Elias shifts uncomfortably, tightening his grip on my hand. “As the alpha of this pack, I cannot endanger my mate or our child. Aurora will no longer fight the demon head-on. She will be protected, and so will our child.”
Turning my head slowly, I stare at Elias’s immaculate side profile, my eyes becoming narrower with every passing second. While the council discusses probable methods to defeat the demon without my help, their voices become distant while I focus on the pain of a shattering heart.
***
“What were you thinking, leaving me out of the fight?!” I exclaim as soon as we’ve entered the cabin. I’d been holding back the urge to lash out at Elias until we were alone, and now my fury burns through my blood.
Elias turns slowly at the door when he’s done locking it, a frown gripping his face. “What do you mean, Aurora? I’m protecting you.”
“Protecting me?!” I spat with a scornful scoff. “You’re protecting me while forsaking the others?! Or don’t you have faith in my capabilities?”
“Aurora, of course, I—”
“No, Elias!” I throw up a hand in front of his face and abruptly spin around, stifling the urge to let out the tears of pain that pool in my eyes. I swallow down the lump in my throat before speaking again. “You’re the one who encouraged me, told me you believe in me and have faith in my powers.” I shake my head inconsolably. “But now you don’t trust that I can do this even after seeing what I did with that fire.”
Finally letting the tears spill, I don’t fight Elias when he places a hand on my shoulder.
“Aurora, you don’t understand…”
“What don’t I understand?!” I snap scornfully as I spin back to him, glaring at him through heartbroken tears.
Elias sighs and hangs his head, cautiously stepping forward to take my hands in both of his. He lifts his eyes, remorseful and sincere through the veil of his dark lashes that contrast the tresses of platinum blonde hair sweeping his forehead. “I don’t want to risk losing you, don’t you see? I—” he shakes his head fervently. “I don’t ever want to lose you.”
Noticing the fear in his eyes, my heart softens, and my brows tug into an understanding frown.
Elias is afraid of losing me. He doesn’t want me involved with taking down the demon because he wants to protect me, not because he doesn’t believe in my powers.
Reaching out when his eyes soften as he stares at me, I cup his cheek and offer him a reassuring smile.
“Please trust me, Elias,” I plead. “I might not know the full extent of my powers, but I do know that they’re developed enough for me to harness them against the demon. You saw what I did with that fire at the clinic. I never felt more powerful before, and it’s all thanks to you.”
Elias nods slowly, understandingly, and places a hand over mine where it rests on his cheek, a wistful smile lifting his lips. “Of course, I trust you, Aurora. I just can’t afford to lose you.”
“I know, and you won’t lose me, Elias. I know myself better now, and I understand the weight of these powers, as well as the responsibility that comes with them. I know I can do this. With you by my side, I feel unstoppable,” I admit, allowing the honesty to flow from my heart. “I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to be free, to be authentically me, and lift my head up high with my greatest supporter beside me.”
When I’m done saying everything from my heart’s core, I gasp, realizing just how powerful I feel right now. As Elias gazes into my eyes with a kind, gentle fondness that’s striking, I let my eyelids drift closed instinctively.
He leans in and presses his lips to mine, to which I sigh and melt in his warm embrace. Without the walls up to guard me, I feel liberated in my freedom, empowered by the surrender and flow that comes with letting my guard down.
As Elias walks me toward the bedroom, our lips remaining locked, the last bits of my distrust slip away, and I allow him all the way in, feeling the energy of not just the parts that make me a powerful witch, but the parts that make me a wolf shifter, too. It binds to his wolf just from the gentle strokes of his fingers as they brush my skin to unclothe me, and I can only imagine how powerful and intense it will be when he’s inside me, binding our wolves together in the union of our mate bond.
Chapter 23 - Elias
Staring at my mate as she sleeps peacefully on my chest, I brush the baby hairs away from her forehead, then plant a chaste kiss there. As much as I don’t want to wake her, I need to leave for the day and do my rounds on the Girdwood border. There’s a strong part of me that wants to scoop her up and make love to her again, but duty calls, and if I want tonight to be perfect, I have to ensure that I’ve made all the necessary arrangements.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I whisper as Aurora begins to stir awake, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal the pretty, glowing pools of caramel that appear softer this time of the morning.
“Morning…” she murmurs, one corner of her lips lifting in a smile, revealing a delicate dimple on her left cheek. Feeling drawn toward the subtle dip, I press my fingertip to her dimple, becoming acquainted with the smoothness of her skin and etching the texture to mind.
“What are you doing?” she asks, her brows knitting slightly.
Chuckling, I press a little further, more deliberately. “I never noticed your dimple before. I guess you weren’t smiling as much as you are these days.”
Aurora purses her lips as a blush creeps on her cheeks, lifting her head a little as she shyly traces the fine hairs on my chest with a fingertip. “I guess I didn’t have much reason to smile before now,” she whispers.
Smirking coyly, I relish the sensations spreading through my chest from her subtle touch. Mostly, it’s pride that swells it, knowing I’m able to put a smile on her face. That’s all I want—to see my mate happy. It’s where my inner wolf finds the most satisfaction.
“I’ll give you a little more reason to smile…” I suggest meeting her curious eyes.
