Chapter 26

Aurora James - POV

When I went back to my room, I made sure that the locks were engaged before I made my way to my bed and lay down. How are we going to make Elijah leave without alerting anyone about what is going on between us? 

"We can ask mate for help," Lily suggested. 

"He doesn't even care about us, and do you think he would give a damn about our problems?" I retorted when Lily rolled her eyes at me. 

"If he didn't care about us, why did he save us? He could have just let us die or let Elijah save us." She said, and this only infuriated me. Sometimes, I hate it when Lily makes sense.

"We can take care of our problems." I asserted, but she shook her head as she retreated to the back of my mind. With no one to speak, I blankly stared up at the ceiling when I had enough and walked towards the French doors. Ever since I got here, I didn't get a chance to walk out onto the balcony. 

I opened the doors and walked outside as a soft breeze blew past me, making my hair sway. This was indeed a splendid view with the forest and the mountains in front of me as I stared out. It would be nice to spend the rest of my life in a peaceful environment like this, but deep down, I know that this cannot be my permanent home. 

My fragile relationship with Beta Perez is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, and when it does, I know that I will not have a place in this pack. I came here looking for peace, but I don't think I can stay here forever. 

I stayed out till the sunset on the horizon, and the temperature began to drop as I walked back inside. The night was still young, and I needed some answers. I took some clothes out of my bag and walked into the bathroom. 

After a shower, I put on my sneakers and walked downstairs. As I reached the foyer, I heard chatter coming from the living room, and I walked towards it to see who was in there. "Luna Aurora." Levi greeted me as he got up from his place. "Would you like to join us for some drinks?" He asked me as my eyes wandered to the other two people in there. 

Adrian was seated next to Levi, and Elijah was also with them, which surprised me. He rarely spends time with his beta back at his pack, thinking that it is an act of disrespect for his alpha ego to mingle with anyone lower than his status. 

A sarcastic smile formed on my face as I turned my attention back to Levi. "Please call me by my name, Levi." I insisted when I saw his eyes slightly widen in fear. 

"But, you are a Luna and…"

"I am giving you the permission to call me by my name." I insisted when I saw Elijah's hand tighten around the glass he was holding. I know this must be his doing.

"Okay, so would you join us for some drinks?" He asked me.

"I am going out to meet someone. But thank you for the invitation." I told him, and when I was about to leave, I saw Elijah get up from his place. 

"Where are you going?" He asked me in the most polite way possible, but I could clearly hear the undertone of anger in his voice. "Isn't it late, Aurora?" He asked me as he briefly looked out through the window. 

"I told her I would meet her now. So I will see you guys later." I said as I walked out of the house. I made my way to my car and started the vehicle as I pulled out from the driveway. As I left the pack, I drove into the small town when I saw the restaurant come into view. 

Compared to the first time I saw, there were fairy lights that hung out but the place was almost empty. I parked the car in front of the cabin and walked inside. "Hello, dear." The same woman whom I met the first time walked towards me with a smile on her face.

"Hi, am I intruding?" I asked her when I saw the tables were all pushed to one corner.

"No, dear. There is a reception that is being held here tonight. But the guests will only arrive after ten. Please come and take a seat." She said, and I nodded my head as she led me to a table. "I never got to introduce myself. I am Erica Kennedy." 

"I am Aurora James. Thank you for your help the first time, Mrs. Kennedy." 

"No problem, dear. So, can I get you something to eat?" She asked me. 

"No, thank you, Mrs. Kennedy. But I am here for something else." I told her when she raised an eyebrow at me. "I want to know about our Beta. He seems like a reserved type to me." I told her when a nostalgic smile formed on her face. 

"He was not like that before. He used to visit this place every day. But I think certain incidents change a person." 

"What incidents, Mrs. Kennedy?" I asked her when she looked at me. 

"I will get us some coffee, dear. We might need that." She said, and before I could decline her offer, she was off to her kitchen. I looked out through the window at the dark forest outside when I saw the bushes move. 

I looked around the restaurant, but no one else was there when I got up from my place and walked towards the large sliding door. My heart was beating so hard that I was afraid that someone could hear it. 

The bushes moved again when I saw something red behind them. My instincts were telling me to step away from that door, but my curiosity got the best of me as I opened the sliding door and walked into the wooden deck. 

"Is anyone there?"