Chapter 28

AURORA

Selenia welcomed her with a warm smile. “Hi, Vishu. It feels like ages since I last saw you.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been swamped with repairing and reinforcing the webs around here. I haven’t had a spare moment. But I think I’ve finally got everything back to how it should be,” Vishu replied.

Lana rose to her feet beside me, her smile directed at the stunning spider. “I’m sure you’ve seen her from afar, but let me introduce you. This is Aurora, Rin’s new beta,” she said.

“Ah, yes. I did see her when she returned with Lord Jekia and Lord Rin,” Vishu confirmed. She moved to stand in front of me, a friendly smile on her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Lady Aurora.”

“Oh, um, it’s nice to meet you too. But you don’t have to call me Lady,” I stammered out.

“It’s only right. You were chosen by Lord Rin, and I wouldn’t dream of addressing you any other way,” Vishu assured me.

I felt a strange mix of embarrassment and awe. Like the other creatures I’d met, Vishu was showing me respect. It was something I never could’ve imagined in my own world. But then again, it all came back to Rin. He was the real reason I mattered here.

Lana seemed to pick up on my internal struggle. “If you two don’t mind, maybe we should sit and talk about Aurora’s new role among us. It seemed to me yesterday that Rin might not have told her everything she needs to know,” she suggested.

“I hate to admit it, but I agree. Rin hasn’t been as open as he should’ve been,” Selenia conceded.

Lana and I settled onto the couch, with Selenia taking a chair nearby. Vishu made herself comfortable on the carpet, her legs tucked beneath her. Despite my unease about this conversation, I knew it was necessary.

“I want to clear the air, while it’s just us four,” I started. “I know my arrival probably shocked you all, and I know you’ve accepted me as Rin’s beta, but I don’t like hiding where I came from or what he told me. It’s a big part of why I’m so confused about this whole beta thing.”

“I can’t blame you. Jekia didn’t tell me much about your past, other than you were taken by a slave trader. He wasn’t happy with Rin keeping you and questioned his motives,” Lana confessed.

Selenia looked puzzled. “Daddy didn’t like Rin keeping her? But why? Wouldn’t he want Rin to settle down with Aurora? He’s always thought that would be good for Rin, and he did help Aurora escape a terrible fate,” she pointed out.

“That’s all true, but we’ve all been worried about what Rin’s been up to since he left us. We can’t ignore his fox instincts in all this,” Lana reminded her.

I wasn’t surprised to hear that. Their previous comments about foxes suggested that Rin’s nature might not be as tame as they’d hoped.

“I don’t know if it’s right to worry about what he was doing. All I can say is that I’ve never done anything with Rin that I didn’t want to. He might’ve taken me from a slave trader, but I like being with him. That’s only grown since I’ve gotten to know him better. I know it might sound cheesy, but Rin’s been like a beautiful mystery to me, just like this world. I want to learn as much as I can about both. It’s just been hard to get him to open up to me sometimes,” I explained.

Selenia looked a bit deflated. “I still don’t get it. Why would Rin run off like he did, then take a beta and refuse to help her understand her place beside him? That’s not the Rin I know.”

“True,” Vishu agreed. “Lord Rin has always been kind-hearted. I didn’t think his fox instincts would dictate so much of his life.”

Lana turned to me, though her words were meant for all of us. “I don’t think Rin ever meant any harm. He might’ve done things that aren’t excusable, but I believe he’s truly smitten with you. The fact that he gave you a foxfire ring is a clear sign. For foxes, it means the one they chose will always be their one and only.”

“His one and only?”

I glanced at the ring on my finger, noticing a faint glow. Strangely, I felt a warmth inside me as it did.

“That’s really a foxfire ring? I didn’t know Rin had learned to make one,” Vishu remarked.

“It seems he figured it out. Jekia confirmed that the ring is a genuine one from Rin,” Lana confirmed.

“But I don’t understand him at all.” I sighed, still staring at the ring. “Rin told me after he saved me from that snake that he did it to claim me as his. He said I’d have to sleep with him for him to do it. Even though I did consent, I know he wasn’t giving me a choice. He’s never said I was supposed to be his equal. He’s always told me that I need to rely on him and not question things. Was he just trying to make me depend solely on him? Does he think I’m that weak?”

“No way!” Selenia chimed in, sitting next to me and taking my hands in hers. “Rin’s always been super protective of the people he loves. Sure, he messed up this time, but I think Mama’s right. He didn’t mean any harm. Mama’s the only human we’ve ever known, and she’s always had Daddy to watch her back when she needed it. Rin probably thought he should do the same for you, forgetting that Mama’s always been one to speak her mind, and Daddy lets her make her own choices.”

Vishu nodded, moving closer to me. “That’s true. Lord Rin might be a lot of things, but I don’t think he’d ever intentionally hold you back. There’s an old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Maybe you should push back a bit more to avoid such situations.”

“But what if Rin gets mad at me for standing up to him and doesn’t want me anymore?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That won’t happen. I promise you. Rin might get upset, but he’ll also start to see where he’s going wrong in your relationship, and that’ll be good for both of you. Relationships don’t become perfect overnight, especially not ones like yours and Rin’s. Trust me, I’ve been there,” Lana reassured me.

I knew she was right. From what I’d heard, Lana and Jekia’s relationship had started off a lot like mine and Rin’s, and it wasn’t without its own set of problems, especially when it came to Rin’s father. But could I really stand up to Rin the way I needed to? Could I make my place beside him? I wasn’t sure, but I knew I wanted to try.

Before I could say anything else, a sharp, painful pulse shot through my neck. I clutched at my throat, my eyes wide with shock, barely hearing Lana and the others calling my name in alarm. Suddenly, it felt like my mind was being yanked into another place. Darkness clouded my vision, and when it cleared, I was back in the marble room from my dream.

And there she was, the woman in the golden dress.

Her eyes were icy as they met mine, her face expressionless. I felt a chill run down my spine. I tried to speak, but no words came out.

“Don’t meddle in things you don’t understand,” she warned me, her voice grave. “If you don’t help me destroy them, I’ll destroy you.”

A wave of pain washed over me as she raised her left hand towards me. It felt like I was being stabbed in the throat, right where the stone had been. I fought to stay conscious, but the pain was too much. Darkness swallowed me once more as I blacked out.