Broken Souls

Alpha Aaron’s POV

I make it back to my room. I need a cold shower, or I know I’m going to lose my mind. I want nothing more than to run back to her room right now, but I know she’s not ready for that. The car ride back was torture. I don’t know what she was thinking about, but whatever it was, it was killing me. I could tell she was thinking about something that was turning her on. I almost lost control of Griffin in the car on the way back home and then again in the hallway at her room.

Sighing to myself, I can hear Griffin trying to convince me to go back to her room because our tiny mate clearly wants us. I get into a very cold shower and just stand there. I don’t want to mess up any more. Finally, I get out after being in there a very long time. I’m not feeling that much better really, but I get some sweat pants on and lay on my bed. I decide I can’t sleep and get up to go raid the kitchen. Maybe I will go to my office and get some work done.

Kay’s POV

After Aaron leaves, I start to feel worried over everything. I know he’s stealing my heart quickly, and it’s scaring me. I decide to take very long shower, change into leggings and my favorite green hoodie. I am still trying to calm down, but my anxiety refuses to leave me. I feel like I can’t breathe. I lay on the bed, but it’s completely pointless: I can’t relax. I feel like every nerve in my body is exposed.

The feeling is so uncomfortable I decide I need to get up and do something. I look at the clock, and it’s past midnight, so the kitchen is empty now. I throw my still damp hair up in a messy bun. I need Grandma, and I don’t know where she is, so her oatmeal cookies are the next best thing.

The pack house is quiet and dark as I slip through the halls and down to the kitchen. I don’t bother with music; I just get straight to work. In no time, I have a giant bowl of cookie dough. It’s Grandma’s exact recipe, and I am torn between comfort and sadness.

I know I should feel happy. I have what so many wish for, but it only gives me something to lose, and I hate the feeling more than anything. I get the cookies baking in the oven and tears fall. I feel Diana trying to comfort me, but it isn’t helping.

Arms wrap around my waist startling me at first. Then I feel warm tingling and smell that all too familiar cedar scent. Aaron has his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. He’s so warm, and I let his scent calm me down.

“Want to tell me why you are down here crying?” He gently pulls back to look down at me. I pull out of his arms looking up at him.

“Everything is just overwhelming. I don’t know what to do. The very idea of being happy scares the crap out of me. I haven’t had so much to lose in forever.” I let out a long breath feeling better. I finally said it out loud. I just hope he understands.

I watch him trying to read his face, but it’s impossible to know what he’s thinking. Finally, he runs his hands through his disheveled hair.

“I know the feeling. Happy can be scary, but I want to try.”

Now he’s looking at me trying to read my face. “I think I would like to try too.” I give him a shy smile. “I don’t want to burn cookies.” I tease him, getting cookies out of the oven before they do burn. Then the thought hits me. “Can you help me with something?” I ask him.

“That depends. Do I get to have one of those cookies?” He asks, giving me a hopeful look.

I smile at him and nod, “Can you help me find someone?” His look changes to concern and curiosity for a moment.

“That depends. Who are you wanting to find?” He raises his eyebrow at me curious.

“I want to find Grandma, but I don’t know where she could possibly be. I just miss her, and she’s important to me.”

Aaron smiles at me, “Tell me all about her and anything about where she could have gone if you can.”

I keep making cookies and tell him every detail I have about the kind woman. I tell him what she looks like, smells like, that she’s human, about the group she was with, and the direction she went. Aaron takes down a few notes and eats several cookies.

When I’m finally done talking and all the cookies are done, I know it’s very late. I yawn suddenly and Aaron walks over to me.

“I think you need to go to bed now. It’s been I long day.” I nod. I am extremely tired now, but I feel better because maybe we can actually find Grandma.

I start for the door, but Aaron has scooped me up in his arms. He lifts me up close to his chest, nuzzling his face to my neck, breathing deeply. I feel Diana purr happily in my mind, and my body feels like it’s buzzing. The butterflies in my stomach change to stronger waves of warmth, and my stomach feels clenched. I don’t think I want him to ever let go.

Strange new feelings wash over me, and I feel him grip me tighter, making it worse. Suddenly, he kisses my neck, and I swear my body melts as a cascade of sparks and tingling flow through me. What is happening to me? I can’t think, and the warmth washing through me is intoxicating.

Aaron gives a sigh and slumps, putting me back down. He finally lets me go. I feel a little sad that he let go. I miss the warmth already.

“You should go to bed because if you stay here, I’m going to have a hard time letting you leave at all.” He says giving me a sly smile. I gulp nervously and blush, and he chuckles at my embarrassment. “Come on. I’ll even walk you to your room. Unless you want to go to mine?” He smirks, only making me blush worse.

He laughs at me taking my hand. “Don’t worry I’ll behave myself, but teasing you is fun.” I glare at him, and he chuckles again. He leads me to my room, then he kisses my forehead as he tells me goodnight.

He leaves me and my brain is still foggy as I make my way into my room and lay in my bed. I can smell his scent still on me and it dawns on me, my favorite green sweater smells like him. It was his sweater. I almost feel embarrassed, but to my surprise, I’m not really. I love that it was his and that it somehow it ended up as my favorite piece of clothing. Diana is still purring in the corner of my mind, and it lulls me to sleep.

The morning comes, and Oriel is in my room bright and early dragging me to training. I’m a little sad when I see Beta Michael is leading training this morning. Oriel keeps trying to get me to tell her all about last night, but I just keep it vague. I know that’s killing her.

After training, I head to my room to shower and change, but Oriel catches up to me on my way there.

“Hey Aaron wants to see you as soon as you are done getting cleaned up.” She winks at me and runs off before I can even say anything.

I shower and change in record time, and I’m feeling a little strange and happy about going to see Aaron. I make it to his office door, and before I can even knock, the door opens, and he scoops me up in his arms using his foot to close the door. He doesn’t put me down, just walks over to the couch sitting down with me in his lap.

He nuzzles his face in my neck, and my body betrays me and relaxes into him. Diana purrs in my head. This must be what my mom was talking about. I feel like my heart and soul have found something I didn’t really know was missing.

The moment is short-lived when a very loud knock causes me to jump. Aaron growls at the door. I move out of his arms, and he reluctantly goes to the door. There, on the other side, is a smug looking Oriel.

“Did you tell her yet?” She asks, walking into the office followed by Beta Michael.

“No, you showed up two seconds after she did.” Aaron is half growling at her.

“Oh, sorry. By the way, I just want to say I knew it.” Oriel is beaming at me now.

“You knew what exactly sis?” Aaron asks her not giving anything away and raising an eyebrow at her. But she smirks and winks at him. She brushes by him, sitting next to me and hugging me.

“You can’t leave now, and I knew it. I knew there was a reason.” Oriel sounds so happy, and I smile at her.

Beta Michael has a goofy grin on his face “So, she’s going to be Luna then?”

And before I can say anything Aaron answers, “I hope so, but we are going to go slowly. We think it’s better all things considering.” I can’t help but feel relived, and I think Aaron knows it because he gives me a small smile.

“Well, you know you’re big jerk, and I’m not sure you deserve her.” Oriel glares at him. “I don’t think I want to share my friend with you.” Oriel glares at Aaron more, and he gives her a sad smile and rubs the back of his neck.

“I did miss up, didn’t I? I’ll just have to fix that. So, if you’ll let me tell her why I wanted to see her, then maybe I can start to fix some things.”

Oriel just smiles and crossed her arms. I’m very confused now. I’m looking at the three faces waiting for someone to tell me what’s going on. Aaron finally sits on the other side of me wrapping his arms around me.

“We thought it would be fun to get away for a couple days. We have a lake house and thought it would be nice to go there and just be us for a little while.”

I don’t really know what to say. It does sound fun, but I don’t know.

“Don’t you have things here to do? You were gone a long time and just got back.” I feel a little bad that I don’t sound more excited.

“It will only be a couple days, and Michael did a great job while I was gone. I’ve already caught up on everything important. Also, Oriel and Michael will be coming too.”

Somehow knowing Oriel will be there makes me feel better, and Michael could use the break.

“Okay it sounds fun I guess.” I give Aaron small smile, and he hugs me.

Oriel stands up grabbing my hand and pulling me with her. “Then you are coming with me.” She starts to pull me with her, but Aaron wraps his arms around me tighter nuzzling his face in my neck and hair, breathing deeply.

“Okay, Alpha let her go. You have things to do, remember?” Oriel’s amused voice stops me from forgetting everything and melting in his arms.

He lets me go, and Oriel grabs my hand. She takes me from his office while my mind is swimming.

“We are getting coffee, and then we can come back and pack.” She winks at me, and I blush.

I notice that I have been getting a lot of strange looks from everyone today, and I can’t help but think everyone must know by now.

“I’m so confused. Everything is different now. Does everyone know about me and Aaron?” I finally ask as we leave the pack house.

“Pretty much. They are all happy about it by the way, but I thought leaving for a bit would be nice.” Oriel says giving me a smile “You need a swimsuit.” I bush, and Oriel starts giggling.

We get our coffee. Oriel is trying to distract me, but I still have so much on my mind.

“Hey let’s go sit for a few,” Oriel says heading to a table in the coffee shop. I follow her, and we sit at a table in a far corner. My mind is buzzing from the last couple days, and I don’t know what to do. It all seems unreal.

“You know I’m glad it’s you.” Oriel’s words snap me out of myself.

“What do you mean?” I ask her confused.

“I’m glad you’re his second chance. I think you can help each other. We grew up together in the pack, Michael, Aaron, Lily, and I. We’ve known each other forever. Lily and I were good friends. We all missed her when she died. Aaron was really bad off. I mean, anyone would be, but he was really bad. He threw himself in to finding rogues and nothing else mattered. I didn’t think I would ever see him smile again or care about anything. He just closed off. But the day we found you, I saw something. I didn’t know what it was, but I know now. He saw you, and I could see he cared. That doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is. Anyone would have wanted to save you, but he had stopped seeing things like that.

Then after you moved in to the pack house, I saw him. He smiled again. He was smiling at pastry. I don’t think he even noticed, but he did. He was joking with us again, and he actually smiled. You did that: you saved him and gave him a reason to smile. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you for helping him. I think he’ll be good for you too. The moon goddess knows what she’s doing, and you should trust that.” Oriel takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“My mom use to tell me to trust the moon goddess too. I didn’t understand what she meant then, but I think I’m starting to.”

Oriel gives me one of her bright smiles that lights up her whole face and also makes her look a little like she up to something. I can’t help but giggle at her.

“Well, we have to get ready. We’ll be leaving soon, Oriel says brightly, and before I can say anything, she heading for the door of the coffee shop telling me to hurry up and laughing.