Chapter 4

Aurora's POV

"I felt it too, I was surprised you didn't stop the ceremony knowing I was your mat-" I continued, but before I could finish, Liam stepped closer, one hand covering my mouth while the other gestured for silence, his eyes intense and urgent.

I pulled his hand away, confusion etched on my face. "Why did you cover my mouth?" I asked, my gaze piercing into his.

"Be quiet!" he shouted, but then quickly regained his composure, lowering his voice. "We have to keep this a secret. I don't want anyone to know we are mates." His tone softened.

"I'm about to get married to your brother, should I just stay silent and marry him, knowing he's my mate's brother?" I challenged, my heart racing as I tried to grasp the reality of the situation.

"Don't question me. We are going to keep this a secret, and that's it," he replied.

"I can't ruin my brother's wedding because you are my mate," he added, his eyes filled with a mix of determination and regret.

"But what would happen to me?" I wanted to scream this question, to let it echo in the silence between us, but instead, I just stared at him, the unspoken fear weighing heavily on my heart.

What is he even saying? Doesn't he feel anything? I thought mates were supposed to be inseparable, yet here he was, ready to let me marry his brother, fully aware that I was his mate.

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly.

And as we were talking, a knock on the door shattered the tension. I froze for a moment, my eyes darting to Liam. His gaze was fixed on the door, but he didn't budge from his spot. Another knock echoed through the room, and when I noticed that Liam remained still, I felt an urge to take action. I walked towards the door, my heart racing.

As I opened the door, a surge of surprise rushed through me, and it felt like my feet were glued to the floor. The urge to explain everything surged within me- to tell her we were just talking, to clarify the confusion reflected in her eyes- but I was too shocked to form a coherent thought.

She stepped inside, pushing me aside with a wave of her hand, scanning the room as if searching for something. Finally, she turned to me, her brow furrowed with concern. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion and suspicion.

But before I could answer, Liam interjected, "Mum, the wedding is about to start! Let's go back to the venue," his voice cut through the tension.

He gently tugged her away, and I followed, my heart pounding in my chest. Not long after, the ceremony began, and as the vows were exchanged, I found myself stealing glances at Liam, unable to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.

Thoughts raced through my mind, a chaotic storm of disbelief and heartache. How could my mate be seated right there, watching as I prepared to marry someone else? And not just anyone- his brother.

After the wedding, I returned to the pack with Luca, and it felt like my mother-in-law had been waiting an eternity to talk to me. As we stepped inside, her voice rang out, "Aurora!" She called me over, her tone firm yet filled with an urgency that made my stomach twist. "Let me have a minute with you," she insisted.

I had no choice but to follow her, my heart racing as we walked to her room. Once inside, she wasted no time. "You married Luca, not Liam," she stated, her gaze piercing through me.

A wave of confusion washed over me. Why was she saying this? Is it she saw us talking? I couldn't shake the fear that she was misunderstanding everything. "I saw you during the ceremony," she continued, her voice steady yet filled with an unspoken accusation. "You couldn't take your eyes off Liam, even though you are marrying Luca."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, as I struggled to find the right response.

Then she stepped closer, her finger jabbing toward me like a warning. "You need to get yourself together and start giving grandchildren as soon as possible because that's the only reason my son married you. If you can't do that, there's no reason to keep you here," she declared.

What! How could she be so cold? The audacity of her demand left me reeling. How could she expect me to start giving birth now? How could she even say that was the only reason Luca married me? A surge of anger bubbled within me, but I knew I had to rein it in; after all, she was my mother-in-law.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her expectations pressing down on my chest. Bowing my head, I turned and left the room.

As I finally reached the room we were meant to share, my heart sank at the sight of Luca sprawled across the bed, reeking of alcohol.

I hesitated for a moment, the air thick with tension, before I stepped closer. He looked up, a sly grin spreading across his face as he gestured to me to come nearer.

But I stood frozen, uncertain of what to do. Suddenly, he surged to his feet, attempting to pull me into a kiss, but instinct took over and I pushed him away, my heart racing. Without a second thought, I bolted out of the room, my footsteps echoing through the grand hallway of the mansion as I glanced back, fear gripping me as I wondered if he was close behind.

And as I was running, I collided with Liam. The impact was jarring; he stumbled backward,  unable to brace himself, I tried to catch him and I fell right on top of him. Our lips met in a brief, shocking connection, leaving me breathless and confused.