Chapter 86 The ringing of wedding bells!
86\. The ringing of wedding bells!
'It feels good when you know you're claimed by someone who loves you like his soul. Someone who treats you like a princess and worships you like an idol.' Aura blushed at her reflection she stared in the mirror.
Her neck was filled with love bites and a certain mark on her shoulder she couldn't take her eyes away from.
'Never knew that the most charming and handsome man of this world would choose me over those chicks who'd tried to win him over with their bodies. I must be a blessed soul.' She shyly bit into her lips and stopped herself from smiling at the crescent mark on her shoulder. His mark.
That is what's left behind on her shoulder on the spot he's marked her the other night. When she inquired Damien about it once he was awake, he caressed it with his mouth and made a hue crawl up her face with his remark.
"When a wolf imprints his mate, he leaves his mark on her skin as an evidence that she belongs to him. That she's been claimed. And this crescent impression on your skin is my mark on you, my love."
Aura trailed her fingers on her shoulder as she sat with just a towel wrapped around her frame for a while now.
"Love, you can't escape me now. I'll always know whenever you're going away out of the radius because of this mark. You are trapped with me forever, Mrs. Hunter to-be!" He's said, intensifying the colour of her cheeks.
It felt heavenly and sounded more than just exotic when he addressed her as his Mrs. Aura couldn't brush away the touch of his strong fingers on her belly in the shower. They didn't make love but the shower was exciting enough to leave the middle of her thighs creamy and ticklish.
It's just been a night since their perfect, satisfying reunion as Auror had wanted it. It seemed like a fortnight had passed. Just one night with Damien and the haunting thoughts of that dark night of suffering and misersary faded away.
His love helped her get over those dreadful memories. It was his existence that made her discard that night for good and look ahead at the lovely life that was waiting for them. It was the Alpha's persisting attempts that made it possible for her to get what she's dreamed of— a happy life with his while they raised their baby.
That night… It no more exists in her life. Like a nightmare he made her forget it.
Aurora smiled as a small tear of joy spilled out of her left eye. She quickly wiped that off and got up to get dressed. She's promised Damien to never cry. Even if it is a lone tear of happiness, she didn't want it to break her promise she made to him.
She walked over to the walk-in closet and tapped her chin in confusion.
"What do I wear from these? They are all pretty." She gawked at the expensive dresses arranged in movable racks and in the built-in shelves.
There were fine beach dresses, exotic one piece dresses for parties, and formals. Some shelves contained t-shirts and shirts. Jeans, shorts and comfortable track pants laid on a shelf beside them. Aura was in awe as she observed full length gowns and expensive collections of dresses from the recent editions of various fashion weeks.
"This is crazy. He bought them all for me. I can't believe it!" A loud astonished chuckle spilled out of her lungs.
She was stunned at the collection Damien made for her in her absence, that too in his own closet. When she asked him why, he said that he was certain she would come live with him soon (considering the force of his attempts), in his bedroom and they'd go on dates and holidays too, so he bought everything he could get his hands on for her even if she made it clear they were over for good.
Initially she had been hugely embarrassed by his generosity but the terrible temptation of seeing herself in such exquisite garments had overcome her finer principles. Now she couldn't decide which one to wear.
"This is so pretty for a dress!"
Her eyes popped out when she noticed a lovely full length black dress with a line of pearls at the neckline and on the border. She reacted to it with wide eyes as she inhaled its fragrance.
"Damien will be tongue-tied seeing me clad into this." She giggled and ran her fingers on the fabric. "And hard too."
With pink colour collecting in her cheeks, giving her a natural blush for good, she put the dress on in the closet itself with matching garments. She came out to the room and dried her hair.
Something was unique about today. It is that the day was unexpectedly bright and lively just like her angelic face. She applied some gloss and after leaving her hair loose on her creamy shoulders she padded out of the room with a noticeable joy glowing on her cheekbones like natural highlight.
"Good morning, Ma." Aurora greeted her in the kitchen preparing some pie with kitchen staff providing a helping hand.
She greeted the others with same eager as she joined Madam Martha cut some vegetables for another dish. Her hand was clutched and eyes of prohibition glared at Aura, "No, you are not helping me today. Go sit on the table and I'll bring you your breakfast."
Despite her attempts Madam Martha shooed her off. Aura sat on the table waiting for her mum who appeared within no time for her with a platter full of healthy exotic breakfast that made her mouth water. She hungrily dug while Madam Martha sat next to her, adoring her face.
"This is lovely," Aura complimented taking a bite of pancakes with rose syrup her Ma made. "Thanks so much, Ma. The pancakes are yum."
She went back to eating her food unaware of Madam Martha's deep appraisal. Aura was lost in the rich taste of her breakfast until she sense her mother's fingers sneaking inside her sleeve and dragging it down her shoulder.
As soon as the sight of bite marks came to her stunned view, Madam Martha grasped and pulled her chair toward Aura's.
Her nose cringed when she further discovered a crescent staying as red as it was possible at appearance below the bite. A mating mark.
"Aurora," She held her elbow in a rigid hold, preventing her from taking another bite.
She was flabbergasted and disappointed. Aurora was freaking pregnant for weeks. Marking her during this stage could be deathly. Her concern drip off her sour expressions as she twisted her mouth and looked away.
"Now I infer why he asked me to let you rest a lot today. That barbarian alpha marked my daughter, erghhh!" She let out a heavy breath and clenched her teeth.
She appreciated Damien for his intense love and the relationship he shared with Aurora, however, she just couldn't bring herself to accept this.
"I will talk to him about this the first thing as he returns today. This is not—"
"Ma," Aura covered her hand on her elbow and gave it a light squeeze. "I am fine. In fact, I feel way better after the marking."
"You didn't just say that," Madam Martha glared at her. "Don't defend him, Aurora. This is crazy. You could have fallen severely ill. I only thought he would make love to you last night and that seemed fine as long as he didn't get rough with you. But this… I am not buying this at any cost."
Her stomach clenched and toes curled under the table. She crossed and pulled her feet together and worried her lower lip in embarrassment. Her mentioning about his roughness and love making made her want to hide away in a closet.
Before she came up with more such cheek-reddening remarks, Aurora quickly snapped, "I am seriously fine, Ma. I swear. He didn't hurt me. I swear."
"But baby,"
"We are finally together. Can you believe it, and now I am his mate too. Just imagine, Ma, there is nothing separating us now." She hoped it would distract her.
"Yeah, that is good but," Madam Martha sighed. Her hand fell away as she signaled her to resume eating. "Ermm, looks like I am going to be busy soon."
"What?" Aura took a new bite of her pancake.
Madam Martha lifted her face still portraying disappointment, "I heard him talking to Brian regarding some kind of arrangements and I am guessing it is of your wedding."
"Of our wedding?" Aura parroted it with her fork stopping before her mouth.
"Yes, honey, he was talking about it being personal and limited to only a few people. And that he would like it done in Christian way as well as traditionally as Alphas in this pack had been marrying their mates across an oracle with sacred vows of inseparability chanted." Aura was glad that the lines of annoyance were fading out of her head, her words though held her aghast.
"He didn't make use of the word marriage or tying a knot with you but then what else would that mean? There is no reason for him to conduct any ceremony of success or anything else these days. It is only obvious he was referring to your marriage." Madam Martha shrugged.
Nevertheless Aura couldn't see clearly at the smile denting the corner of her mouth or listen to what she further said given that the thought of a marriage with Damien sounded like a dream come true. The melody of their wedding bells was already ringing in her ears.
Tbc…