Alpha

bChapter /bb93 /b

Aurora’s P.O.V

“Caleb told me what happened yesterday.” Caroline sat on the bed opposite to me, reapplying the bandage on my arm. It was almost healed, that too in a matter of a couple of days, but she insisted that I keep it on for another day or two, so it can heal properly without any permanent bone damage

“Are you going to tell me that it’s just chance as well?”

ia /i

I asked, looking at her beautiful face to see her reaction. “Are you going to tell me to give him another

Caleb’s kiss had taken me by surprise; caught mepletely off–guard. But if I was being very honest, it had left me breathless and wanting more at the same time…until the realization of what he had stolen had set in. It hadn’t been just a kiss; it had been a dream for me, to kiss the boy I love on my first proper date.

However, I had soon realized that there had been anotherpletely different reason for my disappointment in Caleb. And it hadn’t just been because of ia /istolen first kiss. If Caroline asked me to forgive him, or give him another chance as well, then would I really do that? Was it really childish of me to want him to apologize to me?

But Caroline gave me a smile instead, while shaking her head. “No; I want him to work for a chance to apologizing to you properly for being an ass.”

I blinked back my surprise at her words, as she finished up on the bandages and ced my hand gently on myp. But instead of letting go, she held on.

“I’m happy that you were able to speak your mind, Aurora.” Caroline told me, her eyes shining with kindness. “And I want you to keep doing that. Say exactly how you feel. If you’re sad or happy or angry; express them, let others know. You’ve suffered too much to stay silent any longer. Let it all out.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, emotions clouding my eyes once more.

It had taken a near death experience for me to speak out my mind to Caleb. But even then, I had instantly been gued with guilt. Not because of the way I had used him of stealing my first kiss and telling him to bleave/bb; /bbut because I had been silent for so long that the silence had be a part of me. Even when my father had been beating me to death, I had tried not to make noises so as not to scare Riley.

But it was also for the same reason that I couldn’t let my emotions control me forever either. I couldn’t always speak out when I was sad or angry bor /bbhurt/b.

“I can’t,” I told her, shaking my head. “I don’t have that kind of luxury, Caroline. I have to think about Riley as bwell/bb./b”

“I respect that you care about your brother so much, but that’s another reason why you should be more open with your emotions, rather than bottling them all up inside.” She willed for me to understand. “Don’t let your love for him be a cage, because soon it’ll turn to resentment. The rtionship that is your sanctuary now might end up bing your prison.”

“You sound like you understand what I’m going through…” I trailed offb, /bnot knowing how to exin it to her.

“Is that surprising?” She gave me a sad smile. “I guess it would be. What could a girl like me, who seems to have everything anyone could want in life, be sad about? What resentments could she possibly have? That’s what you’re thinking, right?”

She sighed, leaning her back against the headboard, looking lost in thought for a second. Her stance mirrored that of Caleb’s from yesterdayb, /bwhen he had looked at me before leaving, his eyes looking lost, and suddenly, a realization came to my mind. Her and Caleb…they were actually like mirror images of each other. And I wasn’t talking about their looks. It was the way they behaved, so simr to each other that it was hard to tell if they were rted to the other or not. They were too much alike.

“My parent’s, along with the rest of the pack, thought I would end up with Calebb./b” She told me what I already knew. “But it’s not because of how close we

wanted me to be bthe /bLuna bso /bwere ever since we were born…bvery /bfew people know the truth that the proximity that we had was forced upon usb. /bbMy /b

badly; they thought that they could manipte the mating bond between us if bwe /balways stayed together.”

Suddenly, bI /bfelt my heart thrash against my ribcage in fear. “Can it really? Can the bond be maniptedb?/bb” /b

Now wasn’t this a surprise? Not a day ago, I had actually been hoping that if I got out of bthe /bway, Caleb and Caroline could be together and bbe /bbthe /bbAlpha /bpair that their pack would never revolt against/But now that I was hearing Caroline talk about it…why did I feel this sudden sense of bfear /bthat the rating bond between me and Caleb might actually end up breaking apart?

Caroline shook her head; that sad smile still on her lips. “No. A mating bond can’t be broken or rejected once the imprint sets bin /bbce/b. bThe /bbnight /bbof /bbCaleb’s /bbirthday bwas /ba rude awakening for my parents, when he imprinted on you rather than me. But bI /bcouldn’t have been happier.

b“/bWhy?b” /bbI /basked. “Wouldn’t it have been better if it had been you?”

“Don’t you get it?” Caroline asked instead. “That’s exactly what everyone said. That’s exactly what everyone wanted.*

b“/bEveryone but you…” I realized what she meant with a start. “Why?”

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