Page 18

Aurora

I can feel the intensity of his stare digging holes at the back of my neck, but still, I choose to ignore it, not flinching as he leads us into the pack house.

"Take him to my personal healer and instruct her to enlist every measure within and above her powers to make sure he gets better." I hear him say, and this time, I turn, matching his gaze as best I can. He knows I can tell from the way his eyes dart between Ronan and myself.I watch the maid take Ronan away, my eyes never leaving his tired, sunken ones until the door closes softly behind her. I draw in a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for this long-overdue conversation.An uncomfortable silence lingers in the air for what feels like forever before he finally speaks, bringing the suffocating silence to a timely end."Now, Aurora." His voice is calm like he isn't mad at me, "I'm going to ask one more time. Don't lie to me," he says, closing the gap between us.

I can feel his breath on my face now, hot and humid. "Is Ronan my son?" he barks, the suddenness of his tone causing me to jerk away involuntarily, making me stumble a little before regaining my balance.Drawing in a deep breath, I lace my fingers together, comporting myself before I try to form a reply. Just like it is with mates, shifters get a pull on their kids. It's never as strong as the bond between mates, but in the event of danger, the feeling can intensify, almost like the child is sending out a signal to their protector. I have no doubt it's what Lucien felt. I feared this would happen, but I wasn't going to let my stubbornness and personal issues cost me my son's life.

I blink back tears, my chin rising in defiance, "Yes, he is," I say simply, not averting my gaze. I bite back the need to say more. There's no need to explain myself, not when he hasn't asked me to.

He scoffs lightly, the hurt in his eyes as clear as day. "How could you keep this away from me for five years? Five whole years, Aurora?"As he speaks, he's shaking his head. He sounds angry and betrayed, but I don't blame him for that. But one thing I will not allow is him making this entirely my fault."I asked, and you lied. You said it was some unmemorable one-night stand. Why didn't you come clean then?"

My lip trembles, and I fight back the urge to wipe the wetness from my cheeks. I can feel the tears roll down of their own accord, but I do nothing to stop them. I take in a deep breath, trying to quell the panic that starts to bubble inside of me.

"I wasn't ready to tell you then."He's watching me, his eyes tugging at the mask of bravery I'm wearing."So, I missed out on five years of his life just because you weren't ready?" There's a hint of accusation in his tone.

"You made it all too obvious that I had no place in your life," I retort almost immediately.

"I was young!"

I let out a small, sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, right. Same excuse as always."

"For Goddess's sake, you're not entirely blameless yourself, Aurora!"

"I did what I thought was best for my son. You can't fault me for that," I say, keeping my tone calm despite my quivering lips."Our son," he corrects. "You decided without even letting me know!"A low chuckle escapes me, "Your father threatened me, in case you forgot. I left the pack long before I realized I had a child growing inside of me!"

I run my fingers through my already disheveled hair, "I didn't decide to do anything. You made your choice. You wanted nothing to do with me. What was I supposed to do? Stay back and have your child while you gallivant with your mate, and he is known as the bastard son of the half-blood?"He's silent now. His mouth is hanging open, but nothing is coming out of it. So, I continue. "I struggled with him for years as it was just the two of us, and the one time I gave you an opportunity to make it up to us, you mess it up." I'm crying now. Hot tears spill down my face, and I sniff uncontrollably.

"I didn't mess it up intentionally," he says, reaching out to offer me comfort, but I shrug him off.

"There's always an excuse, always. For once, just own up to your mistakes and then apologize!"

He lowers his gaze, but not before I catch a twinge of regret in his eyes.He starts to say something but decides against it, his eyes straying away from mine. Guilt, shame, and sadness are dancing on his features."You cannot pick or choose when you want to be in our lives, Lucien. I will not do that to my son!" I yell, finally losing control over the emotions that have been building since we entered the room.

The pain I feel is overwhelming. There is no way in hell I'll let him walk all over me again, not after everything. This has gone far enough."Aurora," he begins, his eyes softening slightly, "There's so much you don't know, so much."

"Maybe if you explained it all clearly to me, I wouldn't be so damn clueless," I reply, my voice cracking with the weight of my emotions. I have a feeling there's so much he's not telling me, but I have no desire to push the subject any further than I should.

He sighs, his shoulders slumping lightly, "It doesn't matter anymore."Typical Lucien, never giving the full story but expecting me to understand, regardless. I'm not moved by his antics.Turning to face him fully, I continue, "I'm not here for you. Don't nurse that thought. Ronan is sick." I feel my voice trail off at this point, so I pause, taking a minute to compose myself before I go on, "We're only here for as long as it takes for him to get better and not a day more."

I'm surprised to see his expression soften. He's hurt, but I don't seem to understand why. There's a lingering trace of an emotion I cannot fully comprehend.He nods slowly, "I'll make arrangements for a place you can both settle in for the duration of your stay."

"I'm not staying in your house if that's what you're offering," I say, almost defensively.

I feel stupid for saying it when I notice a smile playing at the corners of his lips, "It's not my house I'm offering. It's yours.

****

I trail behind him quietly as he leads the way to where Ronan is, pausing at intervals to let my eyes wander about his house.There are portraits lining the walls, from pictures of people to random paintings of the sunset."After you," he says, holding the door open and gesturing inside.

I nod curtly, walking past him, my eyes scanning the room for a moment before it finally lands on him.

"Ronan!" I yell when I find him sitting upright with a strange woman sitting beside him. Both of them look up at me, but only Ronan matches my happiness.I open my arms wide and pull him into an embrace, burying my nose in the crook of his neck.

He hugs me back, his grip almost as firm as mine.

"He's better now. But he's not entirely out of the woods just yet." The lady says, a smile gracing her features and revealing a perfect set of dentation.

I nod, breaking our embrace as I turn to her. "And to whom do I owe my thanks?" I ask, stretching a hand in her direction.

"I'm the healer," she says simply, taking my hand briefly for a handshake.

"Thank you," I reply, my gratitude evident in my expression. She's not the pack healer I used to know while I was still here, but she has the same warmth and empathy the previous one had.

The woman shrugs lightly, "It's nothing." She stands, picks up a bag and turns towards me. "I'll return here later on to work my magic on him. For now, just keep a close eye on him."

"Actually," I begin, forcing her to a halt, "We won't be staying here." I couldn't help but notice the assumption earlier and strongly feel the need to correct it."Oh," her face falls slightly, "My apologies then. Just get anyone to tell me where, and I'll stop by."I nod, my smile intact, as my eyes follow her out of the room. I notice for the first time since I walked inside that Lucien is still perched at the door, his hands deep in his pockets and his eyes on my son. Our son. I need to get used to that.

I turn my attention to Ronan just then, lowering myself to his height, one knee pressing against the cold floor, "You gave me such a scare," I whisper to him, trying my best to suppress a sob that threatens to escape my throat. I run my fingers through his hair, sniffing his scent as if for dear life.His forehead rests against mine, his eyes fluttering shut, "I'm sorry."

I shake my head softly, "No, don't be," I sniff in a tear. "It's not your fault at all." I hold him, pressing his fragile body against mine, my mind at peace now that I know he's going to be alright.Lucien clears his throat, bringing our intimate moment to a premature end. He towers above us, a warm smile gracing his features, "How are you feeling?" he asks, his smile never faltering.

I lean back, reluctantly letting go so they can talk.

"Better," Ronan answers, his eyes never leaving the man as if trying to ascertain if he's friend or foe.

Lucien nods, "Let me show you your new home."

Ronan's eyes widen in surprise, "Why can't we stay? I like it here," he protests, his tone almost pleading.Lucien lowers himself to our level, "I have a feeling you'll like where we're going a lot more."My boy smiles, both eyes twinkling with delight, "Alright," he says, skipping happily towards the door. "Mum, come on!" For a brief moment, the similarities in their features throw me off, the striking resemblance almost palpable.I stand, turning towards Lucien to mouth an audible thank you as I hurry to catch up with my son, who is seemingly bubbling with excitement.I secure Ronan in the passenger seat before moving to settle behind, which is my own way of putting some space between Lucien and me.

I watch quietly as the both of them carry on in an easy conversation, my heart heavy with admiration I cannot easily shake off. I let myself imagine for a moment how our lives would be if Lucien had been present from the start.A warmth crawls into my chest as I bask in my delusion. But that's all it is—a simple imaginary scenario.The car comes to a halt. My house, from a lifetime ago, stands erect before us. As we file out of the car, my mouth hangs open in obvious amazement as I make my way inside, eyes darting about.

I pause in the middle of the room, turning to face Lucien, "This…did you do this?"He smiles, refusing to answer as he busies himself with my son. The house, both its interior and exterior, is tidy and, from the looks of it, has been maintained properly over the years.I feel a tugging sensation in my chest as the memories of our time together swirl in my mind. I can almost smell his cologne as the memories of his skin pressing against mine fill my senses.

"Mum?" A low voice calls, pulling me out of my reverie.I blink, nodding in my son's direction, "Yes?""Are we really going to stay here?" His eyes are hopeful, drawing a small smile from me as I reach to pat his hair.

"Yeah, we are."

His grin spreads, and he runs off, disappearing behind a door. Now, with Lucien and I alone, there's a lingering sense of unease in the air.I clear my throat, raising my eyes to meet his gaze. "Thank you for everything." I'm as polite as I have to be.

He nods, his fingers sliding over his face. "If you need anything, I'm just a call away."

I nod in reply, walking towards the door and holding it open for him. He stands awkwardly in the doorway, his hands tucked into his pockets. I push the door wider, reminding him he was just leaving.

"This feels just like old times," he says, his voice heavy with nostalgia."This is nothing like the old times, Lucien.'He takes a step closer, causing me to back up a bit. "But it can be. You're here now. This must be a sign." "This is no sign, Lucien, I am here because my son is—"

"Our son," he cuts. "Rora, please. I just need another chance, and I swear on my life I'll make you the happiest woman," his voice drops a notch. "And I'll be the best father to Ronan. You know he needs it."

"Don't try to blackmail me with him," I snap, my chest heaving. "Don't you dare try to use Ronan to buy your way back into my life. He deserves a father who will stay. A father who will love and value him above all else. He deserves a man who will prioritize him."

"And I'll stay," he says, his steady voice a contrast to my agitation. "I'll protect him. I'll take care of him. I'll take care of you. Just give me another chance."

I suck in a deep breath, regaining my position at the door. "You have to go now. I need to keep a close eye on Ronan."

His eyes search mine for a moment before he nods. "I mean every word I've said, Rora, and I intend to spend the rest of my life proving it to you." His eyes move behind me, scanning the room before returning to my face. "Take care of yourself. I'll be back at dawn."

I waste no time slamming the door shut the moment he leaves. I knew this was going to be hard. What I didn't expect was his resilience and the effect it has on me.

It's just a matter of time, Rora. Ronan will get better soon, and you'll be out of here as soon as possible. I whisper to myself as I rub the area on my chest that won't keep still.