༺ SNAP OUT OF IT

~Aurora~

I whipped around at the cold voice, and saw a woman sneering at me with a disgusted look.

She was a middle aged woman, with dark hair which already had streaks of grey hair in them, and her eyes, sharp and dark were just like Xander's own.

“Who are you?” She asked looking at me from head to toes, as if trying to assess me.

My fingers shook as I took a step back, away from her judgemental sneer.

“I….I'm uhm…”

“What? Do you have some sort of speech disability? Answer me this instant before I call the guards on you! Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

My heart thuded more frantically in fear at her cold tone, eyes darting around for some sort of escape, and I wished somehow that the floor could open up and swallow me that very instant.

But before I could muster up the courage to say a word, I saw Mindy running towards us and I couldn't have been more glad to see her.

“Mother…” she gasped as she stopped beside the woman, looking at me with wide eyes. There was a hint of fear and worry in her eyes as the woman turned to her.

“Mindy, where on earth is your brother? I'd love to know who this wretched low- life is and what she's doing in our manor. God forbid that bastard Zephyr has sent out a spy again because….”

“Mother please…”

“Where is your brother?”

“She's our guest mother.” Mindy said squaring her shoulders, “and yes my brothers are well aware that she's here. She's our guest and she's staying.”

The woman raised a brow and looked at me again before turning to Mindy with a cold look, “what do you mean guest? Where did she come from and why didn't I know about this guest?”

“Well you will have to talk to Xander about that, mother. For now I need to get Aurora back to her room because she needs rest.”

I didn't want to go back in with her, but I figured I didn't have an option. So when Mindy stared at me pointedly and turned to leave, I followed her but the woman grabbed my arm stopping me in my tracks.

“I don't like you,” she spat, “there's something un - nerving about you and I do not like you. I don't care who you are or where you come from, but your presence is not welcome here. Make sure not to overstay your welcome.”

Oh if only she knows just how much I want to be out of here too. If only she knows.

My tongue was still too tied up to say anything, so I just kept my face down until she released me before turning and practically running towards the room I had sneaked out from.

What exactly have I gotten myself into and how am I supposed to get out of this one?

I made my way to the bed, and carefully laid down my head whirling with many thoughts, a thousand questions at the same time.

What's all this? Why exactly did my fate lead me here? Why did I have to lose my baby and why did I have to be mated to these three men?

I placed a palm on my flat stomach and shivered.

Earlier, while I was laying in that cave in pain, weak and wounded, while I could even smell my own blood gushing out of me, the only thing that had kept me connected to life was imagination, hope.

Imaginations of my baby, my child. How I'd start a life for him or her away from any sort of Werewolf rank bullshit. How I'd make sure I raise them with so much love, how it would just be us two.

I had imagined what it would be like on their sixteenth birthday, when they turn to a wolf for the first time.

And now….

I can't even …

Oh God, I lost my baby before I could even get a chance to feel or know it for a while.

My heart ached like it was squeezed by hot hard fingers.

And these men- had just come into my life and claimed me to be theirs? Just like that.

Why!

What more do I have to live for at this point?

What?

The door opened and I was surprised to see Xander walking in with a tray in his hands.

His expression was closed off, eyes cold and masked with a chilly look- which I suspected he put on to hide whatever it was that was inside him.

“Hi,” he calls and his voice sends a funny shiver down my spine.

I cursed my body for reacting that way- especially given the circumstances but that was to be expected thanks to the mating bond.

I didn't respond, neither did I acknowledge his presence.

He walked in and placed the tray on the stool beside the bed.

“How are you doing?”

Again, I remained silent.

“You know,” he said calmly but with a frustrated sigh, “I don't appreciate being ignored. It's an insult and I do not tolerate insults.”

The threat underneath his words made me quiver but this time — in fear.

“I'm fine,” I responded curtly wishing he could just get out and leave me alone but there was no such luck.

“I have no idea why you are giving us this shitty attitude. We saved your life, woman.”

That's it.

“You think so?” I asked and smiled sadly, hearing the fact that my vision grew blurry with unshed tears, “You think you saved my life? What for? My baby was all I had left, I would have appreciated it if you guys just minded your fucking business and allowed me to die, you know? I never asked you to be a damn super hero. I never asked to be saved — but no that's not the worst thing. The worst thing is that I wake up to find that I am now mated to three men. Who claimed me with their bites without my permission….”

“You were dying, we had to bite you to quicken your healing process.”

“I didn't ask to be saved! I don't want any of this.”

“You know what? Fine!” He snapped, his cold demeanor snapping for a moment, “we should have just left you to perish, we should have looked away and allowed you to die, we should not have fucking meddled,”

“Thank you!”

“— because obviously one bad event is worth losing your life over. We should have allowed you to die because you encountered a challenge that others do and still decide to stand strong. But we didn't…we saved you dammit! And yes, we claimed you. It happened already, so I suggest you suck it up and start getting used to the damned thing, Aurora. Because what's done is done, and now that it's done, there's no fucking turning back.”

I stared at him, mouth agape as he stormed off but stopped when he got to the door.

“And no, I'm no fucking hero. But I am sorry for what happened to you. But dwelling on your sorrows isn't gonna get you anywhere.”