A Werewolf's Human Mate

13

The Comfort of Presence

Aurora, still pouting, said, "By the way, look, if you want to stay in a relationship with me, then... then you can't be too much of a workaholic! Because work is work, but quality time also matters, right? If you're not going to be around me, then what's the point of this relationship?"

By now, somewhere subconsciously, she had started to accept him.

Hearing all this, Edwin, with a teasing smile on his face, said happily, "Oh, so, Madam, would you be kind enough to tell me what exactly we should call this relationship?"

At this, Aurora realized what she had just said, and shyly, she averted her eyes from him.

But Edwin, locking eyes with her again, said, "Don't take away the chance for me to see those lovely eyes of yours!"

"You know, when I come home tired from work, just seeing your face once takes away all my exhaustion. I used to hear this from pack members before, that when a werewolf meets their mate, it feels like they've gained everything."

Edwin’s voice dropped to a tender whisper, "I didn’t understand it before," he murmured, his eyes filled with a raw, undeniable emotion. "But now, when I look at you, I finally get it. They were right all along."

He stepped closer, his hand gently reached for hers, " I’m so lucky to have you. You’re not just important to me—you’re one of the most precious thing in my life."

Aurora She could feel the intensity of his love, not just in his words, but in the way he looked at her, the way he cares for her, his body language was saying it all, how much he truly cared for her.

The moment was overwhelming.

Tears welled up in Aurora’s eyes, spilling over in a steady, silent stream as her heart overflowed with emotion. She couldn’t help it.

Edwin's expression hardened immediately when he saw her tears.

His hand cupped her face, his thumb brushing gently against her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Aurora, d-don’t cry," his voice full of concern and panic. " What happened? why are you crying?"

His voice was urgent, "What is it, Aurora? Why are you crying all of a sudden? Did something happen? Are you in pain? Is it a medical emergency?"

Aurora, through her quiet sobs, shook her head. "No... no, I’m fine," she whispered, though the trembling in her voice said otherwise.

Edwin’s worry deepened, his hands hovering near her, unsure whether to pull her into his arms or give her space.

"Then why are you crying?" he asked filled with a mix of confusion and tenderness. "What happened? Why so suddenly?"

Aurora wiped her tears with trembling hands, her voice breaking as she spoke. "No one has ever said anything like that to me before..."

Her words were heavy with emotion, a lifetime of quiet loneliness reflected in her tone.

Edwin’s expression softened as he gently took her face in both of his hands, his thumbs softly brushing away the fresh tears on her cheeks.

"Please, Aurora, whatever it is, stop crying," he whispered, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and worry. "I... I can’t stand to see you like this."

Aurora tried to calm herself, but the flood of emotions was too strong. Her chest tightened as she slowly began to reveal the deep pain she had carried for so long.

"I... I’m an orphan," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never had a family of my own. Yes, I have friends, but no matter how close they are, they’re not family... they’re not the same."

" But today, you said all those things..."

She hesitated, then asked with vulnerability, "Do I really mean that much to you? Or did you just say those things after reading some cheesy book?"

Edwin gazed at Aurora, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips.  "Aurora, if it were up to me, I’d take you with me right now, without hesitation. But I know it’s not that simple. You’d need time to adjust to my true nature, to the world I come from, my community. That’s why I’ve kept quiet until now."

"You don’t know how possessive a werewolf is about their mate. The moment I first laid eyes on you, I wanted to take you away and keep you with me forever. But I knew if I did something so reckless, you wouldn’t love me—you’d be terrified."

Aurora’s breathing had steadied by now,  she wiped the last remnants of her tears and asked softly, "Uh... so, now what?"

Edwin’s expression shifted, a playful glint appearing in his eyes as he tried to lift the mood. Leaning in slightly, his voice turned teasing, "Now what? Well, I’d say it’s time for a kiss, isn't it ?"

Aurora’s cheeks flushed, " Ugh, Is that all you ever think about?" she muttered,

Edwin’s laugh was deep and warm, filling the air between them. "How can I help it?"

He grinned, his voice light yet sincere. "It’s not my fault you’re so beautiful. All the blame goes to your beauty."

Now the mood had lightened between them, and they both slipped back into a playful rhythm.

"Really?" Aurora also teased, "And what about that being late for work, huh? Aren’t you worried now ?"

Edwin eyes twinkling as he replied, "I’ve already taken care of that. I sent a message to my colleagues. Told them I won’t be able to make it urgently. I’ll be a bit late."

Aurora raised an eyebrow, clearly remembering, "When did you manage that? You’ve been talking to me the entire time."

Edwin chuckled softly, "Well, I sent the automatic message when you stopped me earlier. Right when you started getting mad at me."

Aurora crossed her arms, pouting just a little. "Of course I was mad! You show up whenever you feel like it and disappear just as suddenly!"

She pouted, recalling, "Remember when you first told me you were a werewolf? You disappeared the very next day! You didn’t even check to see if I was okay, or if I was scared?"

Edwin’s laughter, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Believe me, if it were up to me, I’d spend the whole day just watching you. But I had to give you space. I knew hearing the truth would be a lot, and you needed time to process it."

His hand gently lifting her chin so their eyes met. His gaze was steady, full of warmth and reassurance. "But don’t ever think, not even for a second, that I’ll leave you. I’ll always be right here."

Aurora’s heart fluttered at his words, her pout softening into a smile. She playfully smacked his hand, feeling her mood lift completely. Just as she was about to say something, a voice called out from behind them.

"Aurora!"

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Honestly, being an orphan in this world is really difficult!

It's a good thing that Aurora now has Edwin, and hopefully, they will soon create a real family together! 🤞