Chapter 11

AURORA

“I think we’re in for some good weather for a bit longer,” Rin said. The day had rolled on, and it was now late afternoon.

We’d made our way back to his den, but Rin decided we should soak up the outdoors while the weather was still pleasant. I wasn’t about to argue.

I loved being outside, and with Rin by my side, the forest didn’t seem so intimidating. We were perched on a mossy rock, just a few feet into the tree line.

The forest was a peaceful place, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves high above us. The wind also swept through the lower areas where we sat, adding to the soothing sounds around us.

Rin was seated behind me, and I leaned back against him, gazing up at the leafy canopy and the soft rays of sunlight filtering through. His presence only added to the serene atmosphere.

“You mentioned earlier that summer is coming. Does it get really hot here?” I asked.

“It can, but don’t worry. My den stays cool, and I promise we’ll spend the cooler evenings outside. Summer nights can be really nice, especially out here in the country,” Rin assured me.

I turned to look at him. “Have you always lived out here?”

“No. It’s quite a distance from where I grew up, but it doesn’t feel all that different,” Rin replied.

That piqued my interest. “What was your home like? You haven’t told me much about your childhood. Did you always live in the same place?”

“Sort of.” Rin paused, thinking. “You remember I mentioned my family situation before, right?”

“Yeah. It sounded pretty complicated.”

“It is, but our home wasn’t. It was always safe and comfortable. My parents treated me just like my siblings, and I love them. I respect Jekia too. I guess it’s true that you don’t have to be biologically related to be a parent. He’s always been there for me, even when I’ve been a real pain in the ass.”

I shifted to get a better look at him. He seemed lost in thought, and I hoped it meant he might open up more about what had driven him away from his family.

“Jekia sounds like a noble creature,” I said.

“He is. I’ve always thought he’s what we alphas should aspire to be,” Rin admitted.

“What’s your brother like?” I asked. “Is he like Jekia?”

“In some ways. I’ve always thought Rayne is less impulsive than me, but that’s probably because of our nature. Foxes are usually impulsive, especially when we’re young. To answer your first question, we grew up in a palace. Jekia’s always had one since he’s the ruler of these lands, and one of the four most powerful alphas on this side. Rayne and I were born in his original palace, and lived there until it was destroyed when we were five,” Rin explained.

“The palace was destroyed?” I blurted out. I normally wouldn’t have interrupted, but that took me by surprise.

Rin didn’t seem bothered by my interruption. “Yes, it was,” he confirmed. “A lot of bad things happened when my brother and I were five. To make a long story short, there was a feud between Jekia and some lycans. They tried to kill us and destroy our home to get to him.”

“That sounds terrible. Were you all in the palace when it happened?”

“No, but it was just as bad. I’d rather not get into it. It’s all bad memories. Anyway, we had help from other creatures, and eventually rebuilt our home in a different place. That’s where Rayne and I finished growing up, and our little sister Selenia was born about a year later. It was a big place, with plenty of room for us to do whatever we wanted. I used to love hanging out in the courtyard with books I’d borrowed from the library. I’d often climb up in one of the trees and read,” Rin shared.

“I could tell you love reading. You have a lot of interesting books.”

“It’s always been my hobby. But I also used to drive my parents crazy because I’d forget and leave books all over the place. They’d have to hunt them down when they realized they were missing.”

I laughed. “Sounds like they really gave you a hard time about that.”

“Eh, I was used to it. Besides, it’s just how we foxes are. We’re always seeking knowledge, even if we’re a bit impulsive. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad combination. Jekia used to tell me I needed to control my impulsiveness, that it could land me in trouble one day. He didn’t want to see me get hurt because of it,” Rin confessed.

I had a feeling Rin’s impulsiveness extended beyond just forgetting where he left his books, but I decided not to pry. It wasn’t my place.

“But, since we’re talking about the past, I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier. You said your parents never traveled, and you hadn’t either. Why was that? Did they really not like other humans?” Rin asked.

“I suppose you could say that, but it was more like they didn’t trust them.” I sighed heavily, my gaze dropping to my lap. “My parents were deeply religious. I can’t remember a time when they weren’t praying or preaching about religion. It felt like everything was a sin, and I was always repenting, even for my own existence.”

Rin seemed to understand. “I’ve heard of humans like that. My mother’s time in the human world was filled with that kind of thinking, from what I’ve been told. I guess some humans still hold onto it, even now, though it’s a pretty misguided way to live your life. The Creator isn’t vengeful like that. We all shape our own destinies,” he said.

“To be honest, I haven’t believed in God or anything for a long time because of all that. I couldn’t understand why God would let them do the things they did to me, or make me hate myself so much that I couldn’t even speak anymore.” I looked down, fighting back tears. “Why would they have me when they didn’t want me; when they thought that I was a sin just for being born? I don’t understand.”

“That’s bullshit! It’s not a sin for a child to be born!” Rin’s anger flared, but he quickly reined it in. “Sorry. I just can’t stand hypocrites, and the ones spouting that nonsense are the worst.”

“It’s okay. You’re right. They were terrible people, and I would’ve done anything to escape them.” I considered my words. Maybe I should rephrase that. “I mean, running away was doing anything. Even though I ended up here because something wanted to sell me, I’m glad that I’ve met you and been with you. You’ve treated me better than anyone ever has.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I…um…”

Rin pulled me against him, planting a kiss between my eyes. “I told you, you’re my beta, and you’ll always be my everything.”

“But,” I managed to interject, my voice softer than I intended, “you barely know me. We’ve only been together for a few days.”

“Trust me, I know how I feel. I knew you were meant for me the moment I looked into your eyes. You’re my diamond, even if no one else saw it before,” Rin whispered back.

I wondered if my intense feelings for him were real or just a product of my longing for something more. I’d spent my whole life unwanted, so maybe this was my desperation to feel wanted. I had to accept that possibility as he kissed me.

But it didn’t matter if I loved him yet, or if he was just sweet talking me to satisfy his physical desires. As long as he wanted me, I was okay with whatever happened.

Rin held me a little tighter as our kiss deepened, and I ran my hand through his hair, savoring the softness of his hair and ear.

“You won’t get tired of me, will you?” I needed to know as we pulled back slightly.

“Never. I’m certain of that,” Rin promised.

My body shivered a little as he kissed my ear, then the side of my neck, and my hands pressed against his chest, feeling the contours of muscle under his shirt. I briefly thought of how my mother always preached about sexual acts being a sin. Another hypocritical thing she’d said. She couldn’t have had me without sex. If it was sinful, then she was just as guilty as me.

“Hmm, everything about you is so intoxicating. I’ve been tempted to lock us away all day and enjoy you,” Rin whispered.

“You liked last night that much?”

I wasn’t sure why I doubted that. Maybe it was my inexperience.

“Of course I did,” he assured me. I gasped as he squeezed my right breast. “I never thought having a woman would be so incredible, and I can’t help myself from wanting more.”

“I do too, but…don’t you think…doing this out here is a little…?”

I only managed to get that much out as he continued kissing and licking my neck and massaging my breast.

I couldn’t stop myself from reacting to his touch. It all felt so good, better than I’d ever imagined anything sexual could. All I wanted was for him to dominate me.

“Maybe so,” Rin conceded. He pulled back from me, and I noticed his ears twitch. “It would be better to take you back to the den now. I smell a damned trench troll around here.”

“Trench troll?” I echoed.

That’s when the smell hit me. It was foul, like a mix of mud and decay. I coughed, covering my nose and mouth.

“I know. They’re disgusting creatures, and every now and then, one decides to wander into this area. We shouldn’t have any real problems with it though. They don’t like leaving the forest, and they’re definitely not smart enough to get into dens like mine,” Rin explained.

“Are you sure it’s safe to be out here?” I asked, gripping his shoulders.

“It’s fine. I wouldn’t let it hurt you, but I agree it would be better to take you back to our den. I’ll come back out here and drive it away,” Rin replied.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if…,” I began.

“It’s okay, Amore.” Rin kissed my temple. “I know how to handle myself and I won’t get hurt. Now, let’s get moving so you don’t have to see this thing. They look as bad as they smell.”

I decided to trust him. I’d only been in this world for two days and had only encountered the relatively friendly creatures of the Veil. I wasn’t ready to meet the more dangerous ones just yet.

Rin helped me to my feet, then scooped me up and carried me back to the den. I was relieved to be back. The stench that had filled the forest was unbearable.

“Stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Rin assured me.

I didn’t have much of a choice but to nod and watch him leave. It occurred to me that even if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t. He hadn’t built any stairs or a ladder for me to climb out.

After standing there for a few minutes, I surveyed the den. It was eerily quiet. I wondered what I could do to pass the time while I waited for Rin to return. The silence was too much. If I didn’t find something to do, I’d worry myself sick about him.

I noticed the greenroom nearby and decided to explore it. I was intrigued by the herbs he’d been cultivating and selling. It would be a good distraction.

The sweet scent of flowers and fresh greenery welcomed me as I entered the room. I looked around in awe, having never seen a place like this before. Rin had done an incredible job setting it all up. There were rows of dirt-filled crevices, with aqueducts running alongside them to nourish the plants growing within. I traced the aqueducts around the room, trying to find where the water was coming from. I finally found the end attached to an opening in the farthest wall.

~Did he connect this to a river?~ I wondered.

If so, that was impressive. I might have been underestimating Rin’s intelligence.

The plants were mostly a vibrant green, varying in size from tiny to so large that their leaves were almost as big as mine. There were also different types of flowers blooming. I wondered if they were used in potions, or if their scent had some special property.

Looking around, I realized how little I knew about this world. Heck, I didn’t even know much about my own. My entire life had been confined to that house, and I wasn’t allowed to venture outside much. The backyard was enclosed by a tall wooden fence to keep prying eyes out and to keep me in. My only glimpse of the outside world was through the windows, and even that was limited.

~What a sad life I’ve led~, I thought with a bitter edge.

I sat down on the stone wall, resting my elbow on my knee and my chin on my hand, a frown creasing my forehead. I replayed everything that had happened since I’d arrived here. Being locked in that filthy cell, meeting Rin and his kindness, how he’d given me a way to communicate. I questioned his motives. He was going to great lengths to win me over.