Ryan’s Pov
Staying away from Aurora felt like torture. I knew she needed space, but how could I? How could I stay away from the one person who made everything feel right in my messed-up world? My mate.
Being without her in the office made my chest feel tight. The place was empty without her…. lifeless. Yet, I didn’t want to go to Shadowhaven either, not with Karen waiting there like a vulture.
I needed to fix this. The first step was rejecting Karen. I had put it off for too long, and now it was affecting Aurora. I couldn’t bear the thought of Aurora seeing me as a liar or a cheat. She deserved better. She deserved the truth.
I clutched my phone tightly, resisting the urge to call her. I knew why she didn’t come to work today. She needed time to process everything, and I couldn’t blame her. Still, the bond between us was pulling at me, making it harder to breathe.
Aurora didn’t know the truth about me, that I wasn’t human. She didn’t know about the world I came from, the one I’d kept hidden from her. If Karen got to her first and revealed everything in the worst possible way, it might scare Aurora away for good. And that was something I couldn’t let happen.
I pushed through the day, drowning myself in work, interviews, paperwork, meetings. I kept busy, but my thoughts were always with her. When I finally finished, I found myself wishing she would suddenly show up at the office. I waited, hoping to catch even a faint trace of her scent, but nothing.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I grabbed my phone and dialed her number. It rang once, then stopped. She didn’t pick up.
I hesitated, staring at the screen. Should I call again? My thumb hovered over the redial button. My need to hear her voice won.
I called again. This time, she picked up after the second ring.
“Hi,” she said softly, her tone so calm it almost hurt. It was as if nothing had happened between us, as if I hadn’t shattered her trust.
Hearing her voice felt like a balm to my frayed soul. “Hello, little one,” I said, the words slipping out without thought.
There was a brief silence. I could picture her, probably sitting somewhere with that adorable frown on her face.
“Is there a problem, sir?” she asked.
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
Sir? Was she serious?
“Call me by my name, Aurora,” I said firmly. I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my voice.
She hesitated. “Alright, Ryan. I took a day off work today. Is there something I can do for you?”
Her voice was calm, polite. Too polite. She was trying to keep things formal, and it was killing me.
“Are you home?” I asked, ignoring her question.
“Yes, I’m home,” she said simply.
I wanted to ask her so many things. I wanted to tell her everything, but I knew I needed to give her the space she asked for.
“Are you coming tomorrow?” I asked, my voice quieter.
“Yes, I’ll come tomorrow,” she replied.
Relief washed over me. “Alright. Have a good night,” I said softly.
“You too,” she replied before ending the call.
I stared at my phone for a while before getting up. My feet felt heavy as I left the office and headed to my penthouse.
When I got home, I went straight to the shower, hoping the water would wash away the ache in my chest. It didn’t. Afterward, I made a quick meal, realizing I hadn’t eaten all day. I was too consumed by thoughts of her.
Even while I ate, my mind kept drifting back to Aurora. I thought about her smile, the way her hair framed her face, the sound of her laugh. Everything about her consumed me.
I debated with myself. Should I go see her? Just a quick look from her window, just to make sure she was okay.
“You’re obsessed,” my wolf, Draven, growled in my head. “You haven’t even been inside her yet. What’s going to happen when you do?”
I didn’t respond. He was right. Staying away from her was driving me insane.
What would happen when I mark her?
But I had to be patient. I had to respect her space, even if it was tearing me apart.
I climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough. One day apart felt like an eternity. But I would see her. I had to.
*****
I woke up earlier than usual. The sun hadn’t even begun to rise, and the world outside was still cloaked in silence. It was the perfect time for a run. No one would be awake, so I was free to transform.
The crisp morning air greeted me as I shifted into my wolf form. The run was exactly what I needed to clear my head. The wind rushing through my fur, the steady rhythm of my paws hitting the ground, it brought me a sense of calm I couldn’t find anywhere else.
I didn’t have to worry about my security men seeing a wolf. They were both omegas.
When I returned to the penthouse, I shifted back, took a quick shower, and got ready for the day. By the time I headed downstairs, Jaime was already waiting.
Jaime was young, just twenty. I liked the kid, though I never showed it.
“Good morning, Alpha,” he said with a slight bow.
I didn’t bother correcting him anymore, especially not when Aurora might overhear. I gave him a nod and slid into the back seat of the car.
He drove me to the office, where everything was already in motion. I stepped out, scanning the space, and that’s when I saw her.
Aurora.
She was standing by Adam, laughing about something. The sight made my chest tighten. What was so funny? What was Adam saying to make her smile like that?
First Craig, Now Adam. I have to start making jokes.
Jealousy burned under my skin, but I forced myself to stay calm. I couldn’t let it show. Not yet. But soon, everyone would know that she belonged to me.
Her laughter stopped when she turned and noticed me. Her expression shifted into something more formal as she approached.
“Good morning, sir. I have some documents for you to sign. I’ll bring them to your office shortly,” she said, her tone professional.
I gave her a nod, and she turned back to her desk.
When I walked into my office, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be there. But Caleb was already waiting, grinning like the troublemaker he always was.
“Hey, friend,” he greeted me, getting up to give me a side hug.
“Don’t do that again,” I said, though my tone lacked any real edge.
I wasn’t the affectionate type, but I was glad to see Caleb. I needed someone like him around, someone who could lighten the weight I carried.
I walked to my seat and sat down. Just as I was about to ask him how everything had been going, a knock came at the door.
It was Aurora.
Her scent reached me before I even saw her. Caleb must have caught it too because he smirked knowingly.
“Come in,” I said.
She stepped inside, looking stunning in a white shirt and a high-waisted skirt. She looked amazing, and it took everything in me not to stare.
“These are the documents, sir. You need to sign both the front and back,” she said, her voice calm and steady.
“Hi, Aurora,” Caleb said suddenly, breaking the moment.
“Hi, Caleb,” she replied with a smile.
That smile wasn’t for me. She hadn’t even glanced my way like that.
Before I could say anything, the door opened again. All three of us turned to see who it was.
Karen.
She walked in with a bright smile, carrying a bag in her hand. “Hey, baby. I got you breakfast,” she said, placing the bag on my desk.
She turned to greet Caleb and Aurora. “Hi, Caleb. Hi, Aurora.”
Then she walked past Aurora and leaned over to me, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
I saw the way Aurora stiffened. She was trying so hard to keep her composure, but I could see it in her eyes. She was hurt.
“I’ll come back for the documents, sir,” Aurora said quickly.
Her voice was steady, but I could feel the pain she was hiding. She turned and left the room without another word.
Caleb looked at me with a frown, his playful demeanor gone. “What did I miss?”