Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Aurora woke up feeling very fresh and energized. She was smiling broadly. She had a wet fantasy where Jax made love to her and she even did that thing with him. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

She opened the blanket only to see she was naked. But she remembered putting on her nightgown. She looked around the room and saw her nightgown thrown aside including Jax's clothes. They were thrown all around the place. So it wasn't a dream.

Bastard, how could he take advantage of her sleeping state to make love to her? Aurora was feeling angry and…embarrassed. She couldn't believe she was thinking it was a dream.

Aurora got out of the bed to get ready for the new day. She was already feeling hungry. She could eat a horse right now but what she craved was ice cream and a bowl of pickled cucumber.

The pickled cucumber should have been pickled in vinegar. She needs to feel the sour taste. She was already salivating at the thought of devouring a full bowl of pickles.

Aurora didn't want the ones prepared at home so she would just order from the local fast-food restaurant close to the mansion or she could just send one of the servants. By the time she finished bathing, the ice cream and pickles would have been ready.

She called for Butler James so he could assign a servant to go and buy it.

"Butler James, can you please send one of the servants to get me a bowl of ice cream and pickles? I am so famished right now", she said looking very hungry.

"Pickles? The servants can make that", Butler James said as he wondered why their Miss would be craving for sour food almost a week now. She always comes up with weird combinations.

"No, I don't want that. I need the ones from fast-food and I want it in less than an hour", she refused as she waved the Butler out.

"Yes, Miss Aurora. Miss, the Alpha had asked me to tell you he would not be around in the next three days. You can tell me whenever you want to go out and I will get the chauffeur to take you there", Butler James said.

"Three days? Okay, you can go and get my food now. Am starving", she replied as she pushed Butler James out.

After Butler James left, she went to take her shower. What happened? Alpha Jax had never gone out like this before she started staying here. She wonders what emergency made him leave so early.

Butler James was very efficient as the servant delivered the ice cream and pickles to Aurora in less than an hour. He brought it to her in the room. She was so happy as she quickly took the takeout and started devouring it. It tasted so sweet that she ate everything.

Aurora was so full that she couldn't get out of her room. She sprawled on the bed looking tired. She decided to just take a walk so she could be lighter.

As she was trying to get up, a servant came to announce that she had a visitor. Her mother and sister had come to visit her. She was so happy that she quickly sprang out of the bed.

Oh! She missed her mom and Maya so much.

************

Celine looked silently around the room she had been in for one than a month now. She also stared at the man sleeping peacefully. She can't deny that he had been of tremendous help during her toughest period. She had been starving for almost a week after she finished all her savings.

Celine had gone to meet her mother but she refused to help her. Celine's mother claimed she had cut all ties with them and her father even collected a huge amount of money from her claiming it was for taking care of Jasmine.

Celine had looked at her mother with disgust. She couldn't believe this woman gave birth to her. How could she lie like that simply because she doesn't want to help. She felt broken and hurt. She turned around and left looking lost and abandoned.

She wasn't the type to beg. She had never worked in her life. Before she left to see her mother, she had decided to look for a job to sustain herself. She remembered the innkeeper promised to help her find a job. Now that she was back, she decided to go and ask the man again.

When she got to the inn, she caught the glimpse of Beta Rufus, her mate. She couldn't believe he traced her all the way to this place.

She didn't want to see him, so she quietly left. She thought he must have been here to take her to be locked up just like her father and sister. She would rather run far away than to be punished with a crime she didn't commit.

She was roaming around thinking he would leave soon but he continued staying and even searched for her.

She decided to look for a job at the local bar but she never expected to see him there too. That was how they met at the bar. She had to run away…again. This time to make her escape faster, she changed to her wolf.

But she overestimated her body. She had been starved for so long that she couldn't hold on anymore as her wolf slumped to the ground. She woke up later to find herself here in this room with her mate.

She decided to shut herself from everyone around her. She wished she could just die.

As time went on, she saw that her mate really cared for her. It was useless trying to run, anyways. She decided to give them a chance. Beta Rufus had explained she won't be punished after all.

"Still awake?", A deep voice asked.

She nodded her head as she slowly mouthed some words to him.

"Thank you for not giving up on me", she said.

"I would never do that. You are my mate. Our soul is connected. Whatever you are passing through affects me too", he said with a smile.

"Tell me what I would do to pay you back. I don't like being indebted to anyone", she asked.

"I am not just anyone, Celine. I am your mate. Whatever I do, I am also doing it for myself", he replied.

"I know we are mates but I can't acknowledge it. I don't want a mate", she replied in a low voice.

Beta Rufus looked as if thousand arrows just pierced through his heart. He looked shaken as he suddenly stood up from the bed. He couldn't believe what she was saying. He moved closer to her as his eyes were filled with hurt.

"Are…are you rejecting me?", He managed to ask.

"No, I am not rejecting you…", she quickly added.

Though Beta Rufus was a little relieved, he still looked hurt.

"If you are not rejecting me, then what are you doing?"He asked, growing angry.

"You don't seem to understand me. It's not that I am rejecting you, I just don't acknowledge you. I feel only the bond connection but my heart doesn't wish for it. That's why I don't want to feel indebted to you. Just tell me what to do to pay you back", she said looking down.

Beta Rufus looked at the frail woman on the bed. She knew all this was a result of the illness but he wasn't ready to let her go…ever. He decided to be selfish for once in his life.

"Are you ready to do anything?"He asked as he looked at her deeply.

"Yes, as long as it's within my capacity", she replied.

"Then marry me", he suddenly said.

"What?", She shouted.

"You said you wanted to pay for my debt. Marry me for six months. If at the end of the six months I can't win your heart, I will set you free", he said.

Celine looked puzzled at his request. How can she just marry him? But she already promised to let her go if it didn't work. It's not like she had anywhere to go.

She believes before the end of the year, she would have made enough money to move away.

But she has a condition.

"So what is your reply?", Beta Rufus asked. He wasn't expecting a positive answer and he won't force her to agree also.

"I agree but with a condition. We will have nothing to do with each other sexually", she said.

"Deal. I accept but because of my family, we will have to share a room to avoid suspicion. At the end of the six months, it couldn't work out. I will take the blame for our separation", he said.

"Okay"

"Now, let's get our marriage registered", Beta Rufus said as he looked happy.

The earlier the better before she changes her mind.