37. A Much Needed Break

Chapter thirty-seven

A Much Needed Break

*ARDEN*

I basically storm into my office as if someone is hunting me. "It got canceled?"

"Yes," Zoé says, her voice quivering.

"Fuck," I curse. "Did they notice us?"

"I don't think so," Emilien says. "Zoé is still in the chatroom."

"Other bidders are discussing the situation, too," Zoé explains. "Someone said it happened before and that it's probably a safety measurement." She pauses. "What does this mean?"

"Nothing good," Emilien mutters.

"And what exactly?"

None of us has the heart to tell her what we think happened.

"What are you not telling me?" Zoé asks. "Am I not a member of this team? How can I work properly if you hide things from me?"

"If the auction was canceled it can either mean they detected someone was watching them," I say. "Which we just excluded. They would close the chatroom if they knew we were inside."

"And the second option?"

"That Annette and Denis are dead," Emilien says honestly. "Seeing how the chat is still running, and they haven't closed it or given their bidders any warning, I assume it's the likeliest option. And I think Arden agrees."

"I do," I say sadly. "But while this is a likely option, it doesn't mean there aren't other reasons. They could have been interrupted by someone or something, maybe were forced to move, or had someone buy them directly and not through the chatroom. We still don't know much about our culprits."

Zoé is quiet for a moment, obviously battling with her emotions. Then, she swallows thickly. "I see," she says, trying to sound composed. "I need to think of a new plan, then. We cannot take any breaks."

"I agree." Emilien sits down next to her. "Let's roam the chat together and see if we find a hint for another auction. I'm sure they are not going to stay quiet for long."

"Especially since they have Juliet, now," I mutter.

"The woman from your pack?"

"Yes." I shake my head. "It doesn't make sense, but one of them abducted her. Her kidnapper made a lot of mistakes."

"Let's hope they won't try to get rid of her," Emilien says.

"Is that an option?" Zoé asks, sounding horrified.

"It could be an option for them, but I doubt they will kill or sell her immediately," I say. "It's too risky. So, we have a chance to find her."

"Let's give it our all," Zoé exclaims, turning back to her computer.

I decide to let her and Emilien work on their own and return to Nox, Gustave, and Vander, filling them in on what happened. Then, I dive into work with them, sorting through every snippet of Meg's life. Unfortunately, the day doesn't have endless hours, the minutes dripping by as if they are nothing but sand. Eventually, Aurelia and Leila return, not having much to report. The director told them that the gems were indeed gifts. Meg got them for her birthday and for Christmas—probably from one of their donors. He is going to send us a list of all the donations from the last ten to twenty years.

Even more data to go through.

I'm also starting to revisit the theory I had a while ago that whoever chased Meg's mom might be the one who got Meg herself. These incidents have to be related somehow.

I feel exhausted. We are so close, so close, but still so far away. Why can't I find the solution!?

"Arden?" I feel Aurelia's warm hands on my head, her touch pulling me out of my trance. I gaze around, noticing that it's pitch-black outside already, and the room is empty aside from the both of us.

"I sent Gustave home," she says quietly. "Leila made sure that Zoé got home, too. And I told Vander to get some rest."

"I didn't even notice," I say.

"I know." She leans against my body. "I figured you were in your own world and didn't want to be interrupted, but I think you need a break."

"I feel like I'm failing them, Aurelia."

"I feel the same," she admits. "All this work and it feels like we are taking a step forward and two back. But it's not true, is it? We know much more today than we knew yesterday. But if we overwork ourselves, we won't help anyone."

I rub my head. My brain feels foggy and tired. Seems like I have reached my limits without even noticing it. "You're right, I'm no use to anyone like this."

"I have an idea," she says. "How about we go on a run, let our wolves out? Maxima and Cato haven't met each other in their lycan forms, yet. Let's spend a couple of hours outside, free our minds from this, and then tomorrow, we will return with newfound energy."

I take her hands, moving them away from my head and towards my lips, kissing them. "Let's go," I say.

"Really!?" She beams. "I thought you would put up more of a fight."

"Am I that unreasonable normally? If yes, you have to tell me."

"No, but although I haven't known you for long yet, I already know how absorbed you can get with certain things," she says.

I get up, put the documents aside, and walk out of the room with my mate. "Is that good or bad?"

"Neither," she says. "It's who you are, and I appreciate that."

"I'm just collecting more material to info-dump on you," I say. The moment I said it, I wished I could take it back. My weird humor isn't for everyone. Actually, most people don't get it.

Aurelia just chuckles. "Don't worry, I have plenty of ways to shut you up. Besides, I love your geeky side. I kind of envy you for being able to get so engrossed in a topic, and collecting so much knowledge. One of my brothers is really into mythology and knows a lot. It's pretty cool."

"Is that Liam?"

"No, Marius," she says. "Liam is very educated in general. He knows a lot but is more of an introvert."

"A broad knowledge is probably a requirement for the position he is in," I muse.

"Yeah, I think so too. Oh, and my youngest brother, Dario, is my family's brain," she explains. "He loves studying."

"I can't wait to meet them," I say. When I first met Aurelia and heard about her brothers, I was terrified, but now I'm getting more and more curious.

We take a brief detour to my room to grab a few things. I take a small bag where we can store our phones, some money, and our clothes so that we won't run around naked after our shift. No one wants to meet two weirdos who are frolicking naked in the forest at night.

Meanwhile, Cato grows increasingly restless, pushing me to hurry so that he can finally meet his mate in her lycan form. I briefly inform Eric that Aurelia and I are heading out in case something happens. He is noticeably happy that we decided to take a break and go for a run.

"Okay." I turn to Aurelia. "Cato's hearing is terrible, and unlike me, he can't use a hearing aid," I tell her. "But his other senses are enhanced."

She nods. "Maxima knows. It might take a while for her to get the hang of it, so please tell Cato to be patient with her."

"Don't worry, Cato is genuinely happy she accepts him the way he is."

I open the bag and take my hearing aid out of my ears, storing them in their case. I can instantly feel the world around me numbing, the noise, everything, a blanket of silence stretching over it all. I look into Aurelia's eyes, and for the first time since I have gained this predicament, the silence isn't an escape for me.

Aurelia never strains my ears or my mind.

She reaches out her hand, touching my cheek softly. I stare at her lips while she says I love you.

"I love you, too," I say. It feels so weird for me to feel that way. I have always been a more rational person, and I never believed I would fall in love with someone. I knew the mate bond would push me towards my mate, but I didn't expect my very own human feelings to add to it. I love Aurelia's sense of humor and the way she understands and accepts me. I love how tough she is and how brave, and how she can stand up for herself and others. I love how she never looks down on anyone, how she is with her friends, and how she looks beyond someone's rank and history. I love the way her beautiful dark hair moves in the wind and the way her hips move when she walks.

It's so real.

I watch her undress and shift into her beautiful, magnificent beast. "Maxima," I say, approaching my lycan mate.

Maxima leans her huge head against mine, nuzzling her nose into my neck. She is a sight to behold, a huge, powerful alpha wolf. Her gentle side belongs to Cato and me.

I pour my feelings into my bond to Cato, telling him to have fun with his mate before handing the reins to him. He shifts to his wolf form effortlessly, excited to see the counterpart of his soul. Cato is usually pretty calm and stoic; it's truly heartwarming to see him so happy.

He and Maxima take a while to sniff and lick at each other, cuddling and playfully nipping at each other's legs. Then, they finally take off.

With the idea to go on a run, my mate proves she is the truly smart one of us because all her points turn out to be correct. With Cato being on the front and running, I feel my mind relax. I am forced to let my head stop spinning, and instead, I just feel the cold, fresh air around me, the endorphins of the run with our mate running through my body. It's like with every step Cato takes, with every branch he dodges, and with every time he and Maxima stop to cuddle and play around, my anxiety and stress lessen more.

We are deep in the forest now. The area still part of the Council, pretty much like pack grounds. We stop at a cozy little hut. They are all around the Council grounds. Eric had insisted on having places the wolves and lycans could retreat to after their shift. Aurelia and I do exactly that. After the hours our wolves spent with each other, we shift back to our human forms. Before I can open the door for her and let her in, she hugs me from behind. Fuck, her naked body and her breasts pressed against my back are so hot.

Our skin is still warm from the shift, almost like we are glowing. I let my hands rest on her arms before turning around to look at her. She is so beautiful, and it strikes me how little time we can spend with each other like this. I know it's all for a noble purpose, but it's still hard.

I still don't have my hearing aid in, but I feel like I should say something. Before I can do so, though, she puts her finger on my lips and smirks. Then, she sends me a picture through the mind link… of me grabbing her and slamming her against the next tree and fucking her.

I don't even need Cato to spur me on. I just grab her by her hips, turning her over and pushing her against the tree. She supports herself with her hands while I take in the image in front of me, seeing her leaning against the tree, allowing me to fuck her from behind. Alpha wolves are dominant, so for her to let me see her so vulnerable is truly humbling.

Cato pushes me forward into action instead of just ogling her. One of my hands moves to her breasts, massaging them, while the other traces over her stomach down between her legs. We are both still reeling from the intense experience of our long run. She is responding to my touches easily, moving her hips against my fingers. The sounds around me are still numbed down, forcing me to see her other body signs, her damp skin, the way her lips are parted, the juicy fluid dripping out of her core.

I'm getting lost in the moment, for the first time in my life, not overthinking anything. I stroke my cock to full hardness before entering her from behind. Aurelia gapes, tossing her head back, and I take that as my cue to fuck her the way she asked me to.

Maybe it's my feral side still on display, but I find myself grabbing her by her hips and snapping my hips forward, thrusting into her without giving her a break. Aurelia's arms shiver, her body trembling. I keep my hand between her legs, my thumb circling her clit.

I lean my body against hers to feel her warmth, the tremble of her muscles, to smell her. Everything is so intense. Her body tenses before a shiver goes through it. I steady her with an arm around her waist, fucking her until I can feel myself come.

We retreat to the small hut, where we light a fire in the fireplace to stay warm while lying next to each other on the floor, still naked. The huts are the property of everyone, so it's on us not to leave behind a mess. However, Eric sends the cleaning staff up here once a week.

Aurelia holds my hand, our fingers entwined. It feels intimate to lay next to each other like this. We didn't bother putting on clothes. I only put my hearing aid back in to be able to understand her.

Aurelia chuckles. "You know," she breaks the silence. "I forgot to tell you… my mom called me and wanted to know everything about how we marked each other. She also said she told everyone she met that I found my mate and will come home with an awesome heartthrob."

I groan. "She didn't."

"She showed them our photo from when we went sightseeing," she says. "Poor pack members. Everyone had to look at us and coo at how beautiful we are."

"I'm not even there yet and already get on their nerves."

"Don't worry," she says with a smile. "They are genuinely happy. My father didn't make it a condition that I have to find a mate, to take over, but it's always easier to lead a pack with a fated mate at your side."

"I'm convinced you will be an awesome alpha," I say. "Everything I've seen and learned about you until now has been truly astounding."

"I'm looking forward to it," she admits. "It's a bit scary to take over such a huge pack, especially because the pack loves my parents. They are very devoted and loyal towards them. But I love Silverlake with my whole body and soul, and I can't wait to show the pack how much it means to me. However," she pauses, "I'm not mad Dad won't retire immediately. I can finish my studies, and we can have our honeymoon phase. And I'm also glad to have you at my side once I take over."

"I promise I will help you wherever I can," I say. "I admit, I'm kind of excited about this too. I never knew where my path was leading me. I just knew it wasn't my home pack. You know, it's a feeling I always had, that I don't belong, that it isn't my place. Eric and Vander think otherwise, but I don't think I'm made to be a ruling alpha. I will be pretty dope as an advisor and co-leader, though."

"We'll find out how we handle things together," Aurelia promises.

"You know," I say. "The pack usually goes to the firstborn. But isn't it unfair sometimes? I get it with royal lycans, as the reigning royal lycan alpha passes his power onto the firstborn child—"

"Like with Liam," Aurelia agrees. "He was made to be alpha. You haven't seen him yet, but I'm not kidding when I say that in whichever universe, at whatever time, he would have always become a leader."

"But that's for the royals who are blessed by the Goddess," I say. "Us regular werewolves and lycans? What if the second-born child has awesome gifts and talents and is just the overall better person or leader?"

"I get what you mean," she says. "Not to mention that many alphas completely ignore the firstborn rule if it's a daughter."

"Yes, it's so silly," I agree. "Vander is still young and doesn't have his lycan yet, but I think he would make a fine alpha."

"Maybe he will change his mind," Aurelia says. "He is still in shock about what happened, but once the Council comes to a decision concerning your father, who knows… maybe Vander will come to the realization that he likes his pack and wants to take the challenge. He is just insecure at the moment."

"I kind of hope he will," I admit. "I will happily take him to Silverlake with me, but I think he hasn't realized he truly has a choice. Vander doesn't give himself enough credit."

"No way. I wonder where he got that from?" Aurelia says, smirking at me.

I feel flustered because initially she is right. Neither Vander nor I are particularly confident in our abilities. I feel like we have both been changing and progressing ever since we stood up against our father, so there's that. Before I can answer, though, my phone rings.

"Now?" Aurelia asks, the both of us sitting up abruptly and looking at each other in worry.

It's late at night already, my stomach churning while I grab my phone. "It's a message from Eric."

"Fuck," Aurelia curses.

I open it swiftly. Something happened! We have an emergency. Call me asap when you see this!