The Alpha Behind The Mask

Oliver’s POV

​I slammed the library door behind me, the sound echoing through the cold, empty hallway. My hands were shaking—not from fear, but from a white-hot rage that I couldn’t push down. I walked straight to the bar and poured a glass of whiskey, swallowing the burning liquid in one gulp.

​I sank into the heavy leather chair, staring into the fireplace. The gold award sat on the desk, mocking me. Tonight was supposed to be the pinnacle of my reign, the moment I showed the world my future queen. Instead, I stood on that stage like a fool, staring at an empty seat while the Council whispered behind my back.

​"Damn it, Aurora," I growled, slamming my glass onto the table.

​My wolf was pacing inside my head, howling with a mix of fury and deep, agonizing pain. Tell her, he snarled. Stop this game. Tell her who you really are.

​I closed my eyes, shaking my head.

​I had created Raymond to find out who was loyal and who was a traitor. But when I met Aurora, it turned into something else. I saw the fire in her eyes, the hate for Doms in the club, and I wanted to see how much she would hate me. I never knew this silly act of mine would turn into something this big.

​Tonight, I had set a trap. As Raymond, I told her that if she didn’t come, our deal was over. I did it because I was sure she wouldn’t leave me. I was sure she would choose Oliver on his big night.

​But she didn’t. She left the man she claimed to love to run to the man who treated her like a sex pet.

​I pulled my phone out of my pocket—Raymond’s phone—and looked at the last text I had sent her as Raymond.

​Raymond: You were late... our contract is over. Do not contact me ever again... there was nothing special about you.

​I felt a sharp pang of guilt in my chest. I had said those words to hurt her, to push her back into the arms of Oliver so I could finally end this double life. I wanted Raymond to die tonight so Oliver could finally have her completely, but something tells me this wasn’t the end.

​I thought about the limo ride—the way she had been so "naughty," the way she had worshiped my body. Now I wondered if that was just a distraction. Was she just trying to keep me happy so she could slip away to the club?

​You’re hurting her, my wolf reminded me. She’s confused.

​"I know," I muttered, rubbing my face with my hands.

​I had kept her in a tight corner, playing both sides, thinking I could control the outcome. But I had only succeeded in making the woman I loved feel like she was worth nothing. I had insulted her as Raymond, and I had turned my back on her as Oliver.

​I looked at the whiskey bottle, tempted to drink until I forgot everything. I wanted to go back into that room, pull her into my arms, and tell her that Raymond doesn’t exist.

​But how could I? How could she ever forgive me for the things I made her do as Raymond? For the marks I left on her skin? For the humiliation?

​I stared at the phone. The contract was over. Raymond was gone, and I hope Aurora never contacts him again.

​I kept drinking, the whiskey burning its way down my throat as I stared into the dying fire in the fireplace. Each glass made the guilt heavier. I had played a dangerous game, and now I was the one hurting. After a few more minutes, I stood up on unsteady legs and made my way back to our bedroom.

​The room was dimly lit. Aurora was lying on the bed, a small, still shape. She had pulled the duvet all the way up, covering her body and even her face, hiding from the world—or perhaps hiding from me.

​I walked into the bathroom and stood under a cold shower, letting the freezing water shock the alcohol and the anger out of my system. Once I was numb, I dried off and went to the walk-in closet. I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and walked back to the bed.

​I lay down on the other side, leaving a space between us. The room was silent, but I was a wolf. I could hear everything. I heard the soft, wet sniffling she was trying so hard to hide. She was crying.

​My heart broke into a thousand pieces. Was she crying because of the cruel words I had sent her as Raymond? Or was she crying because she felt she had lost me as Oliver? I knew my Aurora. She was still my innocent girl. Maybe she had finally realized that Raymond was a mistake.

​I couldn’t take the distance anymore. I moved closer and gently pulled the duvet down so I could see the back of her head. I lay down behind her, my chest pressed against her back, though I didn’t grab her yet.

​"I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you," I whispered into the quiet room. "I shouldn’t have snapped. I trust you, Aurora. Truly, I do."

​I felt her breath hitch, but she didn’t turn around.

​"I have my own secrets," I continued, my voice thick with emotion. "Secrets I will probably take to my grave with me. It’s okay for you to have yours, too. I won’t force you to tell me. Just... just don’t keep anything from me that will cause you harm. I can’t lose you."

​I reached out, my hand trembling slightly as I stroked her hair. "I love you. I love you so, so much. More than you could ever understand."

​She let out a small, broken sob, and I finally pulled her back against me, tucking her head under my chin. Then I decided to tell her the reason I’m hurt... not all the reasons, but at least a part of it.

​"The reason I was so angry today... the reason it hurt so much to see that empty chair... is because I’ve been stood up before," I said, the old memory replaying in my head. "You know my mother left my father when I was ten. When I was thirteen, I was nominated for a big award at my academy. It was everything to me. I sent her an invitation, hoping she would come."

​I swallowed hard, the bitterness of that day still fresh. "She sent a letter back saying she was heavily pregnant and too unwell to travel. I believed her. I stood there and received my award with only my father and Godfather by my side. But then, I went on the internet later that night. There were pictures of her... she had traveled all the way to France to watch my half-brother, Oscar, in a combat match."

​I felt Aurora stiffen in my arms.

​"That was the day I stopped expecting anything from anyone," I whispered. "It ruined my relationship with her. To this day, she has no idea that’s why I don’t see her as my mother. She tries to show up now, even if I don’t invite her, but I never acknowledge her. I never look at her. Because when I needed her to see me, she chose someone else."

​I tightened my grip on Aurora, burying my face in the crook of her neck.

​"When I looked out and didn’t see you tonight, I felt like that thirteen-year-old boy again. I felt like I wasn’t enough to make you stay."

​I kissed the top of her head, the scent of her hair finally calming my wolf.

​"I love you, Aurora," I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of my own words. "I want this to work. More than anything. Can we just... start over? Can we forget everything that happened today and just be us again?"

​I felt her entire body tremble in my arms. Slowly, she turned around to face me, the duvet falling away. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her face was stained with tears. She looked so small and broken that it made the guilt inside me twist like a knife.

​"I’m sorry," she choked out, her voice barely a whisper. "I’m so, so sorry, Oliver."

​I reached out, my thumb gently wiping away a fresh tear that rolled down her cheek. I hated that I was the reason for those tears—both as the man she was looking at and the man she had run to earlier.

​"You’re forgiven," I said, and I meant it. I had to forgive her, because I was just as guilty as she was. "You’ve been forgiven since the moment you stepped back into that limo."

​She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine, full of a deep, aching sadness. "I love you, Oliver. I love you so much. Please believe me."

​My heart soared and broke at the same time. I did believe her. That was the problem. I knew she loved Oliver, but she was still bound to Raymond by her past.

​"I believe you," I said softly, stroking her cheek. "I really do."

​The silence between us was no longer cold. It was filled with a soft, heavy longing. I looked at her lips, then back at her eyes.

​"Can I kiss you?" I asked.

​I didn’t want to just take it. I wanted her to want me—just Oliver. I wanted to erase the memory of every other touch, every other man, even the shadow of myself that I had used to hurt her.

​She didn’t say anything. Instead, she let out a small, shaky breath and leaned forward, closing the gap between us. She pressed her forehead against mine for a second before her lips finally met mine.

​The kiss was slow and passionate, tasting of salt and whiskey and a thousand unspoken feelings. It wasn’t like the naughty kiss in the limo; this was love. It was a promise to try and fix the things we had broken. I pulled her closer, my arms wrapping around her as if I could shield her from the very monster I had created.

​In that moment, with her heart beating against mine, I made a silent vow. Raymond was dead. I would never let him come between us again. I would be the man she deserved, even if I had to spend the rest of my life making up for the lies I had told.

​I broke the kiss just enough to whisper against her lips. "I’ve got you, Aurora. I’m not letting go."