Plus Size Luna Obsession

Chapter7

Aurora's POV

Victoria didn't waste time to spin around at the noise. She spotted them racing towards us.

She didn't say a word to me. She leaned away and ran as fast as she could, her runner's legs Karina of the waving world like she was born just to do that. The rock she had been holding in her hand dropped with a loud thud into the dirt where my head had been a second ago.

Smith and Rio didn't chase her, instead, they got to where I was, dropped on their knees with each of them being on a different side of me.

“Aurora.”Smith said as his hands reached out to my shoulders, then to my face and then to my shoulders again."Look at me Aurora. Tell me are you hurt?”

“Why aren't you both going after her?” I pushed his hand away as firmly as I could. “That b***h is getting away.”

“we realized you were bleeding so we couldn't just leave you and chase after her.” Rio said quietly to my right.

That was when I looked down at my arm and saw a thin red line that ran across my lower arm.

“It's just a scratch, Rio. It's absolutely nothing to be worried about.”

“I don't think it's just a scratch. Looks like venom to me Aurora.”

“It's just a scratch, Rio.”I said, putting much emphasis on the word just. I hated how they made me feel like I was a baby who needed protection. I got up to my feet and for a second, the ravine seemed to tilt around me. “I'll be fine. You don't have to worry your ass off.”

“You look like you would lose your footing in a few seconds.” Smith pointed out.

“I am literally standing.”

"Barely."

"Then I'm barely standing and I'm still fine." I climbed up to the ridge, ignoring both of their hands. I needed to see the situation around and know the next move to take.

The clearing around me was empty. The rogues who had attacked us were now gone completely and so was the crossbow.”

“Those motherfuckers ran away.” I said, more to myself than to the men behind me.

“Yes they did.” Rio replied, getting in line beside me.

“All of them!” I kicked at a branch hard enough to break it. “I should have broken Victoria's neck when I had her pinned on the ground.”

“Technically,You pinned her with a venom bite in your shoulder," Smith said. “I don't think you would have been able to do much.”

“What I did to her wasn't enough. Can you believe that that b***h called my daughter a bastard? She stood there with a crossbow and called my little angel a…” my voice cracked and I hate it that it did in front of these men. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “She got away. She deserves death. She f#@-#@g got away.”

“For now," he said.

"Don't say that like it's supposed to comfort me and make me hate her less.”

“It's not supposed to comfort you but it's a promise I am making to you. “ He took a step closer to me like I was a wolf he didn't want to spook. “Why don't I carry you to the car? You look pale.”

"No."

"Aurora."

"I said no. Didn't you hear me the first time?"

“But you don't look fine. You can't even walk straight.”

"Watch me." I said and I began to work forward. I took the first three steps and it was quite easy but the fourth one was crooked. Smith opened his mouth to say something but I pointed a finger at his face.

“Don't.”

He nodded once and closed his mouth and that was when I saw the corner of his jaw twitch and I had no idea whether it was anger or it was a smile attempting to pull up on his lips. Rio on the other hand was looking around the clearing.

“Is there something funny that I don't know about?” I asked.

"Nothing," Rio said. “It's nothing at all. Just think of it as personal humor.”

I sighed and watched him crouched and picked something out of the dirt. A crossbow bolt. The tip of it was dark with a liquid I couldn't quite place.

“This appears to be the same venom as the rogues.” He pointed out. He stood up showing it to Rio.

"So Victoria's been working with them," I said.

"Or they've been working for her."

“What's the difference?”

“The difference is that, the first one means she is a traitor who would sell you for a few coins and the second means she's in charge.”

Rio's face went hard.

“ Why hide behind a crossbow? If she wanted a fight, she could have said so."

"She did but unfortunately you answered it alone and now you are poisoned.”

Smith was right but I wasn't ready to acknowledge that

“I am the beta. I am in charge for a reason.”

“Except you weren't critical enough to know it was a trap.”

“I know that now.” I rubbed my temples

“The next time we are going somewhere, I will ride in front of you.” Roi said, getting on his feet.

"Since when did you think I answered you? Who do you think you are to give me orders?

Smith made a sound that was supposed to be a laughter. “Of course you are the boss. You answer to no one.” He watched me for a second. “By the way, what did Victoria say to you down here before we came?”

I looked away. "Nothing worth repeating."

"Aurora." He persisted, watching me closely.

I sighed knowing I couldn't keep this away from him. "She said Maya would never be safe and that the cross family would make sure of it.” My throat tightened at the thought of such an unfortunate thing happening to Maya. "She knew things she wasn't supposed to know about Smith. She knew things like how old Maya is.”

"Maya's safe. I doubled the guard myself." Smith assured,à flicker of something unreadable in his eyes

“If that's the case I'm grateful to hear that but why does it feel like she isn't safe?”

Neither of them answered and that was when a branch snapped behind us.

The three of us went still and listened and that was when we heard another rustle coming from the trees like something was dragging itself through the trees.

Smith's hand closed around my arm protectively even though I never asked for it and that was also when I felt Rio's heat leave me before I even turned my head.

"Stay here," Rio said, vanishing in a second

"Rio..."

He was gone. I didn't see him move. He activated his wolf speed. I didn't see when he moved because one second he stood to my left and the next the air where he stood was empty like no one stood there.

"He's fast," I whispered.

“Amongst all the wolves I know, Rio is the fastest so far which is why I actually trust him with you.” Smith said, his eyes never left the treeline. He was being watchful in case something life threatening came for us.

A grunt came from the trees. Then a scuffle like Rio was fighting whoever that was. A thud sounded and then a cry that was absurdly cut short. Smith took a step forward, and I took one with him.

"Rio?" he called but silence replied to him instead.

Then all of a sudden, the bushes parted and Rio walked out dragging a man by the back of his collar. The man was bleeding from his side, and one of his legs bent the wrong way. His face was pale and slick with sweat, and he was breathing in short, wet gasps.

Rio dropped him at my feet like a bag of laundry.

"Look who we caught," he said.