argh! Why?”

Maybe… maybe it’s not that bad. Maybe it’s just me hallucinating the pain. It’s not like anyone’s waiting for me back home.

Except my sister.

The one I’d just reconciled with.

But even she wouldn’t feel my absence—she’d think she still had me. She’d think I was there, living normally. They all would. Eventually, everyone would get used to the replacement.

Sure, they might notice something strange—little things. A look, a tone, a flicker of energy that doesn’t match. But they’d brush it off as trauma. “Poor Aurora,” they’d say. “Still shaken by what Leon did to her.”

And Leon… maybe he’d know it wasn’t me. Maybe deep down he’d feel it. But who would believe him? His reputation with me was already ruined.

And the chances of him finding out that that is a fake and it is one standing there pretending— is very low.

I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t hope. Hope was dangerous.

So I’d just stay here.

Darius isn’t that bad, right? He’s tall, strong, built like a god—handsome in a way that could make any female blush. He’s every girl’s dream.

I’ll get used to him. I’ll learn to live with him. Maybe we’ll even make powerful children, just like they said. “Our babies will rule the demon lands.”

I forced myself to smile at the thought.

“Well… that’s not that bad,” I muttered to myself. “At least I’ll be taken care of. No more pain, no more sorrow.”

Rebecca doesn’t seem like a bad person either. She will make a good friend and aunty to my child.

Maybe… maybe this is fine.

In fact, I’m probably just overthinking this whole situation. Maybe this is the happy ending I’m supposed to have.

I stood up, brushing the dust off my dress, and realized Rebecca hadn’t shut the door properly. I opened it wider and stepped out, deciding to take a stroll.

As I walked down the dim, candlelit corridor, a few demons passed by—some male, some female. The male ones stared, their eyes glinting with that unmistakable look of lust Rebecca had already warned me about. The female ones barely gave me a glance, passing as if I were one of them.

It was strange. Refreshing, even.

No whispers behind my back, no judging stares like the wolves in New Orleans used to give me.

Back there, they never let me forget I wasn’t one of them. Even when their Alpha accepted me, the rest still hated me. They’d whisper “witch” like it was a curse. It took five long years before they could even tolerate my presence.

But here? It had been days. And already, I was just… another face in the crowd.

I walked down the stairs, past the glowing obsidian pillars, and out through the gates of the demon palace.

“Shoot,” I muttered, realizing too late I’d forgotten my coat. The air outside was sharp and biting, colder than I expected. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to go back in.

I found myself standing before a huge body of dark, rippling water. The moonlight reflected off it like silver fire. I sat down at the edge, hugging my knees, trying to rub some warmth into my arms as the wind whipped my hair across my face.

Then suddenly—a warm weight settled on my shoulders.

I froze.

A coat. Someone had draped a coat over me.

I turned, and there he was—Darius—wearing his own coat, smoke curling between his fingers.

“Hi,” he said simply, lowering himself to sit beside me.

I immediately scooted away.

He smirked—and then scooted closer.

I shifted again.

He moved closer once more, until our arms nearly brushed.

“I can do this forever, Aurora,” he said, his voice calm and teasing. “You can keep shifting away—I’ll keep coming for you.”

My stomach tightened. I blinked, trying to smother whatever uneasy flutter stirred in me.

“So, hi… future wife.”

I forced a smile—one that didn’t reach my eyes. “Hi, future husband.”

He laughed softly, the sound genuine. “I know… I mean, I know how you must be feeling right now. Everything’s probably tough. Adjusting to this place where everyone looks the same—and kind of creepy.”

“At least you know that,” I said dryly.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I know. And you’re marrying the man who kidnapped you, threatened you, kissed you without your permission, and did a lot of other terrible things.”

I tilted my head. “So you do know you’re a monster.”

“Oh, I know,” he said with a low laugh.

“And you think that’s funny?” I snapped. “You think any of this is a joke?”

His laughter faded. “No. It’s not funny. It’s… it’s a serious matter, Aurora. I’m sorry. Truly. Words can’t express how much.” He looked down at the smoke between his fingers, his tone softening. “It’s just… I’ve known you for years.”

My brows furrowed. “What?”

“Five years,” he said. “I’ve always kept my eyes on you. Ever since you helped those wolves—ever since you left Dahlia’s gravesite. I’ve known almost everything about you. The way you laugh. The way you chase sunsets with Leon at your side. How everything you love somehow ties back to him.”

My heart tightened.

“And I hated it,” he admitted. “I hated that the woman I wanted already belonged to another man. So… I decided to test the love between you two.”

I turned sharply. “What do you mean?”

“I brought another woman into the picture,” he said simply. “And he fell for it. Fell for it woefully. He marked her, shamed you, broke you.” His eyes darkened as his hand brushed mine. “Even if I can’t have you, that bastard wolf doesn’t deserve you either. He doesn’t deserve your love, your care, or even your name.”

I blinked, my heart pounding as I pulled my hand away from his. “I need to go.”

“Why?” he asked softly, his voice dropping an octave. “We could just… stay here. Get to know each other. Make our wedding less awkward.”

I wanted to leave but also stay at the same time…. Damn it! What should I do?