Aaron Ch. 11-16

"You were at all the meets Kate?" Thorn interrupted.

"No, just one of the meets and I had managed to convince some of the women to not attend the meetings that came after the one I was at."

"Okay, I wondered if I had missed something. Aaron sorry, keep going."

"Ahh fuck I'm not sure where to start. The team have tidied up good so there is nothing that says wolf in this, but the drugs and human trafficking will be all over the news and filling the courtrooms for a while. It was a pretty big operation. The team witch was able to connect it to three other countries so we have contacted packs in each to deal with them however they see fit. Of course they may go more old school and not bother with the local authorities. This team is good Thorn, I'd like to work with them more. I learned so much. Kate is totally going to kill me, but it was good, you know, not what was going on, but being part of fixing it, doing something worth being proud of. Making the world a little better."

"Why would I kill you for that?"

"You hated what was going on there. You hated the fighting and that people were hurt."

"You don't understand me at all." Kate growled and then after seeing how clueless he was continued, "Forget it. Thorn carry on with the meeting please."

"Okay so Alex will be joining the group heading out with John but after the wedding will be heading out of the country for a while. Turns out the Alpha of another pack, Alpha Logan Grey, a pack we have always considered friendly, his daughter has been declared missing, and based on what the witch from his pack and the witch working on this fucking mess have shared it is believed she has been taken."

"You're sending Alex in?" Lucas asked worrying for his brother. "Alone?"

"Luc, you know he can handle this. It is what he does. He excels in these situations."

"Excuse me, are we missing something?" Tyrone asked raising an eyebrow.

"Only the core are aware of Alex's other life. He's a..."

"I'm Navy. I hope you army guys don't have a problem with that but I keep a low profile and do my job well."

"Navy? No you aren't just navy. I know who you are." Jared looked Alex over again and then stood and shook his hand "You're fucking Alexander Thomas. It is an honour to meet you."

"Alexander Thomas Donald, Alex to my family and my pack."

"Before my brother starts fangirling can you fill the rest of us in?"

"He's a SEAL. A bloody decorated, highly ranked, SEAL."

"No he isn't he's a wolf. I've seen him, has fur and fangs just like the rest of us." Lexi grinned at Alex who was trying not to look as uncomfortable as he was, "And other than some ridiculous dragon on his back and some artsy fartsy circle on his arm he hasn't got any decorations worth mentioning."

"Not true Lex, I have a piercing the girls find very worth mentioning." Alex grinned back and gave her a wink."

"Oh yuck. Never ever make me think about your junk."

"Do all the Donald boys have that?" Gem asked looking at Kate.

"I cannot confirm or deny." But Kate's blush said it all.

"Well this Donald boy doesn't and none of you are going to convince Luna I need one."

"For the record I'm no longer a SEAL."

"Of course not. Now they just bring you in when it's shittier than shit or there is some rich prick in trouble." Lucas growled. "They don't give a fuck about..."

"Lucas, calm down. He got out and he's fine." Gem moved to put her arms around her man. "He promised no more."

"Whatever, he still keeps putting himself in danger. Last time he nearly didn't make it back."

"I told you I didn't even get a scratch." Alex now growled at his older brother.

"Fuck this shit. You scared us to death and were out of contact for three fucking months. You came home and refused to tell us anything. Of course we don't want you doing that anymore." Aaron stood behind Kate's chair and his hands on her shoulders seemed to be the only thing keeping him from changing.

"Enough. This is different. It is wolf business, No slippery seals or rich pricks involved." Lex tried to soothe the men in the room she considered her family.

"Well other than two other trained SEALS, and the rich alpha, and his daughter the princess, who got herself in trouble." Alex spoke drily.

"You are not going to sit there and say the girl is to blame for..."

"Gem put away your claws. He wasn't saying that at all. It is just this particular "princess" is known for being a handful."

"So are all the women in your core Thorn so I suggest you both shut up before you piss us all off." Gem growled at her alpha.

"True. I will continue with the next point ... Alex will be heading overseas. Lucas and Gem you need to decide if you will be making the city your base or coming back here with Luna and I."

"You're returning to the house permanently?" Lex was surprised.

"I already guessed that brother. Glen is almost trained enough to manage the café. I talked to Gem we will move back here too."

"Aaron and I will make this our base also." Kate spoke up knowing one of them was going to have to move anyway. "I'll finish the school year and then we will move back to the house."

"We won't be moving back. Jared and I have our jobs to consider and need to provide for Lexi."

"I have always lived here, but I will go where Damon wishes to go." Natalie's quiet voice joined them for the first time.

"She speaks." Aaron teased with a wink. "Careful Damon, Gem and Kate will turn her into one of their gang in no time."

"Oh Natalie is already a member."

They were all having a moment to load up their plates with more food when a cry of sorrow came through the pack link.

"Fuck I thought I had more time." Kate dropped her head to the table. "She's gone."

"Melody? Melody?" Thorn looked at Kate, "Harmony? She was who you saw going?"

"Michael is here, I'm okay I just can't believe she's gone."

"Mel I'm on my way. Mum and I are on our way."

"Okay meeting is over. Kate do not feel guilty about this. She knew she was going, she told Luna and myself. There was nothing that could have been done. Those travelling today, I'm sorry I won't be here when you leave. Be safe and keep me posted on everything."

"I wanted to talk with you about how to make sure she wasn't alone at the end." Kate cried. Aaron brushed her hair and whispered to her softly to soothe the pain she was feeling.

"Kate, nothing would have made this easier for any of us. If you had spoken Melody would have tried to keep her longer. We would have been taking away what Harmony wanted most. To pass at peace in her room. She loved that room."

Maggie came in then with a jacket in her hand, "Kate dry your eyes. I need you to be strong now. I have to go to Mel. You need to keep everyone calm here. They will count on you."

"Yes Maggie." Kate sat up wiping her eyes. "Emily is sleeping can you come and meet her when you come back?"

"Of course." Maggie looked around the room "You lot look after each other and my babies. I know some of you go today and some of you stay, where you are makes no difference the core is always together. Understand?"

"Yes Ma'am." All the wolves answered.

"Time to go Thorn."

Right then John and Rose walked into the kitchen. "Mum do you want me to come with you?"

"No love you and John need to be on your way. I will talk to you later today." Maggie wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Be strong for the pack dear they will need you."

"John wasn't even sure he could be their alpha and now he is feeling such a strong pull. He can barely stand to not be there already. His need to protect them and help them is so strong. How can there be alphas that hurt their packs?"

"It isn't natural love. The rightful alpha of each pack could not do what those monsters and others have done. It isn't in a real alpha to do that. John and you will save them darling. Back when your Great Grandfather Thomas took control of our pack they had suffered terribly at the hands of his own uncle. He was torn about challenging his alpha and his own family but he knew he was doing the only thing he could to save everyone. John feels the call now as his wolf has changed from a victim, locked inside by what he has suffered, to the alpha, ready to avenge his pain and free his pack."

"I don't know if I can wait for the team to be ready I feel my wolf clawing to be there now." John agreed with Maggie, "I will need you to help me Rose, I know you want to be here for your family with the loss of your aunt, but please I cannot do this alone. I'm not as strong as your family are."

"Oh bullshit. You're an alpha. You just need to suck it up. Besides it isn't weakness that has you begging Rose to stay, your wolf knows she is his equal. She is alpha too and your pack need you both." Gem growled when Rose went to speak in defence of her mate. "Don't even think about it Rose, you know I'm right. You feel their pull too. You haven't even met them yet but your wolf fucking knows them."

"Shit." Rose looked shocked. "I've been so wound up all night, and filled with worry and pain but I thought it was John. I thought I was just feeling the mate bond."

"Gem you are too bloody smart and too much of a smart-mouth for your own good. Lucas was looking for a reason to tie you up today and I think you just gave him one." Thorn grinned as his brother howled in victory. "Mum, you and I better get going."

Lucas was already heading for Gem. "Wait let me say goodbye to everyone first." Gem begged. She ran to Lexi wrapping her arms around her friend, "Please don't be gone too long. I will miss you. Be careful and whatever you do, don't collect a third mate you hussy, two is more than most get."

"I have no need of anyone else. I'll be back before the wedding."

"You two, take care of my friend and yourselves." She gave the two surprised men quick hugs. "Rose I love you so much I will miss you. I'll even use my cell phone for you. That is how much I need you. I hate that we've lost our pack bond."

"You don't have a family bond with my sister?" Lucas growled, "My sister!"

"She's not my family yet. I'm just your pet remember? When you marry me she'll be my sister. I'm sure we will bond again then."

"Oh shit now you've done it." Kate laughed as Lucas threw Gem over his shoulder and strode from the room.

"Are you bonded to Gem and Rose?" Aaron asked quietly.

"I have a pack bond with Gem, and a family bond with Rose." Kate paused, "I had a family bond with all of your family since I came to the pack and under your mother's care. Then I bonded with the pack when Thorn let me officially join you all."

"So your bond isn't through being mine?"

"No." Kate blushed as he began to growl at her. "But I would have bonded to them through you if I hadn't already. Your family is my family Aaron."

"Good." He decided to begin breakfast taking a seat beside her. Then realisation dawned, "You had a family bond with my whole family, but not me?"

"You were mean to me."

"Bedroom now." He stood, "Now Kate we need to talk about this."

"I'm not a pet like Gem, you can't make me run to the bedroom." Kate glared at him.

"I'm not making you submit. I'm begging you for privacy so we can talk, please?"

"Fine. But I don't care what you have to say anyway. It is all the past. I'm yours now. You're mine."

"You may not care but I do. You will always be mine." He kissed her and they barely paused long enough to wish the others well on their trip before leaving.

Kate couldn't hide the pleasure him saying so gave her. However his growl sent a shiver through her when she realised although his words were claiming her he was not happy.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"So talk." Kate said as soon as they got to their room. "Wow, did you see this already?"

"Yeah it looks great. The girls did a great job and so did the omega crew. I saw it when I bought our stuff up. Kate, I need to ask about a couple of things that came up in the kitchen."

"Yeah, I know, a genius like myself worked that out when you basically dragged me up here. What is your problem?"

"First, you just assumed we would move here, why?"

"You already live here, I have no ties to the city after I finish school and I want to be with you. So what's the problem?"

"I work in my parent's restaurant, I have nothing keeping me here, so we should go to the city. You want to get into paediatrics so we should be looking to live near the damn hospital. You think I would get in the way of your career?"

"Of course not. I haven't got a placement yet and I have to get through the rest of the year first. Besides taking a year out to get to know my mate and to help our pack isn't a problem."

"We should have decided together. You just took charge."

"I was trying to show you that you were my priority right now."

"Right now? Awesome glad I am the current priority. Next problem, you have a family bond with my whole family, except me?"

"Don't be like that, I didn't mean you were only a priority now and not later. I have had a family bond with your parents, and Alex since I was about eight years old. I got a family bond with Thorn, Rose, and Lucas as a teenager, Russ a bit later, and recently Thea."

"So even when we made our peace with each other I still wasn't there, you still never thought of me as part of your life? But you thought of everyone else as family."

"Your parents, Thorn and Rose became almost parental to me. Lucas and Russ are the big brothers I needed. Thea, she's adorable, and Alex..."

"Is the Donald brother you wanted, I get it."

"What the fuck?"

"Forget it."

"I will not forget it. Aaron I have never "wanted" Alex. He was once my best friend, I love him like a brother. You are being crazy."

"I know what I saw."

"Saw?"

"At your eighteenth birthday. You had been drinking I came to check on you and you were in the hallway..."

"I was in the hallway...?"

"Stop pretending you don't know what I'm talking about. You were making out in the hall and then you pushed him away and ran. You must have run straight to the bathroom. I found you there and held your hair while you vomited." While you cried and vomited, after making out with my brother who never followed you, who never looked after you that night.

"I remember the vomiting." Kate blushed furiously. "I never made out with anyone." Kate spoke with no hesitation. Aaron realised she really believed what she was saying.

"Forget it, apparently you already have."

"Aaron, I don't know what you thought you saw. I can promise you I never made out with anyone that night. I can also say with total conviction I have never thought about Alex like that."

Aaron shook his head and then fought back the words he wanted to shout. He had watched her and his brother that night. Alex and her, had been all over each other, moaning in each other's arms. Hands exploring each other. He pictured it clearly. If she wouldn't explain it he would have to ask Alex. Fuck. He couldn't see that being a good conversation either.

"Aaron, is that all you needed to check?"

"No, what about me not knowing you, about me liking the mission?"

"I didn't hate the mission Aaron. I was worried about the outcome, the people affected, not to mention the risk to you. The mission itself, I totally understand the need for people to do these things, I like the sleuthing undercover thing to an extent, I like helping people, the violence I know had to happen but I was scared Aaron. I was so scared innocent people were going to die. I was horrified you would be killed."

"I sensed how stressed and upset you were. I knew when the fighting started your fear was off the Richter scale. If I wanted to help with that kind of thing more imagine how you would feel?"

"I would worry about you just like I do every time Alex is on a mission, only more because you, Aaron you're my mate, the thought of anything happening to you, when I just found you..."

"I know. I would feel the same about you. Kate I can't just work in the restaurant forever I want to feel like I'm doing something good, worthwhile."

"Aaron, nobody thinks you will just work in the restaurant forever, it isn't your thing, nobody expects it of you. You just need to go after what you do want. If you want to join the team that goes on the missions, or helps the council, or whatever I can support you in that, I can respect your need to do that."

"I need to think about what will work for both of us. It means a lot to know you would support me though. Thank you for that baby."

"Are we okay Aaron? I feel like there is still something bugging you."

"I'm getting there. You'll have to be patient with me I'm a relationship virgin remember. One more question, why didn't you share with me about Harmony. I wouldn't have said anything to anyone but I could have shared the burden with you, been there for you. Next time will you remember that Katie? Will you remember that I will be there for you, and hear you, and hold you?"

"Oh Aaron, I need that so much and I am so pleased to hear it. Thank you for being my rock, my protector, thank you for doing for me what I have watched you do for your family my whole life. Aaron we can decide where we live later, when you have a plan, you may be needed here or you may choose something in the city I can be wherever you need to be."

"Kate, we'll work it out. But right now just believe me when I say I will not let you throw your career away."

"Good. Did I mention I'm considering a third degree but thought I would work for ten years or so first?"

"What would you want to study next?" Aaron now sat on the bed and pulled Kate onto his lap.

"Veterinary Science."

"Sounds hot. Very sexy." He teased. "You can doctor me in human form and check me out in wolf form too."

"You are such a moron."

"Your moron." Aaron pushed her back on the bed. "Soooo my sexy little doctor I seem to have this ache..."

"Not the time Aaron, we both have things to do." Kate rolled him over and gave him a kiss, "Now be a good boy and get downstairs."

"The team will have left by now, Thorn has gone to see Mel, what am I needing to rush off to do?"

"I don't know. I'm sure you'll find something. I've got to go meet the girls, we have heaps to do."

"Yes I hear you girls are planning to take over the whole pack."

"Not take over, we just want to lead it, change the name of the core, I mean seriously, core? Sounds like the rotting left over bit of fruit."

"What are you wanting to change it to?"

"Heart of the pack."

"I'd vote for that. Sounds good. We are the heart of the pack. Once many, many, years ago each pack had their own council, but once the International Werewolf Council was formed most packs got rid of the council title to avoid confusion."

"I am well aware. I explained that to the girls when we had our discussion, a few names were thrown around we decided we are really the heart of things so it was the best name."

"Has Thorn been told we are no longer the core?"

"Luna will break it to him sometime soon. Gem told Luc and he said he didn't care what we called ourselves, we were still a bunch of troublemakers. Lex's fellas are new and she doesn't think they'll care."

"Okay you go see the girls. I'm going to go see if I can find out anything about the team, and how the clean-up is going."

"Can you let me know as soon as you know anything? They don't need all of us bugging them and I'm sure Thorn has been getting updates too."

"Of course I will. I'm looking forward to our first night here Kate. Lying here together in this room they have made perfect for us."

Kate looked around the room, a light blue/grey paint covered three of the four walls, the wall that was behind the head of the bed was in a wallpaper that combined versions of the same colour with a white and grey fleur de lis print. The bed was covered with a nice waffle textured white duvet cover with grey and pale blue pillows and throw. Fleur de lis candle stands in pewter stood on the dresser with white candles. Lamps either side of the bed had the same stands converted into bases. It was romantic without being overly feminine and fussy. A painting clearly done by Harmony graced one wall, Aaron in his wolf form stood beside the lake looking across the water.