bChapter /bb108 /b

Aurora’s bP.O.V /b

bAura/bb… /bHis bvoice /bwas a husky bwhisper/b, but I could hear bthe /bstrain in them. It bfelt /blike he was bfighting /bbfor /bbcontrol/bb, /bbfighting /ba bwar /bwith his own emotions.

“I’m right bhere/bb, /bCalebb” /bbI /bwhispered, not knowing where bI /bbgot /bthe courage from bas /bI wrapped my arms around his shouldersb. /b

His bwarmth /bfelt inviting, addictive evenb, /bespecially with the chill in the room.

bCaleb /bbrought his bface /bcloser to my neck once bagain/bb, /busing one hand to brush my hair to bthe /bside. bHis /btouch sent tingles through my whole body, band /bbthis /btime, he didn’t bjust /bbstop /bat one sniff…I bfelt /bhis tongue dart out to lick at my skin, making me bgasp /bout in shockb. /b

bBut /bit bwasn’t /bjust shock I felt at that blick/bb. /bSomething else seemed to awaken inside me as well, something that made my skin tingle and my toes bcurl/bb…/bbmy /bheart beating a little faster inside my chest. My blood rushed to parts of my body I didn’t think bwas /bbpossible /band I bfelt /ban odd sense of tingling in bthe /bbpit /bof my stomach. bMy /bthighs clenched almost automatically, and bI /bhad bto /bbgrit /bmy teeth to stop bthis /bsensation from wrecking havoc all over my body.

But that bgasp /bseemed to have done more than just turn me on. It seemed to have bgotten /bthrough to Caleb as bwell/b, because the next thing I knewb, /bbhe /bwas pulling back and away from me, his beyes /bwide as he stared at my face, and the golden amber of his eyes faded to be reced bby /ba bdeeper /bblueb. /b

“A–bAura?/bb” /bCaleb swallowed audibly, his bvoice /btrembling from the force of his emotions. “Y–you should–d bstay /bba/b–away bfrom /bm–meb. /bThis…how? bHow /bdid byou /b

bget /b

hereb?/bb” /b

“T–that…” I cleared my throatb, /bswallowing nervously bas /bbI /bmoved away from him and sat on the bedge /bof the bed. “Caroline told me what bis /bhappening with youb. /bAnd…I want to help byou/bb, /bbCaleb/b. I want you to stop hurting.”

Caleb sucked in a breathb, /bas if he was bworried /babout what kind of impression I had gotten from Caroline. Or was he just worried that he might end up hurting me when he was in this state…barely holding onto control?

b“/bbAurora/b…I bdon’t /bknow what Care told youb, /bbut you really can’t be here right now!” Desperation seeped into his voice as he pleaded with me with his beyes/b, trying to make me understand. “I’m…not fully in control of bmyself /bright now and my wolf is unstable. I can’t risk hurting you when I’m like this.b” /b

34

I don’t know why but seeing him like this made my stomach twist in pain. My heart hurt. I’ve never felt this bway /bfor anyone. Caleb was someone who I hade to care for deeply and even without the bond, I could feel that he was trying his best to hide the pain. The room was freezingb, /bbut I could bstill /bbsee /bperspiration bead on his forehead. bHe /bwas struggling to stay sane, to keep his eyes open and to keep his wolf in control. And I didn’t want him to keep struggling like this.

4

“bMark /bme.” I blurted out. “If this bis /bthe only bway /bto make you stop hurting, then do it.”

“bW/b–whatb…/bb?/bbi” /i/bHe looked up at me through drowsy eyesb, /bas to trying to understand what bI /bjust told him.

“Mark meb, /bpleaseb. /bbI’m /breadyb./b” I told himb, /bthis time my voice bwas /bfirmer than before. b“/bCaroline told me your wolf bis /bin pain because I’m not connected to you. Then bmark /bmeb. /bbI /bwant bthat /bconnection, Caleb. I can’t bear bto /bblose /byou, not now, not ever.”

b“/bbAurora/bb, /bbyou /bbdon’t /bknow what you’re talking about!” bHe /bshook his head, fighting to remain calm, but he bspoke /bthrough gritted teeth, as if talking itself bwas /bhurting bhim/bb. /bb“/bbThis /bisn’t some child’s by/bb! /bA mark is forever. Once I mark you, byou’re /bmine, Aurora; there will be no turning back, no changing your mind! Everb! /b

“What makes you bthink /bI don’t want that, Caleb?” bI /bbasked/bb, /bmy bheart /bhammering in my chest. “What makes you think I’m not readyb?/bb” /b

“Because you were bready /bto leave bme/bb, /bleave everything behind not too long ago.” bHe /bcountered. “bI /bknow you still have doubts about us, about bthe /bbfuture/b. Then how can we move forward if you’re not byet /bsure bif /bbyou /bwant to be bwith /bbme/bb?/bb” /b

I narrowed bmy /beyes at him. I bknew /bhe bwas /brightb, /bthat none of us really knew what the bfuture /bheld. But I wasn’t about to back down just yet.

bReaching /bforwardb, /bbI /bgrabbed his hand and ced it on bmy /bchestb, /bbthe /brhythm bof /bbmy /bheart erratic and brushed/bb. /bbCaleb’s /bbeyes /bwidened bslightly /bas he bfelt /bbmy /bbheart /bthundering, and I took bthe /bbopportunity /bbto /bbstep /bcloser bto /bhim once again.

b“/bbDo /bbit/bb, /bbCaleb/bb./bb” /bbI /bbsaid/bb, /bbmy /bbvoice /bbsoft /bbut firm. b“/bbI’m /bbsure /babout this. I want this.”