16. Truths
Chapter sixteen
Truths
*AURELIA*
T itan ate a snake.
I glance at my phone, re-reading the message over and over again. It’s from Felix.
Mom said I should tell you.
I call him instantly. “What?” I ask.
“It’s like I said,” he says, completely unfazed as usual. “Titan ate a snake.”
“What type of snake?”
“A huge one. I don’t know about snake species. If you want specifics, ask Dario.”
“Felix!” I huff. “Focus!”
“What? Why are you getting mad?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, taking a few deep breaths. Next to me, I can feel Arden casting curious gazes at me. We returned to the Council a couple of hours ago, settled him and his brother, and then went to meet Arden’s team properly. I haven’t had the chance yet to talk to them and to introduce myself. They are working on the case of the missing omegas, and I want to make sure to be of help to them. We worked until lunch, when everyone took a break, and Arden and I retreated to his room.
That’s when Felix’s message arrived.
“It just disappeared into his body, Aurelia,” Felix explains. “Titan suddenly had a huge mouth and really sharp teeth.”
“Are you making fun of me, Felix? If you are, it’s not funny. I’m really busy.”
“No, no! It’s not a joke. Wait a moment—” I hear some rustling before Dario’s voice comes through.
“Aurelia?”
“Yes, please tell me again… what happened with Titan?”
“It’s like Felix said. Titan was outside when we heard some hissing and growling. Felix, Mom, and I went to check and saw a snake battling it out with Titan. Mom got worried because, well, a cat is not invincible. Then, Titan opened his mouth and inhaled the whole snake. Just for the record, it wasn’t a tiny snake. Think three meters.”
I’m speechless. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Mom thinks it could be a demon.”
“What? Titan?”
“Yes, remember the human who lives in Liam’s pack?” Dario asks. “Annie’s best friend.”
“I do.” He is talking about Dave, a young human who has been friends with Annie since they went to school together. Recently he met his mate and moved to Liam’s and Annie’s pack.
“He has a demon pet, too. A dog. They think he somehow escaped the demon realm and hid here. Seems like they take the form of animals.”
I use the finger of my free hand to rub over my forehead to soothe the incoming headache. I’ve heard the stories about Dave’s so-called pet, a demon creature that got lost in our world and coincidentally got adopted by Dave. “What do we know about them?”
“Not much. Mom says we don’t know much about demons in general. Dad says one demon pet is a coincidence, but a second one is a problem,” Dario continues. “He will research it.”
“Fantastic,” I mutter.
“Don’t worry,” Dario reassures me. “We just wanted to inform you. Neither Mom nor Dad thinks it’s something to worry about, at the moment. They will keep an eye on Titan and do their research.”
“Thanks, Dario,” I say. Before I can hang up, I hear whispers from the other end of the line. Felix seems to say something to Dario, urging him to ask me something. I’m amused, well aware of where this is heading. “Is there something you need, Dario?”
“Felix wanted to ask something,” Dario says.
“What?” Felix squeals. “No… well… yes…” he pauses. “Come on, Auri, please.”
“Okay.” I laugh. “I met my mate.” I turn my head to smile at Arden and reach out my hand to touch his cheek. “And he is wonderful. I will tell you everything later.”
Felix and Dario bombard me with questions, but I just laugh and wish them goodbye before hanging up. The moment I put my phone aside, Arden pulls me closer and into a kiss. He parts his lips, allowing my tongue to push past them. He kisses me with an insistence that surprises me. I find it incredibly hot, allowing him to push me onto my back and lie on top of me. Like two horny teenagers we keep making out, feeling each other’s bodies while our tongues battle for dominance.
I like that he wants me, and I like it even more that he tries to get what he wants. He isn’t shy. Only the fact that we have to be back with the rest of the group, in approximately ten minutes, is holding me back from ripping the clothes off his body and riding his cock. When I sleep with him, I want us to have the whole night for us, not just a lousy ten minutes.
Arden turns on his back, finally out of breath. I use this moment to straddle his hips, pinning his arms to the side before kissing him again. It’s not enough time to fuck him, but certainly enough time to kiss him. When I let go of one of his hands, he moves it to my back before slipping it into my pants and squeezing my ass.
Oh fuck, yes.
The alarm on his phone pulls us out of whatever we were about to do. “I can’t believe it.” Arden sighs. “For the first time in my life, I want to skip work or school.”
I smirk, well aware of how dutiful he usually is and what such words from him mean. I bend forward. “We can continue this anytime,” I promise.
He smiles, brushing his fingers through my hair and curling a strand of it. “I enjoy it with you,” he says.
“Kissing?” I ask.
“That too,” he pauses. “I enjoy listening to you, the noises you make, the way I can hear and feel your breath.”
Something about the way he says it makes this feel more intimate than any other confession. I’ve realized that he sometimes switches off his hearing aid. “I won’t be insulted,” I say. “If you need your silence occasionally.”
“I usually don’t find voices pleasant,” he admits. “But yours is.”
The alarm of his phone goes off a second time, and we finally get up. “Time to go back to work,” I say. “And later this evening I promised to meet my friend. Do you want to join us? I would like to introduce you.”
“Are you going to a club?” he asks.
“We’ll go to a restaurant first and then see what else we want to do.”
“And you are sure I won’t disrupt your date with your friends?”
I laugh. “Are you kidding? They are probably dying to get to know you.”
“Okay, so how about I join you for dinner and then let you have fun with your friends?” he offers.
“Is this really okay with you?”
“Of course, they are your friends. I will get some reading done while you are out.”
I like that he isn’t too overprotective and clingy, and trusts me although he doesn’t know me yet.
“Do you want to stay in my room?” he asks. “I mean, with me for the remainder of your stay.”
Just clingy enough, the perfect amount! “Yes,” I say, squeezing his hand. “I’d love that. I will move my things into your room.”
*ARDEN*
Gustave and Zoé can barely hide their curiosity when Aurelia joins us for the afternoon meeting. She met the team earlier today, but they were both too shy to ask questions. Now Zoé watches Aurelia’s move in awe, while Gustave casts me curious glances.
Aurelia wouldn’t be the alpha she is if she didn’t catch on. “You are from Arden’s pack, aren’t you?” she asks Zoé.
“Y-yes,” she stutters. “I was originally in the kitchen staff, but then… Arden came to the kitchen, and we talked,” she pauses, gesturing with her hands wildly. “We just talked. I swear there is no history between us.”
“Goddess.” Leila laughs. “Why did you even mention a nonexistent history? You are really cute.”
“I just don’t want there to be any bad blood,” Zoé blurts out.
“Why would there be?” Aurelia says with a smile. “Arden told me that you are very smart, which is why he wanted you for the team.”
“I’m so glad.” Zoé beams. “I think it’s cool that you are mates!”
“I think we all agree on that,” Leila admits, elbowing Aurelia. “Did you tell him that you have five brothers?”
I raise my head. “What?” I ask, shocked. “I wasn’t aware!”
“How can you know everything about this case, every little detail you ever read, and don’t know this,” Leila teases. “Didn’t you do a background check on her?”
“Why would I?” I ask. “She is my mate, not a criminal.”
Aurelia grins. “Don’t worry about my brothers. I can easily keep up with them.”
“Minus the oldest,” Leila adds.
“Yes, but Liam truly cherishes the mate bond. He will be happy,” Aurelia says.
“Right,” Emilien chimes in. He joined us late today because he had to accompany Eric’s guests for a couple of hours. Once he arrived at our meeting, he mainly stayed silent for the talk but now decides to join it, saying something that makes my blood freeze in my veins: “Her father is more terrifying.”
I completely forgot that she is a lycan princess. Her father is the crown prince. He will be king one day. I had this information stored in my mind, but somehow didn’t connect it to Aurelia. She isn’t a powerful princess to me. She is my mate.
“Oh, Emi.” Leila rolls her eyes.
He looks sincerely confused. “What?”
“Don’t let them tease you,” Aurelia reassures me. “My parents are already looking forward to meeting you. My sister-in-law is an omega, and not once did it matter to them. They will love you, too.”
“Well,” I say, deciding to see this from a more rational perspective. “I’m sure I will soon see for myself.” They certainly can’t be worse than my dad.
Thinking about my father makes me remember the other unpleasant talk I still need to have. I’ve dreaded it all day, and only Aurelia’s presence made me forget about it. But now that it’s on my mind, it’s going to stay until I handle it.
I have looked at the folders Aurelia had prepared, my photographic memory saving it to my mind. So, I decide to use the next hour or two, while Aurelia briefs the others, to finally get it over with. “I’m going to meet with Prince Eric,” I tell the others. “Aurelia will brief you on what she found out.”
The others nod, unsuspecting of what’s going on. Emilien looks at me and shows me an encouraging smile. At least that’s what he was probably trying to achieve, though, in reality I just feel like the biggest failure while making my way to Eric. I’m going to tell him that my father is an abusive ass who tried to attack my mate. I, an alpha’s son, couldn’t stop him from hurting my brother and from attempting to hurt my mate.
It doesn’t matter that Aurelia is strong enough to stand up against him. It matters that I was never strong enough.
The whole way to Eric’s office, I try to think of what I’m going to say and how to tell him, only to bump into him in the corridor.
“Arden.” Eric beams at me. “Where are you heading to? Did Aurelia finish her briefing?”
“She is in the middle of it,” I say. “But I’ve read the folders before.”
Eric eyes me curiously. “So?”
“I was looking for you,” I admit.
A hint of understanding flashes in Eric’s eyes before he shows me his signature toothpaste smile. “Let’s grab some coffee,” he says.
The Council has its own cafeteria, just like it has a whole bunch of shops and smaller restaurants. Eric and I target a small bistro a bit further away from the places the other regulars usually frequent. He orders his cappuccino while I settle for an espresso. Actually, a shot of whiskey would have been better.
For a while, we sit in silence.
“Is it true?” Eric finally asks. “What Emilien told me.”
“That’s a rhetorical question.” I hear myself answer. “You know the answer already.”
“I do,” he admits. “But I need to hear it from you.”
“It’s true,” I admit. Just sitting here with him makes my feelings overwhelm me. I didn’t expect it to hit so hard, but suddenly, my eyes start burning, making me hide my face behind my hand. “Oh, fuck.”
Eric squeezes my shoulder. “It’s not your fault,” he says quietly. “I hope you know that. Truth be told, I had a feeling something bigger was off.”
“He hurt Vander,” I mutter. “And it’s not been the first time. And he tried to hurt Aurelia.”
“What about you?” Eric asks quietly. “Did he hurt you before?”
I stay quiet for a while, collecting my thoughts. Eric lets me, not inquiring further and just drinking his coffee.
“Most of the time, he ignores me,” I admit.
“And the rest of the time?”
“He… he thinks I’m useless,” I say, barely able to say the words. It makes the situation feel a lot more real. “And that I shouldn’t have been born. A cripple. Well, you get the general message.”
I can see Eric’s hand tensing. Glancing at him for a short moment, something angry swirls in his eyes, but it’s gone fast. “Did he ever attack you?”
I think of the last time when he almost strangled me and the time before that when he purposefully beat me up during training. He is a reigning alpha. I had no chance.
“Oh fuck,” Eric spits out. “What is he even thinking? I will need to investigate him and his doings properly,” he tells me. “And I hate to put you through this, but I will need details. If you feel better about it, you can write it down instead of talking to me.”
“Is that really okay?”
“Of course,” Eric says, almost sounding gentle. “I will need to talk to Vander, as well, though.”
“He went through so much,” I mutter.
“I will be sensitive,” he reassures me. “Arden, he is a minor. I need to talk to him to find a solution that keeps him safe. I will try to keep him out of most of it. But please understand that I need his report, myself.”
“I know,” I say. “It’s just… I said goodbye to my father a long time ago. Ever since the accident happened. But Vander, he still had hopes that things will get better.”
“Is there more I need to know?” Eric asks me.
I swallow down my pride and my own pain, deciding it’s better for me to answer all his questions than for Vander to need to do it, and I tell Eric about how my father has been bedding she-wolves from our pack, just to drop them later. I go into more detail about how he treated me and how he never planned on making me his heir. I describe what happened today, including that he tried to alpha command me to reject Aurelia.
Eric is silent once I’ve finished, just his eyebrow ticking slightly. “It’s his loss,” he finally says. “That he never saw how capable and talented you are, it’s truly his loss. None of this is your fault, Arden. I know you won’t believe me, but I hope that one day you can accept this truth: you are not responsible for your father’s poor decisions. You are also not responsible for how he sees you or your brother. He thinks you are a failure? That’s his problem, not yours. You are good exactly the way you are. And just so you know, not everyone is capable of resisting an alpha’s command, but you did. Your mental capabilities are amazing. You will enhance Aurelia’s power well, just like she compliments yours.”
“Do you truly mean that?” I ask quietly.
“You are the prodigy. Let the facts decide,” Eric says.
“I know the facts, and I know rationally that you are right,” I say. “It’s just difficult for my heart to accept it.”
“I am proud of you,” Eric says, much to my surprise. “You are intelligent, empathic, and always try to become better. You invited your former bully to your team because you want to save these omegas. That’s the type of person you are. You will be a fantastic co-leader to Silverlake.”
“Who will lead my old pack?” I ask.
“We’ll see,” Eric says. “It’s your birthright—”
“I don’t want it,” I say shortly. “I truly don’t.”
“I know.” Eric looks sad. “I am sorry for not intervening earlier, Arden. I had a feeling something was wrong.”
“It’s not like I didn’t rebuff you every time,” I say. “If Vander wants the pack, I will give it to him. He is a good guy, and I’m sure he will be a good alpha one day.”
“Let’s see about that,” Eric says. “We don’t know yet what Vander wants. We should take him into consideration, too.”
“And if none of us wants it?” I ask.
“Then, we’ll find another solution,” Eric says. “For now, your father and his ranked members must face this investigation.”
I feel almost bad for some of my father’s men; not all of them were bad. They had no power to resist the alpha.
“Come, Arden.” Eric nudges me gently. “I think it’s enough for today. Let’s return to your team and see how they are doing.”
He pays for the both of us before I follow him back to my office. “Zoé already looks up to Aurelia,” I say.
Eric chuckles. “I am not surprised. And Gustave?”
“He seems to be more curious about how I ended up with her.”
“He is looking up to you,” Eric says.
I laugh. “No way, he is!”
“You are nothing like he expected you to be,” Eric says. “He constantly tries to get your approval. If you don’t believe me, Emilien and Leila said the same.”
“It’s a bit difficult for me to see his good sides,” I admit.
“And no one blames you for that,” Eric reassures me before opening the door to my office. Aurelia is currently presenting the last couple of folders, so we arrived just in time. I listen to her for a while, noting how well-prepared she is and how she truly wants to find these kidnapped omegas. Her dedication impresses me. My earlier dark thoughts and my heavy talk with Eric are completely forgotten when I look at her and see the determination in her eyes.