The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 112: The Emergency

Aurora’s POV

​Inside the box was the latest Samsung model smartphone, neatly placed beside a small velvet pouch. When I opened the pouch, a delicate gold necklace shimmered inside.

​But it was the small, hand-sealed envelope that made my breath hitch. I opened it to find a love letter, written in Oliver’s elegant, flowing script.

​"To my beautiful Aurora. You are the light I never knew I was searching for. Wear these and know that every second I am away from you is a second I am incomplete. I love you."

​I smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through my chest as I tucked the letter against my heart. I stood up, feeling that slight, lingering discomfort between my thighs—a physical reminder of his size and the intensity of last night. It wasn’t bad; it was a hum of pleasure that still resonated in my bones.

​I spent an hour in the bathroom, letting the hot water of the shower soothe my aching muscles. When I finished, I didn’t feel like putting on clothes. I wanted to feel the air on my skin. I walked back to the bed and lay down naked, covering myself with the duvet.

​Suddenly, the new phone on the nightstand began to vibrate. I reached for it, a smile already forming when I saw Oliver’s name.

​"Oliver?" I answered.

​"Baby..." His voice came through the speaker, raw and incredibly frustrated. "I’m so sorry. I’m going to be back late tonight. Much later than I promised."

​"What happened?" I asked, sitting up and pulling the duvet to my chest.

​"I’m on my way to the airport right now, about to board the private jet. A massive territorial dispute broke out in Canada, between the Silverback and Moon-Shadow packs. It’s serious, Aurora—blood has already been spilled, and if I don’t get there to mediate, it could start a full-scale war."

​I could hear the genuine pain and worry in his voice. He sounded like a man torn between his heart and his duty.

​"I am so, so sorry, love," he groaned, and I could hear the wind whipping in the background as he walked onto the tarmac. "I hate leaving you like this, especially today. I’ll call you the second I land."

​"It’s okay, Oliver," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. I knew I had to start preparing my mind for this. I wasn’t just dating a man; I was with the King. He wasn’t some random dude with all the time in the world; he was the anchor for the entire werewolf clan. "Do what you have to do. I’ll be here."

​"I love you," he whispered, the call cutting out as the jet engines roared to life in the background.

​I set the phone down and stared at the ceiling. The silence of the room felt heavier now. Oliver was thousands of miles away, and I was alone in this massive penthouse.

​I looked back at the dresser. My mind flashed to the onyx ring again. Without Oliver’s presence to distract me, the shadows in the corners of the room seemed to grow longer.

​I decided I couldn’t stay in this bed. I needed to talk to someone. I got dressed quickly in the same clothes I had worn the day before.

​I pulled out my new phone and dialed Clara’s number. She picked up on the first ring, her voice full of relief.

​"Aurora! Girl, I have been calling you non-stop! I went to your place and you weren’t there. Where the hell are you?"

​"Clara, breathe," I said, a small smile finally tugging at my lips. "I’m okay. Where are you? Let’s meet up."

​"I’m at home, shaking like a leaf thinking you were kidnapped or something!"

​"I’m coming to you," I promised.

​I left the penthouse, the silence of the massive halls echoing behind me. I managed to hail a taxi outside the building, and the ride to Clara’s apartment felt like a blur of city lights and heavy thoughts. When I finally knocked on her door, she ripped it open before I could even pull my hand back.

​"Oh my god, you’re okay!" she shrieked, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. "I heard what happened—the plane crash... The manager said you were given the week off to recover. I thought you were in the hospital!"

​"I’m fine, Clara. Really," I told her, stepping inside.

​She pulled back to scan me for injuries, but her eyes stopped dead on my collarbone. Her jaw dropped. I knew exactly what she was looking at—the dark hickey Oliver had left there last night.

​"Aurora..." she started, her eyes going wide with a million questions. "Who? When? Is that a...?"

​I didn’t even try to deny it. I walked over to her sofa and sat down, feeling the weight of the last twenty-four hours finally settling on my shoulders. "I had sex with him, Clara. With the Alpha King."

​She went absolutely primal with excitement, jumping up and down and screaming into a throw pillow. "The King?! Aurora, you hit the jackpot! The most powerful man in the world? Is he... I mean, is it true what they say about Alphas?"

​I flushed. Heat rushed to my face. "He’s... incredible. And Clara, he told me he loved me. He wants to date me."

​She sat down next to me, her expression softening into something more serious. "And you? Do you love him?"

​I looked down at my hands, twisting my fingers together. "I do. I think I’ve been falling for him since the moment we met."

​"Then why do you look like that?" she asked. "Like something’s wrong."

I hesitated.

Then swallowed hard.

"You remember Dom Raymond?"

​Her brow furrowed instantly, her excitement vanishing. "DOM Raymond? The Dom with the scorpion tattoo on his wrist... the one hellbent on fucking you?"

​I nodded, my throat tight. "I feel... I have feelings for him too. Dark ones. Confusing ones."

​I didn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t bring myself to say that Raymond was the monster who had murdered my parents in cold blood. I was too ashamed to admit that I could feel anything but pure hatred for the man who had destroyed my life.

​"It’s just a crush on a bad boy, Aurora," Clara said, trying to reassure me, though she looked worried. "Oliver is the real deal. He’s safety. He’s a future."

​I wanted to believe her. I really did. But I couldn’t... my feelings for Raymond weren’t just a crush... it was deeper.

I looked at Clara, my heart heavy with a question I was almost afraid to ask. "Have you seen him, Clara? At the club, recently?"

​She shook her head, her expression shifting to something more pitying. "No."

​I let out a long, shaky sigh. So it was true. He had left. I should have felt relieved—safe, even—but instead, a hollow ache settled in my chest. "France... right. Of course he did."

​"Forget about him, Aurora," Clara said firmly, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "A man like that is a storm you don’t want to be caught in. Look at what you have now. You have a King who worships you."

​I nodded, forcing a small smile, but my mind was a traitor. It kept wandering back to the dark, possessive heat of the man with the scorpion tattoo.

​"Tell you what," Clara said, her eyes lighting up with a sudden idea. "You need a distraction. My friend is throwing a birthday party tonight at this exclusive lounge downtown."

She grinned.

"You’re coming with me."