Chapter 14

“Exactly,” Rayne agreed. “It’s safer for everyone that way. Plus, the right beta can help us be better rulers. It’s a big deal to those of us who govern this world.”

My heart dropped. I was starting to understand why the elves had called me a Mistress of the Veil when Rin first introduced me to them. It must’ve been their way of saying I was a beta to a ruler.

Rayne seemed to sense my unease. “Don’t stress about it, Aurora. Like I said, our mom is human, and she’s doing just fine here. She’s always been happy with our dad. I’m sure you’ll keep being happy with Rin. I just hope he brings you home with him soon. We’d love to welcome you into our family.”

“You think your parents would want me there?”

“I know they would,” Rayne assured me. He glanced up at the rustling leaves high in the tree. “But I should probably keep my visit short. I’ve made sure to hide my scent. Rin might not be thrilled if he knew I was here alone with you, especially considering how things have been since he left.”

“I get it. But I’m glad I got to meet you,” I said as he stood and helped me up. Like Rin, his nails were claws, but he didn’t scratch me as he held my hand.

“Me too. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to come by again and chat some more,” Rayne suggested.

“I don’t mind, but you might get caught. Rin doesn’t leave here often. He mostly goes out to get supplies,” I warned him.

“That’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”

Something about the way he said that gave me a weird feeling, like there was more to his words than what he was saying. But I decided to let it go for now. I could be careful, and if anything felt off, I’d tell Rin and let him handle it.

“If that’s what you want, then sure. I don’t mind talking to you again. Maybe you could tell me more about your family,” I agreed.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Rayne said. “But for now, I should get going. Like I said, I made sure not to leave my scent, so Rin doesn’t need to know I was here. Until next time.”

I froze as he suddenly kissed my cheek. It was a sweet kiss, gentle but firm. He smiled at me as he pulled back and waved quickly before disappearing into the forest. He moved as fast as Rin, and he was out of sight in no time.

I stayed where I was, touching my cheek and still feeling the slight tingle from his kiss. Was that just a friendly gesture, or did Rayne have other intentions? I really, really hoped not. I was Rin’s beta, and he might lose it if his twin brother showed interest in me, especially considering all the issues he already had with his family.

With that in mind, I decided to keep my meeting with Rayne a secret, as well as the possibility of meeting him again. It wouldn’t hurt anything. Rin was my one and only, and I could take care of myself.

What I didn’t realize at the time was just how much a beta might have to deal with, especially when she’s caught the interest of two alphas.

***

I don’t think I ever really understood what it was like to have a close, loving family. I started to realize this after my unexpected meeting with Rin’s twin brother, Rayne.

After I went back into the den, I found myself wandering outside again, trying to clear my head. But sitting near the den on the blanket I’d brought out, I couldn’t stop thinking about my past and the little I knew about Rin’s. He’d told me a bit about his parents, and how his birth father wasn’t the man who raised him and had died when he was very young. He also had his brother Rayne and a younger sister named Selenia.

~I wonder what Selenia looks like~, I thought. ~If she’s anything like Rayne, she must be beautiful.~

But those thoughts were pushed aside by unwelcome memories. The growing shadows from the trees surrounding the field seemed to deepen the darkness that still lingered in my mind, the unease that had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember.

That’s how I’d always seen it. Only a cursed existence could be so terrible, yet appear so beautiful.

I grew up in a cold, harsh household, isolated from the rest of the world. My parents lived on the outskirts of a tiny town and tried to be self-sufficient to avoid interacting with other people, who they considered to be heathens.

Their extreme religious beliefs were the reason for this. According to them, most people were damned because they were influenced by the devil, so they lived piously to avoid his tricks.

I still don’t know how they ended up having me. They believed anything sexual was a sin. As a child, I believed them completely. But as I got older and started to understand more about my body and how babies were made, it stopped making sense.

For my parents to have me, they must’ve had sex at some point. In other words, they’d committed the act they always said was one of the worst sins.

Two years prior, I’d stumbled upon a stash of books hidden in the depths of our attic. The discovery made me question the so-called ‘holiness’ of my parents, particularly my mother. The books were clearly hers, their covers adorned with provocative images of scantily clad women in compromising positions with bare-chested men.

I knew I shouldn’t, but curiosity got the better of me. I’d always loved reading, but my options had been limited to the Bible and a few educational books about animals, history, and the world.

These books were different. They spun tales of beautiful women and handsome men, who quickly pulled them into a world of sex and desire, doing things I’d never even imagined.

Reading these stories awakened something in me. I hid the books so I could continue reading them. I’d finished three when one of the female characters became pregnant and gave birth to a man’s child. That’s how I learned about reproduction, and why I bled every month. It also explained why my mother called me impure.

My mother caught me reading those books and promptly burned them after whipping me with a belt. My father locked me in my room for three days, instructing me to pray and repent for succumbing to lust.

They only checked on me when they brought my meals, so I only prayed when I knew they were coming. The rest of the time, I thought about those books and how miserable my life was.

I finally understood that my life wasn’t normal. That’s why we were isolated from others, why my parents insisted on homeschooling me. It explained the single TV, tuned only to a Christian network, and the religious artwork that adorned our home.

My parents were religious extremists, to the point of being evil.

I sighed heavily, thinking about it all. They were terrible people. They’d conceived an innocent child in a moment of lust, then subjected her to torment in the name of repentance.

~But no more~, I thought. ~I’m free now, and you two will never find me.~

A strange sensation passed through my throat as I thought this, and I rubbed the spot where the stone was embedded. It was brief, but it startled me.

“What was that?” I murmured, more to reassure myself that I could still speak.

It could have been a fluke, a result of the day’s stress. First, I’d unexpectedly met Rayne, then I’d allowed myself to dwell on my painful past.

Thankfully, Rin’s familiar figure emerged from the woods, providing a welcome distraction. I wouldn’t have to dwell on those memories now that he was back.

“Hey, were you waiting for me?” he greeted me with his usual warm smile.

I returned his smile as he helped me up. “I was getting a bit worried, so I decided to wait out here,” I confessed.

“Sorry about that. Things took longer than I expected, but I’m back now, and I won’t have to leave for a while,” Rin assured me.

We went inside, where I helped him unpack the bag he’d brought home. It was filled with the usual items: food, seeds for his plants, and a few new books for us both.

I liked this routine we’d established. It felt like what married life should be.

I’d just put the last jar in the pantry when I was pulled into an embrace. It wasn’t unusual, and I immediately relaxed into it, resting my head against his as he kissed my shoulder.

“I hate being away all day,” he murmured.

“I don’t like it either, but there are things you can’t avoid, and I don’t want to hold you back,” I reasoned.

“You wouldn’t hold me back. Besides, the villagers love seeing you. They always talk about how beautiful and kind you are,” Rin countered.

“I’m glad they like me, and I enjoy seeing them. I was just a bit tired today and wanted some quiet time to read. It’s not bad for me to be here alone. It’s safe, and you always come back, even if you were a bit late this time,” I reassured him.

“True, true.” Rin loosened his hold on me, allowing me to turn to face him. He ran his fingers through my hair, smoothing it over my shoulders. “There’s something I wanted to give you. It took me a while, but it’s finally ready.”

I tilted my head, watching curiously as he reached into his shirt pocket. Rin was always kind to me, but he’d never given me a gift before. I’d assumed that alphas didn’t give gifts to their betas. We had our roles, and that was that. I was just lucky that Rin was kind to me.

I was surprised when he pulled out a small, blue velvet pouch. Had he brought me jewelry?

“I’ve been thinking about this since the day I found you. I feel it’s only right to give it to you now that you’re mine,” he said.

I was stunned as he pulled a ring from the pouch. It was beautiful, with a silver band and a large, light blue gemstone that seemed to glow from within.

“This is…really for me?” I managed to ask.

“For you alone,” Rin replied. He slid the ring onto my finger, a perfect fit. An odd pulse surged through me as he did, and I could’ve sworn the stone glowed for a brief moment. “I crafted this ring for you. The gemstone is imbued with my foxfire, a symbol to all of who you are to me. No matter what happens, as long as you wear our ring, I’ll always be able to find you.”

“It’s beautiful. You made this for me?” I asked, mesmerized by the blue stone.

“I did. Rings like these are rare, crafted only by alphas who feel a deep connection to their betas. As harsh as it sounds, many alphas struggle to reach that level of connection, even if they’ve chosen their female and believe they care for her. The only other ring like this I’ve seen belonged to my mother. Jekia gave it to her, knowing she was the only woman he’d ever love,” Rin explained.

His words took me by surprise. “Alphas…only do this…for a beta they love?”

Rin smiled. “Let’s just say we know what we feel, in our hearts and souls.”

I hadn’t expected to hear something like this, even if he wasn’t outright saying he loved me. Were alphas supposed to fall in love with their betas? I didn’t know enough about this world to answer that question yet.

But there was another factor I hadn’t considered until now. Rin was half human. That might have influenced his feelings for me, even if he was following his fox instincts by calling me his beta.

My thoughts were interrupted by a quick kiss between my eyes.

“Why don’t we go out tonight after dinner? There’s something else I’d love to show you,” he suggested.

“That sounds great,” I agreed, offering him a smile I hoped looked genuine.

Despite my confusion, I wanted to spend time with Rin whenever I could. But as the evening wore on, guilt gnawed at me. I wanted to tell him about seeing Rayne. It felt wrong to keep it from Rin, especially considering his decision to distance himself from his family. Rayne knew he was here, and he knew about me.

But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. I didn’t want to spoil the happiness between us. I could only hope Rayne would keep his word and leave us alone.

I tried to push these thoughts aside as the hours passed. We had dinner together, then decided to head out. As usual, Rin carried me on his back as we ventured into the forest. He never seemed bothered by my weight, and it never slowed him down.

I felt a bit uneasy being out there in the dark. It was hard to see what was around us, at least for me. But I trusted Rin. I’d seen how fast and strong he was. He’d effortlessly fought off several large creatures that had come too close to us since I’d arrived.

Eventually, we reached the forest’s edge, and I gasped in awe as we emerged from the trees. I’d heard a roaring sound as we approached, and now I could see what it was.

Cliffs stood about forty feet ahead of us, with a turbulent ocean far below.

The sight was breathtaking as Rin set me down. The large, pale moon overhead cast a light almost as bright as dawn, reflecting off the endless expanse of water.

“You brought me to the ocean?” I whispered.

“I take it you’ve never seen one before,” Rin guessed.

I shook my head. “No, never. I’ve only read about them in books.” I took a few steps forward. “I had no idea there was one so close to where we’ve been living.”

“Well, it is about twenty miles, but it doesn’t take me long to get here,” Rin responded. He turned to me. “Hold onto me. There’s a place I want to show you.”

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he held onto my waist, letting him lead me to the cliff. To my shock, he jumped down, nimbly hopping from rock to rock until we reached what looked like a small cave embedded in the cliffside. I was a bit shaken as I slowly let him go. I hadn’t expected us to do that and had no idea how he planned to get us back up.

“Seriously? We could’ve fallen to our deaths!” I gasped, clutching my chest to calm myself.

Rin just laughed. “Nah, I’d never let that happen. I’m quite good at climbing, whether it’s up or down,” he boasted.

“I get the feeling that you can be a little reckless at times with that stuff,” I huffed.

“Maybe a little,” Rin conceded, still chuckling.

I took another calming breath, then looked around us. The cave was spacious, its walls twinkling with blue and white light. It took me a moment to realize the light was coming from crystals embedded in the walls.

“Hey, are these the types of crystals those shops sell?” I asked, moving closer to examine them.

“Some of them. That’s how I know about this cave. I come here to gather them for selling. I also occasionally dive into the shallower parts of the ocean near the shores to collect plants and crystals,” Rin explained.

“You swim in that ocean?”

I couldn’t imagine anyone attempting to swim in those waters. They looked so rough, waves crashing against the rocks.