BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 44: DATING?

Chapter 44: DATING?

{"Playing pretend can get complicated "}

FREY’S POV

Madness. That was the only explanation for the move I had just made.

I watched as conflicting emotions flickered across Aurora’s face—shock, uncertainty, and something else I could not quite place. Across from us, Nessa’s grin widened with amusement, while Cassius and his goons hissed in irritation. Aurora hesitated for only a second before nodding and stepping beside me.

Cassius smirked. "There’s no way you’re interested in Aurora," he sneered, his eyes glinting with barely concealed hatred.

I held his gaze, letting the weight of my stare settle on him like a blade at his throat. "And why ever not," I asked, voice cool and unwavering, "when Lord Marcel himself wants me to date her?"

The looks on Tio and Marcel’s faces were priceless—utter disbelief twisted with a desperate attempt to mask their reactions. Then, Nessa chuckled lightly, breaking the tension. "Well, I suppose that makes me a third wheel, doesn’t it?" she mused.

Cassius’s expression darkened instantly, fury flashing across his face like a storm. I decided to push him further. "I would never let anyone harm Aurora," I declared, my voice steady and sharp. "And if I ever found out someone had, I would be merciless. A beast."

The weight of my words settled over the room like a thick, suffocating fog. I could sense the unease rippling through the onlookers, the way fear seeped into their very bones. Even Cassius, ever the arrogant brute, took an involuntary step back.

Without another word, I grabbed Aurora’s hand and strode toward the door. I did not look back. Nessa followed closely behind, and as we stepped out of the private room, the entire casino fell into stunned silence. They watched us, eyes wide with awe.

As we walked toward my house, Aurora’s steps began to slow, hesitation creeping into her stride. Nessa, on the other hand, stopped short.

I turned to face them, my tone firm but calm. "It is safer to talk inside. Cassius has already sent the royal guards after us."

Their eyes flickered with understanding, and they nodded in unison. Without another word, we quickened our pace, making our way to my house.

The moment we reached the front door, I found Qadira standing there, her arms crossed, eyes scanning the streets. The instant she spotted us, her gaze darted between Aurora and Nessa, widening in shock.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

I gave her a quick signal before pushing open the door. "Inside. We need to talk."

She did not question it further and stepped in. Once we were settled in the living room, I caught a familiar scent lingering from the balcony. Elder Dante.

I exhaled sharply and raised my voice. "Elder Dante, you might as well join us. This conversation requires your input."

Aurora, Nessa, and Qadira all turned to me with wide eyes, their shock evident. Within seconds, Elder Dante strolled in, leaning casually against the fireplace, a knowing grin tugging at his lips.

Qadira was the first to speak. "What exactly happened?"

Nessa wasted no time launching into an explanation, recounting every moment, every decision that led us here. With each statement she made, Elder Dante chuckled, amusement flickering in his expression.

I clenched my jaw, finally snapping, "Are you happy now? What exactly is so amusing?"

Elder Dante shook his head, still grinning. "I just find it funny," he mused, "that not too long ago, you were lecturing me about caution and reason." He gestured around the room before smirking. "And look where you are now."

I cursed under my breath, and he burst into a full fit of laughter.

"So, you’re pretending to date her?" Qadira demanded; her sharp gaze locked onto me.

Before I could respond, Nessa answered for me. "Yes."

Qadira’s eyes narrowed, her stare drilling into me as if searching for some hidden truth. She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated, no words coming out. Instead, she let out a breath, stood up, and walked toward the open kitchen.

We watched in silence as she reached into the cabinet, pulled out a bottle, unscrewed the cap, and downed a long gulp. Her frustration was evident. She knew about me and Tor. Declaring that I was dating Aurora only made things more complicated.

When she finally set the bottle down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she turned to face us. Her voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "Cassius is not a fool. He will be watching you like a hawk. The only way to keep Aurora safe is for her to stay at the Kayne mansion—with Ma."

Elder Dante nodded in agreement; his usual smirk was replaced with something more serious.

But Aurora shook her head. "I don’t want to intrude."

Nessa did not give her a chance to argue further. She stepped forward, cupped Aurora’s chin, and spoke in a low, gruff voice, her tone almost pleading. "Aurora, please. Be understanding. See reason."

The room was thick with tension, and for a moment, none of us spoke. Aurora’s lips parted as if she wanted to refuse again, but something in Nessa’s eyes made her pause. I stayed silent, watching. Waiting.

"Just so you know, my brother already has someone he likes," Qadira broke the silence, her voice even.

The room fell still.

All eyes turned to me in shock, waiting for confirmation or denial. I gave neither. Instead, I shifted my gaze to Aurora.

"We need to remove the bloodstone bug," I told her, my tone firm. "If we don’t, you’ll be dead within a week."

Nessa gasped, rushing over to me, her expression frantic. "I’ll do anything," she swore. "As long as Aurora is safe."

Before I could respond, I caught the sudden change in Elder Dante’s posture—he stiffened, his casual stance gone in an instant.

Kayne, my beast, stirred within me, rising to attention.

We were not alone. Someone was outside, listening in.

Slowly, I pressed a finger to my lips. Aurora froze, her body tensing in fear. Nessa, sensing the shift in the room, rushed back to her, gripping her hand tightly. Adira, however, simply rolled her eyes. Then, in an exaggeratedly loud voice, she spoke.

"It is not good for Aurora to live with my brother. After all, they are only dating." She turned toward Elder Dante. "The best option is for all of us to move to the Kayne mansion."

Her words were not just a suggestion, they were bait. If someone were listening, they would take that information and run with it. And that’s exactly what we wanted.

Two hours later, just before dawn, we arrived at the Kayne mansion.

Much to our surprise, Ma had sensed us coming from a mile away. The mansion’s lights flickered on, casting a warm glow against the approaching darkness. By the time we stepped inside, she had already prepared drinks for everyone, her keen eyes watching us as if she had known exactly what had transpired.

But what caught my attention was the way she looked at Elder Dante.

"This is the first time you’ve set foot in my home in a long time," she teased, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

A red blush crept up Elder Dante’s neck, and Qadira burst out laughing. Nessa and Aurora watched the exchange with keen interest, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

I turned to Ma and recounted everything that had happened. As I spoke, I watched her fingers curl into a fist, the anger rolling off her in waves.

Without a word, she stood and walked toward Aurora. Gently, she placed a hand on her temple, closing her eyes. A pulse of energy filled the room as she pushed her power into Aurora, listening.

Then Ma’s gaze snapped toward the window, her eyes flashing red. She let out a low hiss before turning to Elder Dante. "Take care of the people who tailed us," she commanded. He gave a single nod and vanished in a blur of movement.

Ma turned back to Aurora, pulling her up from the chair. Her voice was a whisper, yet it held the weight of something inevitable.

"This is going to hurt."

Aurora barely had time to react before Ma beckoned Nessa to hold her. Then she pushed her power into Aurora. A scream tore from Aurora’s throat, raw and piercing, as her body convulsed. Minutes passed, agonizing, drawn-out moments where she writhed in pain, her nails digging into Nessa’s arm. Then, abruptly, she gagged and vomited blood onto the floor. We all watched in silent horror as the bloodstone bug writhed, alive and pulsing, on the cold marble. MA did not hesitate. With one swift motion, she stepped on it, crushing it beneath her heel. The sickening crunch echoed in the room.

"Good riddance," she muttered as Auroa fainted and Nessa grabbed her and lifted her bridal style.

Ma heaved a deep sigh, the weight of the night pressing down on her shoulders. She turned to Qadri and gestured toward Nessa.

"Take her to the guest room. She needs rest." Qadira nodded, looping an arm around Nessa, who was still shaken from Aurora’s ordeal. Without protest, Nessa allowed herself to be led away, her footsteps barely making a sound against the polished floors.

And then, it was just Ma and me.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. I braced myself as she slowly turned to face me, her sharp eyes pinning me in place.

"Why," she demanded, voice low but laced with steel, "are you getting yourself into such murky waters?"

I swallowed, but the lump in my throat remained. She crossed her arms, waiting. Not with impatience, but with the kind of expectant silence that made my stomach coil in knots. I had no answer at least not one that she would accept. Because the truth was, I had no idea either.

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