Chapter 40 #2
Once I woke up around early afternoon, I sat in the kitchen, eating a banana and looking over my conditional acceptance letter to the med-school in New York I'd applied to.
They had offered to set up a time with me so I could come see the campus and see if it was the right fit for me.I sat chewing my bottom lip nervously.
What now? This was my escape plan, but did I really want to escape now?
Did I really want to drop my plans for Aiden?
I cared about him deeply and didn't want to do anything to ruin this perfect path we’d started together.
“Rosie!” Tony’s deep voice reverberated in the empty kitchen as he reached over me to grab an apple from the fruit basket on the counter. His eyes slid to my acceptance application, widening in surprise but he didn’t ask me about it. Instead, he sat down next to me and began munching on his apple.
I looked at Tony sheepishly. There was no use in pretending he hadn’t seen it. I slid the letter towards Tony so he could get a proper look at it.
"I've been accepted to med-school. Conditionally, of course. I have a final interview once I finish off my sophomore year. My academic counselor recommended it to me. Said I'd be a shoo-in for the program." I kept my tone neutral, wondering what Tony's reaction would be.
“For what it’s worth, I think it’s great of you to have your own dreams and ambitions,” Tony finally said before taking another bite of his apple.
“I wouldn’t be able to manage my luna duties,” I replied nervously.
“Mom would love to take over temporarily. She’s been doing it anyway.
You should do what you love, Rose. Just because you’re Aiden's mate, doesn’t mean you should hold yourself back.
If it's what you want, your pack will find a way to support you through it.” Tony said all of this very matter-of-factly and with a confidence I didn't feel at all.
Deciding to think on his words, I looked back down at the letter, folding it and putting it in my bag.
“I have to think about if it’s something I really want to do,” I finally supplied, by way of explanation.
I stiffened when I smelled Aiden entering the house. He made his way over to the kitchen and walked over to me, a tender smile on his face.
“Did you just get home from class?” Tony asked his brother, finishing off his apple and aiming to throw its core in the bin.
I knew what Aiden was about to say just from the look on his face.
“Perceeepptive,” was Aiden's sing-song reply.
I giggled. “You know I hate it when you say that. It reminds me of Mr. Evans.” I shivered. “I don’t think he really likes me.”
Aiden's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me with concern. “Don’t worry about him, Rose. I’ll make sure he plays nice. Speaking of the Evans family…” He cleared his throat. “I’ll make sure they all behave. I’ve already had a word with Lexia about her interference with those suppressants—”
I let out a small gasp of surprise. I hadn't expected Aiden to take the time to go and confront Lexia. He was making it clear that he chose me.
“And if they can’t respect my luna, I’ll break the alliance contract with them,” Aiden ended decidedly, crossing his arms.
“Oh, Aiden, can you really blame her?” I asked quietly. “You shouldn’t be so harsh on her. You’re the one who promised her you’d find a loophole. She was probably thinking that she was helping you, in her own twisted way.”
“I think I’ve made it clear to her that a loophole is the last thing I’m looking for,” Aiden stated emphatically before reaching out to grab my hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Where?” Rose asked. Aiden pulled me up from my seat.
“To get milkshakes. And cheeseburgers. I’m starving.” He began dragging me out the door.
“There’s food at home,” I supplied, delighting in the feel of his warm hand holding onto mine.
“Along with eight other people. I want you all to myself,” he grumbled as we walked down the driveway to his car. “The only reason I came home was to get you.”
I smiled as I got in the car with Aiden.
We spent the drive talking, Aiden complaining to me how his course load was unbelievably heavy.
Once Aiden parked the car, I allowed him to put his arm around me as we walked into the diner.
Aiden tugged me into the booth next to him, refusing to let me sit across from him.
The entire time, Aiden couldn't keep from touching me. He would casually let his hand linger over my knee as we joked, or he'd intermittently move to clutch my hand in his. It wasn't until our food arrived that Aiden finally let me go, turning to eat lunch.
“I sent the text to be translated,” Aiden mentioned off-handedly, finishing off his cheeseburger.
“You know all of this could be avoided if I could converse with the elders,” I pointed out matter-of-factly, taking a sip of my milkshake. I looked at him pointedly.
Aiden's lips pressed together in a thin line. He leaned back in his seat to look at me. I shrugged my shoulders, taking in his stormy mood. “I’m just saying…”
“Don’t.” His voice was flat and brokered no arguments.
“But—”
Aiden put a finger to my lips.
“We’re having such a good time. Don’t ruin it by arguing over something like this,” Aiden stated resolutely. Then he gave me a half-hearted smile, trying to go back to a lighter tone of conversation. “Do you like your milkshake? You got a new flavor this time, didn’t you?”
I nodded, leaning in to take another sip. “I got strawberry. Want to try?” I slid the milkshake towards him as an offering of peace and a promise not to push the matter, for now.
“Sure.” Aiden'svoice was nonchalant but the gleam in his eyes told an entirely different story.
He leaned into me, lips melding over mine as he coaxed my mouth open with his tongue. His hand came to tangle in my hair and I let myself enjoy the way his tongue swirled around mine, lapping up remnants of my fruity drink. Unconsciously, I leaned into him.
“It’s good.” His voice was gruff and a little breathless as we parted for air. A roguish grin split across his face before he said, “But I have to try it again to be sure.” And he was back, kissing me, tasting me like I was the sweetest thing he’d ever had.
By the time we two made our way back home, it was late evening and Aiden was loath to give my company up. He followed me into my room where he stayed with me, surprised at how he didn't tire of spending so much time with me.
That night, when he finally said with a resigned sigh that he had to get up early for a meeting tomorrow, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
Aiden gave me one last long lingering kiss before retreating, using the main door to go to his room. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him to come back...or take me with him. I missed sleeping in his bed; I wanted to keep sleeping next to him and his warmth.
And altogether, a new dream took root in my mind. One that involved me nestled against Aiden'swarm, very human, body as I drifted off to sleep every night.
I reasoned to myself that it was always the fires that burned the brightest that ended up burning out the fastest. And I burned for him like I'd never burned for anyone else. It scared me.Maybe it scared Aiden too, and it felt like one wrong move would mess everything up for us.
Aiden's POV
I left Rose's room lost in my thoughts. Rose was insecure about me and her status in my life. Since I had been inside her mind, it had become blatantly clear. A contrite voice inside my head kept telling me that I was one of the main reasons behind those insecurities of hers. No, I never wanted her to be insecure. I wanted her to be confident and sure of herself. She was amazing, and it was sad she didn’t realize how much I cared about her.
I never wanted her to feel forced into deciding when and if to have sex. I remembered her on the day I’d first met her, her huge innocent blue eyes appealing to me. Telling me she could only mate with someone she loved…
I hoped, one day, that someone would be me. I wouldn't mate with her until she loved me, just like I loved her.