Chapter 86

Aurora’s POV

My leg bounces as I sit by Jace’s hospital bed and wait for Thorne.

Mrs. Ashford said he was on his way, but that was forever ago. At least, it feels like it since all I’ve been able to do is sit here and watch Jace sleep. I let my head fall into my hand as it continues to throb.

“Do you know when he’ll wake?” I ask the nurse.

“He’s healing from some pretty bad injuries, so he might be out for a while,” she says while checking his bandages. “I heard he fought off three feral wolves to save you after your wreck. He had several broken bones and a cracked skull, but luckily, he has werewolf healing.”

“How long will it take for him to fully heal?”

The nurse hums and shrugs, “It’s different for each of us, but usually it takes a few days for a break to heal. The skull fracture will take longer, so we’re monitoring it the most.”

I swallow the guilt that settles in my chest. If Jace was human, he would’ve died from these injuries, and it would’ve been my fault since he was protecting me.

“Aurora!”

The door slams open, smacking against the wall and revealing Thorne. He’s panting, eyes moving frantically over the room until he spots me.

“Thorne!” I jump up, but the pain in my legs makes me stumble. I’m only two steps away from the bed when my legs give out, but Thorne is there, catching me before I can hit the floor.

“Goddess, you scared me, Aurora,” Thorne rumbles, hugging me tightly to his chest. A tingling sensation overtakes my body the moment he touches me, and I sink into his warmth.

“I’m okay, just a few bumps and scrapes, but Jace…” I point at the bed where his friend lays unconscious. A growl vibrates through Thorne’s body when I try to pull away, and he only hugs me tighter.

Looking up at him, I gasp. Thorne’s eyes are bright gold with thin, slitted pupils. He doesn’t let me pull away, even as he runs his hands over every inch of my body, checking me and noting each injury.

Cuts and bruises from the crash and possibly from the attack, though I’m not sure exactly because I was unconscious.

“I promise I’m okay.”

“You’re not,” Thorne growls. “Fifteen cuts and over twenty bruises of all sizes, and that doesn’t count anything beneath your clothes.”

I look down then back up at the man in front of me.

“And I’m afraid that Aurora’s injuries aren’t the worst of the news,” a new voice says, and in walks Mrs. Ashford. She looks just as put together and powerful in her red suit as she did when I woke up two hours ago.

“And what’s the worse news?” I ask, turning to her. Still, Thorne doesn’t release me, so I have to turn within his arms to look at Mrs. Ashford.

“I’m afraid that news of your sexual contract has reached the public,” she says, and I freeze. My entire body goes cold, and my legs go limp. Luckily, Thorne holds me up. If he wasn’t here, I would be on the floor right now.

Mrs. Ashford looks between me and Thorne before she sighs. “I’m not sure what is going on between you two, but the packs are already talking about your tryst. They see it as inappropriate and filthy that you, Thorne, would partake in paying someone to sleep with you.”

“Is that all?” Thorne’s deep voice rumbles above me.

“Sadly, no. Everyone, including companies associated with your work, are saying you’re weak for choosing to pair with a human instead of a werewolf,” Mrs. Ashford says calmly. I can’t tell what she thinks of the whole situation because her voice is steady, and her face is like stone.

She gives away no outward indication of what she’s thinking, and it kind of bothers me.

“I don’t care if Aurora is a human.”

I look up at Thorne, but Mrs. Ashford speaks before I can, “I know that, but people are talking. They’re debating whether you are fit to be an Alpha if you choose to be with someone so weak.”

She looks directly at me, and I take in a sharp breath as my stomach churns. Thorne is with me of his own choice, and now that choice is causing him problems. It’s not just my family history that’s starting to be an issue, but now my relationship with Thorne, too?

I groan, my head rolling back to rest on Thorne’s chest.

Why is this happening to us?

“It shouldn’t matter, but you will be even more in the spotlight, Alpha Thorne,” Mrs. Ashford says, moving toward us. “And until we figure out if Auror is my niece, maybe it would be best for her to stay here without—”

The growl that rips from Thorne’s body is thunderous, shaking the room and walls. His eyes flare brighter gold, shining as his chest heaves and his arms tighten around my waist. He gently pushes me behind him and away from Mrs. Ashford.

“You will not take my mate from me!”

The room is completely silent except for the sounds coming from Thorne. Mrs. Ashford stares at him for a moment before taking a cautious step back.

“Your mate?” I whisper, unable to say anything else. I’ve been around werewolves long enough to know exactly what he means, but after how Jack treated me… I shake that off. Thorne would never claim something like this falsely.

Thorne told me he loves me, but I didn’t realize he sees me as his mate.

The way he positions himself in front of me in a protective stance and continues to growl at Mrs. Ashford makes me a bit worried, so I reach up. Would he attack her if she tried to keep me here? The thought is distressing, so I take his face in my hands and bring his gaze to mine.

“No one is taking me away from you, Thorne.” I tell him, but he doesn’t pull his eyes off Mrs. Ashford. “Everything is alright, and I’m right here.”

Mrs. Ashford takes a few more steps away, giving us a little more space. Even this doesn’t appease him, and when he still doesn’t look away from Mrs. Ashford, I pull his face down and kiss him.

It takes a second for Thorne to respond. He freezes and then melts into the kiss, his arms sliding around my waist and pulling me close. Our lips move together, his tongue battling for dominance as a hand comes up and grips the back of my neck.

I lean into the kiss, only pulling back when I run out of air.

Golden eyes flicker from me to Mrs. Ashford before they settle on me again, and I dig my fingers into Thorne’s forearms.

“Thorne, are you saying that I’m your mate?” I need to know the answer so badly that I can’t breathe. My heart rams against my ribs as he stares down at me.

“You’re my mate, Aurora,” he growls. “It’s my job to protect you.”

“You are protecting me,” I tell him.

He shakes his head, burying his face in my neck and inhaling. “Everyone is trying to take you from me.” I gasp as his nose trails up my neck and cheek before he presses his forehead to mine, “I won’t allow it. You’re mine.”