Aurora’s POV
I fluttered my eyes open and immediately released a ragged groan, then whipped my head, noticing I was still in Orion’s room, tangled in his sheets. I blinked, trying to sit up, but my body throbbed with a painstaking ache as a sharp pain shot through my core, and I literally couldn’t feel my legs.
Before I could panic, the door peeled open, and Orion stepped into the room, half-naked and carrying a tray.
My eyes instinctively tracked his chest to where he had repeatedly bitten his own shoulders during the rut, which was gone. I quickly looked away, my cheeks burning with a sudden shyness as my mind flooded with memories. I remembered how shamelessly I had begged for his mark against the kitchen wall. Did I really want it? If I did want it, would that mean I’ve just accepted the label of being his soulbond?
I gripped the edge of the blanket tighter, pulling it defensively up to my chin, and Orion noticed, a small smile breaking across his face as his amber eyes twinkled with amusement. “You’re awake, Dawn," he said softly, walking over to the edge of the mattress and sitting down, the bed dipping under his weight.
"Umm" was all I could manage to get out.
He leant forward, his warm hand caressing the side of my face with tenderness. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his eyes filled with a quiet regret.
I immediately shook my head, fighting through the soreness. “Don’t. I wanted it. You didn’t force me into anything, Orion... and I enjoyed it,” I responded, my voice dropping to a bashful whisper.
His ears twitched slightly at my admission, and a look of relief settled into his features. “I’ve already called Roland to come up and check on you. She’ll be here soon. She told me to make sure you had a soft meal first.” He picked up the spoon, carefully blowing on a small portion of porridge before lifting it to my lips.
I opened my mouth, letting him feed me. He looked genuinely happy just taking care of me, his movements slow and careful as a small smile played on his lips with his ears twitching.
Once the bowl was empty, he set it down on the nightstand and turned back to me. Before I could even ask what he was doing, he gathered me into his arms, blanket and all. A small squeal escaped my lips at the sudden lift, making him chuckle.
He carried me straight into his bathroom and set me gently into the warm water of the bathtub. Without speaking much, his fingers gently raked through my tangled black hair, washing out the sweat and grease from it. It was so relaxing and soothing that I felt my tensed muscles relax immediately. His hands moved down to my neck, over my shoulders, and across my breasts; his touch was devoid of any sexual intent, and yet, despite the innocence of the wash, I could feel a faint twitch down in my swollen core.
"Whore," I internally screamed at myself, my face flushing scarlet beneath the water.
But Orion didn’t notice it, or he just didn’t want to talk about it as he focused on cleaning me up. When he was finished, he lifted me out, wrapped me in a plush towel, and thoroughly dried my hair. There was something so domesticated about the way this giant bear was handling me that my heart kept skipping beats. He took his time, carefully braiding the damp tips of my hair to keep it out of my face. Then, he pulled one of his oversized black shirts over my head, the soft fabric swallowing me completely.
He settled me back into the centre of his bed, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss against my forehead. “Get some rest before Roland comes up,” he murmured against my skin.
My eyelids already felt like lead; the sheer exhaustion of the last seventy-two hours caught up to me, and I was pulled under into a dreamless sleep.
When I woke up the second time, the room was dimmer, and the low, hushed sound of voices murmured in the background. I tried to shift my weight against the pillows, letting out a soft groan as my muscles protested.
Orion’s brow furrowed in worry as he stepped closer to the bed, while Roland stood besides him, staring down at me. I immediately looked away, a wave of guilt washing over me. I couldn’t bring myself to look her in the eye after promising her so faithfully that I wouldn’t go down to the basement, only to do the exact opposite the second her back was turned. Well, it wasn’t entirely my fault, I reasoned silently. I saw the keys on the table, and I just followed my gut.
Roland murmured something low to Orion, nodding towards the door. Orion glanced down at me one last time before quietly exiting the bedroom, leaving the two of us alone.
For a couple of minutes, the silence in the room was deafening as I peeked through my eyelashes, noticing that Roland hadn’t moved an inch from her spot. She just stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, staring at me with an unreadable expression.
Unable to take the silence anymore, I finally whipped my head towards her, slumping my shoulders into the mattress. “I’m sorry,” I apologised quickly.
Roland didn’t say a word, and she just walked closer, dropping her medical bag onto the nightstand. She grabbed my wrist, her thumb pressing against my skin to check my pulse, shaking her head in disapproval. Then, she unzipped her bag and pulled out an IV drip line and a bag of fluids.
“I’m sorry, Roland. I know I did wrong,” I said softly, reaching out with my free hand to gently touch the edge of her shirt hem.
She finally turned her gaze fully onto me, her eyebrows drawing together. “Now you know you were wrong?” she asked, her voice dripping with a stern, chiding lecture. She stared deeply into my eyes, her arms locking back over her chest. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was, Aurora?!”
I offered a small, sheepish smile, nervously fiddling with my fingers against the blanket. “I couldn’t just leave him down there alone,” I countered quietly.
Roland raised a single, sharp eyebrow at my defence. The look alone was enough to make me shut my mouth instantly, feeling exactly like a scolded kid who had been caught red-handed.
“What if the clan leader didn’t have restraint over his beast?” she demanded, her voice softening as a faint tremor ran through it. “What if he had marked you forcefully and your body rejected it? What if...” She stopped, pinching the bridge of her nose as she let out a shaky breath. “What if you had been severely hurt, Aurora?”
Looking at her, I immediately understood her point, realising she wasn’t just angry but she was worried about me. I really appreciated how much she cared about me.
“I’m fine now, Roland,” I responded gently.
She glared at me for a long moment before letting out a defeated sigh, her shoulders dropping. “I can’t even stay mad at you,” she resigned, reaching out to playfully pinch my cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I apologised one last time, a small smile breaking on my face as she patted my back comfortingly.
“How are you feeling right now? The clan leader said you were in pain," she asked, her eyes scanning my face for any signs.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it pain,” I said, a dark blush creeping up my neck. “But my body is aching and throbbing. I literally can’t feel my back or my legs at all.”
Roland let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “Will I be a bad bitch if I say you deserved it?”
I giggled, shrugging my shoulders against the pillows. “Yes, I did. But I enjoyed every single second of it.”
Roland shook her head, an amused but exasperated look on her face as she hung the IV bag from the metal stand. But my mind drifted back onto something she had mentioned just a moment ago.
“Roland... what did you mean earlier when you said my body could reject the mark?” I asked.
She pushed my shoulder gently, guiding my back down flat against the pillows so she could work. She grabbed my wrist, carefully prepping the skin before sliding the needle into my vein.
“Well, some people’s bodies reject a soulbond,” Roland explained casually, securing the tape over the needle. “When a mark is forcefully put onto a soulmate without the consent and psychological readiness of both individuals, the body treats the venom like a toxin, and it will reject it. It’s an agonising process—it feels almost like a slow death to the recipient.”
A cold chill ran straight down my spine, and I gulped heavily, nodding my head in understanding. Was this why Orion had refused to bite me during his frenzy? He had told me that once the rut phase was over and I was in my correct mind, I could ask him again and he would do it. He had bitten his own flesh until he bled just to ensure my body wouldn’t reject his claim.
Once she was finished adjusting the flow of the IV drip, Roland patted my leg through the thick covers. “Get some rest now. Let the fluids do their job.”
“Thank you,” I murmured.
She offered a warm smile before slipping out of the room. As the medicine began to flood my system, a comfortable warmth washed over me, and I closed my eyes, letting the darkness claim me once again.
***
Roland is good friend bte