Chapter 13 #3
We share a look that stretches longer than it probably should.
His eyes are so soft, so gentle despite the Alpha pheromones that hint at steel beneath the surface.
Freckles dust across his nose in patterns I want to memorize.
His brown hair falls across his forehead in ways that make my fingers itch to brush it back.
I realize with sudden clarity that I'm staring at him like he's a five-course meal and I'm starving.
The blush returns with a vengeance, heat flooding my cheeks as I register exactly how predatory my gaze must look.
We just met. I shouldn't be looking at him like this. Shouldn't be feeling this intense pull toward someone whose last name I only learned a few hours ago.
"Fuck," Cale groans from his position beside the bed, breaking the moment with characteristic bluntness. "If you two just want to kiss, do it already. I'm dying watching this soap opera shit."
Elias grins—the expression transforming his whole face from gentle to mischievous.
"Are you jealous?"
"Of course I'm jealous!" Cale's response is immediate and heated. "Of some random ass nerd fucker using a cat to steal my woman!"
"That's not what happened," I sigh, exasperation warring with affection.
The kitten—currently curled up at the foot of my bed where it's been napping peacefully—chooses that moment to contribute a loud meow to the conversation.
Like it's offended by the characterization of events.
"I do apologize for all the trouble this has caused," Elias says, and the sincerity in his voice makes it clear he's not just being polite.
Then, before I can formulate a response, he leans in and kisses me.
The touch is soft—so much softer than Cale's desperate claiming—but no less affirmative. His lips are warm and gentle against mine, moving with careful intention that speaks to restraint rather than lack of passion.
It's a promise. A beginning. A preview of something that could be extraordinary if we let it develop.
When he pulls back, his mouth hovers close enough that I can feel his breath against my lips.
"I'll see you soon," he whispers, the words clearly meant for "him"—for Rory, my public persona.
But his eyes tell me he sees Aurora underneath.
I can't form words. Can't do anything except nod submissively while my pupils probably dilate to cartoonish proportions.
My Omega instincts are practically purring with satisfaction, and I'm pretty sure my expression is embarrassingly transparent about exactly how affected I am by this Alpha.
Elias smiles—warm and knowing—before straightening and addressing the kitten.
"Time to go. No more causing trouble."
Meow, the kitten replies, sounding entirely too pleased with itself.
It leaps from the bed to Elias's waiting arm with the kind of athletic grace that seems impossible for something so small. He scoops the tiny creature against his chest, cradling it like precious cargo.
"We'll be in touch," he says, giving me one last lingering look before heading toward the door.
The room feels emptier when he leaves, despite the fact that Cale and I are still here.
Before I can process the departure, Cale's hand is tilting my chin up.
Then he's kissing me again—long and hard and possessive in ways that make the monitors beep their alarm.
His mouth claims mine with bruising intensity, tongue demanding entry that I grant immediately.
The kiss tastes different from Elias's gentle exploration.
This is familiar territory, well-mapped and thoroughly conquered.
Aggressive, desperate, and carrying months of complicated history.
When Cale finally breaks away, we're both gasping for air.
"What was that for?" I ask when I can form words again.
"I wanted to be the last taste in your mouth," Cale says bluntly, no shame or apology in his tone. "Not that fucker."
Despite everything—the injuries, the exhaustion, the complicated emotions swirling through me—I can't help but smirk.
"Jealousy suits you."
"Whatever." He rolls his eyes, but there's affection beneath the gruffness. "Eat. You need protein and calories."
He reaches for the takeout containers Elias left, opening them to reveal an impressive spread of food. Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables. Rice pilaf with herbs. Some kind of soup that smells like heaven. Fresh bread that's still warm.
"I'm sorry I didn't bring you food," Cale adds quietly, and the apology surprises me enough that I look up sharply.
Cale doesn't apologize easily.
Doesn't admit fault or inadequacy except under extreme circumstances.
But here he is, genuinely apologetic that he didn't anticipate my needs before someone else did.
I smile—genuine and soft in ways I usually reserve for private moments.
"I didn't even realize I was hungry until he showed up," I admit, reaching for the soup container. "But thank you. For being here. For caring."
The words feel inadequate for the complexity of what I'm trying to express, but Cale seems to understand anyway.
He settles into the chair beside my bed, watching me eat with the kind of attentive focus usually reserved for race diagnostics.
And as I work through the admittedly delicious food Elias provided, I find myself wondering:
What's going to happen now?
I have a scent match who's apparently willing to accommodate my complicated relationship with Cale.
I have a secret identity that's somehow even more precarious now that another Alpha knows about it.
I have a career that demands my full attention, right as personal complications are multiplying exponentially.
I have two Alphas who want me.
Who care about me in different ways.
Who are willing to navigate whatever complex pack dynamics emerge from this situation.
And I have absolutely no idea how to balance any of it.
But as I eat my soup and exchange looks with Cale that carry entire conversations, I realize something important:
For the first time in years, I'm not facing these complications alone.
I have people in my corner. People who know my secrets and haven't run away.
People who are willing to fight for me even when it's inconvenient or uncomfortable.
That just has to be enough for now…at least until we unravel where this is going to take all of us.