When Worlds Collide Ch. 05

"Sorry we woke you," Aaron smiled gently, his hand reaching our to brush lightly against her cheek. "Seems my big sister couldn't wait until a decent hour to come and check on her baby brother."

Jen blinked slowly and dragged her gaze from the gorgeous man in front of her to look at the strange woman standing beside Rafe. Oh crap, his sister was here and she was lying on his bed? Her face flushed with embarrassment and she tried to sit up but Aaron's arms tightened around her and held her firmly in place. He let out a low growl of displeasure and her head swung back to him in surprise.

"Aaron, let me up," she said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere. Well, I need to go wash my face and get straightened up a bit but I'll just be five minutes." She kept her gaze firmly on his until he sighed softly and his arms relaxed around her.

Cedar laughed at her brother's petulant expression, instantly warming to his chosen mate. The woman had a measure of steel about her, enough that she would not be easily dominated by Aaron, which was a good thing because her baby brother was way too used to getting everything his own way.

"Hi, Jen, I'm Cedar," she smiled as the other woman quickly slipped from the bed and ran a hand over her wrinkled T-shirt. "I can't tell you how pleased I am to meet the woman who has finally tamed Aaron. The family had just about come to the conclusion it would never happen."

Jen found herself automatically smiling back at the tall blonde. Her tone was curious but friendly, her eyes so like Aaron's in colour and warm as they regarded her. She had the distinct impression she was going to get on with Aaron's sister very well. "Hi Cedar," she smiled slightly tentatively. "I don't know about taming Aaron. He's really pushy considering I've only just met him and am still trying to get my head around the fact werewolves and vampires exist. This whole mating thing is a whole other ballgame too."

Cedar's liking for Jen kicked up another notch and her smile widened. She turned to her brother and gave him a stern look. "I know Jen said she'd only be five minutes but a girl needs a lot longer than that to make herself presentable. I'm going to take her back to the house and get to know her a little while Rafe talks to you about whatever it is Jared has sent him here to discuss. "

Aaron's expression darkened mutinously, not liking the thought of Jen being away from him too long. "Leave her alone, Cedar," he grumbled. "She looks beautiful just the way she is. You don't need to do anything to make yourself more beautiful, Jen." His blue eyes were warm as they regarded his mate.

Jen smiled and felt her cheeks heat slightly at his open appraisal. "Now, that Cedar mentions it, I could do with a quick shower and change of clothes. I really will be quick about it, Aaron."

Aaron was about to protest further, but Rafe cleared his throat, his expression letting him know that he really did need to talk to him at their Alpha's request. He considered objecting and then let out a weary sigh. When his friend got that look on his face, he expected to be obeyed.

"Don't be too long, Jen," he sighed in resignation, reaching out to tug on her hand to bring her down for a brief kiss. Their lips barely brushed and he was conscious of the fact that she would most likely be embarrassed that Rafe and Cedar were there watching.

She smiled as she raised her head. "I'll be as quick as I can be," she answered gently. She did need a shower and a change of clothes but she felt something tugging inside her to be close to this man who was claiming her as his mate. It was strange but oddly exhilarating too. She headed out of the room followed closely by Cedar.

Aaron watched her go and then looked at Rafe. His friend had a very set, determined expression on his face and he just knew he wasn't going to like what he was about to say to him. He braced himself as Rafe sat down in the chair Jen had occupied the night before.

"You're not going to like this Aaron but you really do not have a choice in the matter," Rafe said firmly. "I didn't get a chance to fill you in on Lacey's situation yesterday because of you finding your mate in Jen. The man Lacey was involved with is Richard Graves." He watched his friend's expression turned stunned as he heard the name.

"Yeah, we all know how powerful Graves' is in the business community," he said almost wearily. "What we didn't know was he's a vampire and a pretty powerful one at that. Caleb went ballistic when he realised who we were dealing with. I've seen him angry before but nothing compared to how he was yesterday. He would have left immediately if Annie hadn't worked her magic on him and convinced him to stay."

Aaron frowned deeply. Sure Caleb over-reacted a lot, especially when it came to Rhianna, but the vampire was one of the most fearless people he had ever met. For him to be so concerned placed Richard Graves as a very dangerous individual. He could see there was something Rafe was holding back on. "So what does this have to do with Jen?" he asked tensely, seeing his friend start slightly and knowing he'd scored an accurate guess.

Rafe sighed and met his friend's suddenly angry gaze. "Graves doesn't want just Lacey," he told him. "He blames Jen for getting involved and taking a restraining order out on him when she moved back into town. Apparently Graves was beating Lacey quite badly and she told Jen. When Lacey moved out he went looking for Jen to punish her for her interference. He found Lacey instead and beat her so badly she was hospitalised. Graves told Lacey he would kill Jen."

The breath hissed out of Aaron in a long tortured sound and he pushed himself up out of the bed, staggering slightly as he tried to stand up unaided. He ignored the pain and Rafe's angry bark to get back into bed. A vampire was coming for his woman and she was halfway across the compound from him. He couldn't lie in bed when she was unprotected.

"Get back in bed now, Aaron!" Rafe barked again, his tone hard and demanding total obedience. "Cedar is with Jen as is Jared and Millie. She is perfectly safe at the moment."

"I have to protect her," Aaron ground out through gritted teeth as he tried to breathe through the pain and get his balance. "She's my mate, Rafe. It's my job to protect her. If Graves wants her then he's going to have to go through me first."

"Which he'll do in two seconds flat because you can barely stand, Aaron," Rafe retorted, standing up and walking around the bed to stop his friend from falling down to the floor. "We have a few days before he launches any attack. Jen is safe for now. You need to get back into bed right now if you want to regain any of your strength back. You're only weakening yourself further, Aaron."

Aaron rounded on his friend, about to ask him if he would be so calm if it was Lacey Graves was coming for and then suddenly realised that his friend was calm, secure in the knowledge that his own mate was safe in the same house Jen now was, even though Graves was indeed coming for Lacey just as surely as he was coming for Jen.

He dampened down his wolf's protective instincts with a little difficulty and slowly lowered himself back to the bed but remained in a sitting position, arranging the pillows to support his back. "You're sure Graves isn't going to show up anytime soon?" he asked, watching Rafe intently to make sure he told him the full story and didn't hold back.

"We have a few days," Rafe answered reassuringly. "I wouldn't be here away from Lacey if there was even the slightest chance he would act sooner, Aaron. You know that. Caleb and Demetri are going to see what support they can drum up to help the pack. Annie's involvement means that at least they'll be willing to stand at our side when the vampires attack. Jared's called a pack meeting for nine am. He's working on evacuation plans for the children and the more vulnerable members of the pack. The rest of us will be making a stand here."

Aaron's eyes narrowed. "I should be back in shape by then," he said quietly.

Rafe stifled down a groan and met his friend's eyes unflinchingly. "That's why I'm here, Aaron. Jared's ordered that you evacuate with the rest of the pack.

Aaron sat so still for a moment that Rafe wondered if his friend had actually heard what he said. Then his handsome face turned marble hard and he was looking at an Aaron he had never seen before. Gone was the amiable, laughing man who always saw the bright side in just about any situation. In his place was the true Were he really was, feral and extremely upset.

"You had better be shitting me, Rafe," he ground out through clenched teeth. "If Jared thinks for one moment I'm going to be hiding somewhere with the children while my pack is under attack and my mate's life is in jeopardy then he has another think coming."

Rafe leaned closer to Aaron, piercing him with his own hard gaze. "You will do what the Alpha commands whether your like it or not, Aaron," he said tersely. "You are commanded to evacuate with the pack and that is what you will do. Jared doesn't have time to come down here and tell you himself so you'll just have to take my word for it that this is his decision."

Aaron's face shimmered slightly as his wolf howled his fury and he fought to hold back shifting. "Like hell I will!" he growled ferociously.

_____

Jen found herself liking Cedar Alexander more and more the longer they chatted. She had laughed when her new friend had explained why she was named after a tree. Apparently her father had insisted on naming the boys in the family and her mother had insisted on naming the girls. Hence, why her sister was called Willow. Their mother was a tree lover. She tried to imagine what Aaron would have ended up being called if his mother had been given the opportunity to name him. Probably something silly like Rowan.

She had finished her shower and gotten dressed. Now the blonde woman was lounging on the bed as Jen dried her hair quickly and tied it up in a ponytail. Lacey was still sleeping and Jared and Millie were locked together in the study so there was only really Cedar to talk to. Not that she minded. They had a lot in common, more than just Aaron. They had discovered they liked the same music and movies too.

Jen turned to Cedar with a slight frown on her face. "Can we go back to the medical centre now?" she asked. "I've got this weird feeling inside me. It kind of feels like Aaron needs me in some way?" Her tone was confused because she felt confused. This need to return to Aaron quickly had come over her with such speed that it was all she could do not to run out the door.

Cedar's expression turned thoughtful. "Rafe said he expected Aaron to give him a hard time about something," she mused. "Aaron's right, the mating instinct must be really strong between you if you're picking up he needs you so strongly. I dare say whatever Rafe had to say to him has upset him a lot."

She rose from the bed and headed towards the door, Jen quick on her heels. The strange feeling was getting stronger and stronger and Jen was starting to feel really anxious now. Her breath was coming out in little pants as she couldn't contain herself and she started to run towards the medical building. She heard Cedar's surprise exclamation before she too started to run to keep up with her.

They burst in just as Rafe flew out of Aaron's room and slammed the door shut behind him. He held onto the handle as large growls resounded from the room and the door shuddered as something crashed against it. "Get back," he said tersely to the two women, his eyes turning to Luke who had jumped up from his desk. "Tranquillizer gun!" he barked.

The doctor was off before he'd finished talking. Jen hurried towards Rafe, her anxiety level off the scale. "What's happening?" she cried. "What did you do to Aaron?"

"Cedar, get her back," Rafe grunted as the door shook hard as the irate wolf inside hurled itself against the barrier keeping it from its intended target.

Cedar's expression was completely shocked. Aaron never lost control of his wolf. Ever! For a moment she could only stand there rooted in shock, unable to obey her beta's command. The door suddenly splintered and a large brown wolf streaked with gold burst furiously into the outer office.

Rafe moved quickly to the side, shifting immediately as the wolf skidded to a halt coming to stop right in front of Jen who was just staring at it wide-eyed.

Jen thought she was about to die. The enormous wolf crashed into the room before her, its light blue eyes wild as it glared at her. She vaguely heard another wolf roar loudly and Cedar calling Aaron's name desperately but all her attention was on the wild beast in front of her who appeared to be about to rip her throat out.

"Aaron?" she whispered tentatively, her green eyes wide with fear and confusion as she tried to take in that the wolf before her was the man she had just spent the night sleeping beside. The moment she spoke the wildness died from the wolf's eyes and it suddenly whined loudly and collapsed to the floor in front of her.

Aaron couldn't handle the look of horror in Jen's beautiful eyes as she looked at him. One moment he was completely consumed by his wolf and ready to rip Rafe's throat out and the next he was staring into his terrified mate's face and the wildness evaporated and he could once more rationalise. The moment the wildness left him, the burst of adrenaline which had overcome him faded too and his sank to the floor.

Luke had arrived with the tranquillizer gun but it was quickly apparent that it wouldn't be needed. He rushed to the prone wolf's side as Rafe quickly shifted back to human form and went looking for a robe of some kind to cover his nakedness. Jen just stood where she was looking down at Aaron and the doctor as Cedar made her way to her side and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Shift back, Aaron," Luke commanded. "I need to see what damage you've done. I don't know what the fuck came over you to react so recklessly. Shift!"

Aaron heard him but remained in wolf form. Jen was standing so close to him. He didn't want to look at her again and see revulsion in her face. He whined softly and closed his eyes. The feel of a soft hand touching his head made him start. He scented the delicious scent of strawberries and he knew it was Jen without opening his eyes. He whined again and pressed himself against her small hand.

"Shift back, Aaron," she said softly. "Luke needs to check your wounds out. It's okay. I'm not upset or anything. You just took me a little by surprise but I'm fine now. Shift, Aaron. Please."

"You heard her," Rafe barked angrily, coming back into the outer office wearing a bathrobe he'd found in the bathroom. "You either shift for Jen and get your ass back into bed so Luke can check you over or I'm bringing Jared down here to command you. You know damned well he'll be pissed as hell if he has to interrupt his plans to come chastise his longest serving beta who should know better!"

Aaron raised his head, ignoring Rafe's threat completely, his eyes meeting his woman's as she knelt beside him. She gave him a tremulous smile, clearly still rattled about what she'd just witnessed but being so incredibly brave about it. He shifted, reaching for her and pulling her into his arms and feeling her tremble slightly before she was wrapping her arms around him gently.

"I'm sorry, Jen. I didn't mean to frighten you," he whispered against the side of her neck, shuddering as he scented her beautiful skin, his lips automatically whispering across her collarbone. She smelled freshly clean, her hair still slightly damp from her shower. He stifled down a pained groan as his body wanted to react to her closeness but the pain in his chest made it impossible to do so.

He allowed Jen and Luke to help him up. He avoided Rafe's angry gaze, feeling his friend boring a hole in the back of his head as he was escorted back into his room, bypassing the shattered door. He knew he deserved Rafe's censure but that didn't make it any easier to take. He had lost control of his wolf. He had never done so before. He could only put it down to his weakened state from being injured and his concern for Jen's safety. It was still inexcusable though.

Luke shot Rafe a dark look as he went to enter the room. "I think it would be advisable for you to go calm down, Rafe," he said shortly. "So Aaron isn't agitated any further and I can examine him without worrying about him losing control again."

Rafe stared at him in shock, his irritation reaching almost boiling point. He couldn't believe the doctor was blaming him for Aaron's shocking loss of control. "I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, Luke," he said quietly, his tone hard as he faced down the doctor.

"I think you're forgetting that when it comes to the care of my patients, I only listen to myself, beta," Luke shot back. "Right now you are not good for Aaron so I suggest you go away until I can treat him."

Cedar stepped between the two men, pressing lightly against Rafe's chest when he snorted in outrage at the doctor's words. "Rafe, come outside for some air," she said calmly. For a moment she thought he was going to ignore her but he finally let her push him outside the medical building.

"What happened, Rafe?" she asked concerned. "Why did Aaron lose control like that?"

Rafe ran a weary hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh. "There's trouble coming, Cedar. Big trouble. Aaron's been ordered to evacuate with the pack because of his injuries. Jen's in danger because of it. You'll be told more at the pack meeting but for now, the most I can tell you is what I already have. Aaron will most likely die if he refuses to go. He's not fit enough for what's coming. He obviously doesn't see it that way. I think his weakened state is why he lost control when he heard Jen was in danger."

Cedar felt a deep shiver run through her at his words. She knew it would only be a few hours before she could find out exactly what was going on but the certainty in Rafe's voice scared her. Her brother was in serious danger. She could see he was in no fit state to be involved in any kind of conflict but she also understood that he would react negatively to leaving if Jen was staying behind. It really only left one option.

"Make Jen leave with him," she said quietly. "If she's with him then he'll go. You can't separate them, Rafe. Jen's already feeling the connection between them a lot stronger than is usual. Hell, if Aaron wasn't injured they'd be mated already, their connection is that strong."

Rafe sighed again and nodded. He hadn't counted on Aaron reacting so strongly either. Because his own connection to Lacey was a little less volatile and he was better able to control his wolf than most of the pack, he had just expected Aaron to be the same. He could see where he had erred in his handling of the situation. He had quite literally backed his friend into a corner with no way out for him except to react the way he had.

The real question was, would it be safer for Jen to leave with Aaron and the others or stay at the compound? Graves was out to get her but his primary goal was to locate and retrieve Lacey. If he was focused enough on that goal then Jen should be safe enough with the rest of the pack. He would have to run it passed Jared but he could at least offer the possibility as a compromise until something better could be worked out.

"Come on, let's go back inside," he said to Cedar, turning and heading back into the medical building.

Luke had finished his examination and was muttering under his breath in the outer office. He looked up when they re-entered the building. "He hasn't exasperated his injuries too much," he told them. "Though that doesn't mean you can go upsetting him again, Rafe. It's only blind luck he didn't rip open his internal wounds."