Aurora's pov
The soft click of the door woke me up from my agitated sleep.
I didn't even know that I had fallen asleep after he left
A young maid came in with a courteous but hesitant expression .
The aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted chicken filled the air as she carried a tray full of food making my stomach rumble in protest.
She put the tray on the bedside table and said in a quiet voice .
"Good afternoon miss Alpha Callum gave me the order to take care of you. What do you need?
I was unsure whether to accept her generosity or to ask her questions about my current state so I blinked at her.
The chaos of everything that had happened made my body hurt but I tried not to show it.
But my stomachs persistent growl betrayed me and I answered ."I'm fine."
The maid smiled slightly sympathetically. "There is no problem but you should eat please. "
After a moment of hesitation I nodded. "Right now I just need water." I muttered in a small voice.
She poured a glass and handed it to me, then moved aside .
" Thank you." I muttered in a softer voice than I had meant.
"The food." She said waving her hand over the tray."Its all yours Miss. Just give me a call if you need anything else
" she said in a kind and comforting voice.
As she left I noticed a slight pause near the door her footsteps stuttering just a little.
From down the hall came a loud argument, the loud words piercing the dense wood.
Alpha Callum was the only one that I heard with someone else too.
Despite not being able to hear the entire conversation , my ears perked up with curiosity. The other voice was harsh and accusatory but it wasn't the Beta's.
The argument appeared to center on a significant issue or person.
"Not ready?"
She can't be my mate.
"This is too.much"
The conversation was cut off as the door clicked shut.
With my thoughts racing , I sank back into the plush pillows.
Why was he arguing and does it seem to be about me?
---.
The silence stretched for hours interrupted only by the rustle of the wind outside.
The knot of uneasiness in my stomach was still stubbornly tight but I had eaten some of the food that had been left for me.
Over the horizon, the sun had turned crimson and golden as it begin to sink lower in the sky.
Sitting on the beds edge I gazed out the window and exhaled .
Even though I was in a peaceful environment now, I still couldnt get rid of the sense of being trapped and remembering my step mother and sister
I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard the door behind me creak open.
Alpha Callum was standing in the doorway when I turned around.
He had a commanding yet understated presence and his movements had a quiet confidence that made the room appear smaller.
" How are you feeling Aurora Marcellus? " He saidin a deep smooth voice each syllable of my name as if he had known me before .
I blinked , surprised .
" You know my full name?" I questioned my voice faltering with a mix of shock and anxiety
"How do you know my full name?
There was something deeper in his gaze, an emotion that was nearly impossible to read but a tiny smile tugged at his lips.
With an uncanny calmness in his voice he answered .
"I've always known your name ."
My heart raced in my chest as I stammered
"What? What do.you mean and who are you really?"
The room seemed to shrink as Callum stepped forward his towering presence overshadowing me.
"Aurora , let's say you don't know me but I know you so well."
Instinctively I stepped back and shook my head.
"You are the Alpha of this pack, thats all I know."
His expression softened with something like regret as he sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair.
"You are my mate Aurora. "
The words hung heavy in the air. My mate?
I shook my head once more as a wave of disbelief swept over me.
"That isnt possible ." I said my voice barely above a whisper
" You felt it ."!he stated coolly and without wavering. " But you were too stubborn to acknowledge it. "
Frustrated I glared at him.
"You have no knowledge of who I am, you only helped me because you almost knocked me over."
"Oh ,but I do." he uttered in a softer tone. " I've known since the first time I saw you, Aurora the bond is genuine. I sense it and you do too in your heart."
I opened my mouth to protest but nothing came out. Part of me wanted to deny his clsim and ignore the connection he was making but the other part of me—the one I was most afraid of—saw that what he was saying was true.
"How?" I murmured." You can't be certain of this, you barely know me."
His gaze never left mine as he stepped closer.
" Because I've known you for a lot longer than you have, the instant I smelled you I knew you were mine. Whether I know you or not, what matters is that you're my mate."
The ground felt like it was shifting beneath me and I stumbled back my heart pounding.
"No. . Things does not happen that way. Mates should experience the bond on an equal basis. No—. "
"Stop arguing with me , Aurora." He cut in it in a firm but kind voice. "You have been avoiding it and not accepting it. But Aurora the bond is there. It is real. "
I found it difficult to breathe. The certainty in his words suffocated me as they pressed in.
My voice was barely audible as I asked "Why didn't I know sooner? Are you trying to keep me here by lying that I was your mate ?"
I noticed a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes for the first time as his gaze softened.
"The bond may not always be felt right away. It may take a while for one or both partners to accept it. That does not mean it isn't real, you are mine to claim, Aurora."
I averted my gaze, my thoughts racing. This was too much to handle. I already had a complicated life so the idea of having a mate especially one as strong as Callum was too much for me.
" I can't be your mate." I said.
" Are you rejecting the bond?" He asked tilting his head." If I were you, I wouldn't do that ?"