Returned To the Pack
Aurora's pov
The afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy in pale, golden beams, casting long shadows across the carpet of pine needles and damp earth.
I walked beside Roman, the rhythmic crunch of our boots against the forest floor the only sound breaking the early morning quiet.
For once, everything felt peaceful, and I hoped it would stay that way.
I wished we could have remained in that little cottage forever, far away from the throne, the rogues, the vampires, and Scarlett.
Just Roman and me.
No responsibilities. No danger and no endless problems waiting for us the moment we returned to the castle.
For a little while, that cottage had felt like our own private world.
And a part of me wished we could go back there and never leave.
But unfortunately some wishes don't always come true.
I glanced at Roman, unable to stop the small smile that tugged at my lips. I couldn't stop thinking about his calloused hands on my hips and the low, guttural growl that escaped his throat when he kept pounding into me.
A sharp, dizzying warmth bloomed low in my belly, my pulse hammered in my throat as the vivid sensory memory of his lips tracing my inner thigh replayed behind my eyes.
I tried to keep my gaze fixed straight ahead, pulling the coat tighter around me-one of the few things Roman had salvaged from the cottage, along with clothes and boots for us both.
Beside me, Roman slowed down a little. His broad shoulders were relaxed, but the subtle tension in his jaw gave him away. His head was tilted slightly in my direction, a dark, wicked smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
"You know," Roman said, his deep voice carrying a dark, amused rumble, "if you continue daydreaming you're going to kiss the ground."
I blinked, abruptly snapping out of my trance and glanced down just in time to adjust my footing, narrowly avoiding the thick pine root jutting across the path.
"I wasn't daydreaming," I replied quickly, my voice a little too tight.
"I was just thinking about something."
Roman suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, and turned around to face me fully. The morning light caught the amber gleam in his eyes-bright, predatory, and brimming with smug satisfaction.
My breath hitched as he took a slow, deliberate step toward me, trapping me against the trunk of a towering spruce.
The air around us instantly evaporated, replaced by that same heavy, intoxicating heat from the cottage.
"You don't have to lie to me," he murmured, leaning down so his lips hovered bare millimeters from my ear.
His warm breath fanned across the sensitive skin of my neck, sending a violent shiver straight down my spine.
"I can read your thoughts and right now you can't stop thinking about this morning."
My heart pounded as my back pressed flat against the rough tree bark.
I completely forgot, now that the bond was finally completed we could read each other's minds. But why can't I read his?
Maybe because I'm human I guess.
"The bond," he murmured, his hand sliding inside my coat to rest against the curve of my waist, his large palm burning hot through my shirt. His fingers dug in just enough to pull my hips forward until there was no space left between us, letting me feel the hard, rigid line of his body.
"But I don't need the bond to know when you're thinking about the way you sounded underneath me.
Your scent changed the second we hit the trail sweet, heavy, and completely undone."
He tilted his head, his teeth lightly grazing the spot where my pulse hammered wildly at my collarbone before his eyes locked onto mine, dark and intense.
"And if you don't stop thinking about it," he growled softly, his hand pressing firmer against my hip, "we're never going to make it out of these woods."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
He leaned closer, and I instinctively held my breath.
Then suddenly a sharp crack came from somewhere among the trees.
Roman immediately pulled me behind his large body, shielding me from whatever danger was about come.
"Stay behind me and don't move."
"Is it the vampires?" I asked.
Before Roman could give me an answer several figures emerged through the trees.
My heart jumped.
But then I recognized the man leading them.
Kael.
Thank god it was him and it wasn't the rogues or vampires.
Kael approached us with several warriors behind him, relief evident on his face.
"Alpha," he said. "We've been searching the entire forest for the both of you."
______
An hour later, we finally reached the castle grounds.
Roman carried me in his arms as we entered the main courtyard. The moment the pack members spotted him, relief swept through the crowd.
"Alpha!" they shouted, running toward us.
"Luna!" another woman shouted.
Soon people started to gather around us, smiling and calling out greetings. Roman acknowledged them with a nod, his usual commanding presence returning despite everything that had happened.
"It's good to see you all," he said. "The Luna and I need to rest. We've been through a terrible ordeal. I will address the pack soon."
The crowd reluctantly parted, allowing us to pass.
"Well it seems they've missed you quite a lot," I said, looking up at him.
"I'm their king after all," he replied smiling. "And they've missed their queen as well."
I rested my head against Roman's chest as he carried me toward the castle.
Just as Roman crossed the threshold, Scarlett appeared, stepping directly into our path.
I exhaled, rolling my eyes.
These past couple of days it was so peaceful without seeing her irritating face and now I have to deal with her all over again.
I just wish if she could completely dissappear from our lives for good.
The moment she saw me in Roman's arms, her expression darkened.
"Where have you been?" she demanded, glaring at Roman.
Roman's jaw tightened.
"Get out of the way, Scarlett."
She folded her arms, her eyes blazing with fury.
"You don't get to speak to me in that tone after you left to the Redstone Pack without bothering to inform me, and now you return with carrying this bitch as if she's some damsel in distress?"
This woman has some nerve. She has the audacity to call me a bitch when she's trying to come between Roman and I. She can dream all she wants about having Roman. When she soon realizes he marked me, she's going to flip out. Roman's mine and I'm his. And there's absolutely nothing Scarlett can do.
I felt Roman's arms tighten slightly around me.
"What did you just say?" Roman's voice was deadly calm.
"You heard me!" she yelled.
"Get out of the way," he said coldly. "I'm in no mood for your tantrums."
Scarlett's expression hardened.
"Roman-"
"I said fucking move!" he roared.
Before Scarlett could take another step, she shot me one last heated glare. Then she turned sharply on her heel and stormed up the stairs.