The Aurelia⎪✓

{10}

Viridity

(n.) naive innocence

♡

With a flustered mind I walked into the living room and threw myself on the couch, it was inevitable that we'd end up in those situations, our souls were screaming for each other. But I really couldn't give into him, never, he'd know that I was the Aurelia they'd been searching for. It would force him to kill me, not only him either, but his entire pack would be able to feel his panic and they'd ask questions. If he accepted me and my species, it'd be great, but his pack was a whole other story. It was signing my own death wish if I ever mated with him.

"I can sense panic in here, what's happening?" Lilly frantically asked when she ran into the room, her eyes widened and with a crazy look. 

She took my mind off my worries for a second, allowing me to smile at her concern. "No panic in here, no, you must've sensed the wrong room." Lying was like a second language to me after all these years, I spoke it fluently, but it also killed a small part of myself every time I was forced to lie to these specific werewolves. They'd wormed themselves into my thoughts. 

She smiled at me, clearly knowing something I didn't. Her movements were fast as she sat down next to me on the couch, "Did you and Alpha kiss, huh? I can smell him on you." 

My eyes widened in shock by her words, I was hiding my own smell so of course his would be more prominent on my skin, giving her wrong ideas. "We didn't, we fought is more like it actually."

Frustration shone on her face, "Please tell me you didn't confront him."

"He did it right in front of me, of course I had to say something." 

Her frustration turned into confusion, making her head tilt to the side. "Didn't he just use his Alpha voice on you too?"

A scoff left my lips, "Hell no, I wouldn't be affected by it either way." Shit. It was these comments that would get me caught, small jabs and suddenly they'd be able to form a connection. His voice should affect me, since he supposedly should be stronger than me. "I mean, I'm stubborn enough to hold my ground for a while."

Her frantic eyes eased up slightly, "Oh, yeah okay. You had me there for a second, I admit, but he is quite strong."

'We're stronger' My wolf growled at Lilly, still pissed I hadn't let her run freely. 

"He is the Alpha after all." I agreed, ignoring my wolf. "But enough about him, what exactly is going on between you and Balto?"

"Not really anything."

Her eyes looked into my curious ones, "I don't believe you, unfortunately."

As she leaned against the couch, her eyes seemed sorrowful, "He has a mate out there, Aspen, and I do too, it isn't really up to us to decide our fate. I'm just protecting myself by not getting too attached, it would ruin me if his mate suddenly showed up and I'd allowed my feelings to grow."

I got where she was coming from and I truly felt for them. It must be devastating to feel something for a man you know you'd never be destined to be with in the end. I just wondered how they even allowed themselves to the point of almost falling in love with each other, how much flirting and chemistry has been in the air for them to react so deeply. It was extremely visible in their eyes when they looked at each other. 

The front door opened and broke my next question, Lilly looked pointedly at me to make sure I shut my mouth. Giving her a small nod and smile in agreement, her shoulders slumped again. This matter clearly was important to her. A whole crowd of men trudged into the room, talking animatedly amongst each other. The different sounds and smells overwhelming my senses, they'd probably been training or hunting, because their scents were so harsh it almost made me dizzy. Another downside of being an Aurelia, my sense of smell was so ridiculously enhanced that too many smells at once would confuse and disorientate me. 

It wasn't unusual that the house was filled to the brim with people, most of them even lived here down a long hidden hallway upstairs. Paul and Bill hadn't showed me that side of the house for some reason, but the long days alone here had given me a lot of opportunities to explore and I definitely took advantage of it. 

"Hey Aspen, Lilly." A voice casually greeted, my eyes quickly zoning into reality again, seeing a very sweaty Grant standing in front of us. 

"Hi Grant, have all of you been training?" I asked, trying to explain why my senses were going into overdrive. 

His head nodded proudly while he gazed over the crowd before meeting my eyes again, "Sure have, they're getting much better and I just love to ruffle them up a bit."

Smiling at him, "Doesn't come as a surprise, not really."

Silence settled over the room suddenly and Grant left without warning. Judging by the small shivers running through my spine and the wonderful smell ruling over anyone else's, I knew it was because of Arrax. He'd stepped into the living room and demanded attention by his presence alone. 

Lilly stood up alongside everyone else and bowed her head, Arrax really appreciated his respect, but then again, he had a huge pack and needed to keep everyone in their place. If I truly considered it, I knew it was his way of being an Alpha. I stood up as well, but chose not to bow my head, he couldn't demand that kind of submission from me. 

"The Aurelia is nearing our grounds and all of us know it, it's necessary to prepare every pack house, every fighter, prepare your females. She's the most ruthless creature mistakenly created by the Moon Goddess, and if we don't end her, she'll end us. This is not a matter to discuss, if you as much as get the smallest whiff of her smell, you'll kill." He spoke, it was almost sinister how calm his voice was as he talked about my death. Rightfully so, he didn't know I was the Aurelia everyone apparently feared, but his words sliced at my soul. 

Not one single person here would accept me as a part of their pack. They were hardwired to kill me, they'd been taught no mercy and especially not to a huge threat. That was everything I was to them, an obstacle, a target to murder. If I didn't escape soon, my scent would slip through one day, my wolf needed to shift. It was in her blood to shift, I couldn't keep refusing her.