Chapter 22
“Pleasure of love lasts but a moment. Pain of love lasts a lifetime.” – Bette Davis
Rose's POV
I watched Aiden leave, brushing away the tears streaking down my cheeks. He didn’t want me. He didn’t want to be with me, and now he was being forced to have me in the room next to him, playing the part of his luna.
A rational voice in the back of my head whispered, isn’t this exactly what you suggested from the start? Weren’t you the one pushing for this arrangement?
But I was too upset to listen. I felt trapped in this situation.
It felt too much like forcing someone to be by my side.
Aiden had always said he would reject me because he loved Lexia and only wanted to live with her.
Yet here he was, forced to fix up a room for me—a room that should have been Lexia’s.
After showering, I yanked on one of my old outfits, shoving aside the expensive designer dresses and polos still hanging with their tags.
Then, I headed downstairs. It didn’t matter that I had pushed for an arrangement like this before.
That had been for after my turn. I hadn’t even turned yet. My birthday wasn’t until September.
On my way to dinner, I ran into Dylan and Kyle.
“Brad’s already downstairs eating all the garlic bread,” Dylan grinned at me.
They didn’t even seem surprised to see me coming from the alpha’s floor. Had everyone known about this move except me? I shoved my hands into the pockets of my capris, walking alongside Dylan and Kyle as they rambled about some action movie they wanted to watch.
“Once I graduate high school,” Dylan declared as we entered the dining room, “I’m not gonna have as much time to hang out with you.
I’m starting my werewolf training with Aiden.
He’s gonna train me to be his gamma and I’m going to go to college to become an accountant so I can do the pack accounts. ”
“I thought I was gonna be his gamma!” Brad blurted out, his mouth full of garlic bread.
“You’re too busy eating all the time,” Aiden joked from his spot at the head of the table. Then his eyes landed on me. He took in my appearance, his gaze flicking briefly to my lips before finally meeting my eyes. He turned away just as quickly, looking toward Dad, who sat to his right.
Dad smiled warmly, relief clear on his face. Getting up, he walked over and pulled me into a tight hug.
“Rose, I’m so happy you’re doing better,” he said.
He led me to sit next to him. The dining table had eight seats, and I noticed Dylan standing back awkwardly.
There wouldn’t be enough room for everyone.
Josie, ever the peacekeeper, wisely directed Kyle, Brad, and Tanya to eat in the kitchen since we had guests.
They complied without complaint, Brad looking thrilled to go straight to the stove and get his spaghetti.
Auntie Hilda sat across from dad, while I found myself across from Josie, who smiled warmly and passed me a plate of garlic bread as we waited for the spaghetti.
“So,” Josie said loftily, “when do you kids want the mating ceremony to take place?”
No wonder she had asked the kids to leave the room.
“The—what?” My shrill voice cut through the chatter.
I was still trying to process this entire situation, and now they were talking about the mating ceremony? My gaze snapped to Aiden, full of accusation.
“Is this another decision I have to follow without being consulted?” I sneered.
“Now, Rose…” Auntie Hilda began quickly, clearly trying to smooth things over. “We’re all just doing what’s best for you. We never should have let someone get bold enough to trail you and plan a kidnapping. Everyone is just trying to make sure nothing like that happens again.”
She probably thought she was being reassuring.
“Oh, thank you, Auntie Hilda, for caging me in further!” My voice was dripping with sarcasm, but the anger bubbling inside me was very real.
“I’m sick of everyone’s rules. I’m sick of being sent away, then brought back, then pushed and pulled based on what everyone else thinks.
And for what? So everyone can feel less guilty?
Has anyone even thought about what I want?
! If you and Dad didn’t want me living with you anymore, you should have just said so! ”
I was practically snarling by the end of it. First they all lied to me about my past and now they were making decisions about my safety without consulting me.
Auntie Hilda pressed her lips together, but they still trembled. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. A flicker of guilt hit me, but it wasn’t enough to make me take back my words. They couldn’t keep making decisions for me!
Suddenly, Dad’s fist slammed against the table, making the cutlery clatter. I jumped slightly, startled. My father had never directed his anger at me before.
“Aiden, Josie, and Hilda have gone through a lot of trouble, Rose, to make sure you have a comfortable room and want for nothing,” he said, his voice sharp with frustration.
“They’ve spent the past few days doing nothing but picking out décor, shopping for you, making sure everything was perfect.
Hilda hasn’t slept since you were admitted to the hospital because she was worried sick about you.
If you want to move back home, fine. Do it.
But none of us will sleep soundly, constantly worrying about your safety.
You’re an easy target if we leave things as they are. ”
“I don’t see why I have to live here,” I bit out, shoving down the guilt rising in my chest. I never asked them to do any of this! They weren’t helping me—they were suffocating me, taking away my freedom to choose.
“If we’re going to make this look legit, you have to live here,” Aiden said, his voice quiet but firm. He was telling me what no one else had. “Whoever took you knew we hadn’t mated. If someone’s watching you, they’ll be less likely to try again if they think we’re together.”
“Oh, because your presence is just soooo terrifying,” I scoffed.
“No,” Aiden snapped. “Because if they think we’re having sex, it means I can mind-link you even before you’ve turned.”
The room went dead silent. I felt like the air had been knocked out of me.
“You’re my mate, and you’re half-human,” Aiden continued, his voice clipped and clinical, completely devoid of emotion.
“When a werewolf mates with a half-human, they can mind-link each other after sleeping together. Once a half-human mate is marked, the bond becomes even deeper, and they can sense each other’s locations. ”
No one spoke as Aiden pushed back his chair and stood.
“I won’t mark you until after you’ve turned, but we really should have the mating ceremony soon,” he said, nodding toward Josie. “Ask Rose what she wants for it. I’ll take care of it.” He exhaled sharply. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
He strode out of the dining room but stopped at the doorway, turning back to glare at Dad.
“If you ever yell at Rose like that again, I won’t let it slide a second time,” he stated, voice dark and unwavering. “She’s going to be your luna, and I won’t tolerate anyone disrespecting her.”
Then he was gone, leaving behind a tense silence.
Just as he left, the scent of spaghetti filled the room. Lorraine walked in with dinner.
“I’m not hungry either,” I muttered, throwing my napkin onto the table before walking out.
Josie's POV
“But it’s her favorite,” Lorraine said, looking stunned as Rose disappeared from sight.
“I’ll send up a plate of leftovers for her later,” I said, watching Rose leave.
She reminded me so much of myself when I’d been her age. Though I hadn’t had the same issues she and Aiden were having. But Rose had that same determination and she was head strong too. The makings of a perfect luna.
“Josie, I know it’s customary for the previous luna to move out to make room for the new alpha and luna…” Ezra began hesitantly, brushing off Aiden’s earlier warning like it was nothing.
“You don’t seem at all upset about Aiden’s warning to you,” I noted with a tilt of my lips.
“It gives me hope,” Ezra admitted sheepishly. “I know how territorial males can be about their mates—I still remember how furious I was when Estelle’s mother once yelled at her.” Ezra shared a smile with Hilda.
I sighed. He understood exactly why Aiden had spoken to him that way.
“Still,” Ezra added. “I have doubts. Aiden is an angry young man. And Rose…she’s a resentful young woman.”
“Both are being forced into roles they aren’t prepared for,” I conceded with an incline of my head.
Ezra brought a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know how this is going to end, but I think your presence might help guide them.”
I nodded, chewing on a meatball before swallowing. “I was thinking about moving into a home designated for retired pack alphas. It’s also used by widowed lunas.”
“I’d appreciate it if you stuck around,” Ezra said quietly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave them alone in this house together.”
I gave him a rueful smile. “I don’t mind, Ezra. I was planning to stay for a while anyway—at least until Rose gets the hang of things and their relationship improves.”
“You say that like it’s inevitable,” Hilda said hesitantly.
“It is,” I assured her.
“How can you be so sure?” Hilda pressed.
I hummed, letting the moment stretch. “Hilda, do you know what book Rose has been reading lately?”
Hilda’s eyes widened as she tried to recall but came up empty.
“I can’t remember. She always has her nose in a book, but I don’t know the title,” she admitted sheepishly.
“It’s Game of Thrones. Apparently, it’s also a wildly popular TV series. I haven’t read it or watched it,” I said casually.
Hilda still didn’t see the connection. I turned to Dylan.
“I know you watch it, but I don’t let the younger kids stay in the room.
If Tony’s over, he watches it too. And ever since Aiden came back from studying abroad, he’s been watching it with you.
Dylan, can you tell us why Aiden suddenly became interested in the show?
” I asked, satisfied with where this was going.
Dylan scratched the back of his head, confused. “Uh… he said he always saw the book with Rose. Said something about studying in the library with her and noticing it in her bag. He saw her reading it on campus too.”
Hilda frowned. “Just because he saw the book with Rose—”
“He noticed,” I cut in smoothly. “Aiden can’t even remember what he wore yesterday, but he sure as hell remembers all those excruciatingly short skirts Rose wears.”
My grin widened.
Hilda scoffed. “He’s a young alpha. Of course, he’s going to notice a girl in short skirts.”
My grin only grew.
“Ezra, when you announced at the council meeting that you were stepping down and taking Rose with you, what did Aiden do?”
Ezra glanced at Hilda, clearly wondering where I was going with this.
“He said we couldn’t take Rose away from the pack,” Ezra admitted.
“That she loves this pack and would be devastated if we forced her to leave. He said he’d step up and make her his luna if that’s what it took to keep her here.
He says it’s his fault she was kidnapped and that he’ll make sure it never happens again. ”
His mouth was set in a grim line, as if discussing Aiden and Rose left a bad taste.
“So he feels guilty,” Hilda supplied.
“That’s what he keeps telling himself,” I agreed.
“But there are a hundred and one ways to compensate for guilt. Even Rose pointed it out—she could have stayed home with guards. But Aiden didn’t want to take anything else from her.
He wanted her to be free. No guards, no curfews, no extra rules.
He didn’t want to suffocate her. The only way to do that was to make their relationship look real.
He knew she’d never agree to this, so instead of asking, he went out of his way to make things perfect for her. ”
I paused and everyone looked at me in confusion. I sighed in exasperation.
“I mean, seriously. What young alpha willingly subjects himself to the torture of redecorating a bedroom? He picked out everything himself. We wanted to talk to Rose about it, but Aiden refused. He said she’d just feel like a burden and try to leave—and that would make her miserable.
He told me…” I let my voice rise, letting the moment settle before I declared, “She deserves to be happy. Isn’t that right, Ezra?
You were there for this entire conversation, and you still doubt that he cares about her? ”
Ezra crossed his arms, nodding begrudgingly. “I’m still not convinced he’ll be able to keep her happy.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic,” I chided, smiling. “They’ll be fine once they get over their egos. Aiden is just in denial. Even if Rose didn’t have the luna mark, it’s obvious they’re meant for each other.”
“Josie, I just don’t want to see Rose get hurt,” Ezra warned. “If she’s miserable or in danger, I will take her away.”
I smirked. “You’ll be eating humble pie by the end of next year.”
“We’ll see,” Ezra retorted. He stood, leaving his half-eaten plate on the table. “I seem to have lost my appetite as well,” he grumbled before leaving the dining room.
“More for us,” I jeered after him, earning no response. I huffed.
“Has everyone gone on the no dinner diet or something?” I asked, finally noticing the near-empty dining room.
“I don’t think this conversation is appropriate for underage children,” Hilda finally said, realizing Dylan had been hanging on every word.
I raised an eyebrow at my son. He was almost eighteen—an adult by werewolf law.
“You don’t repeat this conversation to anyone,” I warned him.
Dylan nodded fervently before turning his attention back to his plate, twirling his spaghetti around his fork.
For a moment, I just watched him. I’d been so caught up in Aiden and Rose that I hadn’t even thought about my own son. He was about to have his first shift, and I hadn’t been paying attention.
“You know I’m here if you ever need to talk about anything, right?” I said softly.
Dylan mumbled his agreement, nodding. But he still seemed lost in thought.
I couldn’t help but wonder… What exactly was going on in that boy’s head?