Chapter 200: The Name I Buried
**Aurora’s POV**
I kept pacing back and forth, my hands trembling, my mind spinning with what could possibly be happening at the great hall.
Alpha John was someone who never went back on his word. If he wanted to banish me, he would do it no matter what anyone else said, not even Alessandro.
My chest tightened. *I’m just wondering how Alessandro plans on fixing everything and changing his father’s mind.*
“Ugh… Aurora, would you stop pacing already?
My eyes hurt from following all that movement,” Annie groaned, leaning back against the small couch near the window.
I shot her a look.
“I can’t, Annie. I just can’t sit still right now.” My teeth grazed my fingernails as I chewed nervously.
“Alpha John is the most proud and arrogant man I have ever met,” I muttered, my voice cracking.
“He would never listen to his son’s plea to marry me. What am I supposed to do if he banishes me?”
Annie sighed, rolling her eyes, but her tone softened.
“Aurora, you’re overthinking again. You’ve been through worse, and you survived. You’ll survive this too.
Alessandro isn’t the type to give up, especially not on you.”
I stopped pacing only to throw my hands up.
“But what if this time, even Alessandro can’t stop it?
What if his father forces him into another marriage, and I’m left alone again?”
My throat tightened. “I don’t know if I can handle it, Annie. Not again.”
“Stop it.” Annie sat up straighter, her eyes sharp.
“You think too little of yourself. Alessandro chose you. He’s fighting for you right now. That means something.”
I shook my head, my nails digging into my palms. “What if it isn’t enough?”
Before Annie could answer, a loud knock banged against the door.
I froze, whipping my head toward the sound, my stomach twisting into knots.
“Annie…” My voice was barely a whisper.
“What if it’s the guards? What if they’re here to drag me out of the pack right now?”
The knock came again, louder this time, rattling the wooden frame.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I backed away. “I don’t have anywhere else to go, Annie.
My mother is still in rehab, and my father—” My chest heaved.
“You know he banished both of us years ago. I haven’t heard from him since. Where would I even go? What am I going to do?”
Annie stood up and quickly crossed the room, grabbing my hands firmly.
“Hey, look at me.” Her tone was steady, almost fierce.
My eyes brimmed with tears. “What about Alessandro?
What if we don’t end up together?
I… I don’t know if I can survive that, Annie.”
She squeezed my hands tighter, forcing me to look into her eyes.
“Listen to me, Aurora. Whatever we find out when we open that door, we’ll face it together, alright?
You’re not alone in this.”
I swallowed hard, nodding, though my knees felt weak.
“Good,” she whispered, giving me a small smile.
“Now breathe. Whoever it is, we deal with it. Together.”
The knock came again.
I glanced at Annie, fear and hope warring in my chest.
“Alright,” she whispered, her hand still holding mine.
“Let’s find out who it is.”
Annie went to the door and slowly turned the handle. When she pulled it open, Gabriel was standing there, his tall frame blocking the light from the hallway.
Annie’s lips curled into a smile before she nervously brushed her hair to the side, tucking it behind her ear like she always did when she got shy.
“Gabriel,” she breathed, almost like she had been waiting for him.
But Gabriel didn’t even look at her. His jaw was tight, his eyes sharp, and without a word he brushed past her, heading straight toward me.
My brows furrowed. “Uh… okay. What was that about?” I asked, tilting my head at Annie who now looked slightly disappointed.
Gabriel stopped a few feet away from me, his eyes boring into mine like he was trying to peel my skin apart and see what was underneath.
“Who are you, Aurora?” he asked firmly.
I blinked. “…Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he said, his voice clipped. “Who are you, really?”
My jaw dropped in disbelief. “What kind of ridiculous question is that? Who am I? I’m Aurora, duh.” I gave a sarcastic smile, hoping he would laugh and drop it.
But his expression only hardened. “Aurora *what*?”
I frowned. “Aurora… what? What do you mean Aurora what?”
He took a step closer, his voice low but demanding. “Your surname. What is it?”
My patience snapped. “Why are you asking me this? Do you know how absurd you sound right now? I don’t have time for these silly riddles, Gabriel. Just tell me what’s going on!”
Gabriel raked a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply, like he was trying to gather the courage to keep pushing. “Aurora, please… I need you to be honest with me. No games. Just tell me the truth, alright?”
I rolled my eyes, my chest heaving. “Fine, fine. Whatever. Ask.”
“Good.” He nodded once, his eyes never leaving mine. “What is your surname?”
The question hit me harder this time. My lips parted, but no sound came out. For a long second, I just stared at him, blinking rapidly.
“Why are you—”
“Don’t deflect!” Gabriel snapped, cutting me off, his voice echoing in my small room. Annie flinched from where she stood by the door. “Just answer the damn question, Aurora!”
My chest tightened. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to jump out of my ribcage. I hadn’t heard anyone ask me that in years. I had buried that part of me so deep I sometimes forgot it existed.
Finally, I clenched my fists and spat the word out. “Holmes. Aurora Holmes. Okay? Gees, is that what you wanted to hear?”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Gabriel’s eyes widened, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. His entire face shifted—from suspicion to shock, then something that looked like dread.
“Holmes…” he repeated under his breath, almost like he couldn’t believe it.
“Yes, Holmes!” I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. “Are you satisfied now?
Can you stop interrogating me like I’m some criminal?”
Gabriel’s hands slowly curled into fists. He whispered, almost to himself, “I knew it… Alpha Tony Holmes…”
“Alpha who?” I asked, my brows knitting together.
Gabriel’s gaze snapped back to mine, intense and serious. “Aurora… do you even realize who you are?”
I blinked, confusion knotting my stomach. “What do you mean? I just told you, I’m Aurora Holmes. That’s it.”
Gabriel stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was afraid someone else might overhear.
“No, Aurora. You’re not just Aurora Holmes. You’re the daughter of Alpha Tony Holmes of the Raven Pack.”
My entire body went numb.
Annie looked at Gabriel, completely confused. “Who…is he?”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “Alpha Tony is Aurora’s biological father.”
Annie’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to me.
“Wait—what?”
I shook my head rapidly, my hands trembling. “How… how did you even know about my father, Gabriel?
I haven’t mentioned him to anyone!” My voice cracked, panic spilling out with every word.
Gabriel’s eyes softened just slightly, but his tone remained firm.
“Well, I guess you have to now, because he is here, Aurora, in Alpha John’s office demanding to see you.”
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