Sage watched Gwen as he treated Aurora, putting mixed concoctions on top of her wound while she winced in pain. She had tried to heal up but the wound was too intense, causing her wolf to weaken and unable to rehabilitate.
Sage had carried her down to his room, immediately after they got back from their journey. He had also called the healer, Gwen, to attend to her forthwith.
"Do you feel any internal pain?" Gwen asked and she scoffed at him. Why wouldn't she feel pain? Wasn't he aware the blade had twitched her deep?
"You adding the concoctions made it worse." She replied with a whimper. This was her first time getting a deep wound and it felt like hell for her.
"Try making your wolf heal you." Gwen proposed but received a growl from Sage.
"How do you expect them to heal? Can't you see they are trying their best!" Sage snapped, winning a suspicious glance from Gwen. Hope it was not what he was thinking about. Sage moved closer to Aurora, bent and placed his hands on her head, "You're feverish." He told her and turned to Gwen. "Why?"
"Of course, she will, she has been harmed and all her body tends to react to the injury. I will go and prepare some medicine for her." He uttered and with his inhumane speed, he left them alone.
"You seemed to care a lot for me," Aurora mumbled and tried to sit up from the bed when Sage stopped her, "I'll be okay," She said to him and he helped her up.
"That's because I like you," Sage confessed again. He was ready to do all he can to win Aurora over him even if she wouldn't let him declare openly that he was her mate.
"You can't be serious with this, you've said it two times now. I can't believe you will also find your mate and you're telling me this." Aurora mumbled under her breath. Specifically, she was already having a liking for him but she knew he would find his mate too and it would counter with the same cases she got hurt from.
"I like you and I also don't want to find my mate. Let's date Aurora." He proposed and sat down beside his bed where she lay. He took her hands into his and made soft caresses as he felt their sparks while she felt warmth with him beside her. He was doing a lot of things to her emotions and she had no idea why her body reacted so well to his touch even when he wasn't her mate.
"I can't date you. You know no reason why I don't want my mate."
"Then tell me your reasons."
"Sage, I told you it's personal. You just shouldn't like me because of the little time we've spent together." She told him and tried retreating her hands from his grip but it became tighter and with how weak she felt she didn't bother to revolt his hands away, whereas she loved how he held her.
"Tell me you don't like me. I thought you said love isn't an option."
"Fine, I'll take that back."
"You won't Aurora because I have started to like you and I know you do too."
"So, when you finally find your mate, you'll leave me hanging. I didn't intend to have such a mate." She conveyed and turned her head away from him to face the barricade.
Sage bit his lower lips. How was he going to change her mind? He was her mate and he had the urge to claim her instantly but he had to respect her decisions. He had to respect that she didn't want to find her mate but yet he wasn't ready to leave her. What was personal to her about her having her mate that she couldn't discuss with him?
"The reason you don't want your mate is the same as mine. I don't want my mate and you don't want yours so we're equal." He told her but Aurora was adamant. She would mate with any other person apart from him regardless she has no reason for her not to accept him. He didn't look like he would stop loving her soon but why wouldn't she just accept him? It would also be for the better since she will have the right to send her mate off, telling him she was already betrothed to another but that another, would she let him be Sage?
Just then, Beta Craig walked into his son's room after a slight knock on it which the two didn't give attention to. He made a fake cough when he saw Sage holding hands with Aurora. Was his son kidding him? Sage was all headed to finding out why his mate didn't want him but he was there holding Aurora's hands.
"Your friend is here to pick you up, Aurora." Beta Craig announced, breaking their conversation.
Sage and Aurora turned to him as Sage finally let go of Aurora's hands. "Father?" He called and stood up from where he sat.
"Can you walk Aurora out, her friend is waiting for her downstairs." He relayed and veered around to leave.
Sage twirled his head back to Aurora who was already attempting to get off the bed. He held her hands and helped her out of bed while she made a slight groan from the pain that hit her stomach.
"Make sure you think about it, Aurora. I want you to be my mate." He told her but she gave no response as he led her down the stairs carefully.
They got outside of his house and Fennick quickly opened up Aurora's car which he had brought to pick her up. Sage assisted her into the car and when she had sat relaxed, Fennick shut the door.
"You don't have to worry, she's in safe hands," Fennick assured Sage, earned the passenger seat and drove off.
Sage heaved a worried sigh and went back in only to find his dad and mom staring largely at him. "Any problem?"
"Is Aurora your mate?" His mother, Zara asked and he nodded, sadly.
"Holy!" Zara exclaimed while his father stood shocked at his outburst. Sage's mate was Aurora, the leader of the pack fighter. She was so close to them and they had no idea. "Have you got to know why she doesn't want her mate?" Zara asked joyfully. Her son was mated to Aurora who she had grown fond of. She had come to like the young girl and her strength in leading the pack fighters mightily.
Sage shook his head, "She said it's personal."
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