Page 18 of His Sold Fated Mate

She narrowed her eyes, and the feisty side I’d seen simmered in them. “All I want is my freedom, Klaus. And you promised I would get it as soon as your pack was healed. So, how about you help me help you so we can go our own ways?”

My wolf growled, not wanting that. But I shook it off.

“What are you running from?” I asked, knowing the expression on her face. She’d been doing her own research, but so had I. I knew I couldn’t just ask her about things, but I also couldn’t just ignore them. I needed to know part of her past.

I’d looked her up but found little. She seemed like a normal girl up until a year ago. Information seemed to just stop after that.

“What makes you think I’m running?”

“Dots connected. You look over your shoulder, and you’re tense a lot. You have habits that give you away.”

She swallowed, and I watched her back straight. Another tell. “I have a shitty ex. He’s the one who brought me to the auction. I didn’t even know about it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So you’re not a whore?”

Her eyes narrowed. “No, I’m not a whore. I’m not a sex worker or a sugar baby. I was in a shitty relationship that I’m trying to get away from. Now, will you take me to the cauldron?”

I wanted to ask more. I didn’t like how simple she was making it seem. I knew it wasn’t simple and that there was more to the story. But I wasn’t going to pry. I doubted she would tell me anyway.

“Fine.” I turned my laptop off. “But next time you storm into my office when I’m busy, you’re going to regret it.”

She gave me a look and a half smirk to go with it. “Why, are you going to put me over your knee and spank me?”

“For someone who says she isn’t a sex worker, you sure have a dirty mind.” She glared at me, and I walked past her. “Better hurry up because I don’t have time to waste.”

Chapter 6 - Aubrey

I stared out the window as Klaus drove. The radio was on low, and I could hear the wind blowing outside. I chewed on my cheek, nervous. I had spent the last week all over the place.

The first day, I stayed home twiddling my thumbs. My mind ever seemed unsure what to do. Do I run? Do I stay? I tried looking up information about shifters online, but I didn’t know what was real and fake. I tried staying patient and calm. I told myself that this was going to take time. But Klaus didn’t come home until late and refused to talk to me at all.

The second day, I was over it. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now. I stopped at the library and was pulling books off the shelves, looking for anything that would help me. I was reading about shifters and witches. The librarian was nice enough to tell me more about what she’d heard. I started connecting dots and listening to what people were saying on the streets. I knew there was a cauldron, and I knew that there had been others who dealt with it.

I glanced at Klaus, watching the way he held himself even right now. He always remained poised but held that grumpy expression.

“You’re staring.”

I looked away. “I was not. I was taking the view in.”

He snorted. “I could feel your eyes on me.”

I scoffed. “I think you think too highly of yourself.”

I could hear him click his tongue. “Do you want me to turn this car around?”

“Do you want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life?” I asked back, giving him a side glance.

I watched his fingers tighten on the steering wheel, giving me my answer. He didn’t want this any more than I did. We were both forced into this, and we both wanted out. He turned the music up, and I looked back out the window.

The rest of the drive was quiet. Neither of us spoke, and I found myself trying to think of a happy place, but nothing came to mind. It had been so long that it felt foreign. I bit my cheek, wondering if I’d ever have a normal life. Or would I always feel like I was running? Would we ever get answers? Was this trip to the cauldron a complete waste of time?

We pulled into a town, and I couldn’t help but be surprised at how lovely it seemed. The town was beautiful, and everyone seemed so happy. Not that Klaus’s pack wasn’t, but the aura felt different. It felt cleaner, like I was looking at a TV show rather than a real place.

We turned down a road and came to a stop in front of a tall building. A shiver ran down my spine. The building rubbed me the wrong way. “Is this a jail?”

He shook his head. “No, this is their town hall.”

I couldn’t help but stare for a moment. Klaus got out of the car, and I quickly shook my head and hurried after her. We headed inside. The outside wasn’t any better than the inside. It was just as cold and uninviting. There were pictures hung on the wall that looked like they were staring at you. I moved closer to Klaus unconsciously.