The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 182

AURORA

I woke to the smell of food the next day. My stomach growled instantly, reminding me I hadn't eaten much yesterday during my long trek to Pine Lodge. I pulled myself out of bed, quickly freshened up, and followed the scent downstairs.

In the dining room, I found Maxwell and Penelope, plus an older man I didn't recognize. He had a weathered face with deep lines around his eyes and silver-streaked hair.

"Ah, Aurora. Good morning. I hope you had a nice sleep," Penelope greeted me cheerfully, already moving to set another plate.

"Morning. I slept great, thanks," I replied, eyeing the sizzling pan. "Whatever you're cooking smells amazing."

"Sit down. I'm making traditional werewolf scrambled eggs with herbs from our territory," she said, gesturing to an empty chair.

Lucas nodded toward the older man. "Aurora, this is my father, Matthew. He was the right hand and Beta to our old Alpha."

The old man studied me with keen eyes. "Hello young one, I remember when your dad called Anthony asking for help... And the woman Vanessa would be denied to leave, for as long as it was needed, to protect you, his little daughter."

My heart jumped. Someone who actually knew my mother? "You knew Vanessa? My mother?" I asked, leaning forward eagerly.

Matthew took a slow sip of his coffee, his expression shifting slightly. "I didn't interact with her much, but from what I saw... it was not always a good thing."

"What do you mean?" I pressed, my fingers tightening around my fork.

"She always tried getting close to other Alphas, and it didn't matter to her that they were already mated," he said bluntly.

I felt my mouth twist into a bitter smile. "Yeah, I sort of expected I would hear something like this... I know she is not loyal to the pack. I mean, she rejected me, her baby, when I was barely a few months old."

"I never heard that," Matthew said, surprise evident in his voice.

I stared down at my plate. "My Dad asked that it wouldn't become common knowledge in the pack... But yes, she rejected my Dad and then me, and it left me broken." The words felt raw coming out of my throat.

Matthew's eyes narrowed as he studied me. "Is this why I don't sense your wolf spirit?"

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes. It is. I do not have a wolf like other pack members. My soul connection was damaged." Each time I admitted this truth, it felt like ripping open a wound that never fully healed.

Penelope put her hand gently on my shoulder. "Listen to me. The part of your soul that connects with a wolf spirit might be damaged. But it does not mean that you are broken. You are not worth anything less just because you don't have a wolf. And I am sure your Dad loves you just the same."

My eyes burned with unshed tears. "Aria says that too... my Dad's true mate who's Luna now. She's... she's wonderful. Everyone in the pack loves her."

"She sounds like a very wise and kind Luna," Matthew commented.

Lucas suddenly offered, "When you find your true mate, your soul might heal."

My chest tightened painfully. "It didn't. And he rejected me." The words came out flat and hard.

Silence fell across the table. Then Matthew spoke again, his voice softer. "Then he lost something precious... But you, you are not only a daughter of someone who was given a second chance. But you are a good girl. So don't give up. You still have a chance."

"Thank you," I said, truly appreciating his words even if I didn't fully believe them.

As we finished breakfast, Matthew mentioned what he knew about Vanessa's whereabouts. "Vanessa left after the old territory was attacked, and the rumors were that she went south. I've heard rumors over the years about her, and last I heard, she was around the borders between two territories."

I set down my coffee cup, feeling a spark of hope. "Really? That's helpful, thank you."

"There are some families from the old territory here," Matthew added. "You could talk to them today."

"I think I will," I decided. "Is it okay if I stay another night?"

"You can stay here for as long as you want," Penelope assured me with a warm smile.

After breakfast, Matthew gave me addresses of families who might remember Vanessa. I slipped on my shoes and jacket, then headed out. Pine Lodge wasn't big, making it easy to navigate between houses.

The first two families disappointed me. Neither remembered much about Vanessa beyond vague impressions. I was starting to lose hope when I knocked on the third door.

"Vanessa?" The middle-aged woman who answered considered for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I knew her."

My pulse quickened. "You did? Can you tell me about her?"

Her expression hardened slightly. "I knew her because I repeatedly witnessed her trying to get close to Alpha Anthony. She didn't care that he had a Luna or was soul-bound. He always tried to keep her away; he loved and respected my sister too much to break their bond."

This woman's sister had been the Luna that my mother tried to come between. "I am sorry that she tried to hurt your sister's bond. I am, in many ways, happy I didn't grow up with her as my mom. Not respecting the sacred mate bond is the worst offense in our world."

"You don't need to apologize, dear. It wasn't your fault," she said kindly. "But I'm afraid I don't know where she went afterward."

I thanked her and left, my emotions churning. Now I knew more about Vanessa, but it didn't make me feel better. She sounded exactly like the home-wrecker I'd feared—disrespectful and disloyal. Yet she was still my mother, and I needed to understand why she'd abandoned me.

Back at Maxwell and Penelope's house, I sat on the bed planning tomorrow's journey. Now I had a direction—the southern border between two territories. I would find her, no matter how long it took. I clenched my fists, determination replacing uncertainty.