72

"Are you daydreaming, Aurora?"

Lexton's heavy voice filled the car, snapping Aurora out of her long daydream. The girl chose to look outside, with one hand tightly clutching the seatbelt.

Getting out of the restaurant without wasting any more time, Lexton ordered Oliv to take care of the rest.

Don't let the news about this get out of their organization, and deal with the hotel and restaurant management to make sure nothing leaked to the media.

After finishing everything, Lexton started his car, followed by another unit belonging to his men behind there, which was now filled with five people.

One handcuffed man, of course.

"I wasn't daydreaming," Aurora denied. Even elementary school children knew what she was doing.

Lexton chuckled. This time his two hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to get back to his apartment as quickly as possible.

"Sorry for startling you," the man said suddenly. "It all just happened, but I'm glad you weren't hurt."

Aurora turned her head to look at Lexton. The man seemed to be very calm, as events like this had become his daily bread.

Lexton did not know, nor had he heard any information, about who exactly was behind the man in the hat. Who was behind it, and what was his reason for doing it.

"That was close," Aurora said with a slight shudder. She repeatedly asked herself what would have happened if the man in the jacket had shot her first.

Would she have died?

"You're right dear, it was a close one," Lexton replied in agreement. "But that's what fighting is like, because seconds count."

Aurora swallowed with difficulty. The last thing she had eaten was that red velvet cake, and she hadn't had time to drink afterwards.

Now her throat felt dry, even after the shooting scene that happened right in front of her eyes. Her hand moved quickly to reach for a bottle of water, downing it without hesitation afterward.

"I'm thirsty," Aurora explained, without Lexton even asking. Capping the bottle back, Aurora again looked up at her new lover. "Is this the kind of world you live in, Mr. Lexton?"

Lexton slammed on the brakes down there, reducing the vehicle's speed as he was about to make a turn. After stabilizing on a straight road, the man began to speak now.

"You will be able to judge how my world and I operate, Aurora," he said. "I'm a little sorry that this happened on our first date, but I hope you won't think of backing out. Especially after seeing what happened earlier, with your own eyes."

Aurora listened, with her grip tightening on her seatbelt.

"Being in an organization like this, I have some enemies who might openly raise the flag of war," Lexton said again. "But trust me, I won't let anything happen to you."

It took a few seconds for Aurora to digest what she had just heard. Lexton's words should have put her at ease, but instead it felt strange because part of Aurora's heart identified a lingering doubt.

Clearing her throat, it was Aurora's turn to speak up.

"That's not what I meant," the woman said. "I know, you definitely won't let me experience danger. It's just that I'm thinking now that your safety could be at stake no matter where you are."

Lexton was still glued to the road, occasionally glancing at Aurora and lost in their conversation.

"Are you worried about me?" he asked.

Aurora breathed in and out heavily. Was that really the case? She thought again, trying to figure out what she should say to the Alpha.

"I just...," Aurora stammered. "The incident that you experienced until you were injured the other day, must be almost the same pattern as what's happening right now, right?"

The woman's eyeballs rolled, getting deeper into her own thoughts.

"You recognize your enemy very well, Lord Lexton," Aurora praised. "When I didn't even realize he was there, you so quickly responded to incapacitate him first. I didn't know you were carrying a weapon either, and well, that was quite a surprise."

Lexton let out a small laugh from between his lips. The man still looked as calm as possible, not really wanting to give Aurora any room to see the worry and anger that was stored inside his chest.

The man had chosen to keep it all hidden, even though his curiosity was on the verge of exploding.

"And indeed, I was worried about you," Aurora whispered this time. The woman's tone slowed down, with her eyes looking at Lexton sadly. "I worry that you could be in danger, with every move you make."

Noticing the change in his girlfriend's features, Lexton unconsciously eased off the gas and unceremoniously slammed the steering wheel onto the shoulder of the road.

John, who was driving in the car behind, automatically hit the brakes suddenly, causing the other passengers in the car to be almost knocked out of their seats.

Not only were John and the others confused by Lexton's abrupt stop, but Aurora was also gaping in confusion.

"Why did you stop, Mr. Lexton?" she asked curiously.

Lexton stole the time to lean towards Aurora, looking deeply into her hazel-colored eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Aurora?" Lexton asked back. "Are you really worried about me?"

Aurora hesitated. Lexton's face was very close to hers, and she could now smell his breath mixed with her perfume.

"Of course," Aurora replied quickly. "How can I not worry if I've seen it with my own eyes? You sent yourself into danger, because you were protecting me earlier. I kept thinking what if the bullet had penetrated your body first, and...."

Aurora was at a loss for words. The worry she felt had turned into excessive fear, when she really didn't want the Alpha to be in danger.

The longer Aurora was in Lexton's life, the deeper Aurora knew how dark the man's life was.

A world full of danger, a world that could quickly cost the man his life. And now, Aurora shuddered at the thought of what Lexton had faced all these years.

"Listen to me, darling," Lexton half-whispered. The man's hand reached out to cup Aurora's cheek, a scene she had grown fond of lately.

"I wasn't forged to avoid enemies, Aurora," Lexton spoke up again. "From a young age, I was made to lead this organization with my own hands. And during that time, I was able to survive and create power under my control. This world of mine is darkness, and you just came to give me light."

Aurora was speechless, with her ears wide open. Digesting the words, Aurora stored them in her memory.

"You don't need to worry," Lexton said again, trying hard to get Aurora to let go of the worry.

"I'm the Alpha, with only seven percent errors in my lifetime. One of which was when I let my guard down, and let that bullet go through my shoulder." Lexton explained. "I won't let that happen again, especially now that there's someone so worried about me."

Aurora had tears in her eyes. She didn't know where they came from, but there were a few crystal drops that had gathered in her eyes.

Lexton moved a hand to stroke the woman's hair, bringing comfort to Aurora whose heart was filled with worry.

"Trust me," Lexton pleaded gently. "Everything will be fine, as long as you stay here and wait for me to return."

Through one blink of an eye, the crystal slid down perfectly. They were not tears of sadness, but something that proved that their relationship was not as shallow as others thought.

"Promise me you'll keep coming back," Aurora asked this time. "Promise to keep coming back, without lacking anything."

Lexton nodded of course, fingers gently stroking his beloved's cheek.

"I don't want you to cry," the Alpha said. "I don't want to make you sad, so save all your tears and just be happy with me."

Lexton was just about to move his face forward to close the conversation with a sweet kiss, but a knock on the glass of his car door reflexively broke the ice.

Oliv stood upright beside Lexton's door, bending down slightly to check on their leader.

"Alpha, did something happen?" the man half shouted out there, looking up at the dark, impenetrable glass.

Aurora stifled a smile with flushed cheeks, as did Lexton who growled in annoyance.

"Damn it, Oliv! Totally out of place!"