Aurora’s Pov
I just stared at Ryan.
I didn’t even realize how long I’d been doing it until he raised an eyebrow at me.
“Are you okay?”
I blinked. Once. Twice. I was trying to process everything I had just heard. His brother killed their father, then Ryan killed his brother, and now he was cursed? What kind of tragic, twisted family drama was this?
“Yes, yes, yes! I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine!” I blurted out, a little too quickly.
Ryan’s gaze didn’t waver. If anything, the corner of his lips twitched, like he was holding back a smirk.
“It’s just…” I gestured vaguely, my mind still spinning. “The story is all somehow to me.”
“Somehow?” he repeated, amused.
“You know what I mean!” I huffed. “But wait, how did you get rid of all the witches?”
Ryan leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head like he wasn’t talking about a literal massacre. “They took off in fear after that.”
“Just like that?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Just like that.” He shrugged.
I exhaled, still trying to wrap my head around the entire thing. Then my mind went back to what happened last night, the way he looked, the pain in his eyes, the raw power surging from him.
“Is there no way to predict the curse the witch laid on you?” I asked hesitantly. “Because what happened to you yesterday… that was scary, I must say.”
Ryan tilted his head slightly, observing me. “Are you scared of me, Aurora?”
“No, no, no!” I said too fast again. “It’s not like I’m scared of you or anything…”
“Calm down.” He chuckled, cutting off my rambling. “It’s okay. Even if you are scared, I wouldn’t blame you. A normal person would be.”
I scowled. “I said I’m not scared.”
“Mhm.” He didn’t sound convinced.
I crossed my arms. “Anyway, is there no cure?”
His expression darkened just a little. “I’m figuring it out. There has to be a cure somewhere.”
“Good,” I nodded.
“For now,” he said, voice lighter again, “let’s forget about it. It’s all in the past now.”
I wasn’t sure how he could just forget about something like that, but I let it go.
“Fine. But what about you and Karen?” I leaned forward. “You can tell me the story of how you guys were bound ceremonially.”
Ryan smirked. “That’s a story for another day.”
“Fine. What do you want to do then?”
He turned to me, his gaze sharp but playful. “What do you want to do?”
I frowned. “I asked first.”
“Are you sure you want to know what I want to do?” His voice dropped slightly, teasing.
My stomach flipped. “Yes, I want to know.”
He leaned in just a fraction. “Hmm… I think I’m going to hold back for a little bit. When you get better, I’ll tell you what I want to do.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but then I noticed the way his eyes darkened just before he moved closer. My breath hitched. He was going to…
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Ryan let out a heavy sigh, his forehead dropping onto my shoulder for a second before pulling back.
“Who the hell…?” He cleared his throat, irritation evident as he called out, “Come in.”
He didn’t even move off the bed. He didn’t even try to act normal. And that somehow made my heart race. Whoever was coming in was about to see us like this. Together.
The door opened, and a soft mist curled into the room, followed by two familiar figures-Leila and Mira.
They took one look at our position, me still lying down, Ryan way too close and instantly froze.
“Oh, um, sorry,” Mira mumbled. “We can come back later.”
I shot up. “No, no, no! You can stay.”
Ryan, however, turned to me lazily. “Are you sure you want them to stay?” His voice was low, teasing.
I elbowed him in the ribs. “Stop.”
He only smirked.
I turned to Mira and Leila. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to get you bathed and dressed for today,” Leila explained. “You’ve been in bed too long, and staying put won’t help you heal.”
I perked up. “Oh! Let me take a bath then.”
“Great.” Mira smiled.
I turned to Ryan. “Okay, you have to go now. See you later.”
Ryan blinked. “Are we doing this right now?”
“Yes, we’re doing this right now.”
He sighed dramatically. “I really have to go?”
“Yes, you really have to go.”
I was already flustered enough doing this in front of the maids, but Ryan? Ryan was completely shameless. He stayed exactly where he was, studying me like he was debating whether or not to listen.
Finally, after a long moment, he leaned in.
Before I could react, he pressed a soft kiss to my lips, lingering just enough to make my stomach flip before pulling away.
I could feel Mira and Leila’s eyes
The moment Ryan left the room, I turned to Leila and Mira and groaned. “Okay, you guys can stop staring at me like that now.”
They looked down, trying to suppress their smirks, but I saw the glint in their eyes.
“We’re so sorry, my lady,” Mira said, though she didn’t sound sorry at all.
“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms. “Seriously, I want us to be friends. Be free with me. Tell me anything, and I’ll tell you anything.”
Leila blinked. “Are you for real?”
“Yes!” I threw my hands up. “No formalities, just talk to me like normal people.”
Mira stepped closer, looking mischievous. “Alright, then. Are you and Alpha Ryan together?”
I blinked. “Uh… I don’t know?”
Leila gasped dramatically. “You don’t know?”
“I mean…” I scratched my head. “It’s complicated.”
They exchanged glances, their faces practically screaming yeah, right.
“Okay, enough of that,” I huffed. “Let’s get me dressed. I want to walk around a bit.”
“That’s the spirit!” Mira clapped her hands. “We’ll show you places!”
“No kidding?” I teased, making them giggle.
After carefully washing up, being extra gentle with my wounds-I felt so much better. The cool water helped wake me up fully, and when I stepped out, Mira handed me a light dress, comfortable enough for walking around but still elegant.
“We’ll grab some fresh fruits on the way,” she added. “They’re good in the morning, and when we come back, you’ll have a proper meal. Is that okay, my lady?”
“Perfectly fine.” I smiled, adjusting the dress.
Once we stepped outside, I finally had the chance to really take in the mansion.
And it was breathtaking.
The place was massive-tall, dark-stone walls stretching far and wide, with intricate carvings decorating the pillars. There were long corridors, high ceilings, and massive chandeliers that sparkled even in daylight. The gardens we passed were like something out of a fairy tale-vibrant flowers, neatly trimmed hedges, and a fountain in the center that shimmered under the sun.
“How many people live here?” I asked, still in awe.
“Most of the time, it’s just Alpha Ryan and his uncle,” Leila explained. “Some of the maids come and go, but we stay here. Not in the main mansion, though. We have our own quarters in the back.”
I turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. “If I stayed here alone, I’d get lost in five minutes.”
Leila laughed. “You’ll get used to it. We still have so many places to show you, but I think Alpha Ryan should be the one to permit us to take you beyond the inner grounds.”
“Oh, right. I should tell him first.”
And so, we made our way to Ryan.
When I told him about our little outing, he immediately frowned. “So, you’re going out?”
Uh-oh.
“Just for a bit,” I reassured him quickly. “Nothing crazy, just some fresh air.”
He exhaled through his nose. “You’ll need security.”
Before I could protest, he was already calling five of his pack members. They entered the room silently, standing in a perfectly straight line.
And good lord, they were huge.
Every single one of them looked like they could lift a truck with one hand. Broad shoulders, serious faces, and muscles that practically screamed don’t mess with me.
“These five will go with you,” Ryan declared.
They introduced themselves one by one, their voices deep and authoritative. I could barely keep up with their names.
“Uh… hi?” I gave a small, awkward wave.
No reaction.
I sighed. “Great. Now I feel like the president.”
Leila and Mira giggled, while Ryan simply smirked.
“Better safe than sorry,” he said, crossing his arms.
I groaned but didn’t argue. It was clear that when Ryan made a decision, there was no changing his mind.
And so, with my entourage in tow, we finally headed out.
*****
As we stepped outside the mansion, I couldn’t help but admire everything. The air was fresh, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth. The towering trees surrounded the estate like ancient guardians, their thick branches stretching towards the sky. The stone pathways were smooth beneath my feet, leading to areas I hadn’t seen before.
I felt small in comparison to this place.
“This place is incredible,” I murmured, my eyes drinking in every detail.
Mira grinned. “Wait till we show you the training grounds. It’s even more impressive.”
Leila nudged me playfully. “Not as impressive as Alpha Ryan, though.”
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips.
We walked further, passing by more people or should I say werewolves. That’s when I heard it, the whispers.
“What is a human doing here?”
“She’s not one of us.”
“The Alpha will use her and throw her away. Just like the others.”
“She doesn’t belong here.”