Chapter 7

AURORA

By the time Rin and I returned to the field where his den was, the shadows had stretched out long and thin. I eased my hold on his shoulders as he halted, my gaze drawn upwards to the stunning hues beginning to paint the sky.

Twilight was creeping in, the sun sinking lower and lower behind the trees. I’d never seen a place as breathtaking as this.

“Beautiful night, isn’t it? Mid-Spring is the best time of year, well, next to early fall,” Rin said, setting me down.

I was already captivated by the scene, drinking in the colors and the gentle scent of flowers and forest. I moved a few steps forward and settled down on the soft green grass near some wildflowers, propping myself up on my hands to gaze at the sky.

It was so much like the dream I’d had for years. I kept hoping I wouldn’t suddenly wake up.

Rin joined me, sitting down in the grass beside me. “Quite a view, huh?”

“Yes. I never thought I’d see a place like this. I keep hoping I won’t wake up and realize it was all just a dream,” I admitted.

I was growing more comfortable with my restored voice, though I could feel a faint warmth from the stone embedded at the base of my throat when I spoke. I wondered if that was something I’d get used to.

“You think this could be a dream?” Rin asked.

“Wouldn’t most humans? There aren’t places like this in our world, and certainly not creatures like the ones I’ve seen here,” I told him.

“True,” Rin conceded. He shifted a bit, his tail curling around him. “I’ve never been to the human side, so I can’t really compare. But I’ve read books and seen pictures that have been brought over here over the years. It’s always intrigued me.”

That piqued my curiosity. “Do creatures from this side go over to the human side often?”

“It varies. Some even live there for a while. Of course, they know how to disguise themselves to look just like humans.”

“You all can do that?”

Rin chuckled. “A lot of this has surprised you, hasn’t it?” he teased.

I looked down, gently touching the petals of a nearby flower. “Of course it has. I was raised to believe that nothing magical exists. That there’s only Heaven and Hell, and angels and demons,” I explained.

My words seemed to catch Rin’s interest.

“I don’t know much about where you came from. You had a family, right?”

“I did, but it’s not worth discussing.”

“Why not? Were they really that bad?”

He was persistent, but I didn’t want to give in. I hated even thinking about my parents now that I was here.

“It’s not worth discussing,” I deflected. “What about you? Your family is here in this world.”

I already knew some of this from snooping in his journal, but I hoped to hear more from Rin. It would be nice if he’d open up a bit about what had led him to his current situation.

But Rin was somewhat evasive with his response. “Yes, they are, but I haven’t seen them in about a year. I prefer living here on my own.”

“You told me your mother is human too. Did something happen with her?”

“No, no.” Rin shook his head, a faint smile on his face. “She’s a wonderful person, and I love her very much, just like the rest of my family. I guess you could say it’s just better this way for me. I won’t cause them any trouble if I’m out here on my own.”

“You don’t seem like the type to cause a lot of trouble,” I observed.

“You don’t think so?”

I shook my head. “No. You’re a bit demanding, but you’ve been kind to me, and it seems like the other creatures respect you and you respect them in return.”

“I don’t necessarily have to do that, but I prefer it. I think an alpha like me gets more respect if I show some respect to the creatures beneath me. Besides, what good would it do me to act superior to them when I’ve needed their help from time to time? I’m good at fighting and defending myself and surviving on my own, but even I need food and supplies, and the best way to get those is to turn to the creatures who make them. I could march in and demand they hand things over, but then they might start to fear me and try to keep me away. That wouldn’t work for me.” Rin paused before adding, “And sometimes, it’s nice to hang out with them. No one wants to be alone all the time.”

I could read between the lines. Despite Rin’s tough exterior, he got lonely sometimes. He wanted friends. That was probably why he wanted me. Having a beta meant he wouldn’t be alone.

“Will you let me see more of those creatures? Fai said she’d like me to visit and she’d teach me more about this side,” I told him.

“I’m not entirely against it, but remember, you’re mine first and foremost,” Rin responded. He held my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Just remember, a beta’s place is always with her alpha, and while I don’t plan on controlling you completely, you’ll always belong to me.”

A chill ran up my spine as I locked eyes with him. He was dead serious. It was a bit odd to see Rin like this. His personality was like a yin and yang, constantly shifting. I briefly wondered if his human mother had influenced his alpha tendencies.

The twilight was fading, giving way to the night sky. A large moon was slowly rising, casting a deep blue glow as it joined the emerging stars.

“Wow…” I found myself whispering. I’d seen the moon and stars countless times from my window, but they’d never looked so clear or otherworldly.

Rin watched with me, and before I knew it, he’d laid me back. I looked up at him as he hovered over me, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation I’d never experienced before.

“Ah yes; it’s an Alpha’s Moon tonight. How very fortunate for me,” he murmured.

“An Alpha’s Moon?”

Rin leaned in to whisper in my ear. “It’s the best time for an alpha to claim his beta. This moon brings out our deepest desires, making our connection to our beta the strongest it can be.”

I had a sinking feeling I was in over my head. I knew Rin wasn’t joking when he said he was going to make me his beta by having sex with me, but this moon thing had thrown me for a loop.

“Rin…,” I began.

“Don’t be so nervous. I’d never hurt you.” Rin gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I want you to enjoy being with me as much as I know I’ll enjoy you.”

There was no escaping this. I’d known that from the start. But part of me didn’t want to run. I wanted to see how things would unfold between us. It had to be better than where I’d come from.

“Are you…going to do that here?” I whispered.

Rin sat up a bit. “No. This isn’t the place. I’d much rather enjoy such a thing in a bed,” he said. He sat up fully, helping me up with him. “But first, let’s go inside and get cleaned up. It’ll be much better after that.”

I agreed, knowing better than to argue. Besides, getting cleaned up would give me a chance to process everything and prepare for what the night had in store.

The den was dark when Rin led me down. Dim lights flickered on at his snap, and he gently brushed back my hair.

“Go ahead and clean yourself up. I’ll go after you.”

“Okay.”

I headed to the nearby bathroom, glancing back to see him rummaging through a large bag near the entrance. I wondered if it was the clothes Anika had made for me. Of course, he probably wouldn’t let me wear any of it tonight. Not with what he had planned.

It took some effort to remove the dress I was wearing, not because it was difficult, but because my nerves were getting the best of me. I stepped into the shower and turned on the warm water, hoping it would help calm me down.

~You can do this,~ I thought, standing under the warm spray. ~What other choice do you have? You’ve never had any choices in your life. Your parents made sure of that from the day you were born.~

I tried to push thoughts of my parents away. There was no point dwelling on them. I was never going back. Rin would see to that.

After a few minutes of washing up, I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry off. As I did, I caught sight of myself in the oval mirror. I wrapped the towel around me and moved closer to study my reflection.

I hadn’t seen myself in a mirror since I’d run away, but I’d never paid much attention to my appearance. I didn’t understand why the people in this world found me attractive. My blonde hair hung limp around my shoulders, and my light blue eyes mirrored my inner turmoil. I touched my face, tracing the soft contours.

I wouldn’t say I was ugly, but I lacked confidence in my appearance.

It took some effort to tear myself away from the mirror, but I knew I needed to hurry. Rin might not appreciate me taking too long, and it was best not to push him.

Rin was near the bookshelf when I emerged, engrossed in a book. I froze when I realized it was the journal I’d seen earlier.

Damn! Did he know I’d been snooping?

He closed the book when he sensed me, returning it to the shelf and giving me a warm smile as he approached.

“Good. You’re done. I’ll clean up now, and you can wait for me in the bed,” he said.

I nodded, watching him disappear into the bathroom before heading to the bed. I clung to the towel, unable to let it go as I sat on the edge of the bed. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

I could do this. It wasn’t a big deal. Couples eventually had sex, so this shouldn’t have been any different.

With that thought, I removed the towel and scooted back on the bed, pulling the curtain closed. I leaned against the wall, pulling my legs up and closing my eyes to let my mind wander. I frowned as my mother’s voice echoed in my head.

~Why would any man ever want you? You’re so quiet and plain. You’d be lucky to even have a man for a night, and he’d probably be drunk. Then you’d be completely ruined. Such lust is a sin!~

Those words had been thrown at me just days before I decided to run away. They were the final straw in a long line of verbal abuse. I was tired of feeling worthless, of being the target of daily insults. Neither of them had ever wanted me. They were even miserable with each other. I never understood why they had me in the first place.

But tonight, I was going to prove her wrong. This fox wanted me, and I was going to savor this first taste of desire.

The rustling of the curtain and the shifting of the bed snapped me back to reality. I opened my eyes to see Rin adjusting the curtain. His hair and tail looked slightly damp in the soft blue light, which also cast shadows that highlighted his muscular physique.

The sight of him stirred something within me. Despite my nerves, I found the idea of my first time being with someone like him appealing.

“Much better.” Rin moved closer, a playful smile on his face. “Are you really that nervous?”

“Kind of. I’ve never done anything like this before,” I admitted quietly.

“There’s no need to worry. These acts are completely natural, and every female eventually gives herself to a male. It’s just the way things are,” Rin explained.

“That’s a terrible way to put it,” I told him.

Rin laughed. “Sorry. I do have a knack for being too blunt.”

I smiled back, although it was hard to shake off my nerves.

“I don’t even know how to start something like this,” I confessed.

“Just relax. We’ll take it slow. I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, and it’s not worth it if you’re scared of me.”

His kindness surprised me. But I was grateful. I wouldn’t have been able to go through with it if he had forced me.