Chapter 19 Tessa's plan for the morning was simple : she wanted to go out and explore . After all , she was in Naples - if she didn't make the most of it , wouldn't it be a waste ? As she finished getting ready and turned around , she caught sight of Aaron . Today , Aaron had made an effort with his hairstyle , which only enhanced his already handsome features . Tessa didn't ask any questions , offering a soft greeting as she turned to leave . Perhaps because he noticed the elegant long dress she was wearing , Aaron spoke up first . " Are you going out ? " he asked . " I am , " she replied , " Would you like to join me ? " He was unusually forward , as if he had been waiting for this moment for quite a while . Tessa paused . Had he been waiting for her all this time ? She didn't ask , but she thought to herself that it might not be bad to have someone to share the same beautiful sights with . She didn't refuse , and they walked through the streets of Naples together . Aaron couldn't help but admire Tessa's smile - the pure kindness and innocence she radiated . Despite her outward coldness , there was something about Tessa's smile that seemed to warm him from the inside out . As they passed a street , they spotted a homeless child . Aaron immediately set down the things he was holding and approached the child . He spoke to the boy in fluent Italian , asking a few questions before reaching into his pocket to pull out a wad of cash and some food , which he handed to the child . Tessa watched in stunned silence before asking , " Did you give him money and food because you felt sorry for him ? " Aaron smiled softly , coming back to himself . " I guess you could say that . When I was young , life Chapter 19 35.65 % Dreame - Read Romance Stories 4.4 FREE Installed D Everyone knows that only the richest attend that school . Our families were billionaires . Open wasn't easy for me either . " Aaron wore a million - dollar watch and high - end , custom - made clothing . He was the Alpha King , someone who was far removed from the struggles of ordinary life . Tessa found it hard to imagine that he had ever known hardship . His comment , however , made her think about her own past in the orphanage . Every time she saw a homeless child on the streets , it tugged at her heart . She almost spoke up about her own childhood , but when the words reached her lips , she held back . It was as if the suffering she'd experienced wasn't limited to just her early years . There was also the time she spent with the cold and indifferent Bloodmoon Pack . Aaron seemed to sense her shift in mood , and when Tessa wasn't paying attention , he bought her a bouquet of flowers from a nearby vendor . " For you , " he said , handing them to her . " They suit you . " Tessa smiled , feeling a joy she hadn't felt in a long time . Surprises like this were rare in her life . They continued walking along the path beside the river . Aaron casually mentioned his own childhood , revealing that he too had spent some time in an orphanage . Before that , he had been a rogue - without parents , without a pack - wandering the streets for years . He told her how hard it was just to get food . People assumed he was lying , thinking he was capable of working , but the truth was , he had nothing . He would even have to steal apples from trees to survive . When Tessa heard this , a sudden realization hit her . " You wouldn't happen to be ... that chubby kid , would you ? " she asked , surprised . Aaron froze , his eyes widening . " How did you know I was fat as a child ? " Chapter 19 35.65 % Dreame - Read Romance Stories Everyone knows that only the richest attend that school . Our families were billionaires . 4.4 FREE Installed Open " Wait ... were you in that orphanage ? " Tessa asked , excitement building . " The one with the apple tree outside ? " They stared at each other in disbelief , both shocked by the coincidence . No wonder Tessa had found him so familiar . It turned out that the first time she had met him was in that very orphanage . He was the chubby boy who had shared his apples with her when she was being bullied by the other kids , left hungry for days . She never could have guessed that he , now standing before her as the Alpha King , was the same boy . Back then , he wasn't called Aaron Brooks . After being taken in by his mother , they had lost touch and never saw each other again . Neither of them had ever imagined that , years later , they would meet again in a foreign land- and , even more shockingly , as fated mates . Tessa looked at the man in front of her , feeling a sense of new companionship . " You think this is fate ? " she asked , her voice soft . He shook his head , a small smile on his lips . " Actually , when I bought the cruise , I saw you . " I don't know why , but when I saw you buying the ship , I knew I had to buy it too . You reminded me of the girl I used to share apples with . " " I've been searching for you ever since . " " And I never imagined that you would be my fated mate . " Chapter 19 Dreame - Read Romance Stories I looked at my hand still oozing thick sticky red liquid . I'm a werewolf . 4.4 FREE