Chapter 47

AURORA

“Rayne, are you sure you’re okay?” Rin asked, concern etched in his voice. We were strolling along the courtyard, the evening air cool against our skin. Dinner with the family had just ended, and Rin had decided it was time for a chat with Rayne.

To an outsider, it might have seemed spontaneous, but Rin had planned this. He’d even discussed it with Jekia. He believed that if anyone could tell if something was off with Rayne, it would be him. He was confident that he knew his brother better than anyone else.

“I’m okay, really. I’m sorry about earlier. I was just tired and didn’t think before I spoke. I didn’t mean those things I said about you,” Rayne apologized. His voice was sincere, and he looked like the Rayne I knew.

His golden eyes were clear, and his body language screamed guilt. Rin shrugged it off. “I’m not going to stay mad at you. It just surprised me. You’re usually not like that, even when you’re upset.”

“You’ve always seemed pretty chill since I’ve been here,” I chimed in. “I like to think I am. I’m not usually one to react emotionally,” Rayne agreed.

“Exactly.” Rin stopped and faced Rayne, hands in his pockets. “You’ve always been the opposite of me in that regard, and it’s a good thing. I’ve always relied on your ability to analyze situations and guide me. I’ve missed that.”

Rayne smiled. “I think we balance each other out in that way. But seriously, I’m okay. I know there are concerns about us being controlled, but I’m doing my best to stay vigilant,” he promised.

I wasn’t entirely convinced, but I couldn’t deny his sincerity. Maybe Rayne was doing his best to resist the spell, keeping his struggle private due to his own feelings.

Rin seemed skeptical too, but he softened a bit. “I know you are, but we all need to be careful. Even Emelio is worried about what Lila can do. If she’s as powerful as our father, we need to be cautious.”

“I agree. We need to protect Aurora, our mother, and our baby sister. Selenia is still so young. Who knows what could happen if she’s affected,” Rayne added. “That’s true. Lana and I are only human. We can fight in our own ways, but we don’t have magic. Lana can repel spells to some extent, but I can’t,” I admitted.

“You don’t need to worry. You’re with me, and I’ll protect you,” Rin promised. Rayne nodded in agreement. “You’re Rin’s beta. Of course he’d protect you.” He then turned to Rin. “I wanted to talk to Aurora alone for a bit. I have some things to say, if you don’t mind.”

Rin looked doubtful. “You do, huh?”

“I don’t see the harm. Do you really think I’d hurt her? Vishu’s webs are everywhere, and we both know Emelio will be watching,” Rayne reasoned.

Rin couldn’t argue with that, but he was firm in his response. “Fine. But no funny business, Rayne. If anything happens, you won’t be alone with her again,” he warned.

“I understand. I just need ten minutes, then I’ll bring her back to you,” Rayne promised. I wasn’t entirely comfortable as Rin agreed and left, but I maintained my composure, telling myself it would be okay.

After all, Rayne was right. Vishu’s webs would alert her if anything was wrong, and Emelio would sense it too. Maybe even Jekia would, and I was sure Rin would. Once Rin was gone, Rayne turned to me. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position. I just wanted to talk to you alone. I hope you don’t mind.”

I shook my head. “It’s a bit strange, but it’s okay. I guess there are things you want to discuss, especially after everything that’s happened recently,” I said. “Yes, there are.”

Rayne let out a long breath, one hand on his hip, the other running through his white hair. “First, I need to apologize for this morning. I was completely out of line with what I said to you and about Rin.”

“Why did you say those things? Was it just because you were tired and jealous?” I asked.

“It was a bit of both, I guess. I’ll admit, I messed up too. It didn’t feel like me. But I’m back now, and after some rest, I’m stronger than before. So, you don’t need to worry,” Rayne assured me.

“I’ll take your word for it. But Rayne, you need to be careful too. We’ve been friends for the most part, and I want it to stay that way, without any hard feelings,” I said.

Rayne gave me a sheepish smile, shaking his head. “It will. And I’m glad you chose Rin. You were his from the start, and it wouldn’t have felt right if you’d moved on to me. Plus, I’m sure I’ll find my own beta soon enough. I’m not quite ready to give up my freedoms for that just yet.”

I wanted to believe him, but something inside me was skeptical. Did Rayne really accept that I’d chosen Rin over him? Was he now strong enough to resist the spell that had been trying to control him?

These questions haunted me throughout the day. I tried to push them aside as I spent time with Rin and his family. As night fell, Rin and I decided to sit on the roof together, gazing at the moon and stars. The night sky had always been beautiful to me, but it was even more so since I’d come into the Veil.

“I’ve always loved sitting up here, looking at the sky. I used to do it all the time, even when I was a kid,” Rin said, his voice soft, not wanting to disturb the peace.

“It’s beautiful. And so quiet. All I hear are the calls from the forest, and even they sound distant,” I said.

“Part of that is Vishu’s webs. Most wild creatures don’t want to get too close to them. They protect this place, and she’s still considered a predator,” Rin explained.

“Oh, right,” I remembered. “I keep forgetting that spiders are predators in this world too. She’s just so sweet to us, and Anika was a lot like her.”

Rin nodded. “Yes. There are still misconceptions about them because of what they are. Even Rayne and I were unsure about other spiders outside of Vishu and Edifel when we were kids. But our parents always encouraged us to never fear them, no matter what colony they came from. They were right. The spiders are amazing. They’re intelligent and skilled, and most only hunt wild creatures that could attack the towns and villages near the forests and mountains. If it wasn’t for them, there would be a lot more tragedies from those creatures.”

“You’re talking about the big creatures like the centipedes and mantises, right?” I asked.

“Those are a few of them, yes,” Rin confirmed.

I leaned back against him, trying to stay relaxed. But it was hard, especially when Rayne’s name came up. The events from earlier that day replayed in my mind. Rayne had seemed like himself when we talked alone, and when we rejoined the family for the rest of the day. He’d stuck around and seemed happy to spend time with all of us, including Rin. It was a stark contrast to his strange behavior that morning, and it made me wonder if he was right about regaining control.

“Rin, do you think Rayne’s really going to be okay?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I don’t know. It seems like it, but Rayne can be a good actor when he wants to be. Everyone thinks me and the other foxes are the masters at that,” he said with a scoff.

His words didn’t surprise me. I’d sensed since we’d met that he and Rayne were more alike than anyone realized. Rayne could be just as much of a handful, though he wasn’t called out for it as much as Rin. I wondered if that was because Rayne was sneakier, or if it was because Rin was a fox and prejudged.

“It’s scary to think he was controlled earlier, even if it was just a little. What are we going to do if it happens again?” I asked.

Rin took a deep breath. “I don’t know. It worries me, not just because of what could happen to you, or Mom, or Selenia, but because I don’t know what this could do to him. I don’t want anything bad to happen to my brother. The thought of it scares me because I don’t know how to help.”

“I hate to say it, but your dad’s probably right about waiting to see what we can do. Rayne did admit that he was aware of what he said and felt bad about it,” I pointed out.

“I know. And I can’t say I don’t understand where he’s coming from. I can’t even say I didn’t understand why he gave in to that control to sleep with you, even if it did make me insanely jealous,” Rin confessed.

I turned to look at him, seeing the quiet regret in his eyes. It made me wonder if there was a grain of truth in what Rayne had accused him of with his jealousy. But I decided not to dwell on that. It was in the past, and I was sure that Rin would never hurt me again.

“Okay, I get it. But why would Rayne be so hung up on me? I can’t imagine any girl turning him down if he was genuinely interested. Not to ruffle your feathers or anything, but your brother’s a good-looking guy, or rather, a good-looking luna dog. He’s always been pleasant to be around. Plus, he’s strong and smart, just like you and Jekia. Aren’t those the qualities that make him a top-notch alpha, like you two?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” Rin agreed. “But I’ve always felt that Rayne tends to undervalue himself. It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. He’s the older twin, but he’s always insisted that I’m the stronger and smarter one. I’ve never understood why.”

That piqued my interest. “What do you mean he was almost the only twin? Did Jekia not want Lana to have you?”

It was a tough question, but given their unusual birth circumstances, it was a possibility.

Rin seemed to grasp my line of thought.

“I see where you’re going with this, and you’re partly right. It’s not that Jekia didn’t want me to be born. From what I understand, he considered handing me over to some female foxes to raise after I was born. But Mother wouldn’t have it, and he eventually accepted me. What I’m referring to is what happened when Rayne and I were born. Rayne was born first, without any complications. But I got stuck, and the midwife had to practically yank me out of my mother. It took a while to get me breathing. I guess you could say I was lucky things moved quickly, and that I inherited my father’s strength,” he explained.

“That must’ve been terrifying for your mother.”

“Yeah, it was. And for Jekia too,” Rin admitted. He gazed at the stars again. “But I wonder if that’s why Rayne always puts me on a pedestal. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider, and Rayne knew our birth story before I did. He just didn’t tell me for a while. He was always my biggest cheerleader, especially when I was down on myself because of my father and what others said. That’s why I feel so helpless now. He’s always been there for me, but I’ve been too focused on my own issues.”

Regret was evident in his voice, and I could understand why.

“It’s not your fault, Rin. I may not have had the same upbringing as you, or siblings or even parents who cared, but I can see how tough it was for both of you, despite your parents’ best efforts. Maybe you can help Rayne now by standing by him. If Lila’s trying to manipulate him, your support might help him break free,” I suggested.

“I hope so.” Rin smiled, pulling me closer. “Besides, I’d like to see him find a beta too. She might be able to tame his hidden wild side.”

“Like you’ve tamed your wild side with me,” I teased.

“Miracles do happen,” Rin shot back.

We spent the next hour up there, letting the heavy topics fade and just enjoying some alone time. We hadn’t had much of it since we arrived at the palace, and Rin was growing tired of our room being our only private space. That said, he wasn’t about to give up our intimate time, and our room was the perfect place for that.

Once we were back in our room, it didn’t take long for things to heat up. Not that I’d ever turn him down, but I was convinced that Rin had developed an addiction to our nightly sex sessions. I had no doubt he’d missed it while I was recovering and he was brooding.