Chapter Seven

  Eren moved closer to Aurora, his concern for her evident in the way he looked at her, and without another word, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight, reassuring embrace. His strong arms engulfed her, holding her as if he could protect her from every danger in the world. Aurora, still shaken from what had happened earlier, melted into his embrace. The warmth of his body, the steady beat of his heart, the strength in his hold—it all made her feel safe in a way nothing else ever could.

  For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world outside ceased to exist as they held each other, both silently thinking about how much they meant to one another. Eren’s heart pounded in his chest, but it wasn’t just from the day’s events. It was because of her. Aurora had become more than just someone he cared about. She had become someone he couldn’t imagine losing, someone whose safety meant more to him than anything. Even if he couldn’t say it out loud, the truth of his feelings weighed on him: he loved her.

  And Aurora, as she rested her head against his chest, felt the same. Eren had saved her, not just from physical harm but from the life of despair she had lived before he found her. He was her first friend, her protector, and now... the man she loved, though she was too shy, too uncertain to express it. The feelings were overwhelming, unspoken but palpable in the air between them.

  The moment was fragile, tender. But then, without warning, a sharp, sudden knock rang out through the cabin, shattering the quiet. Both Eren and Aurora tensed, their bodies going rigid in each other’s arms.

  The knocking continued, louder and more insistent. Someone was at the door.

  Eren’s mind immediately sharpened, instincts flaring. He didn’t need to look to know who it had to be: Marleyan soldiers. His gut told him as much. There was no one else who would be so bold, no one who would dare to knock on a cabin this isolated. His heart raced, but not with fear. No, what surged through him was cold, calculated anger.

  The knock grew more violent, rattling the door in its frame.

  “Aurora,” Eren whispered, his voice low and urgent. “Hide. Under the bed. Now.”

  Aurora’s eyes widened, fear flickering across her face as she realized what was happening. “Eren, are you—?”

  “Go,” he ordered, his voice hard but protective. He didn’t need to say more. She knew exactly what he was going to do.

  Without arguing, Aurora slipped away from him, quickly crawling beneath the bed. She tucked herself into the shadows, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t like what Eren was about to do, but she knew it was necessary. Whoever was at the door—they couldn’t know about them. Not with everything so close to coming to a head. Not when the Raid on Liberio was only weeks away.

  The door shuddered under the force of the next knock, and then, with a loud crack, it burst open, splinters of wood flying into the room. Three Marleyan soldiers stormed inside, their rifles at the ready. They looked around, clearly expecting to find the missing criminal they had been tracking for months now, but he was dead, brutally murdered by Eren months ago. Instead, the soldiers found Eren standing there, calm and still, wearing his soldier disguise, the red armband around his arm marking him as an Eldian.

  The soldiers’ eyes widened in shock, but their expressions quickly shifted to suspicion.

  “What the hell is this?” one of the soldiers barked, his rifle pointed directly at Eren. “Who are you? Why aren’t you in the internment zone?”

  The air between them crackled with tension. The soldiers didn’t know his name, his identity, or what he was capable of. But that didn’t matter. Eldians leaving the internment zone was grounds for execution. And Eren—he didn’t plan on letting any of them leave alive.

  “Answer me!” the lead soldier demanded, his voice growing more hostile. “What are you doing out here?”

  Eren didn’t respond. His eyes flicked between the three soldiers, his face a mask of cold, simmering rage. He didn’t care why they were here or what they were looking for. All he knew was that they had to die. He couldn’t afford to let anyone jeopardize his plans, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let them find out about Aurora.

  The soldiers, sensing something was off, raised their rifles.

  “Shoot him,” the lead soldier commanded, his voice sharp with authority. “Now.”

  Aurora, hidden under the bed, felt her heart drop into her stomach as the soldiers opened fire. The deafening sound of gunfire filled the small cabin, bullets ripping through the air and slamming into Eren’s chest and arms. Aurora nearly screamed, her hands flying to cover her mouth as she watched in horror. The sight of Eren being riddled with bullets was too much—her instinct was to cry out, to run to him. But she forced herself to stay quiet, to stay hidden. She knew what he was. She knew Eren would be okay. He would heal.

  The Marleyan soldiers, however, were not prepared for what happened next.

  Eren didn’t fall. He didn’t even flinch. Blood seeped from the bullet wounds in his body, staining his shirt, but he remained standing, his posture straight and unyielding. His expression was unreadable, but there was a darkness in his eyes that sent a chill through the room as the steam began to rise from his gunshot wounds that had already started healing.

  The soldiers exchanged bewildered, panicked looks.

  “What the…?” one of them muttered, his voice shaking. “He’s still standing—”

  “He’s a Titan shifter!” the lead soldier shouted, his eyes wide with terror. “Look at the steam! We need to get out of here—!”

  But it was already too late.

  With a savage, almost primal roar, Eren lunged at the first soldier, his hand wrapping around the man’s throat with brutal force. The soldier’s eyes bulged as Eren slammed him into the wall with such strength that the wood cracked under the impact. In one swift, merciless motion, Eren snapped the soldier’s neck, the sickening crack echoing through the room.

  The second soldier tried to raise his rifle, but Eren was faster. His fist connected with the man’s jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. Before the soldier could even register what was happening, Eren stomped down on his throat, crushing his windpipe.

  Aurora, still hidden beneath the bed, watched in wide-eyed horror as the third soldier, realizing the dire situation, turned to flee. He bolted toward the door, desperate to escape, but Eren’s hand shot out, grabbing the man by the collar and yanking him back with terrifying ease.

  The soldier screamed, his hands clawing at Eren’s grip as he struggled to breathe. Eren’s face twisted into a look of cold fury as he tightened his grip around the man’s throat, slowly choking the life out of him. The soldier kicked and thrashed, his face turning red, then purple, as he fought for air.

  Aurora’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched from the shadows, her body trembling. She had seen Eren kill before, but this—this was pure savagery. It was ruthless, primal. The man’s eyes bulged, his hands desperately clawing at Eren’s arm, but it was no use. Eren’s strength was overwhelming.

  And as Aurora watched, hidden beneath the bed, she knew one thing for certain:

  Eren would protect her, no matter the cost. Even if it meant becoming the monster everyone else believed him to be.

  As Eren tightened his grip on the third Marleyan soldier, watching the life drain from his eyes, Aurora trembled beneath the bed. Her heart pounded in her chest, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she tried to steady her breath. The scene unfolding in front of her was brutal, raw, and terrifying. Eren was unstoppable, but that didn’t ease the fear gnawing at her insides.

  Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something that made her blood run cold. A shadow—another figure lurking behind Eren. A fourth Marleyan soldier.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she realized Eren hadn’t seen him yet. His back was turned as he finished off the soldier in his grasp, completely unaware of the danger looming just feet behind him. Aurora’s eyes widened in horror as she watched the soldier silently raise his rifle, aiming it directly at Eren’s head.

  No, she thought, her body frozen in fear. Not his head...

  She had seen Eren survive the gunshots just now, witnessed how his body healed rapidly from even the most grievous wounds. But a shot to the head? Aurora had no idea if he could survive that, and she wasn’t about to find out.

  Panic surged through her as the soldier's finger inched toward the trigger. If she screamed to warn Eren, the soldier would shoot faster than anticipated, and he’d aim directly for his head. There was no time to hesitate. No time to think. Aurora’s mind raced, her heart thundering in her ears as she realized there was only one option.

  I have to stop him.

  Her hands instinctively moved to her dress pocket, and she felt the cold, hard surface of the syringe she had forgotten she still carried. The same lethal serum that had killed the bird earlier—the one she hadn’t yet disposed of. She didn’t want to kill, not again, and especially not a human being. But the image of Eren’s life being snuffed out in front of her was too much to bear.

  Without another thought, she silently moved from under the bed, her movements as quiet and careful as possible. The soldier couldn’t see her from his angle, his focus solely on Eren. But as she crept closer, inch by agonizing inch, her breath caught in her throat. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready to strike.

  Eren, finishing off the soldier he was strangling, suddenly noticed movement from the corner of his eye. His sharp instincts immediately flared, and his head turned just slightly to the side, enough to catch a glimpse of Aurora creeping toward the fourth soldier. His eyes widened in shock, his heart hammering in his chest as he realized what was happening.

  The rifle was aimed at his head.

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  The fourth soldier’s finger hovered over the trigger, and Aurora—his Aurora—was moving closer with the syringe in hand. Eren’s mind screamed at him to move, to do something, but in that split second, he knew there was nothing he could do. The soldier was too close. He wouldn’t reach him in time.

  The soldier, sensing something out of the corner of his eye, turned slightly, but it was too late.

  Aurora struck.

  With all the strength she could muster, she stabbed the syringe deep into the soldier’s neck. His eyes widened in shock as the needle pierced his skin, and in a split second, his finger jerked, the gun discharging. The shot rang out in the small cabin, but it missed its mark, the bullet flying past Eren and embedding itself into the wall with a loud thud.

  The serum worked fast—just like it had with the bird. The soldier’s body convulsed violently, his arms flailing as the effects took hold. His rifle clattered to the ground as his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the floor, his body jerking uncontrollably. Foaming at the mouth, the soldier’s eyes rolled back into his head, and after a few excruciating moments, he stilled, lifeless.

  Eren stood frozen for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest as the reality of what had just happened sank in. He looked down at the fourth soldier, then back at Aurora, who stood there, her hand trembling as she let the syringe fall from her grasp. The cabin was deathly quiet now, save for the sound of Aurora’s shaky breaths.

  She had done it. She had saved him.

  Aurora, the sweet, gentle girl who had always valued life above everything else, had just killed someone to save his life. Eren’s heart twisted painfully in his chest as he looked at her, a mix of shock, awe, and guilt swirling inside him.

  “Aurora…” Eren’s voice was soft, almost a whisper. He didn’t know what to say, what words could possibly convey the storm of emotions he felt in that moment.

  Aurora stood frozen, staring at the lifeless soldier at her feet. Her breath came in shallow, ragged gasps as she tried to process what she had just done. She had killed someone. She had taken a life, and while she knew it was to protect Eren, the weight of that act hung heavy on her soul.

  “I… I had to,” Aurora whispered, her voice trembling. “I couldn’t let him… I couldn’t let him kill you.”

  Eren took a step toward her, his heart aching at the sight of her trembling form. He reached out, his hand gently touching her arm, but Aurora flinched slightly at the contact, still overwhelmed by the reality of what had happened.

  “You saved me,” Eren said quietly, his voice filled with a mixture of gratitude and something deeper—something raw and vulnerable. “You saved my life.”

  Aurora’s gaze flicked up to meet his, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow. “I didn’t want to… I didn’t want to kill anyone…”

  Eren pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest, the same way he had earlier. His grip was strong, protective, as if he could shield her from the harshness of the world outside. “I know,” he whispered into her hair. “I know you didn’t. But you had to. You did what you had to do.”

  Aurora’s body trembled in his arms, but she hugged him back tightly, clinging to him as if he were the only thing keeping her grounded. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of fear, guilt, and something else—something warmer, something tied to the man who was holding her.

  “I couldn’t let you die,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his chest. “I care about you too much.”

  Eren’s heart skipped a beat at her words, and for a moment, all the chaos around them seemed to fade away. He tightened his hold on her, his lips brushing against the top of her head as he whispered, “I care about you too, Aurora. More than you know.”

  The unspoken feelings between them, the ones they had both been suppressing for so long, hung heavy in the air, but there was no time to dwell on them now.

  They stood like that for a long moment, the silence of the cabin settling around them, the weight of what had just happened still sinking in. But as much as Eren wanted to stay there, to hold her forever, he knew they couldn’t.

  He had to finish this. He had to make sure no one else would come looking for them.

  Slowly, he pulled away, his hand still resting on Aurora’s arm as he looked into her eyes. “Stay here,” he said softly, his voice filled with resolve. “I need to take care of the bodies.”

  Aurora nodded, her eyes filled with both trust and fear. She didn’t want him to leave, but she knew it had to be done. She couldn’t let the weight of her actions crush her—not when Eren was still here, still alive.

  And as Eren turned to drag the bodies away, Aurora watched him with a mixture of awe and sorrow, knowing that their bond had only grown stronger—tied now by the blood they had both shed.

  …

  As Eren returned to the cabin, his steps heavy from the weight of what he had just witnessed Aurora do for him, the first thing he saw was her. She was sitting at the small table, her hands resting in her lap, but her eyes were distant, lost in thought. The faint moonlight streaming through the window illuminated her delicate features, and despite everything that had happened, she looked so fragile, so innocent. His chest tightened with guilt as he realized that this was not the world he wanted for her. He never wanted her to ever get her hands dirty—especially not for a monster like him.

  Without a word, Eren crossed the room and engulfed her in his arms. Aurora’s body immediately melted into his, her head resting against his chest as his arms tightened around her protectively. He held her close, as if by holding her, he could shield her from all the darkness and violence that had surrounded them for so long. The smell of earth and the faint metallic scent of blood still clung to him, but Aurora didn’t care. In his embrace, she felt safe.

  “I’m sorry,” Eren whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “I never wanted this for you… never wanted you to have to—”

  Aurora shook her head against his chest, her voice soft but firm. “No, Eren. Don’t be sorry.” She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up into his eyes. “I hate what I did. I hate that I had to kill. But I would do it again. For you.”

  Eren’s heart clenched at her words. His sweet, innocent Aurora had been forced to kill, to break her vow of nonviolence, all because of him. And despite that, despite everything, she didn’t hesitate. She had saved his life without a second thought.

  “Aurora…” he whispered, his voice barely audible, but she placed a hand gently on his chest, silencing him.

  “Eren,” she said softly, her eyes filled with a quiet determination. “You’re everything to me. You’re the only person in this world I trust. You’re the only person who cares about me. I couldn’t… I couldn’t let you die. I won’t ever let you die.”

  Eren felt something break inside him at her words, a floodgate of emotions crashing over him. The overwhelming weight of everything he had been holding back—the guilt, the fear, the anger, and the love—hit him all at once. He couldn’t stop himself, not this time. He didn’t want to stop himself.

  Without thinking, without hesitation, Eren leaned down and captured her lips in a deep, desperate kiss. The moment their lips met, a spark ignited between them, and all the tension that had been building for months, all the unspoken feelings they had buried, came rushing to the surface.

  Aurora responded immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as she kissed him back with just as much passion. Her heart raced in her chest, and she could feel the warmth of his body against hers, the strength in his embrace. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and for a moment, the world outside ceased to exist. There was no war, no violence, no danger—just them, wrapped up in each other.

  Eren’s hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. He had wanted this for so long, longer than he was willing to admit. Aurora, the girl who had been his first friend, the girl who had been lost to him for so many years, was now here in his arms. And she wasn’t just a memory anymore. She was real, and she was everything.

  Aurora’s fingers tangled in his hair, her breath hitching as the kiss grew more intense. She had loved Eren for so long, even before she fully understood what that feeling was. And now, after everything they had been through, it was undeniable. Her heart belonged to him, completely and irrevocably.

  When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to steady their racing hearts. Eren’s eyes were dark with emotion as he looked down at her, his hands still resting on her waist.

  “I love you,” he whispered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. But once they were out, he didn’t want to take them back. He meant them with every fiber of his being. “I love you, Aurora. I’ve always loved you.”

  Eren’s words hung in the air and Aurora felt her heart soar. It was as if all the fears and doubts she had carried with her for so long had been lifted, replaced by a warmth so intense it nearly overwhelmed her. She had waited so long to hear those words, to know for certain that Eren felt the same as she did. She had hoped, prayed, and dreamed that someday he would love her the way she had always loved him. And now, here it was—his confession, raw and heartfelt, echoing everything she had ever wanted to hear.

  Her eyes shimmered with tears of joy as she smiled up at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. “I love you too, Eren,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’ve loved you for so long.”

  Hearing those words from her, Eren felt something inside him shift, something he hadn’t felt in what seemed like years—pure, unfiltered happiness. For so long, his life had been filled with nothing but anger, hatred, and a relentless drive to move forward, no matter the cost. But here, in this moment, hearing Aurora say that she loved him back, Eren felt lighter than he had in what felt like a lifetime.

  A wide, almost disbelieving smile tugged at the corners of his lips, something that had become so rare for him in recent years. He cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had started to spill down her cheeks. “You don’t know how happy that makes me,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve waited so long to hear you say that.”

  Aurora leaned into his touch, her heart swelling with warmth as she looked into his eyes. There was a softness in his gaze, a vulnerability that she hadn’t seen in so long. The walls that he had built around himself, the stoic and calculating exterior he had worn for months, seemed to crumble away in that moment, leaving only the man she loved—the man who had always been there beneath the surface.

  Eren pulled her close again, wrapping his arms around her as if he could somehow protect her from the entire world. And in his arms, Aurora felt safe, cherished, and loved. Everything she had ever wanted.

  The world outside was still dangerous. Eren knew that more than anyone. The Raid on Liberio was fast approaching, and after that, the inevitable war with Marley would follow. But right now, none of that mattered. Right now, all that mattered was that she was here with him, that she loved him, and that he loved her back.

  His mind flashed back to everything that had happened—the brutal life Aurora had endured, the way she had been forced to kill to protect him, to save his life. That alone was proof of how fiercely she loved him. And Eren… Eren loved her with everything he had left in him.

  It wasn’t the gentle, carefree love he had imagined as a child. It was raw, powerful, and all-consuming. It was a love that had been forged in the fires of pain, loss, and survival. But it was real, and it was theirs.

  Eren’s hand gently cupped the back of Aurora’s neck as he rested his forehead against hers. His voice was low, rough with emotion as he spoke. “I don’t know what the future holds, Aurora,” he admitted. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with Marley, or with the war, or anything else… but there’s one thing I do know.”

  Aurora looked up at him, her heart racing as she waited for his next words.

  “No one’s going to take you away from me,” he said, his voice fierce with determination. “I don’t care what I have to do. If the world wants to take you from me, then I’ll burn the world to the ground. I’ll destroy anyone who tries to hurt you. I swear it.”

  Aurora’s breath caught in her throat at the intensity of his words. There was a darkness in his tone, an edge that sent a shiver down her spine. But at the same time, she understood. She knew how much Eren had lost, how much he had suffered, and how much he had sacrificed for the sake of his mission. And now, she was the one thing he couldn’t bear to lose.

  “I won’t let them take you from me,” he continued, his grip tightening slightly around her. “No one. Not Marley, not the world… no one.”

  Aurora reached up, her fingers gently brushing against his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, Eren,” she whispered softly. “I’m with you. Always.”

  Eren closed his eyes for a moment, letting her words wash over him like a balm to his soul. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to relax, to let go of the constant tension that had plagued him for so long. He wasn’t alone anymore. Aurora was with him, and she loved him.

  And that was all he needed.

  With a deep breath, he leaned in again, capturing her lips in another kiss—this time softer, slower, but no less passionate. It was a kiss filled with everything he couldn’t say, with all the emotions he had kept locked away for so long.

  Aurora responded with just as much intensity, her hands sliding up to his shoulders as she held him close. She could feel the love, the desperation, and the promise in his kiss, and it made her heart ache in the best way.

  As they pulled apart, their foreheads resting against each other once more, the room around them seemed to fade away. It was just them—two people who had found each other again in the midst of a world filled with chaos and destruction.

  Whatever the future held, they would face it together.