Aether's Claim | Editing

Chapter 15

I stood with Aether in front of the door to his home in the pack, my face still damp with the fresh tears that would not stop falling. I was contemplating the reason I was going to explain to my mother to why I was crying and where I had been, when Aether, yet again, became my saving grace.

"You're still hysterical, do you want to come in?" He said, his gruff voice interrupting my quiet sobs.

I didn't say no, but shuffled in behind him, wiping away my tears for what felt like the thousandth time. I kept replaying the moment inside my head; seeing Ares kissing Riven, or maybe it was Riven kissing Ares, maybe if I had stayed and watched a little longer, he would have pushed her away and scolded her. Maybe she came onto him and-

"May." Aether said, cutting my thoughts off.

He was looking down at me, concern etched onto his face.

"You're shivering. I'll go get you something warmer." He muttered.

I watched him as he left the room, but not wanting to be left alone with my thoughts, I followed quietly behind him. He sighed when he saw me slink into the room behind him, searching around in his wardrobe to find me something.

"You'll be okay, May." He uttered quietly, tossing me a large sweater.

I put it on, grateful he was being so hospitable, and quietly stood in the room, admiring the decor.

I didn't know how to feel, honestly. I felt sad, that was a given, but I also felt confused and foolish, and angry, but a part of me was also forgiving, like if Ares came bursting through the door and went on his knees to apologise, I would jump into his arms and forgive him instantly.

My wolf was silent - she too, more than me, was deeply hurt and didn't know what to do. It had seemed Ares and I were growing so close, like the prospect of a future together, even just in secret, wasn't one so far-fetched.

Aether sat on his bed, beckoning me silently with a look. He was nervous to ask what had happened, I could tell, he was trying to formulate his sentence in a way that wouldn't set me off again, and I appreciated that.

It pained me to acknowledge it, but Aether had been the male acting like a mate towards me - even when he shouldn't have been.

He had been the one that offered to assist me, to train me, he had helped me when I had first come out of my room and seen Riven and Ares together. It was all him, and yet the mate pull would never let me entertain the idea of getting closer to him than necessary.

My heart constricted again as I thought back to what I had seen. It was agony not knowing whether Ares had gone on to Riven, or vice versa. My heart wanted and pleaded with me to believe that it was Riven who was pursuing Ares, and not Ares pursuing Riven, but the logical side of me, unfazed by neither the mate pull nor my heart, saw a selfish male who could do what he wanted and get what he wanted, and didn't value mates as much as I did.

I sat down beside him, still sniffling, and pulled my knees up to my chest. He was watching me, eyes boring holes into the side of my head while I stared blankly ahead at the expensive rug on the floor, not wanting to start the conversation.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, finally breaking the silence.

I made eye-contact with him, my teary eyes blurring my vision, and nodded my head, fighting back more tears.

He nodded back at me, pressing his lips together. He wanted to ask more, but his Alpha position and aggressive authority made him less in tune with his emotions, unable to convey what he wanted to say.

My wolf, silent through all this, finally perked up. My heart ached for her, another wave of pain threatening to shatter my heart as she shared her emotions with me, pushing herself through to bear the brunt of our heartbreak. She wanted to be out, wanted us in fur form to release our anger and sadness, she wanted to take control and seek out the blood of Riven, angered that she would claim a male that was not hers.