He had to stop.
Things had already gone too far but the kiss felt so right.
It had been a long time since Cary had felt so alive—if ever—and he didn’t want the feeling to end.
Would it hurt to allow himself one little kiss?
Aaron tasted incredible and the passion and intensity he displayed was sending Cary into orbit. If Cary could derive that much pleasure from a simple kiss, then having the wolf in his bed would be electric…
No, he shouldn’t think about that.
They couldn’t take things any further than they already had.
“Quit thinking so much.” Aaron drew back from Cary’s lips and traced kisses along his jawline and down his throat.
He scraped his teeth along the vein in Cary’s neck and suddenly Cary was right on the edge, without the slightest concern of falling.
“Cary Lewis?”
Somewhere in his lust-filled haze, Cary was aware of someone speaking his name.
Aaron pulled away from Cary’s throat and turned his head. Cary was about to protest the loss, but when he turned to look in the same direction, there was a man standing outside the corral.
His arms rested on the top post of the fence and he regarded Aaron and Cary with an amused expression.
“Shit.” Cary jumped up and brushed himself off, aware of the bulge in his jeans that was wilting rapidly under the man’s steady gaze.
“I’m Cary Lewis. Who are you?”
“I’m Gregory Hale.”
The man’s eyes flicked to Cary’s groin and lingered for a moment before he looked up and met Cary’s eyes.
His grin broadened.
He stretched out his hand for Cary to shake.
“I’m from the supernatural council. I think you and I need to have a little chat.”
Chapter Nine
Aaron’s head jerked up when the man introduced himself.
The supernatural council?
What did they want with Cary?
Aaron tried to remember what his father had told him about the council and cross-species mating. They couldn’t have found out about his and Cary’s mating already, could they?
How was that possible?
The only people who knew about them were their friends and family at the ranch.
Cary walked forwards and shook the man’s hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Gregory nodded. “Likewise.”
Cary shuffled nervously as he addressed the other shifter. “What can I do for you today?”
Aaron ignored the pain in his chest from where the horse had kicked him and rose to a standing position. He didn’t know what the council wanted with his mate but he intended to stand by Cary’s side regardless, especially if this had something to do with him. He definitely didn’t like the heat he saw in Gregory’s eyes when he looked at his mate. He felt a warning growl begin in his chest but he forced it back. It wouldn’t do to show the man his feelings for Cary.
He had already seen too much.
Cary frowned when Aaron stepped next to him but he didn’t say anything. Gregory seemed to be paying close attention to their actions.
“Is there someplace we can talk in private?” Gregory asked.
Aaron opened his mouth to object but Cary spoke up before he had a chance to say anything.
“It’s okay. You can talk openly. I haven’t got anything to hide.”
Gregory nodded and glanced at Aaron again before he spoke.
“The council sent me here to check on you. It’s been a few months since they last heard from you.”
Cary frowned. “I didn’t realize I had to check in. Is there some reason the council is keeping such a close eye on me?”
“It’s standard with cats, especially after what happened to your mate. Some don’t cope very well with the situation. They can go feral. But you seem to be coping just fine.”
Gregory’s mouth curved up into a smirk and his eyes fell upon Aaron.
Aaron looked on in confusion.
Mate?
What the hell was the guy talking about?
He turned to Cary, his eyebrows raised in question. Cary looked like a deer caught in headlights. He looked as though he hadn’t expected Gregory’s statement.
“Cary? What is he talking about? What does he mean by that? Your mate?”
Aaron knew it wasn’t the time to discuss this, but when Cary wasn’t forthcoming with a reaction to Gregory’s statement, he felt forced to ask the question. He hoped Gregory had made a terrible mistake but the look in Cary’s eyes told him all he needed to know.
“It’s a long story,” Cary said at last.
He sighed loudly then turned back to Gregory. “And I’m doing just fine, thank you, so you can go and tell the council they don’t have anything to worry about.”
Aaron stared at Cary open-mouthed.
Cary had another mate?
How was that even possible? Aaron could see his whole world collapse around him. So that was the reason Cary didn’t want him. He already had a mate. But where was he? Why weren’t they together? It didn’t make a lick of sense. And what about the kiss they’d just shared? If Cary already had another mate and didn’t want Aaron, why would he lead him on?
What sort of person would do something like that?
“Maybe this isn’t the best time to talk about this.” Gregory looked at Aaron when he spoke. “Actually this isn’t the only thing I need to discuss with you, Cary. I can come back later if you’d prefer when it’s more convenient for you.”
Cary looked at Aaron then nodded. “Thank you, yes. Can you come back this afternoon?”
“Of course. I’m staying at Marnie’s Guesthouse so if you need to get in touch with me, you can reach me there. Otherwise, I’ll be back here at…” Gregory checked his watch. “Shall we say six this evening?”
Cary nodded his agreement. “Okay. Six is good.”
Aaron was dimly aware of Gregory’s departure but he didn’t look at the man as he left. He couldn’t take his eyes off his mate. Cary seemed uncomfortable. His gaze rested on the ground and he shifted from foot to foot nervously.
Finally, he lifted his head, his expression contrite.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
Aaron could feel tears beginning to form behind his eyes but he did his best to keep them at bay.
He felt like an idiot.
No wonder Cary didn’t want him.
“Yes, you should have. How could you forget to mention you already have a mate? That’s hardly something you could have overlooked.”
Aaron lowered his gaze.
It was a struggle to choke out the words and he didn’t want to see pity in Cary’s eyes when he looked at him.
He couldn’t stand that.
“Had,” Cary corrected. “I had a mate…sort of.”
“And for that matter how could you kiss…” Aaron’s head jerked up. “What did you say?”
Cary huffed out a breath. “I said I had a mate. Past tense. Look, it’s complicated.”
“But…where is he now?”
“Gill is dead.”
Aaron let out the breath he’d been holding.
At first, he was relieved to hear Cary’s answer but when he saw the pain and sadness in Cary’s eyes, he felt ashamed of himself.
“I’m sorry.”
As much as Aaron wanted Cary for himself, he would never wish the death of a mate on anyone. His own mother had lost her mate many years ago and she had never got over it. It had happened before Aaron was born and although his mother had shown him nothing but love, sometimes the pain and sadness in her eyes when she looked at him was so strong, he had to look away.
“How did he die?”
“Uh…” Cary’s face turned a furious shade of red. “Kelan killed him.”
Aaron gasped. “What did you say?”
“You heard me right, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. I mean it is, but…oh God. This is really difficult to explain.
”
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Aaron wanted to know what had happened, but he didn’t want Cary to relive memories that were painful for him.
“I understand if it’s too difficult for you.”
Cary shook his head. “No, you deserve to know. Do you want to get a cup of coffee? I think I need one.”
“Okay, sure.”
Aaron followed Cary to the bunkhouse.
Nate was stepping out of the door just as they were about to enter. He took in Cary’s slumped shoulders and eyed Aaron suspiciously.
“Cary? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry—I’m going to be late with the fences.”
Nate waved away Cary’s apology. “Don’t worry about it. I can start without you. Meet up with me later when you’re ready.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Nate glanced at Aaron again and scowled.
What the hell was the guy’s problem?
“I’ll be with the horses for a while. Holler if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
When they were inside the bunkhouse and Cary had closed the door behind them, Aaron whistled.
“Jeez, what is it with that guy? Is he always that grouchy? Or is it just me that gets him rattled?”
“Oh, don’t pay Nate any mind. He’s great when you get to know him.”
Aaron looked over his shoulder at the closed door and frowned. “Are you sure of that? He doesn’t seem very friendly to me.”
But he’d been perfectly charming to Cary.
Maybe Nate had a thing for him, or…
Aaron’s nostrils flared, his eyebrows pulled together and his jaw muscles clenched. “Have you and Nate ever…”
Shit, how could he ask this question?
Was it even his business to know?
He had to know or he wouldn’t rest at night, knowing that Cary and Nate were both sleeping in the bunkhouse.
“Have we ever what?” Cary turned to face him.
“Have you ever, you know…”
Cary’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. “No, we have not. Nate’s old enough to be my father!”
Cary lifted his chin and looked down his nose at Aaron. “Besides, what business is it of yours?”
Aaron wanted to scream at Cary that it was his business. He was his mate, God damn it. But Cary was watching him carefully as though he expected that exact reaction.
“I guess it’s not,” Aaron replied.
Cary’s mouth opened again with an almost audible pop.
He stared at Aaron like he was just seeing him for the first time. Then he shook his head, turned and headed to the kitchen.
“Come on, I’ll put the coffee on.”
Cary got to work in the kitchen.
Aaron had a dozen questions in his head but he waited until Cary was ready before he spoke. His mate poured out two large mugs of coffee and placed one in front of Aaron before sitting down at the old, pine dining table.
“How can you have two mates?” It was the question that was bothering Aaron the most.
Cary shrugged. “Technically I don’t. I just have one—you.”
“I didn’t know it was possible to find another mate after one died.”
“Neither did I. Kelan said although it’s possible, it’s rare.”
“Do you miss him?”
“Gill? No. I mean, yes and no. It’s hard to explain. I thought I did, at first, but Gill hurt me…a lot. So in that respect, I don’t miss him, no.”
Aaron felt anger rise inside him.
How could anyone harm someone as sweet and fragile as Cary? Aaron could never hurt a hair on his body. He wanted to do everything in his power to protect him. Aaron leaned in a little, meeting his mate’s gaze.
“How did he hurt you?”
Cary’s face filled with color.
His pupils dilated and his breathing sped up. “He used to hit me.”
His words were so quiet Aaron had to lean forward even further just to hear him. Cary’s hushed admission made Aaron so angry, his eyes shifted to their wolf form and a low, rumbling growl tore from his chest.
Cary gasped and when Aaron looked at his mate his eyes were wide with something bordering on fear. His chair scraped against the floor as Cary quickly pushed away from the table.
“Shit, sorry.” Aaron closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing to help him calm down. After a few moments, he felt them shift back to normal. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It just makes me so angry to hear that. How could he do that to you?”
Cary's shoulders relaxed and he shrugged. “I don’t know. He almost killed me, on more than one occasion.”
Aaron’s stomach lurched violently.
If he’d eaten breakfast that morning, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to keep it down.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Why? It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, but I wish you didn’t have to go through something like that. You said Kelan killed him?”
Cary nodded. “After one particularly bad beating, I left Gill and moved to New York to try and start a new life. I thought I was safe there but he found me. He started following me. He found out about me and Jake and…”
Aaron gasped. “You and Jake? You were together?”
“It was nothing.” Cary dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “We met at a club and we only hooked up a couple of times. But Gill found out about it and he started stalking Jake, too.
“When Kelan and Jake learned about Gill, they came to my apartment to talk to me about him. Gill set fire to the building and tried to kill me and Jake. If it hadn’t been for Kelan…”
Chapter Ten
Cary couldn’t help but stare at the frown that marred Aaron’s forehead as the wolf stared down into his coffee. He chewed on his lip, scratching at a spot on the table.
Cary sighed. “Look, I told you it was nothing, and it was a long time ago—before Jake met Kelan.”
“It’s not that.” Aaron looked up to meet Cary’s gaze.
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t understand how you could even be with Jake. When you find your mate, you don’t want anyone else. Well, maybe if your mate died, but if Gill wasn’t dead then how could you do it?
“Would you…” Aaron pulled in a deep breath and tried again. “Would you want to be with someone else if you and I are together?”
Confusion clouded Aaron’s eyes.
The wolf looked practically heartbroken.
Cary knew he had to explain everything, even though he wasn’t certain he fully understood it all himself. He certainly could never begin to understand Gill’s motives.
“God, this is going to sound crazy, but…I don’t think Gill was really my mate.”
“Huh?”
“Gill and I were together for two years, I was only eighteen when we met and I was naive. I didn’t know crap, even though at the time I thought I knew it all.”
“Okay.”
“Well, when I first met him, I was attracted to him instantly. He had a power and magnetism about him that just drew me in. I guess I was in awe of him.
“Gill told me we were mates, and I suppose because I had nothing to compare it to and because I’d never spoken to anyone about what it feels like when you find your mate, I believed him.
“I know that sounds incredible but it’s the truth. I must have mistaken attraction and lust for the mating bond, and when Gill said we were mates, I had no reason to question him about it. It’s not something people normally lie about, you know?”
Aaron shook his head. “I can’t believe he would lie about something as important as that. It’s hard to imagine anyone would. It sounds like the guy was completely crazy.”
Cary nodded. “He was. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that at the time and I fell in love with him. By the time he showed his true colors, it was too late—he had me. Hook, line, and sinker.
“And then, of course, the abuse started, and I kept hoping he’d change, kept wondering how he could do that to his mate—but now I know.
“It’s because we were never mates to begin with. I honestly thought we were, I really did, but when I met you, I knew.
“The things I felt for you, the things I feel for you,” he corrected.“I never experienced with Gill.”
Aaron nodded. “I understand now why you ran from me when we met. After everything you’d been through, it was natural to be afraid of being hurt again.” he sighed. “My dominant behavior must have terrified you. You must have been so confused over what you were feeling for me.”
“I was.”
A lump formed in Cary’s throat.
He couldn’t believe how understanding Aaron was being. It enamored him to the wolf even more.
Aaron reached across the table and put his hand over Cary’s. The touch was probably meant to comfort and soothe, but Cary couldn’t help the effect it had on his body when Aaron’s breath hitched and the scent of arousal filled his nose.
“I know you have absolutely no reason to trust or believe me,” Aaron said. “But I would never hurt you. The thought sickens me.
“If you give me a chance to prove myself, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure you never get hurt again.”
Aaron seemed to be waiting with bated breath.
Cary swallowed audibly and a tear trickled down the side of his face. He reached a hand up and brushed it away.
“I don’t know why you’d want me,” he choked out. “I’m a mess.”
To his surprise, Aaron shook his head fervently.
“No, you’re not. You’re perfect and I’ll wait as long as I have to until you realize that I’m perfect for you, too.”
When Cary looked into Aaron’s eyes, he saw nothing but truth shining back at him. He certainly hoped Aaron was telling the truth because in his heart he knew he was going to take their relationship a step further.
It was unavoidable.
Aaron was his mate and he wanted him.
He craved him.
If Cary was ever going to be truly happy, he had to face up to what had happened to him in the past. He had to learn to trust again. If he didn’t, he feared his life would be empty and meaningless—and very, very lonely. He didn’t want that for himself and he didn’t want it for Aaron, either.
Aaron's Awakening (2019 Reissue) Page 5
