The Ivory Queen

12. Trust I

***Oliver's POV***

I f****d up...

"Go away! Please, just leave me alone. I just want to be alone," her voice pleads with me.

I could easily knock the door down and force her to listen, but I won't. She's scared enough as it is, I don't need to traumatize her any more. I decide it's best to leave and head back down stairs. I mind link Evan to meet me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, Alpha?" he asks, refusing to look me in the eyes. I can sense his uneasiness.

Through gritted teeth, I begin to apologize. "I'm sorry ... for blowing up at you."

He bursts into laughter. "s**t, that was painful to watch. Don’t worry about it. I understand."

I roll my eyes and nod. "She needs you. I can't- she won't talk to me. Umm…" I clear my throat. "She didn't eat much at breakfast. Could you bring her something to eat? I think the cooks made burgers," I say.

"Yeah I got it, man," Evan says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You know she only trusts me because of the gamma bond, right?"

I nod. "Right."

"Don’t worry, man. She'll come around eventually. She just needs time."

I nod again. "I'm going down to the company office with Adeline. Please take good care of Aurora."

Evan nods and walks to the kitchen to grab some food for Aurora. I walk quietly up to my office to fetch Adeline. As I walk in, two long slender arms wrap around my neck.

"Je t'ai attendu {I waited for you},” Adeline purrs.

I rip her hands off my neck and push her away from me. "Do not touch me," I warn. I walk past her to grab the files I need from my desk.

"Someone's in a bad mood. Let me help you relax," she says, reaching out her claws and placing them on my shoulders.

I turn around and grab her by the neck, slamming her against the wall. "ENOUGH!" I shout. "I have a mate, Adeline. Touch me again, and I'll snap your neck." I'm shaking with anger. I don't need to be dealing with this b***h right now.

"OK," she smiles. I can smell her arousal, pissing me off even more.

I tighten my grip, hoping to send the message across that I'm not interested and pretty soon she start to squirm, clawing at my arm. I release my grip and she falls to ground with a thud, gasping for air and coughing.

Serves you right b***h.

She gets up and smooths her skirt and runs her fingers through her shoulder length hair. We walk to the car and drive off to the company offices.

Unfortunately, Adeline and I have history. She was from our mother pack in France and her father is their current Alpha. Our parents had hoped she and I would be mates. She moved into our pack house when she turned 16 and we dated for a bit. On our 18th birthdays, we realized we weren't mates and our relationship ended. Sort of… We fooled around a lot but after taking the Alpha position, I became determined to find my mate. I was done playing games with Adeline so I asked her to move out. After discovering Aurora was my mate, I made it clear that our only relationship would be as business partners.

Guess I wasn't clear enough.

When we arrive at the company, Adeline and I meet with the general manager. We spend the majority of the afternoon finalizing our reports and meeting with department managers. It’s getting late and my thoughts are consumed with Aurora and the fear of losing her. With my work completed, I prepare my things to leave when I hear a knock at the door.

"Come in," I sigh.

Adeline walks in, a polite smile on her face.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's been a long day and I was hoping you would join me for a late dinner?" she asks, tilting her head to the side the way she always does when she wants something.

A low growl rumbles in a my throat. "What part of-"

"Oli, I'm not asking you to f**k me. I just want to have dinner with you. It's been a while since we last saw each other and I miss you," she says. "You can go run back to your little mate afterwards," she adds, rolling her eyes when she says the word mate.

"Perhaps another time, I have to get home. I have some things to take care of," I respond coldly.

"Oh, trouble in paradise already?" she sneers.

"Mind your business," I snap, collecting some files and heading for the door.

"Guess I'm right" she sighs. "I'd love to meet the little girl. I've heard so much about her."

I stop dead in my tracks. "You stay the f**k away from my mate!" I growl. There's wicked smile on her face as I turn to face her.

"I love seeing you all riled up, Oli. It reminds of me how you and I used to-"

"Shut up! You and I are done. We've been done for close to a year now, so don't start with your bullshit."

Her expression turns to that of anger, but she quickly composes herself. She walks past me, blowing me a kiss before leaving my office.

I'm fuming, but there's no point in indulging in my anger. I have more pressing matters at my home. I need to speak with Aurora.

---

It's late when I arrive. I drop my things off in my office and heat up my dinner in the kitchen. I eat quickly before I walk up to our bedroom door. I wait outside for a minute, hearing the happy chatter inside. My heart sinks.

She wasn't this excited when she first came home with me. I just scare her.

I brace myself for her to scream at me and walk into the room.

Aurora is holding a puppy in her arms when she looks up to meet my eyes. She smiles at me and I catch my breath. Her plump pink lips are intoxicating. I remember their taste from earlier today and the sudden urge to hold her in my arms and meet her lips with mine is unbearable. But I know I frighten her. I know I can't hold her yet. All I can do is offer her a smile.

"Hello, Alpha," Eric and Evan say in unison.

I nod at them.

"Hi," she says timidly. She blushes when I smile at her and looks down at the puppy in her arms.

"Who's this?" I ask, kneeling down and pointing at the pup.

"He doesn’t have a name yet. Eric found these puppies on the side of the road and brought them here. We've been taking care of them all day and tomorrow Eric's going to find them some homes," Aurora says shyly. The puppy yawns and buries its little head in her chest.

"Oh," I say. "He looks happy in your arms."

"He refuses to be held by anyone other than her," Evan says.

"Well then I guess he's found his home."

Aurora eyes light up instantly. "Really?" She's beaming with excitement. I love seeing her so happy.

I nod. "But he's your responsibility. You have to feed it and wash-"

"Oh, Thank you. Thank you, thank you," she jumps up, startling the sleepy puppy. "I promise I'll take really good care of it!"

"Well we better get out of here and let you guys welcome your new son," Evan mocks.

I narrow my eyes at him, and he bursts into laughter. Eric and Evan collect the other two puppies and their supplies, say their goodbyes and head out. I sit on the couch opposite Aurora as an awkward silence engulfs us. I can't take it anymore and decide to speak first.

"Aurora, I'm so sorry for my behavior earlier. I just- I got jealous that you trusted Evan so quickly and when I saw you in his arms, my wolf lost it. I know that's not an excuse for erupting like I did and I know it's selfish to want you all to myself, but I just want you so much. I want you to trust me. I want you to hug me. I want you laugh with me. I want to touch you without scaring you..."

Aurora sits quietly, her eyes set on the snoring puppy in her arms. When she finally looks up, there are tears in her eyes.

"Oliver, I know you're trying. I want you too, you have no idea how much I want to be with you but-" a sob makes her stop and all the pain inside her flows out. The puppy wakes up and starts to whine. "How could I possible love you?" she whispers.

The world seems to stand still and my chest closes up. Each breath I take is more painful than the last.

"What?" I gasp.

"That's what you said to me the night you rejected me," she sobs. "Those words are burned in my head, Oliver. My- My whole world came crashing down when you said that. How can I trust you when I can't get those stupid words out of my head? The thought that you don't love me kills-"

"No! Don't think like that!"

I can't breathe. She thinks I don't love her…

"I love you, Aurora. You are everything to me. Everything. Please, you have to believe me!"

"That's not what you felt that night in the woods." she yells. "You hated me. I was nothing but an ugly murderer to you!"

Her whole body shakes as she sobs, upsetting the puppy. He whines in her arms, trying to calm her down by licking her face.

"No, I- I didn’t mean that! My goddess when I saw you, you were so beautiful. I wanted to make you mine right there in front of everybody. But then I realized who you were and-"

"You were ashamed," she says coldly.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat. I f****d everything up.

"Yes," I mumble. "I was a coward."

Her silence makes me uneasy, but I can tell she's thinking about something.

"But you still chose me over your family's wishes," she says with a weak smile.

I look at her with shock. She wasn't supposed to know about that!

"Who told you that?" I ask.

She shakes her head and wipes the tears from her eyes. "It doesn't matter," she says calmly. "You chose me. Why?"

I hesitate to answer and sense her restlessness. I think about the day I found her by the creek. I thought my world was ending.

"Because I can't breathe without you," I finally say.

She closes her eyes, hanging onto every word before sighing in relief. She calms down her puppy by giving him a few tummy tickles and kissing his little head.

"Why did you rescue me?" she asks.

Her voice is so soft I almost don't hear it.

"I felt your pain."