Trust

RORY

Mama’s missing? In rogue territory? What if something happened to her? She would never leave; she has too strong a bond.

What if… What if it was this “she”? What if “she” has my mama?

I let this happen. I put her in danger. Anyone associated with me is in danger.

What about my friends? What if I’m putting them in danger? No one is safe around me. What about Everett? What if something happens to him? I couldn’t live with myself.

“Aurora,” Everett calls to me. “Let’s go home?”

I can’t believe he went behind my back and visited my old pack. The pack that killed me. If they knew I was alive, if Everett let that slip, it would create a lot of suspicion and curiosity.

And I don’t know anything about this, any of this. I can’t explain dying a number of times and then just coming back to life like nothing happened.

I feel angry—and betrayed. He knew I didn’t want him to go there, and he went there anyway. That’s why I didn’t tell him which pack I was from.

But I knew that when I told Ace, it would come back to Everett. I just… I didn’t think he’d go and pretend he didn’t.

What if he let something slip? What if they already know and he doesn’t know they know? He must have been asking questions about me to find out anything. Though, he’s not stupid.

Everett has never been stupid. Although this entire thing may have been. He didn’t need to go there. They couldn’t tell him anything I couldn’t.

He didn’t trust me? Because if he did, why would he need to go? I don’t understand.

“I can’t go with you,” I tell him. “You betrayed me.”

I want to go with him. I so want to go with him. But…I can’t… I don’t know what to do.

He hurt me. Now I’m just supposed to go home with him? What do other couples do in my situation? Sleep on the couch for the night? Sleep over at a friend’s?

I can’t do that. I can’t go with a friend, and sleeping on the couch, I wouldn’t be able to.

“Do you tell me everything about yourself? You know that I can tell when you’re lying.” He has a point. I don’t tell him everything.

I didn’t tell him that I’ve died numerous times. And he can’t expect me to. But this is different. This is about me. He went to my pack, to my killers.

“And I let you keep your secrets because I know you. And you know me. I would never try to hurt you.

“Trust isn’t about knowing every little detail about each other, it’s about putting trust in each other despite everything, knowing that we’ll do what’s best for each other,” he explains.

“And going there is what’s best for me? Is it? I’m certain that it’s not,” I counter, wrapping my hands around his wrists and prying his hands off my face, even though it kills me.

I crave his touch; I crave everything about him. I love him. But he did this. Am I supposed to believe he was doing this for me?

“Nothing happened. I didn’t say anything. You’re safe. You will always be safe.”

“Were you even going to tell me?” I question.

“Yes, of course I was. At home.”

“How do I know that’s not a lie?”

“Because… Is that what’s wrong? You don’t trust me.” There’s pain in his eyes.

I know I’ve hurt him. But he’s hurt me too. That doesn’t mean he deserves it, but… I want him to know he’s hurt me. I think he knows though.

The truth is, I do trust him. I’m just scared. I know he thinks he can protect me, and he can from Nick and Victoria. He’s stronger and smarter and he cares about me a lot.

But against this higher being, whoever is after me, I don’t even know my supposed enemy’s name.

“I trust you. I do. But… you don’t know what they did. It was horrible. I grew up there, my mom was there and they kicked me out, left me in the woods.

“Why would you go there when you know that? They wanted me dead. What did you even go there to do? What if you lost your shit with them? How would you explain that?” I question.

“I didn’t. I try not losing my shit. It’s difficult when I care about you so much. But I didn’t. For you.

“I wanted to talk to your mom and to talk with Nick and Victoria. That’s all. I’m sorry. Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”

He cups my cheeks again, yanking me closer to him. I just want him.

I want him to hold me, to keep me safe from the monsters that seem to be looming. There are monsters at every corner, and I want Everett to protect me from them.

“Please, let’s go home. We’ll talk there, huh? Please,” he begs, and I give in finally.

It’s not like I’m walking home. I can’t. Rogue territory is where I’m unprotected. Plus, Everett would never allow that. He would force me into the car. He just prefers to beg me first, which I respect.

I slide into the passenger side, catching a glimpse of my friends, who all stand bewildered and confused, before Everett drives off.

We drive in silence. Utter silence. I rest my head against the door and stare out the windshield. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Everett glancing over at me every few seconds, just checking up on me.

As we reach the pack house, the silence continues into the house and into the kitchen. Until he turns to me, his eyes connecting with mine. And our lips connect too in a frenzy.

He slams me up against the wall, lifting my legs on either side of him so that they cling around his waist.

I feel his hard-on against my sex, and all I can think about is him, and being closer to him, and feeling him on me.

I don’t even notice that he’s walking up the stairs with me until my back is against the bed with him on top of me. His lips suck on my skin, my neck and collarbone and shoulder. I’m so angry at him, I just…

I push him away a little, but he doesn’t move. He just stops and looks at me, his legs and arms on either side of me, pinning me down.

“I’m sorry, little mate. I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I never did.”

“I know. But…you went there. I didn’t tell you for a reason. And I know you knew that. I thought you would start something, and you could have.

“And I would be caught up in everything again. I’m a weak little human, thrown into the deep end with wolves.”

“You’re not weak, and yes, you are small, but you’re fierce. And they would never dare touch you, ever again. Never. I love you, Aurora,” he admits.

I search his face for the truth—to see if he really loves me. And I think he’s telling me the truth.

“I love you too,” I confess, and he kisses me again.

I fall into the bed, relaxing, giving in to the safety he provides me with and the love he shows me.

“I’m scared.”

I can’t lose him; I don’t want to lose him, ever. He’s everything to me—everything and so much more. I feel whole when I’m with him, in a way that only people who have mates can understand.

There’s no such thing as human soulmates. But wolves, wolves get them. And sometimes wolves get human mates. And I’m lucky enough to have him, an Alpha, someone who loves me, and someone I love back.

“I can protect you.”

“I don’t know if you can against this,” I mumble as he sucks on my neck again, right where I want him to mark me.

“I’ll protect you against anything and everything.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. He can’t risk his life for me. Goddess knows I’ve had so many lives already, yet I’m only eighteen. I’ve died and revived and died again. I can’t have him dying for me.

“You know I trust you, don’t you?” I ask firmly. “Because I do. I trust you. I want you to know that.”

“Yes, I do,” he replies. “Do you trust me enough to let me make you Luna?”