Aurora has been stubborn these past couple of weeks, still upset about our disagreement. We see things fundamentally differently, and I'm doing my best to give her the space she needs to process it. However, there are some things I won't compromise on. We'll spend our time from dinner to morning together, even if she chooses to ignore me.

Last night, we made slight progress. She was clearly interested in my war plans, probably wondering about their implications for her rebel friends. She tried to hide her true intentions as curiosity, but it was clear to me. She wanted to gain intel. But I didn't care, I would do anything to hold her close and speak with her once again.

Currently, I'm in my office, discussing the pesky human rebels with Marcus. They seem to have knowledge of our defense plans, indicating a traitor within our ranks. Suddenly, I hear urgent footsteps, and someone bursts into my office without even knocking. This had better be important.

"Your Majesty, our western border defenses have been breached," he informs me, and my anger flares. That can't be right. Then I remember the last report from my spies, indicating that Aurora was in the garden on the west perimeter. Nothing else matters now; I must ensure her safety.

I rush out of my office, disregarding my usual dignified demeanor. Even in situations like this, I maintain my composure, but now, that's secondary. I have a mate to protect. I quickly make it to the garden and breathe a sigh of relief when I spot Aurora. But there's an intruder, too. Jaxon appears to have him apprehended while Elden is with Aurora. How did this intruder manage to bypass my defenses?

What happens next has me seething. My little mate throws her arms around this intruder, as if to protect him. My wolf is clawing at the edges of my consciousness, demanding to come forth and rip this male away from my mate. I quickly approach, my temper flaring, and I order her to let go. Thankfully, she chooses not to be stubborn and complies.

I grab the intruder by the neck, ready to kill, though I know I should torture information out of him. However, my mate starts pleading on his behalf, saying that they are friends. This only stokes the embers of my anger. This male is familiar with my mate, and I'm certain he's one of those rebel scum. I can't suppress my growl as I think about this weak male being close to my beautiful mate.

Before I can squeeze the life out of him, my mate grabs my attention. She's always the priority, and now she's holding the knife I gave her. I loosen my grip on the intruder, momentarily taken aback. I can't help but think that she would look adorable right now if she weren't fighting for this piece of filth. How dare she challenge me for the sake of another male?

Unable to contain my anger, I finally say, "What do you intend to do with that, little one? Kill me so that you can run off with this human?" The mere thought of their relationship being more than just friendship sends my anger skyrocketing.

I tell my sweet mate to take her best shot against me, genuinely curious to see if she learned anything from our training. We'll deal with her punishment for wielding a knife against me later. However, what she does next has my blood run cold. She turns the knife to her own throat. This is beyond unacceptable. She can threaten me all she wants, but the moment she implies that she would harm herself, she has gone way too far. This isn't cute; it's terrifying.

I fight to control my temper, my voice shaking with the intensity of the situation as I grit out, "Aurora! Drop. It. Now." This is no game. When she requests that I drop him, I do so without hesitation. I can deal with him later. Right now, she is all that matters, and she's threatening her own precious life. It's absolutely unacceptable, but I'll comply for now, waiting for that knife to be safely away from her throat.

I consider all the possibilities of how to get the knife out of her hands, but the safest solution, where she's least likely to get hurt, is for her to drop it herself. The situation is dire, and I'm painfully aware that her life hangs in the balance.

"Love, you don't know what you're doing. Just drop the knife, and we can work this out," I try to reason with her, using the softest tone I can muster at this moment. But then she asks for his complete release and safety, and I lose my composure for one second, denying her request in my anger, speaking recklessly. I was furious at the thought of her protecting her lover, and it made me say something I would later regret.

She presses the knife to her neck, drawing blood, and chaos ensues. Even her human friend seems frantic. "Alright, Aurora, whatever you want. Just don't do anything," I say quickly. I already won't forgive myself for the fresh, slight cut on her neck, and I won't let her go any further. I let the boy run, instructing my men not to follow. I will find him later and deal with him.

Aurora and I maintain eye contact, and I can tell that she is about to lose consciousness. She finally drops the knife, and I rush to her side before she has the chance to hit the ground.

"Get him," I grit out, holding Aurora safe in my arms while I apply pressure to her tiny wound. Elden, Jaxon, and the gathered guards follow my order, but I stop one of them.

"You, send the human doctor to my wing," I instruct.

With that, I quickly take Aurora to my room to tend to her. I'm seething with anger, but ensuring her safety and well-being comes first. I can deal with my anger later. Reminding myself of this is the only thing keeping me from going ballistic.

The doctor enters quickly and examines her neck, applying a couple of stitches to her wound and bandaging it up. He reassures me that she is fine and didn't cut anything vital. It will heal, leaving just a scar. The thought of my mate having a scar angers me, as does the fact that the bandage covers my mark, but I can't let these things affect me right now.

As the doctor watches over her, I retrieve supplies from my wing's armory: shackles. Aurora has just caused herself harm, and I cannot take any chances. Until I am positive she won't do so again, she will be watched every second and chained to the bed when she is alone. Thinking through these plans is the only way I can maintain my composure.

I have the doctor leave and set up the shackles, but I don't confine her yet. My little mate stirs to consciousness, and I try to gather myself. She begins to speak, and I listen intently until I hear her mention Ethan's name.

"Enough," I cut her off sharply. "Never say that boy's name again."

"Does it hurt?" I ask, needing to know if she is physically okay.

"Um, a little, but I am fine. Rylan, I didn't mean..." she replies, but upon hearing that she is physically okay, I can't stand to hear more. I grab the chains and ensure she can't leave or hurt herself.

"What... what are you doing? What's happening?" she says, panicked. But I'm on the verge of losing control, and I need to get away from her to avoid saying or doing something I might regret. I walk out without answering her, having the doctor, Bran, and Aldric watch over her in the room. Privacy is now a luxury she does not have. Normally, I would hate the idea of other men being alone with her, but right now, there is no better option. They will ensure her safety and that she doesn't harm herself.

After I leave her, I demand a status update on the situation. They have breached our security, and the human boy has managed to escape. Upon hearing that, I shift and run out to find him, ensuring our border is protected. No one will get to my mate ever again. I'm in my wolf form, scouring the woods until the late hours of the night. I note every point of weakness in our borders so that I can fix them. I want to hunt the boy down, but my wolf and I can't go too far from my mate just yet.

Finally, I return to the castle to give out orders and receive updates. No one in this castle will sleep tonight, except my mate. She deserves her rest and safety.

My anger only intensifies as I think of the situation. Of course, I'm angry about the boy, but I'm even more furious that my mate was harmed. The fact that she did it to herself is something I simply can't fathom. I must ensure that never happens again. I can't just give her exactly what she wants all the time to prevent her from hurting herself. No, I need another plan.

"Marcus," I call out, knowing he must be nearby. He always stays close when I'm in a bad mood to help ensure that I kill as few people as possible. He rushes in quickly with a, "Yes, alpha?"

"Today, this castle and everyone in it failed to protect their Luna and Queen. She will forever bear the scar of this incident, and so will everyone else," I say.

"I don't quite understand," he says, looking perplexed.

"Tomorrow, anyone in this castle without a scarring cut on their neck will lose their head," I declare. He looks stunned.

"But, alpha, wolves don't scar easily," he pleads, trying to change my mind.

"Then it shall be a painful night with the use of many silver blades," I say, resolute and unyielding. I can tell that he wants to say more but then sees my expression and simply responds with, "Yes, alpha," before leaving to ensure my orders are followed.

The following hours are filled with agonizing screams and the sounds of pain. My people know better than to question me. They must either accept the painful silver blade, leave the palace for an unknown amount of time, or accept death. I always hold true to my threats. My authority and power must remain unquestioned.

As the cries of pain echo through the castle, I stand at the window of my study, gazing out into the dark night. The silver moonlight casts an eerie glow over the kingdom, a reflection of the darkness that lurks within me. Aurora, my beloved mate, lies in her chambers, safe but marked by the events of this fateful night. I am willing to do anything to protect her, even if it means causing pain to those who failed her.

The scars on the necks of my subjects will serve as a constant reminder of the price of failure, of the lengths I'm willing to go to safeguard my queen. The rebellion, the traitor in our midst, and the human who dared to enter our territory will all face my wrath.

The night is long, but my resolve is unwavering. In the darkness, I make a silent promise to myself and to Aurora. No one will ever harm her again, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure her safety, even if it means descending deeper into the darkness that surrounds me.