The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 96: Why Me?

​Aurora’s POV

​"I’m sorry," Oliver whispered, his voice still rough from the effects of the injury. "I’m sorry you had to see me like this, Aurora."

​"Nonsense," I choked out, the word catching in my throat.

​I couldn’t help myself anymore. The fear that had been suffocating me for hours finally broke. I leaned forward, my hands framing his face, and kissed him deeply. It wasn’t like the kiss in the office or the one in the car; this was a kiss of pure, raw relief. I tasted the salt of my own tears and felt the heat of his skin, and for the first time since the helicopter landed, I felt like I could breathe.

​I pulled back just an inch, my forehead resting against his as I struggled to stop my hands from shaking. "I was so scared, Oliver. I was so fucking scared."

​"I know," he murmured, his good hand coming up to tangle in my messy hair, pulling me closer. "Strangely, I felt it. The thought of you was the only thing that kept me moving when the silver tried to take me down."

​"Don’t ever do that again," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Don’t ever leave me like that. I don’t care about the land or the packs or the Alpha King duties. I just need you here... with me."

​Oliver’s eyes softened, turning a deep, swirling blue that seemed to pull me in. He looked at me with so much devotion that it made my chest ache. He reached down, his thumb tracing my lower lip, his gaze dropping to my mouth.

​"I told you I’d be fine," he reminded me, a smirk appearing on his pale face. "And I told you that when I came back, if you were still sure..."

​He trailed off, his eyes searching mine for any sign of doubt. My heart hammered against my ribs. I thought of Raymond and the way he had discarded me. I thought of the darkness I had lived in for so long. Then I looked at Oliver—the man who had just bled for his people and come back for me.

​"I’m sure," I said, my voice finally steady. "I’ve never been more sure of anything."

​Oliver took a deep breath, his muscles tensing under the bandages. He winced slightly but didn’t pull away. Instead, he used his strength to shift over, making room for me on the large, silken bed.

​"Come over," he commanded softly, patting the space beside him.

​I swallowed hard, my eyes widening. "Are we..."

​He scoffed and shook his head. "No, darling... unfortunately not tonight. But I believe you can be patient and wait for the next twenty-four hours?"

​I blushed and nodded, my heart still racing as I carefully climbed onto the massive bed. I was mindful of his shoulder, moving slowly until I was lying on my side, facing him.

​For a moment, we were silent. The only sound in the royal suite was the soft hum of the air conditioning and the heavy, rhythmic thrum of his heart. I watched the way his chest rose and fell.

​"You’re staring," Oliver whispered, his voice vibrating through the mattress.

​"I’m making sure you’re still breathing," I admitted, my voice small. "I feel like if I look away, you might disappear again."

​Oliver reached out with his good arm, his fingers finding mine and interlacing them. His grip was firm, anchoring me to the present. "I’m not going anywhere, Aurora. I have too much to live for now."

​He pulled my hand up to his lips, kissing my knuckles with a tenderness that made my throat tighten. I shifted closer, resting my head on the pillow just inches from his. The scent of him—and the faint smell of the healing salve—wrapped around me, finally silencing the panicked screams in my mind.

​"Oliver?" I whispered after a long beat.

​"Mmm?"

​"Why me?" I asked, the question that had been haunting me since he confessed his feelings to me. "You’re the Alpha King. You could have anyone. Why me... the broken assistant who can’t even access her wolf?"

​He was quiet for a moment, his thumb brushing slowly over my knuckles, like he was trying to find the right words.

​"Because you’re light," he said finally, his voice low and steady.

​I frowned slightly. "Light?"

​He gave a soft, tired exhale, his gaze drifting to the ceiling before coming back to me.

​"I can’t explain it, Aurora... I really can’t," he admitted. "I’ve met powerful women. Strong women. Women who wanted the crown... who wanted me. But none of them ever made me feel..." He paused, searching. "...human."

​My chest tightened.

​"With you, it’s different," he continued quietly. "You don’t look at me like I’m a King. You don’t calculate your words. You argue. You walk away. You frustrate the hell out of me." A faint smile touched his lips. "But somehow... I still want you to stay."

​His fingers tightened slightly around mine.

​"You’re stubborn in the strangest ways," he murmured. "You fight for things that don’t even benefit you. You care when you shouldn’t. And even when you’re breaking... you still try to stand."

​I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging.

​"And that..." he said softly, looking straight into my eyes, "that’s something I’ve never seen before."

​His voice dropped even lower.

​"You make everything feel... quieter in here." He tapped his chest lightly. "Like the noise finally stops."

​My breath hitched.

​"Do you know what my life has been like, Aurora?" he asked softly.

​I shook my head.

​His lips curved into a faint, sad smile.

​"Loud," he said. "Always loud. Orders. Expectations. Power. Blood. War." His eyes dimmed slightly. "Even when I’m alone... it’s still loud in my head."

​My chest ached.

​"But you..." His voice dropped, almost breaking, "you’re the only place where it goes quiet."

​My breath caught.

​He looked at me like he was afraid I wouldn’t understand.

​"When you’re near me," he continued, his thumb brushing slowly over my skin, "I can think. I can breathe. I can just... be a man. Not a king. Not a leader... Just... me."

​A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.

​"And you don’t even realize what you do to me," he whispered, his voice rough. "You walk into a room... and everything in me settles. Like I’ve been searching for something my whole life and didn’t even know it... until you showed up."

​My lips trembled.

​"So no," he added, a small, tired smile forming, "I don’t know why it’s you. I just know that it is. And I don’t want it to be anyone else."

​Silence filled the space between us, but it wasn’t heavy. It was warm.

​I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. For the first time in years, the shadow of the man who killed my parents and the man who broke my heart felt a little further away.

​"Now, sleep," Oliver commanded, his voice dropping into a low, protective rumble. "I need you rested. Because when that twenty-four-hour timer runs out... I don’t plan on letting you out of this bed for a long, long time."

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