AURORA

Chapter four

Reed and Tracy stood fixated, too shocked to utter a statement, as they couldn't believe the Almighty Alden would have a calm demeanor for a woman.

“Mind if I take you out on a walk?” Alden asked politely, as if a little misspoken word could make her vanish.

“S... sure,” Aurora stuttered as she agreed without thinking twice, her cheeks flushing red, making her blush more obvious.

They both left the house as Reed and Tracy watched them disappear into the steel night.

“We have to go after them! Who knows what he would do to her?” Tracy said in panic, holding the hem of Reed’s shirt.

“Uh… don’t worry, he wouldn’t do anything to her,” Reed said, finally finding his voice.

“Why won’t he? He would probably hurt her. Have you forgotten how he cut off a girl's arm after she accidentally touched him?” she asked, fidgeting, her voice full of concern.

“He won’t, because that is his **mate**,” Reed replied calmly, trying to put her mind at rest.

Tracy looked at him stunned, trying to comprehend what he was saying. “You… you mean my best friend is his mate?” she asked, as Reed held her hand and led her to the couch.

*It’s no wonder,* Tracy thought. Alden looked so different, really different from the man they had known.

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“Where are you taking me?” Aurora asked as she leaned back on the car seat while Alden was driving. Her face shone with excitement; she couldn't believe she had attracted such a handsome man and was lost in her own fantasy.

“Showing you around,” he said as the sunset cast a glance on his handsome face, making the view more pleasing.

Alden stepped on the pedal as the car sped off. They arrived at a restaurant where an exquisite, large wolf head was carved in the center of the room. It was a golden statue representing their pack. Alden took her to the VIP room, as the staff bowed their heads in respect for him. Immediately, they got to the VIP suite, Alden made them sit at the window side so they could view the surroundings from up close.

“This place is beautiful,” Aurora said as she took her camera from her bag, capturing all the memories she could.

“Hmm,” Alden replied, as he never talked much. His gaze never left her long black hair cascading down to her waistline. Her eyes, nose, and lips were perfectly sculpted, complementing her black eyes. The more he stared at her, the more eager he was to mark her as his mate, but he wanted to take things slow in order not to scare her away. *She is just a human, after all.*

They were soon served a meal, and Aurora ate to her satisfaction. They talked amidst the food; she would sometimes laugh at his words while Alden would only smile—a rare sight only shown to Aurora.

After they were through, he took her to tour the vicinity. Aurora kept on taking pictures, tasting their local dishes and snacks as she relished every moment. It was soon time to go home.

Alden drove her home. They were about to get out of the car when he received a phone call.

“Speak,” he ordered, his expression completely different from earlier.

“Sir, there is an emergency. Your attention is needed here,” the person on the line said.

“Hmm… understood,” he replied before hanging up.

He looked toward Aurora, who creased her brow in concern as she stared at him, making his gaze soften.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

“I have to go… it’s an emergency,” he said as he studied her reaction.

“Hmm… It’s okay. Thanks for today,” she said, bringing out a dashing smile.

She was about to leave the car when Alden pulled her back, kissing her forehead before letting her go.

Aurora looked up in a daze before opening the door and dashing out. She couldn't believe he would kiss her forehead. She imagined what it would look like if his lips were on hers. She could feel her heart beating faster than usual.

She got inside and was welcomed by the stares of Tracy, Lena, and Reed, who were anxiously waiting for her.

Tracy was the first person to spring up from her seat, rushing toward her and holding her hand.

“Are you okay?” she asked the still-dazed Aurora.

“Y… yes, I am fine,” she replied.

“And where are you coming from?” Lena asked in her strict tone. Aurora swallowed hard; she knew what her mother looked like whenever she was in her strict mode.

Aurora moved closer to her. “Mom, I only went out with Alden, Reed’s friend. You don’t need to worry, I am fine,” she answered her mother as she sat down beside her and held her hand.

“You need to be careful not to get into trouble,” Lena advised her as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Tracy, eager to hear her story, quickly went to her. “Auntie, you don’t need to worry, Aurora is fine,” she assured Lena before dragging Aurora with her to the room. “Tell me, what transpired between the two of you?” she asked curiously after they had both sat down on the bed.

Aurora blushed as she remembered how he kissed her forehead.

“Did… did you two kiss?” Tracy asked as Aurora’s face turned red.

“No… no… he only kissed my forehead,” she replied honestly.

“C’mon… tell me, what do you think of him?” Tracy asked, her eyes bulging in excitement.

“What do you mean by that? It’s not that deep,” Aurora said, pulling away from Tracy as she stood up from the bed.

“What do you mean it’s not that deep? You came in here blushing and your face was red… are you telling me you are not feeling a thing for him?” Tracy teased as she walked around the room with Aurora.

“You know what… Reed needs your attention,” Aurora said, pushing Tracy, who was struggling to say something.

“Wait… you need to tell me… I am your best friend!” Tracy said as she was pushed out of the room, blinking her eyes cutely, curious to know how Aurora felt about Alden.

“Go… Reed needs you,” Aurora said as she locked the door, sighing.

She ran to the bed and bounced on it in excitement. She checked her phone and remembered she didn't get his number. She pouted as her cheek flushed red.