The Scent of Illusion (Published under IMMAC)

Chapter 9: Please Stay

Trigger warning: May contain sensitive topics such as death, sex, profanity, suicide, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, mental health, sexuality, etc. There might be depictions or references to sexual harassment. Please be guided accordingly and read at your own risk.

—

The alcohol that coursed through his veins made Eli's mind hazy, an intoxicating film that clouded his thoughts and his vision. Rubbing his knuckles on his eye, he tried to blink away the haziness but it was useless. The dim light around the garden did not help at all, but it was the smell of pheromones that helped him follow the source. But what stood out the most as he wove through the garden was that there was a heavy tension in the air that he could not decipher.

"I'm just here to finish what we started." Willie chuckled, the corner of his lips tugged up to a smirk. His grip on Aurora was vicious, filled with ill-natured thoughts and intentions. "Do you really think I'm done with you?" he hissed, his fingers digging through the fabric of her housekeeping uniform. He leaned forward, pressing her against the lamppost as he slid his hand down her thigh.

Aurora was terrified, to say the least. Her first encounter with the young Beta was already traumatizing enough that her nerved did not stop trembling since the moment he first touched her. The feeling of his grip lingered on her skin, in her memory, despite the layers of fabric that separated them. It was all stored in her brain despite her refusal to remember anything that just made her feel filthier than the rooms she cleaned, and that said a lot.

Leann's soft voice whispered into her ear, trying to ease her mind in the hopes that Aurora could clear her head and would be able to think about what she could do to get herself out of that situation. But no matter how much Leann tried to reassure Aurora, the latter was too anxious to make any meaningful move that could save herself from Willie.

The pounding in her chest grew louder, desperate to ward off Willie but failing in the process. The more she squirmed the more he forced himself onto her, which scared her even more. She could feel his steaming hot breath grazing her skin as he planted sloppy kisses on the curve of her neck, scraping his teeth against her smooth skin as if threatening to bite her.

"Please, don't," she cried, her voice breaking as she pleaded for Willie to stop his advances. Her eyes searched the vast garden, hoping that there was someone who could see her and save her. But everyone was so busy with the fancy food, the drinks, and talking to everyone they knew. It was a party after all. It was meant to be enjoyed with the people they cared about and it was not like anyone really cared about Aurora.

And the burning lust that made a tent on Willie's pants begged to be free. A low growl ripped from his lips as he viciously cupped her crotch, forcefully lifting her skirt and then rubbing his fingers against the fabric of her underwear. "You probably want more but you'll have to wait and see if I'll give you a good fuck." A cocky chuckle left his lips, shaking his head.

"No!" she exclaimed, only for her to croak as he harshly wrapped his hand around her neck. "Please..." It sounded more like a whine, a muffled cry into the wind that no one was ever going to hear. Even as she repeated it, recited it like a mantra in the hopes that a deity or a god that she never believed in could help her in her time of need.

With a loud groan, he tugged down her underwear so he could have his bare hands against her slit, roughly rubbing it as if to give her pleasure but was only making everything even more painful. Not only was she mentally and emotionally scarred, but invisible scars were etched on every inch of skin that he touched without her consent.

"Aurora..." Amidst the chaos between their bodies, her name was whispered from behind them, reeking of alcohol and a loose worry for her.

The sight of Willie's hand on Aurora's crotch sobered up Eli almost immediately. Despite starting on the wrong foot, it was not a reason for him to ignore his personal morals and leave his principles. Anger laced with alcohol coursed through his veins as he pulled out the gun that was always strapped on his belt. Sometimes, being the son of the Alpha had its perks. He was more than equipped to handle the situation without little to no assistance.

And Aurora was thankful for a third presence. Even with the wicked grip that Willie had on her, seeing a glimpse of Eli's face already made her feel like she was saved.

"Eli," she uttered his name like a prayer, a sweet innocent wish that carried into the wind as her eyes glistened with unshed tears and unanswered prayers. A soft smile slowly spread across her lips as she tried to stretch out her arms as if to reach for Eli.

Adrenaline shot up through his veins, kicking off the buzz that the alcohol had drowned him in as he pointed the gun at Willie. "Get your hands off of her and step back, Mr. Bush," he growled, taking another step forward.

A humored chuckle slipped from Willie's lips as he peeled his hand away from her crotch, a thin mist of her natural juice on his fingers, before raising his hands in mock surrender. Turning to face Eli, a cocky grin stretched across his lips...until he caught sight of the real gun facing him. At the sight of the muzzle staring at him straight in the face, Willie realized the reality of the situation. Eyes wide and mouth agape, he shook his head as he stumbled on stuttered syllables. And seeing Eli's index finger expertly going over the trigger, Willie was shot with fear as he kicked the ground and ran off into the mansion.

Shaking his head, Eli pointed the gun at Aurora's ankle, aiming at the electronic fetter that was tightly wrapped around her ankle. He then pulled on the trigger, shooting the device off of her and falling on the grass with a soft thud. Satisfied with it, he hooked the gun back into its holster before taking another step closer. "You're free now," he said, sobered up from the sound of the gunshot.

Pulling up her underwear to save face, pink crept to her cheeks as she watched him walk towards her. It had been a rollercoaster ride since that morning, dragging her high before dropping her, which only gave her a massive headache. Her head was throbbing, almost as if it was about to explode and all she could blame was Willie and his vile whims that stained her with impurities that she did not ask for and did not need.

Seeing that she was not completely harmed, Eli turned on his heels and was ready to leave. "If you're all okay, I should head out." He raised a hand as if to wave but as he took one step, her words cut him off.

"You know you just saved me, right?" she blurted out. "I was about to get raped by him but you saved me. And I owe you for that."

Without turning, Eli just gave her a thumbs-up. "It's all okay," he replied, attempting to sound cool and composed despite her pheromones flooding his senses once again.

But Aurora was not going to leave it at that. She was grateful and she wanted to show just how much so with that, she took large strides to reach him and threw her arms around him as she wrapped him in an embrace. "Please stay."

It could be the way her words sounded so sweet as she pleaded for him to stay or the way her saccharine scent wafted into the air and flooded his nostrils, but Eli knew that resisting was futile. There was no escape, just like before, and there it was again.

"Come with me."