“Yes, but let’s handle today and the current mess.” She sighed when I shot her an unfriendly look. “It’s noteasyto rewrite what I was so sure was truth, Creed. I’m not perfect and—my memories are hundreds of years old. You have no idea how difficult it is torewiretruths that are fucking set in your mind.”
I swallowed down harsher words because I knew I was emotional and all over the place. “I can’t even fathom it, but I’m glad you’re trying.”
She gave a swift nod. “So is Theresa. She—none of us had it easy. She’s trying too.” She let out a shaky breath. “Please make Aurora happy so she heals and maybe we can all have a healthy relationship if the gods are kind and give us the years to do so.”
“I plan to.” I wasn’t sure what else I was going to say, but Ellie started chuckling and looked past me… Where Aurora was giving me less than friendly glances. It was like she was hearing something she didn’t like?
I understood better five minutes later when she came storming over with a pair of shorts in her hand grumbling that I needed to stop showing off my “bits and pieces” to everyone as if they were available. She then shot some females there death looks and went back to where she’d been.
It was ridiculously difficult not to get an erection knowing my mate was jealous over me.
Ridiculously difficultfor sure.
But at least the trap worked.
Pissing them off and pushing their buttons was beyond effective when they were desperate. We had them on camera—from different angles even—admitting that I’d fucked with all aspects of their business turning over evidence against the dirtyNYC cops. They demanded I make up the lost revenue by helping them screw over Ellie and get them a piece of ASH.
So much more. Threats against Aurora. Admitting that they owned the kids of the orphanage. Just a treasure trove of goodies to hold against them.
It was a total win even if it was going to be a huge mess… Including how upset my mate was at me.
Saying she gave me the cold shoulder was an understatement and I fully understood where she was coming from when she stopped telling me everything she was doing. None of it was dangerous, but I was losing my fucking mind being so in the dark about where she was and what she was doing.
And that was completely on me. It was days of it even after I apologized again and again. The woman was gifted at punishing someone, but then I realized it was her hurt more than punishment. She was struggling to be a team with me when I hadn’t been with her.
But I was forever glad that I managed to find out part of her schedule when an interview to help female vampires went off the rails.
“Do you think a lion shifter is the right person to be with after all you’ve been through?” the host asked. “One from the mob? I know you said you wouldn’t answer questions about the arrests of several members of the Edwards family, but it’s all over that your mate was involved. How can you tear into vampires but yet—”
“This is over,” I declared loudly and stormed towards the stage. I growled in warning when someone tried to intercept me but froze when Aurora held up her hand to me.
She simply smirked at the host. “Yes, clearly, he was ahorriblechoice to immediately listen to his mate when you can’t even handle yourself professionally. He reacts toprotect mewhile you sit there and look down your nose at me and judge me for preferring a shifter over someone like you.” She snorted when the man flinched.
And I growled, now close enough to scent his desire for her over everything else in the studio that had distracted me.
“You, sir, think yourself better than others,” Aurora continued. “You only took this interview to try and change your reputation for being sexist, but I accepted it because I knew you wouldn’t be able to manage it and I’m tired of too many monsters hiding among our society and appearing civilized.”
“That’s so far over—” he started to snap.
“Interrupt her again and you’ll taste your nuts,” I warned him.
Aurora simply snickered. “He’s not worth it.” She stood and flicked her hair over her shoulder, rolling her eyes when the host watched with interest. “I’m a happily mated woman. He’s the only man I’ve ever flirted with and wanted. The only man I’ve loved, and if it took a lion to heal all the deep scars vampire men put on me, I suggest more females ignore the rumors and—”
“You love me?” I blurted, my anger and focus on the man instantly gone.
She flushedeveryshade of red and looked anywhere but at me. “Yes, well, this didn’t go as planned, so I think it time to leave.” She quickly moved away from the host and past me, thanking others on the staff and one woman in particular who seemed to have helped her get ready.
But she didn’t even make it to where the witch was waiting to open a portal to take her back before I caught up to her.
“We’re going back home,” I told the witch… Who snorted when she looked at our auras. “And we’re going there alone.”
“Oh, I bet you are,” she chuckled under her breath and set the portal once the rest of the guards arrived.
But of course, they had to come with us as well.
Aurora yelped as I swung her up in my arms and headed for the door.
“Creed, put me down this instant,” she hissed at me.
