Page 136 of His Fated Luna

“Yeah, he is a pretty strong kid.” Lexia said bitterly, as if it was a word to denote something taboo.

“You never really got along with him,” I noted. “But thank you for your concern.”

"Is this it then? Can't we at least be friends?" Lexia pleaded.

"We can be friends," I relented, my mind already on getting home to be with Rose.

"You've marked her,” Lexia stated, staring at her hands sadly.

Lexia always used to ask me to mark her. But I always said I was saving it for our mating ceremony.

"What I do or don't do with Rose is none of your concern." My voice was on edge.

"You haven't slept with her yet… have you?"

My jaw clenched tightly, and I looked away. She had no business asking me such personal questions.

"It's none of your business. I need to go home now since you're clearly done talking about your mother."

Lexia didn't push the matter further.

Rose's POV

I lay miserably in my bed, going over the various scenarios of what must be going on at Lexia's mansion when there was a knock on my door.

Aiden entered.

“Come back from a good time?” My voice was savage.

Aiden took a step back, hands up in defense. “You know it’s nothing like that. She’s in a rough spot right now. Just needed someone to talk to.”

He tentatively walked over to me and sat down across from me on the bed.

A hand came up to cup my cheek, thumb running over my cheekbone tenderly. He knew I was upset.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he finally asked, staring into my eyes with gentle warmth.

“I can’t do this,” I whispered. “I…” I laughed morosely. “I keep thinking you’ll realize what an absolute loser I am and go back to her.”

“Babe…that’s not going to happen.” He whispered the words across my lips, leaning his forehead against mine. “I was an asshole back then. I'm sorry for ever making you feel that way. I'm different now. You've shown me how to be different, how to be better. Open the mind-link and you’ll understand.”

I pulled back. “I can’t…I can’t do that, Aiden.”

I wrenched myself away from his arms, rushing into the bathroom to get away from him.

Aiden’s POV

With a sad sigh, I walked back to my room. It always seemed like we took one step forward but two steps back. What could I do to make Rose more confident in herself? I knew she was feeling this way because of how I'd treated her in the past and, for the millionth time, I was regretting my previous actions. But there had to be a way to make her see that I wasn't goinganywhere. She was stuck with me forever. I didn't know how to ever go back to a life without her to challenge me and make me see reason every step of the way. I didn't know how to go back to kisses without the taste of cinnamon.

What I felt for Rose was a thousand times stronger than what I'd ever felt for Lexia, and I'd been so wrong this entire time, confusing love with lust and attachment when it came to Lexia. Because with Rose it was the real thing. It was unconditional love. I wanted to go back to her, to hold her, to tell her how much I loved her. Instead, I just laid in bed at night missing Rose, wishing I had her wrapped in my arms.

Chapter 43

"He said to me 'you're perfect, and I want you to be mine'. But I felt I wasn't worthy, and to be perfect, I need time." - Lang Leav

Rose's POV

The next morning, I woke up to Aiden entering my room and kissing me awake.