#####Chapter 5 : Tell me to stop

Aurora’s POV

I didn’t sleep at all last night.

The whole night kept replaying over and over in my head, from the moment I had that weird nightmare until Alpha Gavino came into the room.

'And what was that about a mate?' I kept asking myself again and again, as if repeating the question would clear up the misunderstanding.

Because that had to be the biggest misunderstanding of my life.

Gavino… my father’s best friend. Not just any friend, but his closest brother. And I was supposed to be his mate? I would rather be held over a cliff and forced to confess my love to a tree than accept that.

But a small part of me felt… offended.

The way he pushed me away like I was something poisonous, and the look on his face…I had never seen him like that before.

Not even after my father died.

By the time morning came, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed answers.

I washed up, brushed my hair, and put on a simple white dress before heading to the dining room. Breakfast was already being set, but he wasn’t there.

I frowned. “Good morning,” I greeted the maids with a small smile and a polite bow. “Have you seen the Alpha anywhere?”

One of them looked up, her brow curving slightly before she shook her head. “You should ask the guards or check his study.” She gave a polite reply and continued working without waiting for me to say anything else.

I shrugged off her awkward behavior. It wasn’t surprising. I was the Alpha’s best friend’s daughter, after all.

After asking around for what felt like hours, I finally learned he was in his study.

I walked there, smoothing my hair down. My heart beat so fast it felt like it would jump out of my chest. And for what? I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door without knocking and stepped inside.

The moment I closed the door behind me, I was hit by Alpha Gavino’s intense pheromones. I instinctively held my breath before it could overwhelm me.

'How stressed can you possibly be?' I wondered as my eyes drifted to the window where Gavino stood staring outside with his back to me.

When he heard the door click shut, he turned around slowly. His dark green eyes lit up faintly the moment they landed on me, then he frowned.

“Aurora,” he growled. “What is the matter?”

I hesitated. I tightened my fists at my sides, trying to find the right words so I wouldn’t embarrass myself, but nothing came out.

Gavino’s frown deepened. “Have you suddenly lost the ability to speak?” He turned fully toward me. The sunlight coming through the window made his brown hair glow. “Do you need something?”

“Why did you leave me last night?” I asked, taking a step closer. My voice came out smaller than I wanted. “You just… walked out.” My mind screamed at me to stop, but I had come this far. “After I told you everything.”

He didn’t answer right away. He rubbed a hand over his face and let out a long breath. Then he walked over to the sofa, sat down, and leaned back.

“Are you aware?” he asked.

I raised a brow. “Of what?” He couldn’t possibly be talking about last night.

Gavino gave me a look that said it was exactly that.

I shrugged. “It could possibly be a mistake.” I took another step closer. His scent grew stronger, pulling me in like a magnet.

“Aurora…”

The way he said my name in that deep voice sent a strange heat through my body.

“Yes, sir,” I replied and took one more step.

“This can’t happen,” he finally said. “You and me. It’s impossible.”

“Why not?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. Of course it was wrong. It was wrong in so many ways, and my father would have gladly listed a dozen reasons.

And yet, I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

I closed the distance between us and stood right in front of him, forcing him to look up at me.

“Aurora, your father is my best friend…”

“And?”

“Because you’re twenty, Aurora. I watched you grow up, and I promised your father I would protect you…” He stopped and shook his head. “I have to reject you.”

I scoffed. “Says the most feared Alpha.” He finally looked into my eyes. At that moment, I felt like I could do anything and get away with it.

My gaze dropped to his nose, then to his lips, which looked soft and slightly moist. I found myself biting my own bottom lip.

“I’m not a little girl anymore,” I said softly. I placed my hands on his shoulders carefully.

Gavino’s jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. For a second, I thought he would push me away. Instead, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto his lap.

“You have no idea what you’re asking for,” he growled.

Before he could say anything else, I pressed my lips to his. He took control almost immediately. His scent filled the room as he devoured my mouth.

My whole body heated up, especially between my legs. My knees went weak. I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into the kiss, letting his tongue explore my mouth.

The man who had just said this was wrong was so hard beneath me it was almost funny.

'But you do know this is—'

'Shut the fuck up and enjoy this. Who knows when we’ll get the chance again?'

My wolf silenced my rational thoughts and purred in pleasure at our mate’s touch and scent.

His hands moved down my body, gripping my hips like he was afraid I would disappear.

One hand slipped under my dress and slid up my thigh. I gasped when his fingers brushed against my panties.

“Gavino…” I whispered.

“Tell me to stop,” he said against my lips, his voice strained. “Tell me right now and I will.”

I stared into his eyes and shook my head. “Don’t stop.”

His fingers pushed my panties aside. When he touched me, I let out a soft moan.

He started gentle, rubbing slow circles on my swollen nub. I could feel myself getting wetter.

Then he parted my folds and slowly slid one finger inside me.

I gasped and held onto his shoulders tighter.

“Fuck, you’re so wet,” he breathed against my neck.

He added a second finger, moving them in and out while his thumb kept rubbing that sensitive spot.

My legs started shaking.

It felt so good I could barely think. I broke the kiss and buried my face in his chest, breathing fast.

“Gavino… I’m… I’m close…”

He moved his fingers faster, curling them inside me. The pressure built higher and higher. I was right on the edge when….

The door suddenly opened.

“Alpha…”

Gavino quickly pulled his hand away. The intense pleasure disappeared, leaving me trembling and frustrated and fuuckkk.

I bureied my face deeper into his chest and gripped his shirt until my knuckles turned white.

Gavino gently patted my back, then looked toward the door.

“Do you need something?”

My face burned with embarrassment. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

“The group sent out to gather information about the rogues returned and…”

The voice trailed off, followed by a low chuckle. “I had no idea you were still doing this…”

“Damien!”

I froze and gripped Gavino’s shirt even harder. “Someone kill me,” I muttered against his chest.

Why did the Beta of all people have to walk in?

What happened to knocking?!

“Tch, fine. Since you can’t even introduce me to your bedmate,” the Beta scoffed, turned around, and left, closing the door behind him.

The room fell into dead silence.

Gavino didn’t look at me. He just stared at the closed door, breathing hard. His hands were clenched into fists.

“Shit.”