She shakes her head on my chest and sighs. “I’m fine, Alpha Elias. Thank you for helping me.”
“No, Aurora…” I sighed, lamenting over the psychic premonition she just shared. Because of her heat, I was drawn to her, realizing that she was the she-wolf I was searching for all along. Thanks to her heat, we’d conceived a child who will help us defeat the demon dog and keep the pack safe. We’re killing two birds with one stone, and I am grateful to her. “Thank you. Now, get some rest.”
She nods hesitantly but remains in my arms as I press a kiss to the top of her head and close my eyes. There’s no need for us to hurry back to Girdwood. There will be no sacrifice once the elders hear about this. For now, I can keep my mate safe in my protective arms, deciding to think through the logistics later on.
Her body is too warm and soft, enticing a rest that feels oddly easy when there’s no need to dream up my fated mate. She exists right here, in my arms, and a wistful smile forms on my lips as I fall asleep.
Chapter 8 - Aurora
Alpha Elias sighs, his chest softening like a firm pillow where I have my cheek resting against it.
My nerves are shot, and I’m unable to rest easy when his arm is slung around me, holding me close as his soft breathing seems as if he’s trying to lull me to sleep.
I must have dozed off briefly after experiencing the enigmatic consummation and quelling of my wolf’s heat. That was merely impulsive, but the moment I spoke up and told him that I’d never done that before, he’d taken the utmost care to ensure my comfort.
What was that about?
I can’t help but sit in the safety his arms provide and wonder if it was all a dream. Only a dream could feel as good as that, and there’s no explanation forwhyit felt as good as it did.
It was nothing short of perfect, exceeding my wildest expectations. After all, I’d only ever imagined what it would feel like to kiss his luscious lips. Lifting my head carefully, I look up to see that his lips are parted slightly now as he snores lightly in his sleep. Those very lips had been in unspeakable places tonight, administering pleasure that took me to the height of my existence, where I had been plunged off in ecstasy. Like a leap of faith, I’d entrusted the soothing and curing of my wolf’s heat to the alpha, who didn’t disappoint.
The mild tingle between my thighs is as fragrant as the scent of sex that lingers in the air, and it’s nearly impossible to ignore the strange beating of my heart as I watch Alpha Elias’s sleeping face, marveling at the beauty of the contrast of his platinum blonde hair against his tanned skin.
As if he’d been carved from marble, depicted as the divine male counterpart of the Moon Goddess Herself, he’s the picture of perfection even as he makes odd groans and murmurs in his sleep. There’s a certain perfection in his slight flaws, making him appear more human than a heartless alpha who—
My thoughts are abruptly turned to resentment when I remember what this alpha did to me all those years ago. I can’t forget how badly I was hurt when he rejected me, and suddenly I’m all tense again, my spine going ramrod straight as I pull away.
Like he suggested, I should be getting some rest. But I can’t find it in a time like this, when I’m so conflicted. How is this the same man who rejected me in the past and turned my world on its axis by proving how wrong I was to think that he was kind?
He was heartless in that moment, but tonight showed me that somewhere deep down, he does have a heart. He was thoughtful and doting and even kissed the top of my head in the aftermath of our tryst.
A shiver runs down my spine as confusion sets in. I know what the pack was planning. That’s why Elias visited my home, to speak to me about the inevitable sacrifice that would secure the safety of his pack.
So why did he save me?
I mean…he wasn’t wrong when he pointed out that he’d saved me despite the distraction. If he wanted to, he could have stayed in the shadows and watched as the demon took my life as planned. I would have been considered “sacrificed,” and he could have returned to Girdwood with the news of my death at the demon’s hands.
Except he didn’t. He stayed and fought. He fought for me.
Unless there’s something I’m missing. Perhaps he needs me alive to perform some kind of specific, special ritual before my sacrifice. Perhaps if I died tonight, I wouldn’t have been considered a sacrifice to the demon, just joining the others who were killed by the beast over these past two weeks.
I would have been dead, and the pack would have still been in danger of the demon’s wrath. This way, even though he appeared to save me, he’s sparing my life for the real work.
Coming to that conclusion is the toughest pill to swallow, especially after what happened tonight. Reluctantly tearing my gaze from him, I straighten up on the bed and wistfully glance at the window where the hum of the early morning wind and snowfall beckon to me.
If it wasn’t for Elias’s interruption, I might have been able to ward the demon dog off with my powers and been able to escape from both the malevolent spirit and the ruthless pack. What Elias did last night was only an impulsive instinct, and it meant nothing.
Then why does a lump form in my throat, forcing me to gulp?
Because you still lo—
No!
I fight the thought by pressing my fingers to my temples, pushing away the foolishness that will inevitably get me hurt again. Back when I was eighteen, it was a foolish childhood crush that got in between my struggle with my inner wolf.
What happened last night meant nothing to me. In fact, it was what I needed to quell my inner wolf’s heat so I could successfully run away from my troubles. Despite my resentmenttoward him, I’m grateful that he soothed my heat. Now, I can escape without the risk of being debilitated by its onset.
Taking a deep breath, I spare one more glance at the alpha, letting only a single teardrop escape my eye to signify our final goodbye. Though I wish things had been different, there’s no turning back from what I already know to be true.
