Now, it’s the addition of our child’s life that takes precedence over everything else.
Tentatively popping a rich, vibrant grape between her lips as she stares out ahead of her, I clear my throat, but her eyes only flicker at me before she looks away again.
“Do you…Do you remember what happened last night?”
A nervous blush crawls up her cheeks. “I, um—” she breaks off with a gulp. “I burned your house down when I was trying to use my powers,” she admits in a terse murmur.
“Do you remember what happened after?” I pressed on, hopeful that she might remember what it felt like when power radiated from her belly and allowed me to feel the effects of the mate bond through our touch.
She nods hesitantly. “We discovered that I’m…that I’m…”
“Pregnant?”
She nods again, this time wincing and closing her eyes as if she’s embarrassed.
“That’s all you remember?”
When she nods a third time, I take a deep breath. Of course, she didn’t feel the mate bond as strongly as I did. But I won’t give up.
As I offer a hand to her, Aurora slowly turns her eyes on my outstretched arm, her gaze lifting until she meets my eyes.
“You’re not upset that I burned down the house?” she asks with a wary frown.
I shake my head. “No.” Glancing around the room, I chuckle lightly. “On the contrary, I think the humble conditions of my old cabin could do you some good. So you can get enough rest without feeling like you need to be doing anything.”
She closes her eyes and sighs, then hangs her head in shame. “I’m sorry, Alpha Elias. I won’t use my powers ever again.”
“That’s not what I meant, Aurora,” I sigh with a heavy heart. It would make things so much easier if she realized that we’re fated mates. She’s always thinking the worst, setting herself up for disappointment. While I know I only have myself to blame, I wish she didn’t think so poorly of me.
I just have to work harder.
“While I do think it’s important that you’re practicing your craft as a witch, I would like to see you resting now that we know you're pregnant,” I admit, gesturing to my outstretched hand. “I’d like to show you around if that’s okay?”
My unintrusive question prompts her to soften her eyes as she nods sheepishly, tentatively placing her hand in mine so I can help her climb off the bed. When she’s on her feet, I hesitate, not knowing if I should keep holding her hand or let it go.
The awkward tension between us is amplified by the heightened sensations of our physical contact, and it’s too strongto ignore. At least, for me, I’m unable to get much control of my inner wolf, who wants nothing more than to pull Aurora into my embrace—something that her hesitation and distrust have denied me.
Our eyes meet unexpectedly, and for a moment, the tension dissipates and leaves room for the mulling of all the possibilities there could be between us. My strongest impulse isn’t the need to pull her close and taste her lips, or strip her down and administer pleasure to her body, but it’s to keep her protected.
Aurora gently tugs her hand, drawing it out of my grasp as she averts her eyes and finds the old rug on the floor to stare at. I’m able to breathe then, not swept up in the whirlwind of her intoxicating scent or bound by the warmth of her fingers.
“I’d like to show you around my humble abode,” I say, hoping that the gesture will allow her to feel comfortable in the old cabin.
“Sure,” she says, her voice void of any emotion that might give away how she’s feeling right now.
She has no idea who or what she is to me, but I have to exercise patience. My only concern is that she might try to run away, and I can’t risk that while she’s pregnant with my child. That’s why I have to ease her into things, hoping she’ll warm up to me and trust that I want nothing more than to protect both her and our child.
Last night, I had time to mull over everything, realizing the weight of my responsibilities as the alpha who will now bring a child into this pack. Though I haven’t figured out how the prophecy will prove to be true, and if our child will be the key in defeating the demon, that’s not why I have duties to uphold.
It’smychild, and my primal instinct is to protect what’s mine and give my all to being its father.
But it starts with growing a deeper bond with the child’s mother.
I walk through the doorway, hearing Aurora’s footsteps behind me as she follows me into the dimly lit cabin that resembles the one Aurora lived in. I show her around, explaining why the exists on the outskirts of our little werewolf town, how it was a place of sanctity when I needed an escape from the extensive training we endured as bright-eyed young werewolves, and how having an isolated place of my own gave my parents privacy whenever they needed to celebrate special occasions.
“On the anniversary of their mating ritual, they treated it like a wedding anniversary and Mom would decorate the whole house, and cook Dad’s favorite meal,” I explain when we’re in the kitchen. “She’d pack some of the food, and I’d have it here.” I point at the table that holds some memories for me.
“They loved each other very much, didn’t they?” Aurora smiles nervously. “And now I’ve gone and destroyed their house.”
