Chapter 2 Mine

The kitchen was calm in the morning light. It smelled faintly of cinnamon and herbs, and the soft clinking of cutlery was the only sound that filled the space. Aurora sat at the small table near the window, slowly eating a piece of bread dipped in warm broth, her movements cautious, like someone still unsure they were allowed to touch anything.

Irene sat across from her, chewing lazily on an apple, one leg tucked under the other on the chair. She talked while Aurora ate, telling harmless stories about how Elias always kept the sugar hidden like it was gold, or how the old coffee machine once caught fire and nobody fixed it for weeks because they were all too stubborn to admit they didn't know how.

Aurora smiled a few times small, barely-there smiles, but real ones.

She liked Irene's voice. It was light without being fake, full of rhythm and a sort of casual honesty that made things feel less sharp.

When Aurora was done, she pushed the plate away gently and looked up.

"Thank you," she said.

Irene shrugged. "It's food. You needed it. You'll need a lot more if you want to walk around without passing out."

Aurora tilted her head. "Can I?"

"Can you what?"

"Walk around. Look at the place."

Irene grinned. "Of course. You're not a prisoner. Come on, I'll show you."

They left the kitchen together, the floors quiet beneath their steps. Irene took her through the west wing first showing her the library, the sunroom, the quiet corners where no one really went unless they wanted to be left alone. Everything was tastefully decorated but not too flashy. Old money, Aurora thought. Old power. The kind that didn't need to shout.

As they walked through a hallway lined with portraits, Aurora noticed how her body still ached in certain spots. Her ankle was better, but the stiffness in her ribs lingered. Irene noticed when she slowed and didn't rush her.

"You'll get your strength back," she said. "Just don't push too hard."

Aurora nodded. "I won't."

They moved slowly through the long corridors of the estate, Irene talking as she led her. There was a steady rhythm to her voice not rushed, not fake just natural. She pointed out rooms as they passed: the music hall, the library, a weapons wing Aurora didn't dare peek into, and a small garden that opened onto a private greenhouse.

"Don't go in there without permission," Irene said. "That's Paris territory,she plants flowers and keep them in there"

"Paris?" Aurora repeated, trying to remember all the names.

For a few moments, they stood in quiet.

"Yeah. Paris is one of the quiet ones. She won't bother you, but she sees everything. If there's gossip in the house, it passes through her."

Aurora nodded again, holding onto the details in her head. Her memory was still foggy, but names gave her something to hold on to something solid.

Then Irene said softly, "I hope he lets you stay."

Aurora turned to her. "Who?"

"The Alpha."

Aurora blinked. "The Alpha of this... park?"

Irene nodded. "Caelum."

The name meant nothing to her.

Aurora hesitated. "Have you... seen him?"

"Sure. I mean, not today. He keeps to himself a lot. He's not like those Alphas in the movies who walk around growling and slamming walls. He's quiet. Intense. People don't cross him so you probably won't see him unless he wants to be seen."

Aurora listened closely.

"But," Irene added, "I really hope he decides to keep you here. I don't know... I just like you already."

Aurora blinked. "Why?"

"Because you're quiet. But not fake. There's something in your eyes. You're holding so much in, and you haven't said anything stupid. That's rare around here."

Aurora looked down at her hands. "And if he doesn't let me stay?"

"He will," Irene said quickly. "I mean I don't know for sure. But I hope he does. You don't have anywhere else to go, right?"

Aurora shook her head slowly.

They continued walking until they reached another hallway, this one lined with tall portraits and arched doorways. Irene slowed her pace.

"So," she said casually, "if you're gonna be here, you'll probably end up meeting everyone. Well... the others."

"What others?" Aurora asked.

"Oh, girl." Irene grinned, then motioned for her to sit on a small bench near the window. "Okay, let's break it down."

Aurora sat, slightly tense.

Irene began counting on her fingers. "There's Elias you've met him. He runs the place when the Alpha isn't around. Then there's me obviously." She gave a small smile. "I've lived here since I was sixteen. Then there are the twins. Elijah and Ellie."

"Twins?" Aurora asked, curious.

"Ellie and Elijah"

"There's Ellie," Irene began, rolling her eyes immediately. "Used to date the Alpha or something like that. She's not his mate, but she walks around like she's Luna. Always perfect hair perfect clothes, fake smile. I don't like her."

Aurora raised an eyebrow. "She still lives here?"

"Unfortunately," Irene muttered. "She's part of the original pack circle. They won't kick her out. She won't leave unless someone makes her."

"She sounds..."

"Bitchy?" Irene offered. "Yeah. That's the word."

Aurora looked down at her hands. "She was with the Alpha?"

Irene made a face. "It wasn't real. She wanted the title, not the man. He tolerated her, but he never chose her. He's waiting for his mate. She hates that."

Aurora said nothing.

"There's also Johannesburg but we all just call him Jo. Loud. Funny. Kind of an idiot. Then there's Edward, Fiona, Toby, Matt, Sam, Philip, Peterborough yeah, that's his real name, Lola, Arat, Vivienne, Lauren, Theo, and Jack."

Aurora blinked. "That's... a lot of people."

"I know," Irene said. "Most of them are chill. Some not so much. Lauren talks too much. Theo thinks he's the smartest person in every room. Jack's harmless, though. Kind of like a lost puppy."

"What about Elijah?" Aurora asked. "You mentioned him before, right?"

"Yeah. Elijah.He's intense. Smart. Suspicious of everyone. Looks like he's always thinking ten steps ahead. He's not mean, though. Just... quiet. Calculated. You'll meet him soon. He's usually off doing security checks or reading classified crap.He's the beta of the park,best friend with the Alpha"

Irene stood and stretched. "Come on. You've still got to see the training wing and the pool."

Aurora followed her, heart quiet but fluttering. She didn't know these people. She didn't know herself.

But somehow, she felt like she was about to be caught in something far bigger than she expected.

....

Later that night

Dinner had been quiet.

Irene sat with her and a few others at a long table in the dining hall. Aurora barely touched her food not out of fear this time, but out of overwhelm. So many unfamiliar faces. So many names she couldn't match yet. The noise, the glances, the way Ellie's eyes had flicked toward her like daggers dipped in perfume. Aurora kept her head low and spoke only when someone asked her something directly. She was polite. Careful. Invisible, if she could manage it.

Now, the halls were dim and calm again. Most people had gone off to their rooms or wherever they disappeared to at night. She walked with slow steps, heading back toward the guest wing. The soft echo of her barefoot steps trailed lightly behind her.

She turned a corner and paused.

One door stood slightly open. Just a crack enough to catch the warm glow of lamplight inside.

She glanced around. No one in sight.

Curiosity tugged at her, gentle but firm.

She stepped closer and placed a hand on the door. The wood was cool beneath her fingers. She pushed gently.

The door opened into a room she hadn't seen during Irene's tour.

A study.

It was quiet, still, almost sacred. The air was warm with the scent of leather, parchment, and aged wood. Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, filled to the brim worn spines, gold-lettered titles, stacked volumes in organized chaos. The windows were shut, the curtains drawn. A soft fire burned low in the fireplace on the side wall. A reading chair faced it. A table near the window was scattered with pens, letters, and a closed laptop.

Aurora stepped in slowly, her lips parting in awe.

Books.

Rows and rows of them.

For a moment, her chest softened. Books were safe. Books never demanded anything. They didn't judge. They just... offered.

She walked toward one of the shelves, trailing her fingers along the spines. Her eyes scanned the titles mythology, war history, poetry, philosophy, strategy, rare fiction in other languages she didn't recognize. The richness of it all felt unreal.

She tilted her head, gently tugging at one of the books. It was heavy. She opened it in her hands and caught the faint scent of old pages and ink.

She smiled.

Then a voice came low, smooth, and sharp enough to still the air.

"You're not supposed to be in here."

Aurora froze.

She turned slowly, the book still in her hand.

A man leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her. He was tall, dressed in black slacks and a dark, fitted shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His eyes were sharp, a kind of stormy grey that made her chest tighten for reasons she couldn't explain.

He wasn't smiling. Not exactly. But there was something in his expression something amused. Dangerous. Intrigued.

"I didn't mean to intrude," she said quickly, stepping back a little. "The door was open. I thought it was part of the library."

"It's not," he said, stepping inside. "But I'll allow it. Just this once."

There was something low and smooth in his voice. Not overly deep, but confident the kind of voice that didn't need to be loud to be taken seriously.

He walked toward her slowly, his gaze never leaving her.

Aurora tightened her grip on the book and nodded awkwardly. "I'll just put this back and go."

"No rush,Lily" he said casually, now only a few feet away. "You look like you needed this."

"Lily? M...My name is not..."She was interrupted

He glanced at the book still in her hands. "Poetry, huh? Interesting choice."

She swallowed. "It was the first one I grabbed."

He tilted his head slightly, eyes never leaving hers. "Do you always sneak into rooms you don't belong in?"

Aurora shifted uncomfortably. "No. I I just couldn't sleep."

Then, out of nowhere, his hand came up slow, unthreatening and brushed lightly along the curve of her ear, tucking a loose strand of hair behind it. The contact was soft, barely there, but it made her body go still.

His fingers skimmed the edge of her ear a second longer than necessary, the touch deliberately light, sending a strange shiver down her spine.

"You have sensitive ears,Lily" he said, as if he already knew that. "Did you know?"

Aurora stepped back instinctively, confused by the warmth creeping into her cheeks. "You shouldn't..."

"Touch you?" he asked, stepping forward just slightly, matching her retreat. "You're right. I shouldn't."

But he didn't sound sorry at all.

She stared at him, heart beating a little faster.

"I should go," she said

He leaned in.

His breath brushed against the shell of her ear as he whispered, "Goodnight, Lily"

She froze.

Then, before she could react, he stepped back.

Aurora rushed out immediately,closing the door gently behind her. Her legs carried her down the hallway on autopilot, her mind spinning.

---

The door clicked softly behind her.

Caelum didn't move for a long moment. The only sound in the study was the soft ticking of the old grandfather clock in the corner and the steady flicker of the fire behind him.

He exhaled slowly through his nose and ran a hand through his hair.

Then, wordlessly, he crossed the room and reached for the small cabinet behind his desk. The crystal bottle he pulled out was half-full bourbon, the expensive kind Elias always reminded him not to drink too fast. He poured a small amount into a glass and took a slow sip.

It didn't burn enough.

His jaw flexed slightly as he turned his eyes toward the empty doorway. She was gone, but the echo of her scent still lingered soft, clean, with the faintest trace of wild things. Wildflowers. Ash. Rain.

And underneath it all something entirely hers.

His wolf stirred beneath the surface, restless and low.

Mate.

The word vibrated deep in his bones, always the same.

He had known the moment they brought her in, unconscious and half-broken. He hadn't even needed to see her face. Her scent had slammed into his senses like a shockwave, dragging his wolf to the surface so fast it nearly made him lose control. He had stood at the top of the stairs that night, watching Elias and two guards carry her limp body into the guest wing, and he'd had to grip the railing to keep himself from going to her.

She's here. She's ours.

His wolf had been relentless ever since. And Caelum had done the impossible.

He waited.

He watched her from afar. Let Elias tend to her. Let the others whisper. Let her heal. Because if he'd walked into that room the first night, he didn't trust himself to leave without marking her.

He never expected her to wander into his space tonight. Into the study no one entered without knocking. And when he saw her standing there, touching his books, her fingers brushing old parchment with quiet reverence he'd nearly forgotten how to breathe.

She didn't even know who he was.

Didn't recognize the pull in her chest. Didn't flinch in fear. Just stood there like she belonged in the quiet, heavy air of his world.

And when he tucked her hair behind her ear and felt that tiny, barely-there tremble in her body?

It took everything in him not to pull her against the shelves and bury his face in her neck. Not to tell her then and there.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

Another sip.

He set the glass down gently, but the tension in his shoulders didn't ease.

She had no idea what she was. Who she was. She didn't know about Blackmist. About him.

But she would.

Soon.

And when she did...

There'd be no more distance.

No more waiting.

She was his.

And Caelum had never been the patient type for long.