Chapter 125

Thorne’s POV

We had to finish our meeting with Aurora and Elizabeth joining us, talking even as my mate dried her tears. She wouldn’t leave my side, even though I know she didn’t want to be in the meeting.

However, her fear won out and kept her plastered to me. I hate the effect a single message has on her, and as soon as we finished talking, I took Aurora back to our room and helped her to a soothing bath.

She didn’t say anything during the bath, just stared at the wall. Her thoughts were a wild jumble the entire time, but I could feel her calming down as I washed her hair and massaged her scalp.

Once she seemed fully relaxed, I helped her to bed. I haven’t been able to sleep since I tucked her in. If it weren’t for her body against mine, I’m sure I’d be the one tossing and turning.

One hour, then two hours pass.

Then three hours pass me by.

Time drags by slowly.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t fall asleep because my wolf paces restlessly.

Aurora sleeps fitfully, sighing and whimpering every now and then. After receiving the message from the Black Knight Pack’s Alpha—because we knew it was from him—she didn’t leave my side.

Usually, I wouldn’t complain about her being stuck at my side, but I don’t like seeing her in pain. Ever. And to watch her fear sleep—something that should recharge and calm people—makes my heart ache.

Brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, I study my mate. The crease between her brows, the frown pulling at her lips, and the little beads of sweat on her forehead are all concerning.

Another whimper falls from Aurora, and I sigh.

Now, I pull her closer to my side, tugging the cover over her shoulder as she curls in. Her eyes move wildly behind her eyelids. I can catch hints of fear and worry from her dreams, like I have all night.

But she’s starting to shake. Her entire body trembles and grows cold.

“N-No. Please,” Aurora whimpers. She jerks back, her entire body jolting with the movement, but I don’t release her. “Don’t hurt me. I don’t want… Please, no…”

A tear rolls down her cheek, and I brush it away. Pulling her closer, I tuck her head under my chin and hold her tightly. If I could erase her memories, get rid of the bad and replace it with good, I would.

I don’t have that power, though.

Closing my eyes, I do my best to let her feel me. If she can feel me instead of fear, she might be able to leave the nightmare.

“Aurora.” I cup the back of her neck, brushing my thumb across her mate mark as I whisper, “You’re here with me. You’re safe.” Her body continues to tremble as she wallows in her nightmare. “I’m right here, always. I won’t let them take you away again.”

A flicker of response ripples down our mate bond, letting me know that in some sense, she recognizes my voice.

Taking her hand in mine, I lay it over my heart. “Feel my heartbeat, little mate. Follow it back to me.”

Again, I send calming thoughts into our bond, promising to stay with her and not let anyone hurt her. I try to think of every good moment we’ve had from the time we met until now. I let her feel the love I have for her, and I allow my wolf to reach out.

Aurora’s wolf peeks through the veil between us, moving toward my wolf. She whines, rubs against his side, and speaks softly.

“She’s stuck.”

“We’ll bring her back from the darkness,” my wolf whispers as he lays his neck over hers in a strange type of hug, and I watch as their spirits interact. They lay together, Aurora’s wolf curling into a ball to allow my wolf’s larger body to protect her.

It does wonders to help both of us relax, and even though Aurora doesn’t wake up, I feel a shift in her emotions. The fear fades a bit, turning to something more hopeful.

“I’m here, love,” I whisper again. “In my arms, nothing can touch you. You’re not alone.”

The longer we all lay together, and the longer I hold her, the calmer she becomes.

Her anxiety is washed away by the comfort we provide, and eventually, she goes still.

Closing my eyes, I let myself fully relax back into the bed. But then there’s something still scratching at my senses. I lean in and let myself take in Aurora’s scent. Now that the smell of her fear is gone, I can smell it again.

Ever since she came back from being kidnapped, I keep catching a whiff of an unfamiliar scent on her. I thought it was from something that happened while she was kidnapped, but nothing she’s told me about would leave a scent marker on her this long.

At first I thought it was because she’s been going through changes with our mating bond, but this is different.

I inhale again, focusing all my attention on what I can smell.

Aurora’s soft, sweet scent. My stronger, sharper scent.

There’s a mixture of our scents that comes with completing the mate bond, but just underneath that, I catch it again. The smell of something light and powdery. It mixes with our bonded scent, smelling nearly identical.

My wolf also takes notice, lifting his head and pulling his attention off of Aurora’s wolf.

“What is that?” He asks, his ear twitching with curiosity.

“I’m not sure, but I feel that I’ve smelled it before,” I mutter, trying to pinpoint where I know the scent from. It’s not the first time I’ve scented it on Aurora, but even before that, I know I’ve encountered the smell before.

There’s something new… something different about the scent.

“Do you know where it’s from?” I ask Aurora’s wolf. Her presence fades momentarily as she returns to Aurora’s mind, but soon, she comes back.

“There is something taking root in her,” the she-wolf says confusedly.

Lifting my hand, I place it on Aurora’s forehead. She’s warmer than usual, and I briefly wonder if she’s sick. Is that what her wolf meant?

“Not sick,” the she-wolf says. “Something else. She doesn’t know yet.”

“Could you tell me what it is?” I ask, hoping that she’ll make it easy on me. Of course, she stays quiet and doesn’t, but that’s okay.

Aurora’s wolf is still shy and unused to me. She interacts more with my wolf when our connection is strongest, like it is now. Sometimes, she crosses over to be with him. It’s a strange experience, but I let her come because I know she needs it. And my wolf likes it.

So, if she doesn’t feel comfortable sharing, I’ll find out what’s going on myself.

I refocus my senses.

Then, I hear something. A soft thump grabs my attention. Then another thump, and another.

The steady thump grows louder as I listen, and my breath catches in my chest as worry and excitement fill me. I lean in, moving my head closer to her stomach while focusing harder.

Again, I hear the tiny thumping of a small heart.

A baby.