Chapter 16: Harsh Decree

Aurora

I ran out of the mall as fast as my legs could take me. I needed to get as far away from Wolfgang and his hurtful words as I could.

I even forgot that Emma was with me, until she was running alongside me.

We ran down the street, my legs unconsciously taking me to a park where I used to play with my dad.

I walked up to the swings and sat down, my head drooping low. Just like my self-esteem.

Emma sat on the swing next to mine.

~“Don’t cry… I’m sure he didn’t mean it,”~ Rhea said, trying to cheer me up as usual.

“Are you gonna explain what happened back there?” Emma asked.

I shook my head.

“Is there something I’m missing here? Ever since that party, you’ve been acting strange. What’s going on between you and Alpha Wolfgang?” she pressed.

I was about to shake my head again, but she got up from the swing and stood in front of me, her hands on her hips.

“Don’t you dare say ‘nothing’. I know there is something going on. You’ve been off, Rory, and I’m starting to worry.”

I could see the concern in my friend’s eyes, and I felt the urge to tell her everything, but I bit my lip.

I wouldn’t put her in danger. I couldn’t.

“Do you…” she started to speak, but trailed off.

I began to panic. Had she figured it out?

“Do you have a crush on the alpha, Aurora?” she finished.

I let out a breath of air that I hadn’t known I was holding, feeling my body relax.

“I…” I rubbed my arms, the chilly night already seeping in.

I could tell her a partial truth, right?

“I do.” I covered my face in embarrassment.

This was the first time I’d actually said that I really liked him. Sure, I’d thought about it, but to say it out loud confirmed it all.

Emma pulled me off the swing and held me tight in her arms.

“Aww, Rors. You should have told me.” She let me go but still held me at arm’s length. “Does he feel the same way?”

I lowered my head in shame.

“No. And he never will. I just have to face it and let go.” I could feel a fresh batch of tears forming at the corners of my eyes.

~“No! Don’t give up!”~ Rhea shouted in my head.

“No! Don’t give up just yet Rory!” Emma echoed the words of my wolf.

“I mean. Maybe he isn’t your mate, but don’t give up just yet,” she continued. “Who knows. Maybe he’s too busy ruling the pack, and he hasn’t noticed you, but what if you guys hit it off?”

She gave me an encouraging smile.

“I highly doubt that.” I smiled back. “But I gotta get going.”

I started to walk off in the direction of the mansion.

“I’ll call you tonight, okay? And don’t worry!” Emma shouted at me as I left.

I walked back to the mansion, my head low, remembering Wolfgang’s words over and over.

~I’m sure Tallulah would make a perfect mate for him. Not like me, a nobody.~

I greeted the guards who stood at the door, planning to head straight to my room and lock myself in for the rest of the day.

But Aspen happened to be passing by. She stopped me.

“Hey, Rory. How was your day off?” she asked, walking up to me.

“It was great,” I lied.

It definitely hadn’t gone as I’d expected.

After the restless night of the day before, I’d gotten up that morning hoping to spend the day with Montana, watching movies, chatting or even running in our wolf forms.

But by the time I had gotten home, she was already leaving. They had called her at the last minute to inspect some area.

Thankfully, Emma had come by, and we had decided to go see a movie and walk around the mall. It felt like a long time since we’d done simple things like that.

But then I’d had to bump into him. What was he even doing at the mall?

~“I don’t have time for foolish things like commitment, much less to an omega like her. If I could choose my luna, it would be someone worthwhile, like Tallulah.”~

His words rang in my head over and over again.

“Max told me that he and Wolfgang ran into you. I’m sorry you heard those hurtful things. Are you sure you’re okay?” Aspen asked again, her brows knitted together.

“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” I smiled, trying to convince her that I was fine. The last thing I needed was more pity. “I’m gonna head to my room now, I’m really tired.”

“Um, sure. Night, Rory.” I could tell she was hesitant to leave me alone.

“Goodnight, Aspen. See you tomorrow,” I said before heading up the stairs.

When I reached the fourth floor, exhaustion took over. Not surprising, since I hadn’t closed my eyes last night.

I didn’t feel hungry, so I decided to take a bath and call it a night. Hopefully, tonight I would get some rest.

“Miss Craton?”

~Oh no…~ I knew that voice.

~Why is he here? Shouldn’t he be in his office?~

I turned to face Wolfgang, who stood at the foot of the stairs. Had he followed me?

I hadn’t even noticed. I really must be tired.

“Did you need something, sir?” I asked him, my head low. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“You’re late.” His voice was firm and accusatory. I looked at my watch and saw that it was forty minutes past seven.

Shit.

“I’m sorry, sir. I lost track of time, and didn’t realize how late it was. It won’t happen again.” I bowed my head.

I felt his heavy footsteps as he came closer to me.

“It won’t,” he said as he passed right by me. “You’ll be punished. For the next two weeks, you’re forbidden from leaving the mansion, even on your day off.”

“What?” My voice rose, and I finally raised my head to look at him in the eye.

His face was devoid of any emotion, as always.

“You heard me, Miss Craton. You are not to leave the mansion for the next two weeks.”

“But…but that’s the only day I get to see my stepmother. You can’t do that!” I shouted at him. I could feel my temper rising.

“Yes, I can. You must learn how to follow orders. I am the alpha here. If I say jump, you ask how high. If I say you cannot go, you don’t leave this place until I say so, got it?”

Even though his face was stoic as ever, his voice carried his authority.

But I wasn’t going to stand for it. He couldn’t do this to me.

“No!” I shot back.

“Excuse me?” For the first time, I saw an emotion on his face. He was surprised.

“I said no! It’s enough that you keep me locked up in here, doing all your chores and watching you flirt with Tallulah. But you won’t take the only day I have to see the only family I have left.”

“Flirting? When have I flirted with Tallulah?” He crossed his arms over his enormous chest.

“All the time! She always has her hands all over you, and I just have to sit there and watch. It’s driving me crazy! If you don’t have any interest in me, please just reject me and allow me to get on with my life!”

I was out of breath by the time I finished. It was a good thing we were all the way up on the fourth floor, because anyone could have heard everything.

A warm touch shocked me as I felt his hand caress my cheek. His fingers wiped away tears I didn’t even know I had shed.

He came closer, closing the gap between us. I backed away, but found myself pressed against my bedroom door.

I could feel his minty breath on my skin. His baby blue eyes shone as he stared into my own.

Without warning, he closed the gap between us. Then his lips were on mine.

Shock was quickly replaced with desire as I leaned into his kiss, passion winning over sanity.

I could feel sparks erupting from the place where our skins touched.

This was the mating pull. This is what it did.

But just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Wolfgang backed away a couple of inches. His eyes fixed on mine.

“I’m the alpha here, Aurora. I’ll decide when I’ll reject you. And if I feel like ~parading around~ with Tallulah in front of you, I will. You have no say in anything, unless I say so.”

That stoic expression returned once more to his face.

“You have two days off a week, starting from this week on. Next time, be back on time.”

With that, he walked past me and locked himself in his room.

I somehow managed to gather myself, and walked into my room and closed the door.

That’s when everything that had happened over the last eight days hit me like a sack of bricks.

I couldn’t control the sobs that escaped my mouth as I slid down to the door and cradled my head in my knees.

~“Don’t cry. Please. Everything will be alright. Don’t cry,”~ Rhea tried to soothe me, but I ignored her and just kept crying and crying, wondering why I was destined for this.

What had I done wrong in my past life, that the Moon Goddess was punishing me this way?

I cried and cried, until I fell asleep on the floor next to the door.

~Why is this happening to me…~