The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 82

Chapter 82

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Mira slid to the floor next to me, pulling me into a hug. Selene crouched in front of me, brushing the hair from my damp face.

“Wait-” Mira finally said, her voice breaking through the thick, heavy silence that had settled in the room. “You mean Zayn?”

I blinked at her through blurry, tear–filled eyes.

“The Zayn,” she clarified, her brows shooting up. “The Lycan Prince?

I swallowed hard, nodding once, miserably.

Mira’s mouth fell open. “You slept with him?”

The words made my stomach twist, sharp and painful.

“Yes,” I whispered, the admission scraping my throat raw. My hands were shaking again, twisting in my lap, like if I just held them

tight enough, I could keep myself from shattering completely.

Mira stared at me like she was trying to process what I had just said. “But–how did that even happen?”

I let out a shaky, almost hysterical laugh–it wasn’t funny, but I couldn’t stop it. “I don’t know,” I said, voice breaking. “I just… I

went to his room two days ago. And I stayed yesterday too… I didn’t mean for it to happen, but he–he held me while I cried. And

one thing led to another and…” I trailed off, my face heating, shame rising in my throat like bile.

Selene’s jaw tightened, her expression dark. “And then he said that to you?” she asked, her voice low, dangerous.

I nodded, tears slipping down my face again. “Like I was nothing,” I whispered. “Like none of it meant anything.”

Before either Mira or Selene could say anything else, the door opened again.

Riven and Líra stepped inside, mid–conversation, their laughter spilling into the room–until they saw me.

I must have looked a wreck, sitting on the floor with red, puffy eyes and tear–stained cheeks, because their smiles fell immediately.

“What the hell happened?” Riven asked, her voice sharp with alarms she dropped her bag onto her bed.

Lira’s gaze darted between all of us before settling on me. “Aurora?” she said softly, like she already knew this was bad.

I opened my mouth, my throat tight, but Selene gave me a tiny nod, ike she was telling me it was okay. So I told them everything.

Every. Single. Thing.

I told them about going to Zayn’s room last night. About staying the night. About what happened between us. About what he said to me this morning, every cruel, deliberate word that still echoed in my head like a curse.

By the time I told them about seeing him with Charlotte in the cafeteria, my voice had gone hoarse, my chest aching like I had run

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Chapter 82

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Riven looked like she was two seconds away from punching something. “He said that to you?” she asked, disbelief and fury lacing

every syllable.

“Yes,” I whispered, hugging my knees tighter.

Lira sat down beside me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Aurora, I am so sorry,” she said quietly, her voice warm and steady

in a way that made my throat tighten even more.

I nodded but didn’t trust myself to speak. I felt wrung out, like there was nothing left in me but exhaustion.

After a long silence, I finally pushed myself to my feet. “I’m going to take a shower,” I said, my voice small, almost a whisper.

No one tried to stop me.

I grabbed my towel and pajamas and left the dorm room, heading to the bathroom.

The second the hot water hit my skin, I let myself cry again–silently this time, tears mixing with the steam as if the shower could

somehow wash the pain away.

I stayed there until the water turned cold and my fingers started to wrinkle, until the crying slowed and I felt empty, numb.

When I finally turned the water off, the room was filled with steam. wrapped myself in the towel and changed into my pajamas,

feeling like I was moving underwater.

By the time I returned to the dorm, the girls were still awake, but they didn’t say anything. They just gave me small, quiet nods as I

climbed into bed.

I faced the wall, pulling the blanket up to my chin. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying everything over

and over–Zayn’s cruel words, the sound of his laugh with Charlotte, the way I had let myself trust him.

Hours passed like that.

Eventually, my body gave in.