Chapter Ten: Aurielle DuVall

Out in the cold, a fitting fate for me. Twice in my life, I’ve been cast out at night. I’m amazed I didn’t immediately beg Matthias. In fact, I wanted to beg Matthias. But after the way he acted, the things he said to me at that party- to not let my attitude and lies corrupt Cassiel while he was gone- and the nerve he had to barge into my room for se-x.

Did he think that after he called me a liar, that I would still sleep with him? Is that how he thought this would go?

Well, not anymore. I think. The cold is messing with my head. I found a small bench and curled up there for the night. Shivering. I should have grabbed my credit card. Then I could have stayed at a hotel. 

The next morning, I woke up with a slight pain in my sides. This was a risky move. I put my baby at risk all to prove a point. I sighed, shivering. It was what... five maybe six in the morning? The sun was just coming up. 

I can’t go back to Matthias. Where can I... I mean my parents... no. No, that would be worse than whatever Matthias will unleash on me. 

I decided on the best choice. Making the long walk to the Crowe family’s house. Meriam should be awake. They’re an hour from this park, I can do it. I should have done that last night. Instead of sleeping in this flimsy night gown and a robe. 

I sigh, stretching slowly to relieve the ache in my bones. The walk was worse than I thought. My body felt like I’d decided to put it through the luna olympics. Not like that’s a real thing, but I’m sure it would be horrible. 

When I arrived, Maxwell was outside watering his wife’s plants. Some part of me stopped. I could envision an older Matthias looking like this. But I don’t think I’d be the lucky girl. The unfortunate part of my marriage is knowing that had I been any other person, Matthias would have moved on and fallen for me. 

But out of spite for me, he can’t do that. Maxwell noticed me as I stepped down the gravel path. He had a smile that lasted only seconds before realizing that I was freezing.

“Aurielle, what are you doing? You could catch a cold or worse,” he rushed over, shrugging off his jacket. The sun was out in full now, but that did little for the weather. Only until noon would the temperature get warmer. Maxwell covered me up the best he could and ushered me into the house. 

The warmth was the first thing I loved. The next was the smell of Meriam’s cooking.

“Honey, Aurielle is here. And she’s freezing. Poor thing.”

There was clattering in the kitchen, and he ran to check on her. I waited, my body choosing to remember that it had faced an unpleasant night. 

Meriam came out soon. “Aurielle, are you.. We need to take you to the hospital. Dear you’re cold. Come come, take a warm bath. Eat something. Then ... oh then we can go to the hospital.”

I truly have the best father-in-law and mother-in-law in the world. They've treated me even better than my own parents. Their support has been one of the biggest reasons I’ve held on to this marriage. But now, I have to make the decision to leave them. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.

I got no word in. She was in full mother mode. I didn’t mention to her last night that I would like to live somewhere else, which means I won’t get to see her as much. Now’s not the time for that anyway. 

After a much-needed warm bath and wearing a gown given to me by Meriam, I ate a full breakfast and was forced to see her doctor. Thankfully, everything was fine, but I was scolded for being careless. 

I accepted that. I shouldn’t have slept out on a bench while pre-gnant. To my relief, Meriam agreed to drive me when I told her I needed to take care of something near the Council grounds.

I didn’t give many details, and she didn’t press—though I could tell she was curious. On the way, she gently suggested that maybe I should give Matthias another chance, that he was trying in his own way. I smiled faintly, grateful for her kindness, but I shook my head. “I just need to clear my head for a bit,” I said softly. She didn’t argue.

What surprised me was that she didn’t turn the car around—she simply nodded and kept driving toward the Council.

Thank god. I want this divorce to be on its way. I’ve never been to the council building. It’s huge, running many affairs of the current district. I was overwhelmed. The place was packed with people who needed the council members for something.

After getting out of the car alone, I felt a little lost—unsurprising, since I’d never been here before. As I wandered around looking for the entrance, my phone rang.

Matthias. Without hesitation, I declined the call. How dare he call me after throwing me out like that?

But he didn’t stop. The phone kept buzzing with his name lighting up the screen again and again. I didn’t think twice to turned it off.

I was so focused on my phone that I wasn’t watching where I was going.

Stumbling slightly I bumped into something hard, and I almost fell back on my ass had that something not grabbed onto me. I caught the smell of an Alpha, but the smell was pleasant. Not imposing and trying to put my omega down.

He or she smelled like the ciderwood and sunflowers. An odd combination that worked. I blinked, already babbling apologies before I looked up.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking at where I was going. I was being careless, I’m very sorry-” I paused, my words caught in my throat as I caught the face of the man I’d bumped into.

Cassiel Aldric.