Everyone deserves a second chance, even enemies.
Aeron has known his mate was a hunter since he saw him on the battlefield. When Jericho was wounded, Dominic decided to keep him in the mansion’s infirmary, both because of his mate status and his hunter one. Aeron has been visiting him during the night because he’s not ready to talk to him just yet, but he knows things need to change, and fast.
Jericho thought he was going to be tortured and killed when he woke up in the shifters’ infirmary, but instead they healed him and talked with him as if he hadn’t tried to kill them. Dominic Nash wants answers, and Jericho knows he can’t keep quiet forever, especially after finding out he’s the mate of one of the mansion’s inhabitants.
Most pride members don’t trust Jericho. He understands that, but he still wants to help—they’ve completely changed his mind about shifters. Can he stop Brad from attacking the pride again? He knows going back to Brad and the hunters might get him killed, but he needs to try, both for Brad and for Aeron. If he doesn’t succeed, what will happen to the pride—and to him and Aeron as a couple?
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Aeron
Copyright © 2016 Catherine Lievens
ISBN: 978-1-4874-0814-5
Cover art by Latrisha Waters
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Aeron
Whitedell Pride Book Twenty-Five
By
Catherine Lievens
Dedication
To all the readers who’ve stuck with the Whitedell guys for the past two years. This is the end of the series, but don’t worry, you’ll see some of the Whitedell characters again.
Chapter One
Aeron hovered by the door, his focus on the man in the hospital bed. He couldn’t believe he’d found his mate. He’d thought it would take him much longer—years, maybe decades. He was only twenty-five after all, and his life hadn’t been easy until now. He’d thought meeting his mate would make everything better, but the man was a hunter.
Aeron chuckled darkly and shook his head. Of course his mate was a hunter. When had Aeron’s life been easy?
“What are you doing here?” Jared asked from behind Aeron.
Aeron softly swore. He’d hoped to be able to leave the infirmary without meeting anyone. He knew people would have questions, or would pity him, and he didn’t want that.
He slowly turned to Jared. “Visiting.”
Jared smiled and nodded. “I see. You can go in the room, you know.”
“I don’t want to wake him.”
Jared’s smile dimmed. “You still haven’t talked to him.”
It wasn’t a question, so Aeron didn’t answer. They both knew he hadn’t. He looked at Jericho again, wondering what he’d say if his mate was awake. Hi, I’m Aeron, and I know you hate paranormal creatures, but we’re supposed to spend the rest of our lives together, so if you could forget about that bit, it’d be great.
Aeron snorted and Jared arched a brow. Aeron shrugged. There was no way he was telling Jared what he’d been thinking about. “So how is he?” he asked instead. He wanted to know. He might not have talked to Jericho yet, but it didn’t mean he didn’t care.
“He’s fine.”
“Why is he still in the infirmary then?”
“You know I shouldn’t give you that information.”
“I’m his mate.”
“But you haven’t even talked to him yet.”
Aeron sighed. “Has he told you to keep me in the dark?”
“No.”
“Are you going to?”
“No. I think you need to talk to him, though. Keeping your distance won’t help, not in the long run.”
Aeron shook his head. “I can’t, not yet.”
Jared pressed his lips together, but he didn’t insist. “He still has some headaches,” he said, looking at Jericho again. “He sleeps a lot. He won’t tell me about it, but I know he’s sometimes dizzy and confused. It’ll pass, though.”
“So he’s still here because he’s not well enough to leave yet.”
“I wouldn’t say that. If he’d been any other pride member, I’d have sent him back to his room, but his situation is peculiar, to say the least.”
“Right. He’s a hunter. Who knows what he’d do if he were free to move around?”
Jared shook his head. “You know I’m not the one who makes these decisions. Dominic thinks it’s safer both for Jericho and everyone else to keep him here. I’m just obeying the orders I was given.”
“So you’re telling me you’d let him go if it were up to you?”
“I’d keep an eye on him, but yes. I’d let him go if the circumstances were different.”
Jericho groaned and tried to shift in his bed, but his wrists were still tied to the sides of the bed, so he couldn’t roll to his side, no matter how hard he tried. He was probably going to wake up any minute, and Aeron couldn’t be there when he did. He wasn’t ready yet.
“You’ll let me know if anything changes?” he asked Jared.
Jared’s eyes were soft when he answered. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you.”
Jared could make Aeron’s life a lot harder if he wanted to. He could forbid him to sneak into the infirmary to see Jericho or stop telling him what was happening. Aeron might find a way around it, of course, but he’d rather not. He wanted to keep Jared’s friendship, and he hated the idea of sneaking around, or rather, of sneaking around more than he’d been doing lately.
It wasn’t like he had a lot of friends apart from the other Nix. He’d fled the pride, wanting to see things, to do more with his life. He didn’t understand how Wyn and Cerris could be happy just taking care of the mansion’s gardens, but to each their own. He’d decided to finish his studies, studies he’d started hiding from his tribe. He was an architect now, and he lived in Chicago. Or rather, he had lived in Chicago.
He wasn’t sure what was going to happen now. He’d been spending a lot more time in Whitedell, obviously, but it couldn’t last forever. He knew he didn’t have to worry about money—Dominic would help him if he needed it, or Nysys, and Aeron had some money in his account. But Aeron didn’t want to lose his job. He’d taken some time off for family reasons, but it wouldn’t last forever. He’d have to choose, and he still didn’t know what he’d choose.
He tried to imagine living in Whitedell again as he looked at Jericho one last time before turning around and leaving the infirmary. He didn’t think living with the pride was something he could do, especially not with Jericho as his mate. No one knew about that yet, or at least no one who wou
ld give him problems for it.
Not that people would try to hurt him or Jericho if they knew. The pride was accepting, and no member would ever hurt another member, but they had their limits. Aeron was already part werewolf, and he knew some people were wary of him. Having a hunter for a mate would only make things harder. Maybe he could move to Whitedell, though. He could find a house in town and live there with Jericho.
Aeron snorted. He was already making plans, but he hadn’t even talked to his mate yet. Jericho was a hunter, so what were the odds he’d accept Aeron? Aeron would know if he had talked to Jericho, and he would, when he was ready to see the disgust in Jericho’s eyes and to bear being rejected. Until then, he’d just hover in the background, keeping an eye on Jericho from afar. God, he sounded like a bad romance novel. The worst thing was that his life really seemed like one. Star-crossed lovers and everything.
“Okay, you’re going to have to spill the beans.”
Aeron groaned. What was it with people sneaking up on him today? “Hey, Nys.”
Nysys rolled his eyes. “Don’t Nys me. I know there’s a reason you’re suddenly hanging around the house, and I’ll find out even if you don’t tell me. It would be easier and less painful for you to just tell me.”
Aeron hesitated. He wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to. He’d told Noem, of course, but Noem had just gotten mated, and the last thing Aeron wanted was to bug him, especially with Christmas so close, shifters now out to the humans, and the hunters probably planning their death.
The problem was that Nysys was, well, Nysys. Aeron wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his mouth shut. Aeron wasn’t ashamed of Jericho being his mate, but he didn’t doubt it would make his life with the pride even more uncomfortable, and he didn’t need that.
“I think I’ll take the hardest option,” he told Nysys, hoping it’d be enough to make him leave. He knew better, but hope was the last to end and everything.
Nysys pouted. “But why?”
“Because not everything is about you, and you don’t need to know about this, not yet.”
“I’m your tribe leader.”
Aeron snorted. “As if that’s going to make me talk to you. You know ours isn’t a real tribe.”
Nysys’ eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. Aeron looked around the hallway, hoping someone would come save him, but for once, it was empty. Where was everyone when he needed help?
“We are a real tribe,” Nysys said dryly. “I know you might think we’re not, since you left and everything, but we are. We’re there for each other. We’re friends. I might not be the greatest leader, but I’m not as bad and airheaded as people think I am, no matter how I behave.”
Aeron sighed. “That’s not what I meant, Nys. I know we’re friends, and me moving to Chicago didn’t change that. But come on, we’re more pride members than part of a tribe, no matter what you try to convince yourself of. I love you, but I don’t consider you my leader. I consider you a friend.”
Nysys grinned. “Then you should talk to me. Friends talk to each other.”
“I don’t particularly want the entire pride to know about my business, thanks.”
“I can keep a secret if I want to. I mean, I didn’t tell anyone that I caught Ani and Dominic doing the nasty in the kitchen the other night.” He bit his lower lip. “Oops. Anyway, it’s not like they told me to keep it a secret. If I remember Dominic’s words right, he just asked me to fuck off.”
Aeron laughed. “Yeah, I can imagine.”
“So you can tell me. I’ll keep your secret.”
Aeron looked around again. He needed someone to save him ASAP.
* * * *
Jericho wished he didn’t have to see the same four walls again. It was the same every time he woke up—he initially felt confused, then he tried to move and remembered he was still tied up in the pride’s infirmary.
He wished that would change, but so far, no one had talked to him about moving him. The only thing he’d been told was that the leader would talk to him once he felt better and that the man expected answers.
“How are you feeling?”
Jericho looked at his doctor. “Bored.”
Jared smiled and Jericho kind of wanted to throttle him. “Things will get better soon.”
“Haven’t you been saying that for the past two weeks?”
“You’re still recovering.”
Jericho knew he shouldn’t whine so much. When he’d first woken up, he’d thought the shifters were going to torture him and kill him. Brad would have, if he’d been in their place and had one of them in his hands.
But they hadn’t. Instead, they’d taken care of him and had kept him comfortable, even though he was tied to his bed. It made for awkward moments when he had to go to the bathroom, but he was getting used to it. Besides, Jared had seen him naked more often than Jericho was comfortable with. He, and Noem, the nurse.
Of course Jericho knew they weren’t helping him just because they were good people. They wanted answers, and they’d probably do whatever they needed to do to get them. The fact that Jericho apparently was someone’s mate was probably the main reason he was in the infirmary rather than in a cell, though.
He still couldn’t wrap his mind around that bit of information, but then he was having a hard time wrapping his mind around anything. Jared said it was the concussion, and that he might feel confused and have trouble focusing for a while longer, but he was getting better. At least his head didn’t feel like it was about to explode now, not like it had when he’d first woken up.
He’d been terrified back then. He didn’t remember what had happened during the battle, but he’d been told he’d been wounded and hit his head. They’d kept him asleep until they were sure he’d be fine, and when he’d woken up, he’d been confused.
Then they’d told him where he was, and he’d thought he was going to die. He hadn’t, and he didn’t think they’d hurt him, not anymore. They weren’t what he’d thought they were, what Brad had told him they were. They weren’t monsters—far from it.
Jericho couldn’t say he wasn’t scared anymore, because he knew some of the people living in the house had to hate him, but he didn’t think they’d hurt him.
“How long do you think I’ll have to stay here?” he asked Jared.
Jared sighed. “You know your concussion isn’t the only reason you’re still in the infirmary.”
“Yeah, I do.” And he couldn’t help but wonder where he’d end up once he was better. In jail? Would the alpha lock him up once he had the answers he was looking for? Could Jericho actually betray Brad and the hunters? What would happen to him if he kept his mouth shut?
God, his head hurt.
“Another headache?” Jared asked. He lowered the light in the room and Jericho sighed in relief.
“Yeah.”
“They’ll pass.”
“I know. So, uh, why are you here?” Not that Jericho minded Jared’s presence. He didn’t have that many visitors, and he’d have ended up talking to himself if he weren’t able to talk to Jared and Noem.
“Just checking on you. Dominic wanted to know if you were ready to talk.”
There was no getting out of that. “Tell him I am.”
Jared didn’t look convinced. “You’re still not well.”
“I’m fine. Well enough to talk to your boss.”
The wait was torture, and Jericho would rather have that particular conversation as soon as he could. It was the only way he’d finally know what would happen to him. He’d had enough of the limbo he was in, concussion or not.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“I don’t care. If I’m well enough to talk to you, then I’m well enough to talk to him.”
“Jericho...”
“I want to know what’s going to happen, okay?” Jericho closed his eyes and leaned back against his pillow. “I know I can’t stay here forever, and the wait is
killing me.”
He heard Jared move and sigh. Then he finally answered. “All right. I’ll tell him he can come see you when he wants.” There was a pause, then, “But you should know he’s not going to kick you to the curb. Your situation is unconventional to say the least, but we’ll find a way to work around it.”
“Right. You have to decide whether to throw my ass in jail or not.”
When Jericho opened his eyes, Jared was looking at him. “We’re not going to put you in jail,” he said, and Jericho almost believed him.
Almost.
“Why not?” He’d asked that question dozens of times already, and he always got the same answer. He was surprised Jared hadn’t kicked him out of the infirmary just so he wouldn’t have to answer it anymore.
“Because Dominic is ready to give you a second chance,” Jared said for what had to be the hundredth time. Somehow, Jericho still had problems believing him.
“Because I’m a mate.”
“Yes, and because even though you’re a hunter, you haven’t tried to hurt anyone since you woke up. You haven’t tried to escape, either.”
Jericho snorted. “I don’t think I’d get very far, not in the state I’m in.”
“Maybe not, but you could have made my life hell if you’d wanted to. You could have resisted my attempts to help you and been unpleasant. Instead you’re... nice.”
Jericho blinked. “You think I’m nice.”
“Yes. For a hunter.”
Jared was smiling and Jericho knew he was trying to keep the conversation light. It was easier than talking seriously, and God knew he’d be doing a lot of that soon enough.
“Yeah, well, you’re not bad for a shifter.”
Jared cocked his head and Jericho wondered if he’d gone too far. Then Jared nodded and said, “I’m glad you realize that. I didn’t know what to think when you woke up, especially with you being one of my friends’ mate, but you’re not as bad as I thought you’d be. I’m sure you had your reasons for becoming a hunter, and I’m glad you’re able to see past them to accept that we’re not all bad.”
Whitedell Pride 25 - Aeron Page 1
