intrepidity

Chapter 24

The silence that followed felt heavy, suffocating even. Aurora stood in the middle of the hallway, not daring to meet his eyes. The tension in the air was palpable, and her heart hammered in her chest.

Without saying another word, Aiden grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her toward the kitchen. She didn't protest, too afraid to do anything that might anger him further.

In the kitchen, Aiden set her down at the table, the silence stretching between them like an invisible wall. He opened the fridge, his movements sharp, quick. Aurora watched him, her gaze fixed on the counter. She couldn't help but feel small in this moment, her shoulders hunched as if she were trying to make herself invisible.

She couldn't take the silence anymore.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I just wanted to know what was happening. I didn't mean to—"

But before she could finish, Aiden cut her off. His back was turned, his hands resting on the edge of the counter, but his voice was quiet and firm.

"You're not in trouble, Aurora." His tone was controlled, but there was a hint of something else there—something darker. "But you cannot go outside like that. It's dangerous. Do you understand?"

She nodded; her throat tight. "Yes, sir."

The words slipped out before she could stop them. She hadn't meant to say that. It was just... instinct. But the moment they left her lips, she felt a deep sense of dread.

Aiden turned to face her, his expression unreadable. His gaze softened just slightly, but the way he looked at her was different now—more intense, more serious. "You don't need to call me 'sir,' Aurora." He paused, his hand reaching for a glass of milk, but he didn't take his eyes off her. "I'm not angry with you, but you scared me."

Aurora's lip trembled as she looked down at the floor, her mind racing. "I'm sorry..." she whispered again, her voice so small.

Aiden didn't say anything for a long moment. Finally, he walked over to her, kneeling down so that they were eye level. His expression softened, and his voice lowered to something gentler, but still firm. "Aurora, I need you to listen to me. When I tell you to stay inside, you stay inside. Do you understand?"

Aurora nodded, her chest tightening. She was trying to be brave, to hold it together, but the tears started to spill over. They came faster than she could stop, and she reached up to wipe them away, but they kept coming.

"I—" she hiccupped, her voice barely audible. "I'm sorry... Please don't be mad. I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm not—I'm not... bad." The words tumbled out in a rush, desperate, and her hands shook harder.

Aiden finally moved. He didn't say anything, but his arms reached out, pulling her close in one swift motion. She didn't protest, too caught in the whirlwind of emotions to even think about it. She felt small in his arms, like a child again, and the weight of her emotions seemed to only grow heavier as she melted into him.

His hands were steady as he held her, but his expression remained impassive. He didn't speak at first, letting her cry quietly against him. After a long moment, he gently pulled back, enough to look at her face. She didn't meet his eyes, staring at the ground, still shaking.

"You are not bad, Aurora," he said, his voice low and firm, but his words soft in their own way. "Do not think like that." He paused for a moment, watching her carefully. "You have nothing to apologize for."

But it wasn't enough. She still felt like she had failed him somehow, and her sobs came harder. "I... I just don't want you to be mad at me. I... I don't want to be bad..." she whispered again, almost in disbelief.