Aaron Ch. 01-05

"Sorry. Katie please, we need to work this out."

"Once I know what is wrong with you, Alex and I can go on the mission."

"You are bloody pushing me Kate. I know this has been a crappy day for you, and I cannot apologise enough for hurting you, again, but listen to me Katie, you are my mate and I will not let you leave here with another male, not even my brother."

"Fine, I can handle it on my own."

"Can you two stop arguing and just get to the house, I am starving and quite frankly I need to know what the fuck is happening."

"Oh well if YOU need to know, we better run along, because this is all about YOU." Aaron got up in his twin's face and added, "You even think of leaving here with her I swear I'll..."

"Fuck you Aaron, I don't need to steal your mate."

"I know you wouldn't steal her, moron, but I know you want to protect her, even if it is from me."

"I won't need to protect her from you Aaron, I'm not stupid. I know you love her. She's your mate."

"Alright you two go change and get dressed. I'll look after Kate." Maggie immediately took charge seeing the pain in the girl's eyes and the frustration in her son's. "I've run a bath for you Katie, go hop in, I'll be through in a second and we can chat."

"Aaron I said I've got this, get out of here."

"She might run again." His fear had him too scared to leave the room.

"Have a bit more faith in me son, you really think I'd let that girl out of here? Even if you weren't my son I wouldn't let her run. Aaron I love that girl and you, I know you're both hurting right now, but I've got some ideas already and I'm sure we will have this sorted by morning."

"She's okay though right? She isn't like, sick, or something?"

"Calm down. Of course she isn't sick. If she was sick we would have known. She's almost a qualified doctor. The pack doctor and I look after our whole pack. You think we would miss something?"

"Well no offense but everybody seemed to miss that she had no bloody scent so what do I know."

"She had a scent. Apparently it wasn't hers."

"What?"

"I am not saying any more until you are both human and I will tell you both."

"That bad?" He growled as she held up a hand in the international signal to stop, then used the same hand to point to his room. "Yeah, whatever, it's bad." He gave one more look towards the bathroom door which stood between him and his mate and then went upstairs.

***

"Kate, I'm coming in now, it is just me, okay?"

"Maggie, what is wrong with Aaron? Why didn't he know me?"

"Oh honey, stop crying, he's fine." Seeing where Kate's mind then went Maggie quickly reassured her, "You're fine too."

"Oh Mags, I don't know what I'm going to do. If he doesn't want me how can I stay in the pack?"

"Shhh, honey he has loved you for much longer than a day, and he will definitely want to be your mate."

"We haven't always been friends you know that. It has been a real roller coaster over the years. He might love me as a friend sometimes, but sometimes he hates me too."

"He has never hated you." Maggie began to rinse out Kate's hair as she talked quietly to her. "When you were little he was jealous because he thought you were taking Alex away. But by the time you were in grade school he was jealous because you liked Alex more than him. By the time he hit high school he wasn't jealous anymore."

"That's why he stopped being mean to me?"

"Well sort of." Maggie sighed knowing she couldn't say more. "Now I need you to really wash every bit of your skin Kate. I've added some herbs and some baking soda to the water, I've washed your hair already but if you want to wash it again use this mix here." She pointed to a small cup of creamy liquid. "I'll let you have a bit of time but you can't hide in here all night. I'll go warm up some food and then all three of us, well I guess four if Alex joins us, will talk."

"Okay. Thanks Maggie." Kate closed her eyes and leaned back in the bath.

"Don't fall asleep. Scrub." Maggie said as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

"Is she alright?" Aaron and Alex were already standing there looking concerned.

"Kitchen, we can start to get the food ready while she washes up."

"Mum, please? Is. She. Alright?"

"Oh shit sorry, of course she is. I wouldn't have just left her in there alone if she wasn't."

"Should we call her mum?"

"Um, no, I've already spoken to her. As soon as she ran I was swamped with communications from all three of you. Then nothing so while you looked for her I started working it all out and then I called Alpha Maxwell and he called me back with confirmation of what I guessed."

Kate walked into the room wearing a light green sweatshirt and a pair of grey leggings. "What did Alpha Maxwell have to say?"

"Come and sit down honey." Maggie gestured to the chair between herself and Aaron.

Kate looked at the chair like it was a snake and walked around to the opposite side of the table and sat down.

"Your mother really suffered when she was attacked Kate. She never recovered as well as we hoped she would. When the rogue raped her he broke something inside." Kate nodded she knew that.

"Is there something about my father that damaged me?"

"No, no, you aren't damaged. This isn't easy Kate. When my mother took in your mum she watched over her full time. She tried to kill herself a number of times in those first few months but after she felt you move inside her she seemed to heal. She focused all of her attention on you. She loves you Katie."

"Even though I remind her so much of him she hates me around?"

Aaron stood raging at that, "You can't believe she hates you? Blames you for what he did?" He roared.

"Of course I do. She met her mate and left with him, but she left me here."

"She left you here because she thought you were safer here. Not because she doesn't love you. Mum tell her." Aaron ordered his mother.

"Shit. You're both sort of right. She loves you and wanted you safe Kate, but she also found it hard seeing you every day. Not because of how you were conceived, but because she was scared to death."

"Scared I would be like him? Scared I would see how much she wished I didn't exist? Scared her mate wouldn't want me, a reminder he wasn't her first?"

Aaron walked around the table and grabbed her before she could wind herself up further. "Stop it. Stop it. Katie stop crying. Stop crying like that."

It wasn't until he held her she realised how her words had morphed into sobs that shook her whole body. Sobs that had her struggling for breath. He lifted her into his embrace and then sat in the chair he had pulled her from, his arms still around her.

"I'd love to say no. But I can't. But you need to try to remember even then, and now, she loved and loves you."

"Okay so is there something genetically wrong with me?"

"No. Your mother began making good progress with all the studies she did with my mother. She was brilliant with herbs, she has the gift. She started making soaps, shampoo, lotions. We were pleased she seemed to be finding something that made her happy. Something she gave back to the pack too. Many of the women use her products."

"She put something in them?" Alex was quick to catch on. "She put spells on her products?"

"I don't believe she spelled anyone else's only the special supply she has made for Katie since she was a child."

"No." Kate gasped as the pain of what her mother could potentially have done to her hit hard. "She wanted me to be alone forever."

"You found me Kate. You found me and I'm yours. You aren't going to be alone. I swear we will be okay."

"She didn't want me to have a mate? Children?"

"She didn't want you hurt. She worried a wolf may find your scent and attack you. She worried she might lose you."

"Bullshit. She never wanted me anyway. Let me go Aaron."

"I'm not letting you go."

"Aaron, you need to let her breathe, digest this, Kate I'm not saying this isn't horrible, doesn't suck more than anything I ever imagined but you are letting your thoughts run wild on this. She does love you. I mean she might be totally fucked in the head and more damaged than any of us knew, but she loves you. I remember how she used to be when she was here. Fuck she never let you out of her sight for more than a minute. Then after she left with her mate she wrote and called all the time because your mental link wasn't enough for her. She used to send you those stupid countdown calendars for visits, remember?" Alex tried to get through the haze of pain surrounding her.

"Whatever." Both Aaron and Kate said at once.

"Sorry." Aaron said quietly. "Thought that was in my head, it slipped out."

"Not even worried about it Aaron. Besides I've had my family sorted for a long time now. Nothing has changed."

"Nothing has changed? Are you bloody kidding me?"

"Nope." She then asked, "Can you smell me now?"

"Not yet Kate. It will take a few washes to neutralise the products you've been using."

"I don't need to keep being reminded anyway I'll never forget how you smell."

"Well you still smell like a manwhore covered in cheap skanks so forgive me if I really don't care. I'm exhausted and want to go to bed. Let go."

"You need to eat." He growled. Then reluctantly let her slip from his hold. "I'll leave, you eat."

"Go wash."

"Yes dear." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left the room as she screamed at him.

"Don't call me dear, and do not kiss me."

"Okay sweetie. I'll wait till you ask next time."

Alex laughed so she threw Aaron's fork at him "Fork you Alex, fork you."

CHAPTER THREE

"Aaron, I know you and Kate are struggling to work together and I know neither of you expected things to go the way they have, but I am counting on you both. What her mother has done is being dealt with by her alpha. Can the two of you handle this?"

"Thorn, my brother, my alpha, of course I can. We can. She tried to get Alex to go instead. He decided me tearing his head off wasn't how he wanted to die and politely declined."

"Where is Kate now?"

"A more immature, less intelligent man may reply, 'hiding from me'. Of course I'm a better man and I'm going to say she is taking a time out to adjust to the best news she has ever had."

"You are lucky I'm at the end of this phone Aaron or I'd likely smack you over the head right now. She isn't alone is she?"

"Of course she's not alone. Fuck I know I'm not the bloody alpha but I'm not a heartless prick either. Mum and Rachel are with her. She will be okay Thorn. I will make sure she is okay."

"I know Aaron. I didn't mean to make you think I thought otherwise, I'm just feeling like I should be doing more. Like I should get Luna and myself there ASAP. Like when Luna finds out about this and why she was kept in the dark I am going to be getting my balls handed to me on a plate."

"So don't keep her in the dark. Kate needs her, and Luna will never forgive you if she isn't allowed to be there for her best friend. Kate understands the mission and the reason for it. Kate is too fucking smart for her own good. When she ran today she nearly made it."

"But you caught up with her. You got her to stay. It is a hell of a shock Aaron. I can't believe her mother would do that to her. To any wolf. But to her daughter? Mum tried to explain what she had been thinking but Aaron this would have left both of you alone forever."

"Do not even say that Thorn. She is my mate and I will earn her love and trust. She will be mine." Aaron growled down the line.

"I know brother. The good news is she has been shielded from the worst of your behaviour."

"Not shielded enough. She actually pierced one of my balls with a claw and growled at me. Her words were not exactly loving."

Aaron thought over everything that had happened the previous day, shit, over the last twenty-five years. "Thank God for the damn mating pull, because I need every advantage I can get."

"You'll both be fine, but if I don't get back home soon Luna will beat me there and I won't be home to see her reaction to you and Kate."

"I'll ask Kate very nicely not to ring until you give her the go ahead. Can you believe I have a mate? Alex can't stop laughing, but seriously I cannot wait till it's his turn. I have never felt so bloody complete, and we haven't even ... well you know."

***

Kate was on the phone to Luna. She was unsure how much her friend would understand but she really needed her to be on her side in this. She needed her so badly. If it wasn't for the mission she would be in fat pants holding a pint of ice-cream and watching John Hughes movies with Luna right now.

"Luna, I met my mate today. Well I didn't meet him. I've known him most of my life. I don't even know where to begin. I had to go to see some of the pack before I headed to see my mother. I walked into the restaurant and I smelled him straight away I followed my nose in almost blind lust. I was already about to pounce when I realised I knew the man my nose had lead me too. I hadn't seen him since I turned twenty-one. I'm not sure if your wolf lessons have covered that, but we can't smell our mate until after that. Anyway I kissed him so deeply and smelled him and clung to his body, and he didn't know me. He didn't smell me. Didn't recognise me as his mate."

"Kate, I'm coming to get you. I'll kick his ass so badly and then I'm bringing you home and we'll find you a better mate."

There was a lengthy pause in the conversation then Luna asked, "Who is it? How do you know him?"

"It's Aaron."

"Thorn's Aaron? Thorn you tell him to stop hurting Katie and fix this."

"It wasn't his fault Luna. Remember how my mum makes me those soaps and body washes you all love so much? Remember how when she was on the phone and I said you adored them and were going to start using them, and she insisted on sending you your own so we would have our own unique scents? Turns out my supply was all spelled. She has been masking my true scent my whole damn life. You probably have no idea how big that is ..."

"She did what? You would never have found your mate!"

"Oh you do get it. Well that makes it easier for you to understand how betrayed I feel."

"Hold up, hold up. You basically jumped your mate, he rejected you and you worked out it was your soap? You seem to have missed a big chunk of the story."

"Shit sorry. Yeah I ran. I think he thought I'd gone loopy or something. Aaron and Alex came after me and insisted I come back. I refused, turned wolf and took off. It took a few hours for Aaron to find me. I know how to cover my tracks. When he found me in wolf form, after a strenuous escape plan, filled with adrenalin, anger, and heartbreak. Well he plunged his nose into my, um well he got a really good whiff, and now he knows he's my mate. We went back and spoke to Maggie and she had a few ideas, ending in my mother confessing to her alpha."

"Oh honey, I am so sorry you had to go through that, and yet so happy for you too. Ahhh is Aaron a good thing? I know you avoided wolves, I am fairly certain based on one meeting, Aaron has never avoided anything female. Will you be alright?"

"That's why I rang. I'm taking Aaron with me and we're going to see if we can sort things out while I deal with the mother stuff. So I'm going to be a head case but I didn't want you thinking I'm not interested in the wedding, or forgetting you."

"Don't you dare worry about any of this, nothing going on here, you hear me? You just look after yourself and I swear Katie day or night, ring and I will come and get you. If his alpha won't sort him out his future sister-in-law will totally knock him flat."

"I love you LJ, and that bloke you're marrying. I know I'll love Aaron too, it just may take a couple of weeks. Besides Thorn is my alpha too, he adopted me and I'm no longer officially part of my mother's pack. So if I don't get things sorted and get back there in time for the wedding it might be my butt Thorn kicks."

"Thorn we're leaving in fifteen minutes, Aaron will contact you when we get there, shouldn't be too late. Thank you for letting me share my news with LJ, it wouldn't have been the same to go through this without her."

"I know I said it earlier Katie, but I am sorry it all went the way it did up until this morning. The two of you can turn this around now, be happy."

"He didn't want me Thorn. That hurt more than you can know. Then he basically decided I'd gone bananas and was a danger to everyone. Add in the fact he has screwed nearly every female not in his direct bloodline in this town ... well at least we're getting out of here tonight."

"Yeah, I know it isn't easy. For either of you. Worse for you of course. But give him and yourself a chance Kate. He will make you happy. He is already so sorry."

"No he thinks he's sorry. I don't think he understands at all yet. He is just an overgrown teenager who likes to get his dick wet. Now he needs to man up, and then he needs to realise the only way that dick gets wet is with my assistance, and I'm not a tramp like the bitches he's been screwing."

"Ok I'm not wanting to make his situation worse so I will let him dig himself out of that hole on his own. Luna can tell I'm talking to you so I better go, before she does karate chop me or something. Keep in touch."

***

Aaron threw the last few items into the bag he was packing. He knew Kate had finished speaking to Luna and to Thorn. He looked at Alex and saw his brother stared hard at him. "You need to tell her."

"I will. After we're mated. Until then she wouldn't believe me anyway."

"You're a coward Aaron. If she knew how much you've..."

"Not now Alex. Just not now."

"Yeah okay." Alex stood up. "You be careful on this one Aaron, I don't mean the Kate thing, I mean the mission, I don't think this is just a meet the folks thing, it feels a hundred shades of fucked up to me."

"Well I'm an expert at fucked up so I should fit in just fine."

"I love you bro, take care, and please try not to screw up everything with Kate while you're away. Take it slow."

"Fuck you. When you meet your mate I'm going to tell you to take it slow. When you meet a woman you haven't known for years, loved for years, and you'll lose your shit at me saying it about a complete stranger, which gives you an insight to about a fucking tenth of how much I'm feeling right now, so yeah Alex, fuck you."

"Alright Mister Potty mouth, I'm only trying to help."

"Moron." Aaron gave Alex a quick hug. "I'm so pleased mum gave up on that swear jar."

"Shit, I'd forgotten about that. I might start one up again, you lot will make me a millionaire."

"You'd be paying in as much as the rest of us." Aaron called out as he left the room.

Maggie waited in the hallway and gave him a hug, "Be strong Aaron. It will be okay."

"Of course it will. I'm irresistible."

CHAPTER FOUR

Kate looked at Aaron for the hundredth time in the last hour. They hadn't spoken for at least two and they still had a while to go before they reached their destination. "You have nothing to say?"

"What do you want me to say? I've said I'm sorry. I've tried to ask how you're feeling. I've tried to tell you how happy I am that you're mine. You get angry every time I speak."

"I don't know, try the truth, I know you've never been a fan."

"Forget it." Aaron turned on the car stereo.

There's a rising on the street tonight,

Every woman, man, and child,

Through the struggle we will all unite,

Watch the cities running wild.

'Cause we've been lied to by the liars,