Chapter 53: Date with Destiny

Aurora

Max’s proposition really caught me off guard.

He’d always been so sweet and attentive to me, but I thought that was just his nature. I’d never expected him to ask me out.

Not only that, but he was going behind the alpha’s back, and risking getting himself in serious trouble for asking a mated wolf on a date.

Of course, it would be fair to do it. After all, Wolfgang had practically done the same to me when he’d dated Tallulah.

But that wouldn’t make me any better than him, would it? It wouldn’t be fair to Wolfgang, and much less so to Max.

“I’ll just tell Max that I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to go out,” I said to myself. After all, I harbored no type of feelings for him, other than being friends.

I walked back home, feeling completely drained of energy. I was about to head upstairs when I heard Wolfgang talking to someone.

I sniffed the air and recognized Remus’ scent. What could he need that he had to come all the way here?

~“Maybe we should listen.”~ Rhea advised, but I ignored her.

I should know by now that snooping and eavesdropping into Wolfgang’s conversations would never lead to anything good.

But I just couldn’t help it, so I did my best to hide my presence as I listened in on the conversation.

Maybe there was more to this new foe we were facing. After all, I only got one-sided answers from Wolfgang anytime I asked about the matter.

“…has she forgiven you yet?” Remus was asking.

“She listens to every word I say, but she still does not accept my apologies, Remus. I don’t know what else to do,” Wolfgang answered.

“Alpha, you must give her time. She was hurt a lot during all those months,” Remus countered.

Then I heard a loud bang.

“How much more time does she want me to give her? I know I made some fucked up decisions when I treated her like filth, but that was all before I knew she might be a royal!” He shouted at his gamma.

“So…you’re implying that you only found interest in her once you thought she might be of royal lineage?” Remus asked.

I held my breath, waiting to hear his answer.

I’d be lying if I said that it hadn’t crossed my mind--that all this time, Wolfgang’s sudden burst of interest toward me wasn’t due to our bond or the fact that I’d almost died, but just because I could be a descendent of the Moon Goddess.

“Yes…” Wolfgang finally answered, and I felt my heart drop. “The fact that she is a royal has proven she is worth more as a luna for this pack than I thought.”

I couldn’t bear listening to more, so I dashed past his bedroom door and locked myself in my own room.

Of course that’s what he thought of me.

Before when he found out I was his mate, he had denigrated me for being an omega, and set out to make my every waking moment a living hell.

And now, he expected me to become his luna willingly, simply because he found out that I was actually a royal.

“Let’s show him my worth,” I murmured to myself.

The next day I woke at the break of dawn. I texted Max, telling him that I had an answer for him, and that he should come as soon as possible.

I took a quick shower, then headed downstairs to get some breakfast. Wolfgang was already there, as usual, flipping some pancakes.

He wore only his track pants, displaying his amazing body.

~Damn it, Aurora. Just ignore him.~ I commanded myself. Rhea just snickered.

“Morning,” he greeted me with his hypocritical smile. I just ignored him and headed to the fridge, got the carton of orange juice, and poured myself some.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked, surveying me.

Surely he must know that something was off. Still, I ignored him as I took two slices of bread and placed them in the toaster.

He plated the pancakes and turned the stove off before facing me.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, casually leaning on the counter, his muscles bulging, and making him even more delectable.

I forced myself to look him straight in the eye.

“Nothing that a lowly omega she-wolf should concern you about, alpha,” I answered before turning to take the toast and slathering it with jelly.

For a moment, I saw shock in his face before he composed himself. “You know you’re not an omega. Where did that come from all of a sudden?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s just something you called me for the last nine months. Come to think of it, you were keen on getting someone better to be your luna. That’s why you preferred to date Tallulah, over accepting me as your mate.”

I could see him turning paler with each of my words. “That’s why I can’t help but ask myself…why the sudden interest in me now? Why, all of a sudden, are you so eager for me to be your luna?”

“I…” He was standing there, at a loss for words, when the doorbell rang.

“I’d better get that,” he said, dashing out to the living room. Somehow, I knew who it might be, so I followed behind him.

Wolfgang opened the door to see Max standing there.

“What is it?” he asked in his alpha tone.

“Morning, alpha. Forgive me, but my visit today is meant for Aurora,” Max said in his carefree tone.

For a moment, I was worried for him, because Wolfgang’s aura became menacing.

“What are your intentions with my mate, beta?” he growled.

I pushed past him. “It’s none of your business,” I told him.

He turned his glare toward me. “It is my business when an unmated wolf is looking for ~MY MATE~!” he growled at me, but I didn’t flinch.

I wouldn’t allow him to affect me more than he already had.

“Let me remind you that I have no intention of becoming your mate, or the luna of this pack. And the sooner you reject me, the quicker we can move on from this continuously useless bickering.” I growled back.

I grabbed Max’s hand and dragged him outside and away from the house. “And don’t you dare follow us, or so help me, I’ll scream so hard your ears will go deaf.”

I walked as fast as I could, with Max on my heels.

“Aurora…” he finally spoke.

I slowed down and finally turned to look him in the face. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have been so blunt in front of the alpha,” he said.

“It’s okay. I told you to come to the house in the first place, knowing that he’d be there, and that he might react that way,” I apologized back.

“Still, I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just that I was so eager to hear your answer that I really didn’t think it. I ran here as soon as I got your text.”

He gave me a sweet smile, looking like a kid who’d just won the grand prize at the fair.

“So…about your answer…” he said, kicking at a rock.

I had been sure of my answer this morning, but right now I really didn’t know what to say.

I didn’t want to get Max in trouble, not just with my mate but also with the rest of the council. After all, they all knew I was Wolfgang’s mate now.

“I…”

But Max must’ve heard the hesitation in my voice, because he raised his hand to silence me before I could start my sentence.

“How about we just try going on a date. Tomorrow evening? After that, you can tell me if it’s worth a shot or not.” His eyes were full of hope.

Could I really do it? Try and seek love elsewhere? After all, Wolfgang only wanted me for the power he might acquire if I was truly a royal.

“Please, Aurora. Just this one try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll never bother you again about the subject,” he pleaded.

“Alright…” he said.