As the days went by, Aurelia's life as the Luna of the Midnight Pack went on relatively peacefully. Nothing of note was happening, and she was free to concentrate on her own work as the newly built workshop within the manor was fully refurbished and operational. While Calypso was busy with the day-to-day responsibilities of being the Great Constable and the Alpha of his own pack, she was also busy doing her own work as was befitting her station as both a healer and the Luna of her own pack.
[But that's not as true right now, isn't it…]
Aurelia sighed at her wolf's words. Unfortunately, her peace was being threatened to be shattered by a few rumors that were starting to circulate all around the Pack. Whispers of how she was a weak Luna, that she would refuse to even come out of her own workshop for hours on end, were starting to actually irritate her. Of course, Calypso had already addressed those issues in his own way by constantly stating that he was happy to be her mate, but the damage was still being done.
Her name was being slandered, and her tolerance for it was starting to run things.
[Unfortunately,] Aurelia grumbled as she sat in her private workshop, relishing the privacy of her own personal space as she stared at a few of her own unfinished projects. [These women are actually saying that they still have a chance since they don't smell my scent on Calypso and vice versa.]
[That's just how things are, seeing as we haven't completed the Mate Bond with him yet,] Aura sighed. [Until we actually mate with our, well, mate, some enterprising women would think that they might still have a chance, even though we all know that Calypso will just ignore them.]
Funnily enough, if there was one thing that was giving her solace in this annoying situation, it was that she knew Calypso enough to know that he wouldn't just throw her away at the first sight of another beautiful woman. True to what she observed from him, their constant banter was a joy for him, and he would actively rebuff any woman that would try to throw herself at him without even a second thought if it meant that their perpetual back-and-forths would keep going.
[This is just annoying, isn't it,] Aurelia scoffed. [If this keeps up, I might just damn well complete the Mate Bond with Calypso and be done with it. It'll solve a lot of problems that we have anyway, and it'll stop these fools from constantly making these ridiculous rumors.]
[But you won't, wouldn't you,] Aura pointed out. [You still don't want to mate with Calypso.]
Aurelia couldn't help but sigh. In truth, she had already stopped caring about such things. In fact, the only thing stopping her was the fact that she wanted him to be the one to initiate things. She refused to be the one to come to him. After all, doing so would mean that she had lost.
[But will you truly lose if you just go and mate with him?] Aura clinically asked. [The benefits of doing so currently outweigh the detriments of doing so.]
[That it does, but it's still a pride thing,] Aurelia grumbled in deep thought. [As a woman, I take pride in my independence.]
[I do as well, but sometimes, there are things that we must throw away for the sake of progress,] her wolf advised. [Pride is something that we wholly enjoy having, but if said pride is also preventing us from learning, then why should we hold onto it?]
Aurelia frowned. Logically, her wolf was right. She knew she was more prideful than most women. Heck, she was more prideful than possibly even some kings from other foreign kingdoms. She took solace in her independence, her pride being her shield against the worst of what the world had to offer. She was smart and beautiful, and she took pride in such things as she made a name for herself with nothing but her sheer effort and work ethic. Some might say that she was borderline narcissistic, but it was a title she'd eagerly take for herself even if it sounded wrong.
[But that's not enough here,] she admitted to herself. [To win this game, I must let go of what's holding me back.]
[Y-You don't have to let go of it all though,] Aura quickly corrected herself. [It's important for us to take pride in what we can do.]
Aurelia chuckled at her wolf's words. [You really are my other self…]
[O-Of course,] Aura scoffed, acting as if she wasn't almost begging for her to not throw away a core of their identity. [We only need to let go of what's stopping us from moving forward. For the sake of our betterment, we must shed our weaknesses and become stronger for it.]
[Well said,] Aurelia approved, nodding in her seat as she addressed her wolf.
A comfortable silence settled within her workshop, her thoughts running through different scenarios as she considered her next course of action. Inevitably, both her thoughts and feelings settled into a singular answer.
[Aura.]
[Yes, Aurelia?]
[I've decided to complete the Mate Bond tonight,] she firmly declared. [We need to shore up our defenses, and doing so will be the key to gain a bit of our privacy back.]
[Are you sure that's not your passion talking for you?]
Aurelia blushed at her wolf's scandalous teasing. [Don't say that. My decision is backed by logic and you know it.]
[Sure it is,] Aura chuckled. [Do you plan on confronting him later then?]
[I do,] she shrugged, having barely managed to keep her mind from being flooded by unwanted images of what she was going to do later. [There will be no desperation behind it, of course. My emotions might be that of liking and wanting him, but I refuse to simply give it to him.]
Yes, she could easily admit that she did develop feelings for Calypso now. She wouldn't deny it, but she sure as hell could deny showing it to him.
[I love the way you think, oh other half of mine,] Aura mischievously chuckled.
[Of course, you do, my other self,] Aurelia smirked. [We'll have him eating off the palm of our hand soon enough.]
She will make sure that she'll be the winner in this game of theirs, no matter how much Calypso would like to think otherwise.
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