Chapter 10
Creed
Aurora was like a different person when she was fighting for others. If she could channel a fraction of that drive and persistence for herself… I wish she would.
But she was still fighting and there hadn’t been any more situations like on the roof. She heard people and believed now that the shame wasn’t hers. She was dedicated to the sessions with the shrink and her group though she was pretty wrecked after both.
“Are you sure you want to do this today?” I asked her as we headed to meet with that super warlock, Monroe. “I can go alone. I know it’s hard—today is always hard for you.”
“I don’t have much else on my calendar, so I can rest tomorrow,” she told me, always putting herself last.
I accepted it because I didn’t want to go alone again.
The last time I’d felt more like a specimen than going to see a doctor.
I was glad the warlock had taken an interest in both of our cases and was working with doctors to figure it all out, but that also meant what was going on with me was complicated.
And I was pretty sure it had to something to do with the fact I wasn’t a normal lion, one that wasn’t found in nature. Not even one that had gone extinct.
No, red lions were something of a myth to many and that was why there were so few of us. We couldn’t hide in the wild like other shifters, and if humans ever saw us… Albino animals were hunted for their rare qualities too.
Yeah, make sure to kill something so only you could have it, assholes. That made perfect sense.
Fuckers. Really, too many people were just fuckers.
Monroe was waiting for us with a lot more people than I’d expected… And about two dozen people I’d never seen before. He nodded when I growled.
“I didn’t agree to a circus. This is like sixty people.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, but you are maybe one of five male red lions left that we know of and you were bound for so long,” he said gently. “I swear this is for—you know you have to teach the cubs. You did so as an attorney.”
I sighed. Heavily.
“I’m interested as a doctor too,” Ha-joon admitted. We’d spent some time together and I actually respected him and Ellie now even if she irked me sometimes. I fully understood that her trauma couldn’t make her see clearly. And Aurora was the culprit of some of it.
But at least she was starting to understand that. He was a good guy though and understood things weren’t always how they seemed, so he wasn’t quick to judge me either.
“Just give me the damn towel so I don’t upset Aurora,” I grumbled as I took off my shirt. I knew they wanted me to shift so they could do their thing. My lion lurched inside of me and I let out a slow breath. “Some people need to check themselves. We’re not a pet or my lion is going to act out.”
“I agree,” Ha-joon said darkly, staring down a few people. “The attitude of some—this isn’t his penance for—you aren’t here to judge him. You’re coming in late to a complicated situation. Check your egos and judgments or leave.”
Aurora was immediately there to help me, smiling up at me. “I brought the burgers he likes. And I went to that farm Alexis recommended and got him some nice, butchered duck.”
I chuckled, leaning in and kissing her hair. “He loves when you feed him, beauty.”
“This is going to be a serious problem,” someone grumbled.
I turned just in time to see the person gesturing between the two of us and snarled loudly.
“What did Dr. Clark just say?” Monroe snapped.
“No, I’m sorry, but—he’s one of a few left and she’s infertile,” the guy pushed, doubling down. “The news was talking about it and—”
“How dare you challenge me when I was kind in letting you learn?” Monroe bellowed in a way that made all the magics cower. I didn’t like it, but it seemed to do something to their magic that translated to hurting them physically.
I was upset for Aurora, but she had a completely different response, moving in front of me protectively.
“I did not take those interviews and deal with all of this judgment just so we can turn things around from demeaning women as broodmares to men being stud horses. Whoever is here in the interest of learning about Creed and his potential to sire more red lion shifters, you are not welcome.” She immediately looked to Ha-joon.
And even I could register the steam coming out of his ears. He pointed to several and gestured towards the door.
“Wow, no good deed really goes unpunished,” I chuckled darkly, sickened when a dozen left.
“Don’t worry, cub,” Monroe said quietly.
“This was my miscalculation and I will handle it. They won’t remember what you are or their interest.” He sighed when I shot him a disbelieving look.
“It’s why I don’t confer with others much, but every so often I take the chance and hope society has progressed. ”
“And you normally find?” Aurora checked.
He met her gaze and looked tired. “Disappointment.”
“Yes, I find the same,” she admitted before giving me the best smile she could.
I wasn’t as old as her—and neither of us were remotely close to Monroe—but I also found the same. It was why I didn’t even try… Except with Aurora, and so far I didn’t regret that.
One instance didn’t make an argument though. It was an anomaly.
I wrapped the provided towel around my waist and stripped the rest off, noticing the way Aurora blushed as she looked away. I didn’t mean to be a cad, but things were progressing in that way too. She seemed… Interested.
I’d talked to her trauma shrink a few times and she gave me warnings and triggers to watch out for, but also explained that while Aurora was extremely and repeatedly abused, nothing had happened for centuries.
She’d been safe and she wasn’t scared to sleep worrying Kenneth would wake her to rape her.
She didn’t look for an elder around every corner.
It was more the acceptance, exploring, and once we were intimate that could bring up her past horrors. I promised to do my best with all of it and not pressure or force her.
I was pretty sure I’d proven that given it had been months now and that one kiss I’d apologized for was all we’d had. I wasn’t complaining, and I would be as patient as Aurora needed, but… It was difficult when I wanted her.
I shifted and promised my lion this was all to help us. He didn’t care as long as Aurora was there fucking paying attention to him. He was like a damn kitten rubbing against her forgetting his size and almost knocking her over.
He huffed when I reminded him that they needed to study us and take our blood. He let them for about ten minutes before going back by Aurora for love and food.
“Do you want the duck?” she smiled when he shook his head. “Burgers first. Yes, a man with good taste though funny that a lion wants cooked.” She smiled when he huffed again. “I think it’s endearing. You like my cooking.”
He really did.
She went into one of the bags she’d brought and pulled out a warming container.
“Wow, I’m officially hungry,” Ha-joon grumbled as he moved closer. “Those smell divine. That’s not a normal burger.”
“No, they’re cheddar bacon burgers,” she told him.
“I bought premade from the grocery store once, but they were too expensive for what you got. Mine are half beef and chicken—both organic—and antibiotic-free bacon with shredded cheddar cheese mixed in. I also put in dehydrated onions so they plump up from the meat juices as I smoke the burgers on the balcony.”
“I’d be purring for a lunch like that too,” one of the magics said as he gave Aurora an appreciative look.
Yeah, I growled. He rolled his eyes at me but focused back on the task.
She fed me two of her amazing smoked burgers while scratching under my chin before I let them poke and prod me some more. I drew the line when someone tried to stick a thermometer up my fucking ass, snapping at them but not making any threatening motions.
“We can do it magically so please check,” Monroe drawled, giving them a look to remember themselves. Glad the warlock was on my side at least. Like… Have some respect that I was a person and not a damn lab rat.
It took another hour, and all the food was gone by then.
I was lounging on her soaking up that she was rubbing my belly and snuggling with me when my lion let me know he was tired and had to change back.
I made noises to let Aurora know and she kissed my nose before turning away and letting me grab the towel after I shifted.
“Thanks for the food, beauty,” I said quietly while the others were distracted.
“You’re welcome,” she muttered while still facing away from me.
I hesitated for a moment but then decided to take the chance.
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful or make you uncomfortable, but I’m a bit jealous of my lion.
You touch his stomach and even his butt, rub his face and you won’t even look at me in a towel.
” I hurried on when she flinched. “Kissing your hair and hugs are great but—”
“But you want more,” she whispered.
“I want to know if there’s a chance for progress?” I asked, sounding confused to myself. “I’m not going to lie that I don’t want more. I do. I’ve never hid that, but I’m not trying to push you. I don’t want to push you more—not pushing is more important than progressing physically.”
She let out a slow breath and turned to face me. “You need hope that I can get better.”
I mentally cursed. “It’s not about you getting better, Aurora.
We’re both broken for different things. Fuck, I think everyone is pretty fucking broken, and I don’t say that to downplay what you’ve been through.
I’m saying it because I don’t think there’s better in the way you make it sound sometimes. ”