Chapter 31

The glen where Rin resided was tranquil as Rayne and I entered. Sunlight filtered through the passing clouds overhead.

I was slightly taken aback that we didn’t see Rin outside and wondered if perhaps he and Aurora had left for the morning. If so, they had left awfully early.

“Are they even here?” I asked Rayne as we halted near the gateway.

“Aurora is. I’m picking up her scent from the den. It seems Rin’s taken off though. I wonder where he’s decided to go so early,” Rayne replied.

As if on cue, the door to the den opened and Aurora emerged. She was as beautiful as ever, her long blonde hair slightly damp from where she’d apparently just washed it.

She was dressed in a simple blue sundress. Her face lit up when she saw us.

“Good morning. We didn’t know you were going to be visiting this morning,” she greeted us.

“It was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment thing. I noticed Rin isn’t here. Did he leave this morning?” Rayne inquired.

Aurora nodded. “He did. He said he wanted to take care of something and that he’d be back soon. Actually, he mentioned wanting us to visit with you this evening, so I suppose this takes care of that,” she replied.

Her gaze shifted to me, and she quickly realized that something was different. “What is this? You have horns now?”

“It’s a long story, but please don’t think differently of me. I’m still the same as I was,” I assured her.

“It’s better if we discuss that when Rin returns, but there’s nothing to worry about. Father knows all about it too,” Rayne added.

“I suppose.” Aurora sounded hesitant to accept that as she looked at me. “Are you sure you’re okay, Luna?”

“I’m fine. I feel like myself. It’s just a strange thing that ended up happening, probably from my bloodline,” I answered, trying to downplay it as much as possible.

“Everything is fine. We’re taking care of it. We simply wanted to come by and visit for a while since Luna hasn’t had the chance to do so at your home,” Rayne assured her.

Aurora smiled. “Okay. I’d like that too, and I don’t think Rin will be gone long. Why don’t we go in for now and wait for him?” she suggested.

We agreed, following her into the den. The exterior was a bit different from where I lived with Rayne.

A door led into a small hill in the middle of the glen, and stairs led us down into Rin and Aurora’s home. Inside, it looked a lot like where Rayne and I lived.

There was a large main room with a round table, some comfortable furniture, and a bed set into the wall with a blue curtain for privacy. But the most amazing part of this den was the ceiling.

It was clear like glass. We could actually see through it to the trees and sky outside.

“That’s incredible. How did you all do this?” I asked in wonder.

“It’s a Fox talent, though Rin won’t tell me the details of how they do it. I think he likes thinking he’s one-upped me,” Rayne answered, chuckling a little to himself.

Aurora giggled too. “I wouldn’t doubt that one. Rin does like it when he thinks he’s superior in smaller ways.”

“It’s just the rivalry we like to keep at times. We still get along for the most part,” Rayne assured us.

“No issues today?” I confirmed.

“I can’t make any promises right off, but we’ll try,” Rayne answered.

“Rayne…”

I frowned at him as I spoke. The last thing I wanted for today was another fight to erupt between him and his brother.

They’d already had quite a few disagreements over me. “It’ll be fine, Luna. They might argue, but they usually get along for the most part,” Aurora assured me.

“Speaking of Rin, do you know where he went this morning?” Rayne asked her as the three of us sat together at the table and Aurora brought us some iced tea.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “He did say he was meeting with someone and that they had something for him that he’d asked them to find, but I don’t know who or what it is. He’s been a little secretive with this one.”

I wondered if it was something for her. Maybe he had wanted to get her a unique gift like Rayne did for me.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it then. He should be back very soon, and it’s not as if we mind spending this time with you, Aurora. It has been a while since I’ve gotten to visit as well,” Rayne stated.

“That’s true. It feels like it’s been a while since any of us have gotten to spend much time with you, Rayne, so it’s nice that you’d come here with Luna,” Aurora concurred.

“It’s nice to be here. I’ve been wanting to spend more time with you and Rin too. It was nice when you all came to visit us the last time,” I told her.

“It was,” Aurora concurred. “It’s also good to be able to have this time with you. I love being around Lana and Selenia, but it feels a little different with us. Maybe it’s because you and I are so much alike.”

“It could be. Our parents may not look it, but they are the older type, and Selenia is an alpha despite her age and how small she is,” Rayne allowed.

“True. It would seem that she tends to go toe to toe with you and Rin quite well at times too,” Aurora noted with a slight giggle.

“Let us not speak of those times. Besides, we allow her to win,” Rayne contended.

“Before you say anything, that is true,” Rin spoke up as he entered the den.

“Oh, welcome back,” Aurora greeted him with a smile.

“That seemed rather quick. I’ll take it you finished what you wanted without any issues,” Rayne commented.

“I did, and I wondered if you’d be coming by,” Rin responded as he sat beside Aurora.

I was surprised that he didn’t comment on my horns, although what he said next answered why.

“Seriously Rayne, you pushed things that far this time? Don’t you think this is getting a little dangerous?”

“I’m going to take a wild guess that you’ve already spoken to Father,” Rayne responded evenly.

“He knows how this can go and that I’d probably see you today, so he wanted to talk to me about things and about how they want to proceed with all of this,” Rin explained. He looked a little miffed as he regarded him. “You’re avoiding my questions. Do you really think this is okay?”

“Of course not, and I’ve learned my lessons, so you don’t have to get on me any more than I’ve gotten on myself. Besides, it’s not like you can say that you didn’t mess up at first too,” Rayne contended.

“I won’t sit here and deny it, but it’s not like I want to see you and Luna end up in the same type of situation we were in either. You do get that, don’t you? It’s not that I’m trying to take control or anything like that. I have a right to worry about my brother and his beta, just like you told me back then,” Rin informed him.

“You’re talking about when you and Aurora met,” I guessed.

“We are. I’ll take it you’ve gotten to hear at least some of the story,” Rin answered.

“I’ve heard enough, and it did give me the understanding that I’m not the only one who would be targeted for being chosen as a beta in this family. To be frank about it, I kind of anticipated it when Rayne and I met, although not this bad,” I explained.

Rayne nodded solemnly. “It’s not that unusual to have challenges when it comes to the royal families in the different lands, especially when it comes to betas. What happened with Mother and Aurora was more to the extreme, although I admit that I do worry Luna’s may end up that way if we don’t quell it soon.”

“I agree with that,” Rin acknowledged. He took a moment to go over all of it. “Let me get all of it straight since we’re here. Not only do we have the issue of the matchmaking houses starting these rumors, but we now believe that they originated with Madame Lucille’s and possibly from her mother, not to mention Luna’s father could have a hand in this as well.”

“I’m not sure I understand why her father would want any more to do with this. Is it because he knows that Luna has become bonded to Rayne?” Aurora asked them.

“It could be, but one can’t be certain when it comes to any type of Fallen. They tend to be some of the trickiest creatures to even begin understanding,” Rayne admitted.

I agreed with him. “It’s very possible, but it could also simply be that he’s decided I’m useful in this world to him. A lot of them who create children are like that from what I’ve heard, although it isn’t typical for them to do it on this side.”

“There are still plenty of Nephilim on the other side from what I know, but they’ve also come to serve a purpose there. I wonder if Luna will be the first like that in this one,” Rin pondered.

“I doubt it. I’ve never known anything even remotely good to come out of my heritage here and it’s not like it earns me any respect. Usually, it’s the opposite,” I reminded him.

“Whether or not that is the case, we’re not going to continue worrying over it. Luna’s here now and that’s all that matters, along with getting the others to turn away from those who would spread vile words about her when they’ve never even met her,” Rayne interjected.

“That’s true, and it’s not like any are willing to allow it to continue. Musket sure as hell isn’t. I think it got under his skin a little when he heard about all of this,” Rin admitted.

“Musket?” Where had I heard that name before? I had to think about it before it dawned on me. “Oh, you mean the elder Fox that is related to Sage?”

“Yes. He’s Sage’s brother and one of the oldest foxes to reside in the Veil. One could say that he’s as legendary in status as Father,” Rayne confirmed.

“So Musket is angry about this too, huh? I guess the foxes will be quelling those rumors rather quickly now,” Aurora noted.

“Probably, but that’s what needs to be done. This is all silly, and I’m personally sick of those things. It’s bad enough I endured them. I hate thinking that others have too,” Rin huffed.

“I know you do. You’ve been nothing but kind to me since we met, and so were Sherry and some of the others around Jumal. It’s time for me to start being stronger too. If I’m not, then they get to win regardless of what everyone else tries to do about it,” I stated.

“She is right. Allowing them to get to you is the worst thing you can do. Take it from a guy who knows,” Rin agreed.

“I know, and I know that Luna’s trying to be stronger about it. I’m also going to help her with that as much as I can. One way or another, I’ll make sure that they accept her just as we do,” Rayne added.

I touched my left horn. “Although some might still be a little put off with these.”

My words appeared to break some of the tension that had settled in the room, which was also quite welcome. I hadn’t wanted this visit to be like this.

I wanted to simply enjoy spending time with Rin and Aurora. Aurora was quick to pull herself out of her surprise, getting up and stepping behind me to look at my horns.

“True, but I guess there’s no getting around this. I can’t even see a way to cover them unless maybe we tied up your hair around them,” she suggested.

I shook my head. “No, I don’t really like my hair tied up like that. Besides, it’s not that bad. I guess you can’t stop others from staring at times anyway.”

“No, it’s not like they’re crazily noticeable. I didn’t even register them at first when I came in,” Rin claimed.

“True, and we may be able to help her repress them soon enough. Emelio seems to believe it’s possible,” Rayne told him.

“Then there’s nothing really to worry about,” Rin surmised.

~Nothing to really worry about.~

Those words stuck with me as the hours passed, though I resigned them to the back of my mind as I enjoyed spending time with my new family. The talk of what was going on was dropped shortly after that, replaced with normal family banter.

Rayne and I ended up spending the next several hours in there with Rin and Aurora, simply enjoying our time together. For the first time, I truly got to see how the brothers tended to act around each other too.

Indeed, it appeared that the two got along rather well. Yes, their personalities were strong, and they tended to debate here and there, but it was easy to see the bond between them.

I was thoroughly enjoying my time with Aurora and getting to know her. It felt like we had a lot in common, and she was incredibly sweet.

She’d had a difficult life growing up, even though she’d spent that time in the mortal world. While she didn’t delve into specifics, I understood that she’d been neglected and abused during that time.

For her, coming here to the Veil and ending up with Rin was like paradise. She was with the one she felt destined for, and that was enough for her.

Destiny was also on my mind as I walked with Rayne back toward the glen. Looking at my handsome alpha in the rays of sunlight, I felt a surge of excitement within me.

What a beautiful destiny this was, even if things had been rather challenging in the beginning.

“Are you all right, Luna? You’ve been a bit quiet since we left,” Rayne spoke up as we walked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize I had been. But I’m fine. I was just reflecting on the nice time we had,” I answered, giving him what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

“It was nice. I will give it that. I don’t think I’ve spent that much time all at once with Rin in a few years now,” Rayne admitted.

“Have you two really been so estranged? I hadn’t realized it.”

Rayne looked down, his hands in his pockets and his ears twitching slightly. “Well, it’s our own fault too. I suppose there’s something to be said about how words can tear even families apart, at least for a while. Even though I always wanted to support my brother, I feel like I never knew the right things to say or do, and it did drive a small rift between us for a while because of guilt or resentment. I’m just glad we’re starting to mend it.”

“I am too,” I confessed. I clasped my hands in front of me as we walked. “It’s special to have a family, and maybe it’s not something one thinks about when they’ve always had one. It’s made me happy too that I could be part of yours, and I hope that I can continue always being part of it, no matter whether things are good or bad.”

“You will always be, and things will get better. You’re right. They’re not always going to be good, but we can survive them and go back to those good times,” Rayne reminded me.

I stopped and faced him. “I’m grateful too. I know things were difficult when we first met and that we jumped into them quickly, but you’ve always cared for me. You and your family were the only ones to do so, and I’m glad that we’ve met and come together as we have.”

It was hard for me to put these feelings of my heart into words. I could say I loved Rayne thousands of times, and it would never be enough.

He was everything to me and made me feel like I was worth something. Rayne gently smiled at me, stroking my cheek.

“I could say the same, and I’m grateful that I was able to find you. I love you more than you know, Luna, and I’ll do anything to prove that to you,” he promised me.

“I know you would, but you don’t need to. I know you love me, and I love you just as much,” I assured him, putting my arms around his shoulders and hugging him.

I don’t know that I realized the impact of our words or the implications they may bring for the future. At the time, all I understood was how much I loved him and wanted to be with him.

What I didn’t realize was what else it may take for us to reach that happy, tranquil place.