Aurora James - POV
As I saw Zander's figure vanish in the distance, I felt my legs turn into jelly as I hit the ground. I pulled my knees against my chest and placed my chin on top of it while the brave facade I wore began to crumble. "Aurora." I felt Levi's hand on my shoulder as he knelt down beside me. "Look at me." he urged when I felt his finger under my chin as he lifted my chin.
"I almost lost my life, Levi." I choked out. Normally, any she-wolf would be over the Moon when her mate comes to mark her, but my circumstances were different. Zander wasn't planning to mark me because he loves me, he just wanted to make sure that I never find the happiness I deserve.
He hates me to the core, and I know a mate mark would not change his perspective of me. "That didn't happen, so stop crying, Aurora."
"It would have happened if you didn't find me, Levi," I told him as my lips trembled. Levi didn't say anything for a long time as he let me cry, and when I had no tears left, I finally looked at the deserted forest. We had been seated on the ground for about an hour, and Levi didn't dare leave my side.
"How did you find me?" I asked him, breaking the silence.
"I was coming back to the pack house after my patrol duties when I saw Mr. Perez near the doorway. He told me that you had gone looking for Beta Perez and hadn't come back yet," he answered, and I nodded my head.
Ring ring.
I looked at Levi to see him pull out his phone and answer the call. "Where are you? And why is your mind link closed?" it sounded like Adrian's voice, and he seemed pissed.
"I was with Aurora," he answered.
"Oh, okay. You have a training session to conduct in five minutes." Adrian informed him.
"I will be there, Gamma Acosta," Levi told him before the line was disconnected. I got up from the ground and dusted my skirt while Levi did the same. "I could stay with you a little longer, but…"
"That's all right, Levi. I have to get back to work as well." I told him when he nodded his head.
"Let me walk you back to the pack house." he insisted, and I didn't deny his request as we began walking back to the pack house. As we got closer to the pack house, I saw a few warriors lingering near the doorway joking about something, but their conversations came to a standstill when they saw us walking towards them.
I felt my hold on Levi's hand tighten as we reached the main door while Levi turned around to face me. "I will see you later?" he asked me, and I nodded my head. I thought that he would leave, but he surprised me as he leaned forward and placed a warm kiss on my forehead before he walked away.
I still felt his lips on my forehead as I stared into space. I never expected him to kiss me in public, when I saw the warriors giving me weird looks. I quickly broke out of my trance and walked inside the pack house. "He is not our mate," Lily whined.
"Shut up. If you had done something, then Beta Perez wouldn't have taken that too far."
"You are as stubborn as hell. He is our mate, and he can do…"
"I am not a toy." I retorted as I cut her out. I didn't know how my wolf ended up adoring Beta Persz even after everything that happened. As I got closer to Beta Perez's office, I heard yelling, which made my steps flatter.
What is going on in there?
I was about to walk past his room when the door abruptly opened, and Beta Perez was standing there glaring at me. His pupils were dilated, and his face had turned red in anger. "It was because of you." he accused me out of the blue when a few seconds later, I saw his father come towards the doorway.
"Don't blame her, Zander. I think it is about time you straighten your behavior and take responsibility. I don't want this pack going downhill."
"I am perfectly capable of doing my beta duties alone, father. Why do I need a mate?" I asserted.
"You know what happens if you go about without a mate for a long time." he challenged, when I realized what the issue was here. I tried to leave the room when I saw Mr. Perez look at me. "Please come inside, Miss. James." Mr. Perez said, and I had no choice but to walk inside. He took a brown envelope from the desk and handed it over to me.
"Dad." Beta Perez said in a warning tone, but Mr. Perez completely ignored his son as he looked at me.
"I have found the perfect mate for my son, and I want you to convince him to marry her." his words were like someone pushed me into an active volcano.
"I want to find my second chance mate, Dad!"
"But it looks like you are not putting any effort into finding her, Zander."
"I am not marrying a random woman," Zander said in a firm tone.
"Fine, I will give you three months to find your mate, and if you fail to find her in three months, then you will have to marry the woman I have chosen for you, okay?" he asked, but Beta Perez didn't utter a word. "I will come back after three months," he said as he walked towards the doorway. "Miss. James."
"Yes, Mr. Perez."
"Could you walk me to the door, dear?" he asked me, and I didn't have the guts to reject him, so I obliged. I felt like I was on autopilot as we walked downstairs. I know Zander would never accept me as his mate, so would he give in and marry a woman that his father chose?