The Alpha's Secret Human Sugar Baby - Chapter 71: Chapter 71

Thorne’s POV
Who knew telling your ex off could take the weight off your shoulders?
Realistically, I know Angeline won’t fully accept my rejection. It will probably take her a while before she finally realizes I want nothing to do with her.
Throughout my little experiment, Aurora has been extremely gloomy, and I realize that is my fault. I didn’t think hanging out with Angeline would impact her so much even though my goal was to figure out her true feelings based on her response.
I’m not sure if she’s in love with me, but she must have feelings for me. That, I’m sure of, which is why I wanted to stop this farce.
In hindsight, stringing Angeline along wasn’t my best move; for her or for Aurora. Seeing her move around the office like a ghost, with a blank face and sluggish movements, was awful. I’m an asshole for resorting to something so childish as using Angeline as bait to see if Aurora loves me.
I realize now that I hurt Aurora, and as I leave the office, I turn left toward the vacation house instead of right toward my house. Hopefully, she’s at the house and not the hospital or hiding somewhere because I need to find her and apologize.
Actually, I need to do more than apologize, but I have to start somewhere. If I lose Aurora now, it’ll be my own doing., and I’m not willing to let go of her so easily.
So, I drive to the house, making sure to check my surroundings as I exit the car. I don’t sense anyone near, other than the Gammas patrolling.
Then I look at the house and find that the lights are all off. It’s still fairly early, not even eleven, so hopefully she’s asleep and not somewhere else. Though, if she’s not here, I’ll search until I find her. I won’t let Aurora get away before I clear the air and get forgiveness.
Even if I must grovel on my knees, I’ll make sure she knows the truth.
Quietly, I unlock the front door and make my way into the dark house. The quiet is deafening, until it’s not. The sound of crying drifts down the stairs, drawing me in until I find Aurora in bed. She’s crying into her knees with her phone tightly clutched in her hands.
Shit.
I rush to her side, and when she sees me, Aurora throws her arms around me.
“Are you going to leave me?” She sobs.
“What?” I growl, caught off guard.
“Am I just trash you can throw away?” Her voice cracks and tears seep into my shirt, soaking it.
Before she can pull away, I tug her fully into my lap, turn, and sit back against the headboard. I cradle the crying woman in my arms.
“Fucking idiot,” my wolf growls angrily. I ignore him, already feeling awful for putting Aurora in this state, and focus on my woman.
“No, Aurora,” I whisper. “I’m not leaving you, and there’s nothing in this world that could ever take you from me or vice versa.”
She continues to cry, her hands abandoning her phone and clutching my arm. I glance at her phone to find my name on the screen, like she was trying to call me.
“I had a nightmare again,” Aurora stammers through her cries.
“About what?” I brush some of her hair back, hoping it’ll sooth her. She turns further into me, now straddling me and leaning into my chest more. My thumb moves in small circles on her side while I gently rub a hand up and down her back.
The way her body jerks with her soft cries has my heart aching.
“I dreamed that everyone turned against me, and you chose Angeline instead of me. You called me trash and said you were done with me. I… It hurt so much. I don’t want that to happen, so if you’re going to be with someone else, we need to end our contra—”
“I’m so sorry,” I murmur, cupping her cheeks and lifting her eyes to mine. “I’m not losing you, Aurora. I was a fucking idiot and shouldn’t have let Angeline close to me. I made a mistake, and it’s nobody’s fault but my own.”
Aurora sniffles and nods in agreement, which makes me smile a bit, and I continue, “You can punish me however you like, little human, but know this. I won’t be making any more stupid mistakes because I don’t want anyone except you. The little human I fell in love with.”
Aurora’s POV
Is it possible to die from happiness when just a moment ago I thought I was breaking into little pieces from distress?
If it is, I think that might be happening now. Thorne said he loved me. ME! Not Angeline. He said he didn’t want to lose me and apologized.
As I search Thorne’s face, hoping and praying that he’s not messing with me, even as a sliver of doubt creeps in. I have to ask, “Why do you love me?”
I need to know he’s not just having a moment of insanity.
Thorne smiles softly, leans in, and presses a kiss to my forehead, before speaking, “I love everything about you, Aurora. Specifically, I love your dedication. When you set your mind to something, you get it done and you put everything you can into it. That cute wrinkle you get on your nose when you concentrate is also adorable.”
I touch my nose, wondering what he’s talking about, but he continues, “I love your kindness. Even after going through years of bullying and hard times, you’ve stayed kind. It’s a warmth that shines through the dark days, giving me something to look forward to. I always want to be around you because you’re the kindest person I know.”
The butterflies in my stomach go crazy.
“You also have a quiet strength that hides beneath the surface, which helps you stick to your beliefs,” Thorne says. His hand slides into mine, and our fingers intertwine. “That strength is incredibly attractive and impressive. I’ve seen how people treat you because you’re human, but I’ve also seen how you don’t always let it drag you down.”
I didn’t know he paid such close attention this whole time, and as he talks, I find myself relaxing. It’s not just physical for him, like he originally said. He really does like me, and I can’t help but like him too.
Well, I’m past the stage of liking him. Even though he’s been distant and with Angeline, I don’t see him differently. Not with his sincere apology and the way he was still protecting me when I needed him.
“I love you too.”
Thorne’s eyes jump to mine, and he stops mid-sentence. The only sounds that fill the room are our quiet breathing.
“You do? Even after I messed up? I thought I might’ve pushed you too far away,” he says softly, the shock and hope mixing in his tone.
“I do, Thorne. I love you because you’re my safe place,” I tell him. “You’re the one person I want to lean on when there’s trouble and when I’m happy. I look forward to seeing you, and when I don’t, I want to go find you. You’ve taken up every inch of my heart and mind so quickly that I thought there was something wrong with me.”
Thorne shakes his head, kissing my forehead again, “No. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re perfect.”
“That’s just it. I’m not, but you don’t care about that, and I love that. I’m not just here for your money Thorne. In fact, I haven’t been here for your money for a long time,” I tell him, hoping he can see the truth in my eyes. “I love your strength and leadership and how you care for me despite the fact that I’m not a werewolf like you.”
“That doesn’t matter to me anymore, Aurora,” he mutters. “I was wrong to think you were like those other women… another mistake I need to make up for—”
I softly put my hand over Thorne’s mouth, silencing him.
“You don’t need to make up for anything.”
“I do, and I will. From now on, you’re mine, Aurora,” he growls.
A shiver of anticipation skitters down my spine, and I want to ask what he’ll do to make it up to me, but before I can, I yawn. Thorne’s eyebrows jump up, and he smiles.
“Let’s get you back to sleep,” he says softly, shifting both of our bodies. He never releases me, and we end up with me lying on top of him, which he seems to like because he doesn’t let me move.
“Go to sleep,” he says, “I’ll be here when you wake.”
I hum and curl into him, letting his warmth comfort me.
“Goodnight, Thorne.”