Chapter 51

Jaxson

I listen for my mate stirring upstairs, strewn out on the patio chair out in front of the house while the sun threatens to rise over the horizon. I plead for warmth, for the daylight, knowing it will finally be a new day and the moon can’t haunt me anymore.

The moon hasn’t been kind to me and my mate.

I always imagined if I found my fated, I would spend my days in the palace with her, adorning her with gala’s and pampering her to no end, creating the perfect, safest Luna there ever could be. I never expected any of this and frankly, I feel like the moon goddess is punishing me through my mate.

I’ve known for a long time about the inequality of royals and commoners. I even ignored them for a long lapse of time, but when I knew my mate was a commoner, I brushed it off and figured it would be made right when I marked her. She would be marked by a royal and therefore the problems would all be solved.

I was wrong and I feel so incredibly guilty for it.

The door opens and I peer over my shoulder to check on my new company outside. I’m surprised to see Row and Paul lingering nearby before pulling up two chairs to join me, facing the expectant horizon where the sun needs to come up already.

“How is she?” Row asks, his voice low and nonthreatening.

Paul speaks the same way, as if not to spook me into anger, “She need anything for the pain?”

“No,” I reply, my hands folded in my lap. “She’s not awake yet,” I admit. I miss her eyes. “She is covered in bruises still but I managed to heal her broken and fractured bones.”

“Good,” Row replies, “I can’t imagine what she’s been through.”

“Wish I knew,” I grumble. “Since she rejected me I won’t be able to sweep through the memories to see exactly what he has done to her. I only hope when she wakes up she feels comfortable telling me.”

“You could find out where Luke is, too,” Paul adds, that name starting a small fire back in my stomach. He must notice, looking aside, so afraid of the royal prince.

Row doesn’t seem as frightened, but he does lower his volume to seem less threatening. “You’re going to help us find him, right?”

I tap my foot impatiently. “I don’t know.”

“He took care of Aurora after she was almost killed at the gala,” Paul hums.

I roll my eyes, feeling my wolf stir. “He also kissed my mate while she was still marked by me.”

“They’ve been through a lot together,” Row hums, looking out in the distance, all of us straining for the sun to rise like it will signal the end of this painstakingly tedious conversation. “I know it looks bad right now, but Luke and Aurora have a history. Even if they kissed, I know Aurora wouldn’t want to hurt you. She’s not that kind of girl.”

It did hurt, is what I don’t say. She hurt me horribly and my heart broke twice over her actions. But I know it’s true. She felt hurt in that moment and I don’t even need to hear it from her. I neglected my mate trying to straighten out the royal pack. It only solidifies my painful conclusion.

“I will talk to her,” I say simply. “If he’s alive and she knows where he is, I’ll help.”

They look to each other before standing and making their way off the porch. I can see now I’m only useful to finding their little friend but if Aurora needs me to go get him, I may hurt him, at least enough to thank him for looking after Aurora which would be a gift of life, which I should take from him immediately but I know how it would hurt my mate.

I can’t hurt her anymore.

There’s a noise upstairs and I focus on her bedroom, hearing her thrash in bed. I waste no time running straight to her bedroom and seeing her so tense the veins in her neck are protruding slightly. She is clawing at the bed, at the sheet over her torso, and I try to soothe her with my hands resting calmly over hers.

She tenses, her eyes squinted shut, and she mumbles incoherently at whatever nightmare she is thrumming in. I try to run my hand over her cheek, over her new, short haircut, but she flinches alive at my softest of touches.

She opens her eyes, bloodshot and pale of all color. She paces the room nervously, grabbing at her body, at the sheets, and then my arm, squeezing my wrist so tight I almost have to fight her grip off of me. I don’t though, letting her try to anchor down in reality so she knows she’s finally safe. Something about her wide, white eyes tell me otherwise, though.

“Aurora,” I hum, letting her hands dig into my wrist. I reach out to brush her cheek, needing to feel her warmth, but she flinches back so hard she slams herself back into her pillow. “Whoa, whoa,” I breathe, my heart skipped at the sight of her so fearful of me. “You’re safe, Aurora, I’m not going to hurt you.”

She is panting her breathes, grabbing my wrist and working her nails into my skin. I tense, letting her collect herself, but it doesn’t seem to be calming her down to wake up in her old bedroom.

Her untamed eyes pelt to me, wide and unblinking. “He’s coming,” she breathes.

I focus on the mating mark on her neck, something terrible brewing in my heart. “Xander?”

She nods, a horrified look written all over her bruised and blistered face. She winces, as if hearing his voice in her head, and she shudders into her bed, finally letting go of my arm. My mouth is dry with advice, unsure what to do with this woman that my wolf still feels so tremendously for but seeing her so detached from the world; from me.

“I have to reject him,” she pants, holding her arms over her head and flinching erectly. I know he is toying with her mainly because she is my mate, and it will hurt me. I don’t know if he is aware where we are but I can’t take the chance. We have to leave. “Have—Have to reject—”

“I’ll be here for you,” I assure her.

She seems to settle at that reassurance, her white eyes looking up at me with hope but also with an ounce of fear. I hate the sight of my mate afraid of me. I can’t help but break. I move slowly, my hand pressing over hers as she grips the bedding covers, and inhales sharp.

“Reject him,” I say in a calm, kind tone. “I’ll make sure we all get out of here safety. Okay?”

“Even my parent’s?” she asks.

I nod, trying to make a list of everyone who is in danger and starting to consider the whole North Woods pack needs to be forewarned. If Xander is on his way, he can’t be alone and if he’s got company, this pack has trouble. I’ll alert her parents to flee and ask her father to alert the rest of the pack that it’s safer to hide for a while.

It’s the best I can do to protect the commoners.

As far as me and my mate, I’ll whisk her far away and hide her; again. But this time will be different. This time I am putting my mate first and I know that means I have to let go of my royal pack. Seeing her frightened, pained eyes only solidifies my decision.

Between my mate and my pack; I choose her. I just hope she chooses me.

“I, Aurora Hunter, reject the link of the Apogee pack. I denounce Alpha Xander Knight as my Alpha, and I ultimately reject Xander Knight as my mate.”