Aurora POV
I stared at his retreating back until it disappeared outside the front door. I released a stuttered breath, standing frozen with questions bombarding my head. Why did he leave so abruptly? What did it mean? Was there any issue with the food?
It couldn’t be... He literally said it smelled good. To give that compliment meant it was okay, and he looked eager to take a spoon before he left.
I stood up, slowly using my index finger to lift the side of my nose, trying to shake off the rejection pulling in my chest as I started to clear the table.
Maybe there was an emergency — he was the lead, and he looked irritated when he left. I stared at the dish... should I put the food away in the fridge, or should I just throw it out?
No, don’t waste food, Aurora! I chided myself. I looked down at my untouched plate and any thought of eating had vanished. My stomach wouldn’t even stomach it now.
As I was putting away the last dish, the front door swung open and a woman strutted in. The lady was tall, with long legs like a runway model. Her face was beautiful, with red lipstick, and her outfit clung to her skin, accentuating her curvy figure.
She was different from Roland.
For a split second, I just stared, completely dazed. Beautiful women were always a feast for the eyes.
But I quickly caught myself, snapping out of it and letting my hands drop flat against my sides. The woman whipped her head in my direction, her gorgeous features immediately twisting as her brows furrowed and her top lip curled in blatant disgust.
"Hello," I offered with a small smile. I didn’t know who she was, but I figured she might be a member of Orion’s family. I took a polite step forward, but the woman just glared at me.
What the hell was up with her?
"Who are you?" she demanded, completely discarding my greeting.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and kept my smile in place. I was a guest in this home — even if Orion had given me the go-ahead, I was still a guest — so I needed to be respectful, especially since this woman clearly had the confidence to just walk right into Orion’s space.
"I’m Aurora." I stretched out my hand.
She stared at my hand and wrinkled her nose, letting out a sharp, dismissive tsk. "So you are the woman..." She trailed off, looking me up and down. "Not even special."
My smile turned tight, my teeth clenching together behind my lips as I dropped my hand, clenching it at my side. "Human courtesy usually demands a response to a greeting and an introduction," I muttered.
She scoffed, her voice dripping with detestation. "Human."
She raised her head, her height towering over me. But the intimidation tactic didn’t deter me. I couldn’t believe I had actually thought she was beautiful just seconds ago. Her face was pretty, sure, but her attitude was rotten.
I tilted my chin up, meeting her gaze head-on. To my surprise, I was feeling a territorial spark I couldn’t explain. I hated the sight of another woman standing so comfortably inside Orion’s house.
"I’m Josephine," she sneered, crossing her arms. "The owner of this house’s betrothed."
My stance instantly faltered, my heart immediately stopping. Betrothed?
Orion had someone he was supposed to marry?
"And why the hell are you wearing his shirt?!" she suddenly growled, her voice hardening. "What are you doing in my man’s house?"
A cold numbness washed over me. Was Orion lying when he told me I was his mate? It couldn’t be true... right? He had looked so genuine when he was explaining the bond to me earlier. But then again, I had always been easily deceived by a handsome face and soft words. That was exactly how Knox had trapped me.
The territorial spark in me instantly turned to ash, replaced by a wave of mortification. "I’m so sorry," I stammered, backing away. I didn’t want to cause a misunderstanding, and God knew I knew exactly how agonizing it was to be cheated on. Even though Orion hadn’t actually touched me, being here like this felt entirely wrong if he belonged to someone else.
But Orion was supposed to be mine, according to what he said. I was his mate. His fated.
"Orion—" I began to explain, but she cut me off.
Josephine took an aggressive step closer, her teeth grinding as her manicured finger pointed directly at my chest. "How dare you call him that!"
"Oh," I gasped, my back hitting the kitchen counter. "He — he was the one who told me to call him that. I’m sorry."
"You don’t have the right to use his name. It’s Alpha to you, human," she growled, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Just get out. Go back to whatever pathetic place you crawled out of."
I looked at her raging expression, then glanced around the empty, quiet house. Outside the kitchen window, the sky had darkened, but the suffocating weight in my chest was too much to bear and I couldn’t stay here another second.
A choking sound threatened to escape my throat as I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Orion had lied to me... or maybe he hadn’t lied, but had omitted the crucial truth that he already belonged to someone.
Turning on my heel, I rushed straight past her and out the front door, my bare feet hitting the cold, damp earth.
I didn’t have a plan. I just sprinted blindly toward the tree line, remembering the path to the stream that Orion had pointed out during our brief tour. I could go there to clear the frantic chaos in my head while I figured out my next move.
Panic flared in me as the cold air hit my face. I couldn’t even leave this town if I wanted to. I had no phone. No money. Shit! I should have at least swallowed my pride and begged that awful woman for cash — but even if I had, how the hell was I supposed to leave?