Chapter 19
Carol’s POV
I practically jump out of my skin at the sound of Aiden’s voice. I whip around to face him and clutch a hand to my chest. “Aiden, you scared the daylights out of me!” I stutter. Aiden is leaning <b>against </b>the doorway to the <b>bedroom</b>, his arms folded over his chest. It’s too dark to make out his exact expression.
“Imagine how scared I felt when I saw you <b>weren’t </b>in bed beside me?” Aiden responds quietly. I look down at myself, guilt suddenly washing over me. I don’t know how to <b>respond</b>, so Aiden continues.
Do you want to leave<b>?</b>” He says softly. “If you don’t want toe, you don’t have to. Really. I’ll tell them any excuse in the world.” His voice falters slightly. “I don’t want to scare you off, <b>Carol</b>.”
“No, Aiden, 1 – 1 let out a sigh at my own <b>behavior</b>. “I don’t <b>want </b>to leave. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I tried to sneak out. I just —” I search for the words for a long moment.“. I’m scared. I can’t sleep.”
“I
Aiden steps into the <b>soft </b>light of the entryway. His expression is filled with as much guilt as I feel.
“I’m sorry,” he says, “I didn’t want all this to happen. If I <b>had </b>my way, you’d never have to deal with <b>this </b>nonsense. But my family…” he looks away with a conflicted expression.
they’re powerful. I <b>don’t </b>know <b>what </b>strings they’d pull if I didn’t get their damned ‘approval. He practically spits the word. I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around him.
“Don’t apologize,” I murmur, rubbing his <b>back</b>. “This isn’t your fault. I really do want to make a good impression. I’m just nervous, that’s all.”
Aiden surprises me by sweeping me up into <b>his </b>arms, <b>making </b>me let out <b>a </b>small squeak. His expression is deeply
“Here. Let’s talk. Do you mind if we <b>have </b>this conversation in the bedroom?”
I shake my head, too stunned by his strength to speak. He carries me back to the bedroom and puts me down. We face each other <b>as </b>we bothy on the bed.
“How are you feeling after earlier?” Aiden asks, I let out a long sigh. There’s no reason to hide my feelings from him, I remind myself. He deserves to know.
I expected that there can be <b>discrimination </b>against <b>humans</b>, but.. I don’t think I realized <b>how </b>much, I confess, “<b>Zack </b>my ex is an omega. He was always <b>a </b>bit snide about humans, and when we broke up made us out to be some sort of lowly beasts. Even with all that, I’m getting the impression it’s even worse <b>among </b>Alphas.”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.
Aiden rolls onto his back with a deep sigh. “You’re right,” he admits. “It’s quite old–fashioned. “Society likes to pretend that everything ispletely <b>equal </b>nowadays, but it’s really not. Werewolves <b>are </b>given <b>an </b><b>unfair </b><b>amount </b>of power, and <b>Alphas </b>especially so.”
It <b>makes </b><b>a </b>cruel sort of <b>sense</b>, unfortunately. Werewolves are physically enhanced inparison to humans. On top of that, their societal structure is rigid, and they operate within defined units. Alphas being at the top of that hierarchy means they’re the creme of the crop when ites to societal power.
“So Alphas feel like <b>humans </b>are the lowest of the low,” I muse. Aiden nods.
“Unfortunately, that’s how many feel. That’s also why <b>Alphas </b>tend to keep their <b>packs </b>so separate from normal human society. I knew only a <b>handful </b>of <b>humans </b>before I split off from my pack on my own.”
I turn toward Aiden sharply. “Really<b>?</b>”
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Chapter 19
“Really,” he says grimly. “My family is… protective, to say the least. They’re <b>very </b>sheltered from the outside world.”
I hum. <b>“</b><b>And </b><b>what </b>about Katrina’s family? She acted like she’s <b>never </b>seen a human in her life,” I huff with something between amusement <b>and </b>irritation. Aiden grimaces..
“Something like that. He tucks a hand underneath his head to support it. “Katrina is… an interesting case. She isn’t normally <b>that </b>severe. I’ve never seen her act like that, and I’m not sure why she had such an outburst. Granted, it’s been a while since we’ve talked.”
I smile dryly. I know why she had an outburst, I think. <b>Katrina’s </b><b>case </b>is not only one of discrimination, but of jealousy,
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“I think she just wants her crush’s attention.” I tease Aiden. Aiden groans to himself.
“God, I hope not,” he mutters. “I don’t think it’s a crush, for what it’s worth. It’s more like a sense of entitlement.”
I tilt my head curiously. “Entitlement? What do you mean?”
“Well…” Aiden trails off. I can tell he’s debating whether or not to continue this train of thought. “Katrina and I are family friends, like I mentioned before. Our personal rtionship was fine. Nothing special, really. Still, we were friendly enough that <b>our </b>parents thought it was a perfect opportunity forworking”
My eyes <b>go </b>wide. “No. You don’t mean…”
Aidenughs awkwardly. “Yeah. We’re not fated mates, obviously, so nothing was set in stone. Our parents definitely wanted us to get marned despite that.”
I <b>shake </b>my head with confusion. “I’m lost. I thought werewolves were all about their mate bonds? Aren’t they sacred?”
“Yes<b>,</b>” Aiden agreed, “it’s strange. Times are changing, but not for the better. Our families decided that we were a suitable match in terms of family and wealth, so they were more than willing to overlook the mate–bond thing.”
It dawns on me that some werewolves must think that practical matches are better than something arranged by the Moon Goddess. Judging by the way Katrina spoke about it, her family likely sees mate–bonds as frivolous. But that still begs the question_
“Why did you say no?” <b>I </b>ask. “I’m guessing that’s what happened. I don’t get the impression Katrina was the one to cut things off.”
Aiden <bys </b>on his back with his hands knitted behind <b>his </b>head. He has a pensive expression <b>on </b>his <b>face</b>.
“My <b>parents </b><b>aren’t </b>fated mates,” he says. “Worse yet, they didn’t even really know <b>each </b>other prior to getting married. They showed up at the altar, said the words, signed the contract and ruined their lives<b>.</b>”
I feel a <b>pang </b>of sympathy for Aiden. My eyes squeeze shut. “I’m… Sorry. We don’t have to talk about this,” I say softly. Aiden <b>shakes </b>his head.
“No, no, it’s okay. I’ve epted it.” He pauses for a long moment. “It wasn’t good, of course. They weren’t <b>even </b>amicable with one another. They fought constantly. If it weren’t for the fact they had children, I <b>wouldn’t </b>have believed they’d ever even touched one another. Today they’re nothing more than business partners with the samest
name.”
My heart aches at the thought. My mind wanders to imagine the life that Aiden has lived up until this moment. His history seems sopletely alien inparison to mine. I imagine what it must have been like growing up <b>with </b>parents
<b>like </b><b>that</b>. I <b>think </b><b>about </b>how <b>hard </b>it must <b>have </b>been for Aiden <b>to </b>finally <b>break away </b>from <b>his </b><b>family</b>. My mind continues to wander <b>as </b>Aiden exins more and more.
<b>I’m </b>so caught up in my thoughts <b>that </b>I <b>don’t </b>notice as I begin to drift off. I hear the sound of shifting on the bed <b>and</b>
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feel a nket rest over top of my body. A gentle kiss is pressed to my forehead.
<b>“</b><b>And </b><b>that’s </b>why I’m so d I found you,” I hear <b>Aiden’s </b>voice murmur. It’s thest thing I hear before I sink into a deep slumber.
My <b>dreams </b><b>are </b><b>dark </b><b>and </b>strange tonight. I feel as though I’m being dragged from ce to ce, not having a moment to rest before I’m whisked away by another unseen force. I feel an intense sense of vertigo that I can’t quell.
My head pounds as I try to make <b>sense </b>of what’s happening to me. Only the sound of an elderly woman’s voice – one that is now familiar cuts through the <b>chaotic </b>din.
“It’s growing. It’s growing. It’s growing. <b>You </b>must prepare yourself.”
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