Chapter 14

I stared at Kane's outstretched hand, conflicted. His sudden gallantry was jarring compared to his usual playboy demeanor.

"I'd rather walk," I said coldly, adjusting my hospital bag on my shoulder.

Kane arched an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "In your condition? Be reasonable, Aurora."

I took a step back. "I've learned not to accept favors from you."

"Favors?" His laugh was low and amused. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

My heart skipped a beat as heat rushed to my face. "That was a mistake. One I don't intend to repeat."

Kane's eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that seemed to caress my skin. "If it was such a terrible mistake, Aurora, why do I see the hunger in your eyes every time we're alone? Your body remembers what your pride wants to forget."

I glanced around nervously. "Keep your voice down!"

"Get in the car, Aurora," he said more softly. "If anyone sees the future Luna walking home from the hospital alone, there will be questions you don't want to answer."

He had me there. With a resigned sigh, I slid into the passenger seat.

As we pulled away, I kept my gaze fixed out the window, hyper-aware of his proximity in the confined space.

"You know," Kane said conversationally, "watching Raymond and Giana these past weeks, it's obvious they're completely besotted with each other."

I flinched despite myself. "Is there a point to this observation?"

"Just that your marriage is destined to be remarkably empty." He glanced at me. "It's a shame, really. The Aurora from that night deserves better."

My fingernails dug into my palms. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know more than you think," he countered. "I know that when you're not playing the perfect Beta's daughter or the dutiful fiancée, there's fire underneath."

The memory of our night together flashed unbidden through my mind. It had left an impression, even through the drug-induced haze.

"Pull over," I demanded. "I'll walk the rest of the way."

"Aurora—"

"Now, Kane."

He sighed but complied, easing the car to the side of the road. Before I could reach for the door handle, he caught my wrist, his touch sending an unwelcome jolt through my body.

"You can lie to Raymond. You can lie to your father. Hell, you can even lie to yourself," he said, his voice unusually serious. "But don't lie to me. Not about this."

I yanked my hand away. "There is no 'this.' Stay away from me, Kane."

Something primal warned me that any further entanglement with Kane would be dangerous.

Just as I pushed the door open, a sleek silver car pulled up behind us. My stomach dropped as I recognized Raymond's vehicle. Giana was in the passenger seat.

I quickly stepped away from Kane's car as Raymond approached, his face a mask of confusion and suspicion.

"Aurora? What are you doing with him?"

Kane leaned across the seat, his usual smirk firmly back in place. "Just offering your abandoned fiancée a ride home from the hospital. Since you were... otherwise occupied."

Raymond's jaw tightened. "I was dealing with an emergency," he said, though guilt flickered across his features. "Giana was attacked in the rogue slums when she went to visit an old friend."

Giana appeared at his side, her eyes dramatically downcast. "It was horrible," she whispered, clinging to Raymond's arm. "They recognized me as having connections to the Blood Moon Pack."

"I want to bring her back to the pack house," Raymond continued, his tone softening as he glanced at her. "For protection."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"Aurora," Raymond lowered his voice, "I need you to speak to my parents about this. They'll listen to you."

"Absolutely not," I replied firmly. "You know what your father thinks about rogues. This will only cause trouble."

Kane gave a low whistle. "Well, this is interesting. Tell me, Raymond, which one is your actual fiancée? Because from where I'm standing, it's hard to tell."

Giana's face crumpled on cue, tears welling in her eyes. "I knew it was a mistake to ask for help," she said, her voice quivering perfectly. "I should just go. I don't want to cause problems between you and Aurora."

She started to turn away, a calculated move that worked exactly as intended. Raymond immediately caught her arm.

"No, wait—"

"Let her go," I said. "She's manipulating you."

Raymond's expression hardened. "This is because I missed your discharge, isn't it? You're still angry about that."

"This has nothing to do with—"

"She nearly died, Aurora," he hissed. "Are you really that petty that you'd put your pride over her safety?"

I glanced between Raymond's stubborn expression and Giana's tear-stained face. I could continue fighting, but it would only make me look like the villain. Besides, my head was throbbing mercilessly from my injury.

"Fine," I conceded, too exhausted to argue further. "She can stay in the Omega quarters. Not the main house."

Raymond's mouth opened to protest, but Giana squeezed his arm. "That's more than generous, Raymond," she said sweetly. "Thank you, Aurora."

Her eyes told a different story—this was just the beginning of her incursion into pack territory.

---

Kane's POV

I watched Raymond pace across my office, his frustration evident in every rigid line of his body. We'd been discussing the upcoming trade agreement between our packs, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.

"You seem distracted," I observed, leaning back in my chair. "Wedding jitters?"

Raymond grimaced, running a hand through his hair. "About that." He pulled an envelope from his jacket. "I want you to be my best man."

I accepted the invitation with a raised eyebrow. "An honor I didn't expect, given your obvious enthusiasm for the event."

"Don't start," he warned, dropping heavily into the chair across from me. "This whole wedding is just... necessary politics."

"And Aurora knows this?"

He nodded. "It's a contract. Nothing more." He sighed, staring out the window. "She's not the bride I want."

I studied him, hiding my irritation behind a casual expression. Raymond had everything—power, position, respect, and a woman who would walk through fire for him. Yet here he was, whining about it.

"You know, I almost envy you," he continued. "No pressure to find a Luna, no expectations. You're free to do as you please."

I twirled a pen between my fingers, thinking of Aurora. When I'd first met her, I'd dismissed her as pathetically lovesick over Raymond. But that night—the night she'd come to me with fire in her eyes and hunger in her touch—I'd glimpsed something else. Something that continued to intrigue me.

"Perhaps," I said carefully, "you don't truly understand Aurora."

Raymond frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? I've known her my entire life."

I shrugged, not elaborating. The truth was, I wasn't sure why I'd said it or why the thought of Aurora trapped in a loveless marriage with Raymond bothered me so much. I'd never cared about such things before.

"One day," Raymond said, misreading my silence, "when you find your fated mate, you'll understand this pain. Being bound to someone you can't publicly claim..."

I laughed, genuinely amused. "Not likely. Marriage, mate bonds—that's not for me. I prefer to enjoy life without such... complications."

A frantic knock interrupted us. The door flew open to reveal a young maid, her face flushed with excitement and anxiety.

"Alpha heir," she gasped, curtseying hastily. "The butler sent me. He found something in the Omega quarters—in that rogue girl's room."

Raymond stood, suddenly tense. "What is it?"

"A ring, sir," the maid said, eyes wide. "A beautiful one that’s a perfect match for your own. The butler thinks she must have stolen it from Miss Aurora."

Raymond went pale. I sat back, intrigued despite myself. A complication had just entered our little drama, and for once, I wasn't at the center of it.

This was about to get very interesting indeed.