༺ UNBELIEVABLE

~Aurora~

༺༺♡♡༻༻

A chilling silence followed by abrupt confession and the only sounds that I could hear was that of my heart as it thudded wildly against my chest.

I grabbed the sides of the red gown that Mindy had lent me tightly, just to hide the way my fingers were trembling.

Nobody said a word but they didn't need to.

Thanks to this damn mate bond, I could feel what each and everyone of them was feeling and I could only imagine what was going through their minds right now as they all stared at me as if I had grown horns.

I could tell what they were feeling - and by the goddess, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

A mixture of shock, anger and disappointment was rolling off them with an intensity that was so strong, it made my knees tremble.

"What did you just say?" Xander murmured first, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

I took two steps backward, to get as far away from his cold glare as I could.

"I said..." I began then cleared my throat, "I want to reject the three of you. Right now, right here."

"No!!"

Mindy's voice tore us all out of the tension and I turned to see her standing beside a pillar, her shocked purple eyes darting between us.

"You can't do that, Aurora."

I can't do that?

Okay, who does this lady think she is?

"Why can't she?" Xander asked but got a glare in response.

Mindy approached me carefully, her expression pleading - "I am very serious. You cannot reject your mates."

I clenched my teeth angrily at her words.

"It's my life," I snapped, snatching my arms from her grasp, "don't think I'll let you tell me what I can or cannot do. Do you hear me? I'm tired of having my life dictated by others. I get to decide and my decision is NO. I am rejecting them."

"Aurora, I get how you feel and I know how overwhelming this whole thing might seem. But believe me I'm not trying to control you." She paused and released a sigh, "think about yourself for a while. You have been through so much pain these past few days - taking on three rejections could kill you."

I wanted to retort back, but I bit my lip because she was right.

Taking on two rejections would be so overwhelming.

But....

"Why are you fussing so much, Mindy?" Xander grumbled, "if she wants to take on a suicide mission she can have at it. None of us asked for this. I, most especially...am not enjoying this shenanigans."

Mindy gave him a sarcastic smile, "Oh really? So you wouldn't mind if she goes with either Ryder or Zephyr?"

Xander's face darkened but he didn't respond.

Ass

"Are you okay, Zephyr?"

Zephyr, who was already healing up, nodded with a grimace.

"I'm fine, Mindy. Always expect Xander to play dirty like the coward he is."

Oh, don't they ever stop?

But I assume they don't.

I've heard about their rivalry... for more than five years, since their father died.

The brothers hated each other and would kill themselves...from what I've heard.

How could three men with the same father have so much hatred for one another?

I shuddered.

That's not really my concern right now.

My concern is my freedom and my life.

"So your only reason for stopping me is that I'm not healthy, right?"

Mindy shrugged, "something of the sorts."

"Good," I murmured, "So once I'm healed I can get this over with. That should not take up to one month. So I have one month of being held captive in this place."

I turned and marched back into my room.

I had barely closed the door when I heard footsteps behind me.

I ignored it and laid down on the bed - which by the way is too big for just one person.

"Aurora..."

I shut my eyes hard, trying to drown out Mindy's voice and her presence.

It was annoying.

Annoying me that she acted like she cared when truly she's not in any way helping me.

Yeah, that sounds like a speech from an ungrateful entitled bitch

But I can't seem to find it in me to give a damn.

"Please hear me out."

I sighed and opened my eyes, "Trust me Mindy, I've been hearing you out and I've been listening to you. All I want is to be understood."

"Why are you so hell bent on leaving?" Her face was laced with confusion, "It's not so bad here and you would practically be a princess."

Yeah, I guess others could see that as such an honour and it is.

But a few days ago I felt honoured too thinking I'd soon become Luna of a powerful park.

How did that turn out?

"I never said it's bad here. Why do I want to leave? Because this is all too much and...I can't think of anything else. Half of my life was centred around a man...a man who ended up betraying me, in ways you can't begin to imagine.

I lost everything I thought I had. A family, a home and...my child!" My breath hitched but I continued, "I've not gotten through that. I've not given myself the liberty to grieve properly and now I'm caught between three powerful men who hate each other?

"I want...I just want to be in control of my life and make my own choices. I want to know what it feels like to be my own person again."

She said nothing for a few minutes. Just stood there staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"No one would ever force you to accept something you do not want, Aurora. I promise you that. Once you are completely healed, you will have your leave and your freedom from your mates."

The relief I expected to feel didn't come.

Or perhaps I was too overwhelmed to welcome any other additional emotions.

Once I heal, she says.

That would not take long, definitely.

Before I could respond, the door opened and Zephyr walked inside looking hot as sin, despite the dried blood on his face.

"How are you doing, Aurora?"

I felt his concern even before he spoke, but I didn't answer.

He gave Mindy a pointed stare and she nodded then left the room hurriedly, leaving the two of us alone.

I didn't move. I didn't dare to, even when he sat down on the bed, with his worried gaze on me.

"I am very sorry about everything going on right now, Aurora." He murmured with a sigh, "I can only imagine how hard this must all be for you. And I'm also sorry that you had to see all that."

He looked.... nervous. And that was very interesting to see..the way his eyes were darting around, avoiding mine as he spoke.

I almost smiled.

I would have - if not for the situations at hand.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I do not understand however why you three would fight for me. You barely know me."

"I do not have to know you. You are my mate, Aurora. So yes every part of me yearns for you."

This time his gaze met mine and I shivered at the intensity of his stare.

"Surely that doesn't make sense to you." Although once upon a time, it did to me.

I released a deep breath...

"

Are you ok? " he asked, looking a little tense himself.

Am I ok????

He surely can't be serious, asking me that question....

With everything happening, that question "are you ok" just feels like a mock one, simply because it only makes me remember everything that's been happening.

I don't really know if the Moon goddess was really in her right sense putting me in this whole situation that feels more like heavy luggage on top of my head.

And honestly, It's taking every ounce of strength in me, to scream out loud.

Because this whole shit?

It's definitely way too much for a person to deal with.

"Aurora"... I snapped out of my thought and looked up to see Zephyr staring at me intently.

So intently, that it felt like he could see right through my skull and I had to blink hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

I'm in a deep enough situation as it is.

Tearing up in front of these semi strangers is something the tiny dignity I had left wouldn't let me do.

"Everything's going to be alright, just a matter of time" He said with a facial expression, which almost convinced me that he might have been reading my mind all this time.

" I know this is the last thing you wanna hear anyone tell you but, Moon goddess always has a reason for doing things.

I mean, I know you have not been finding it easy to adjust with all the drama here, but like I said, just a matter of time" he said standing up and heading directly to the door...

"But I still don't understand why...." I began, then clamped my mouth shut.

Zephyr stopped at the door and raised his brow, indicating I finished my sentence.

"If you're so sure and you have this much faith in the decision of the Moon goddess," I asked with a frown, "then why do you still find it hard to share with your brothers?"

Instead of responding, he chucked, but not before I caught the lost look in his eyes, which was there for just a split second.

Then he opened the door and left, leaving me more confused than I was.