章 16: Fight Fair
That jerk!
I am every bit the alpha he is and he blows me off like I'm a child!
"Well technically you're not an Alpha yet." My wolf reminded me. I don't care I'm mad at him.
I wait outside fathers office. He won't get away with this. He needs to know that I won't put up with him excluding me. Ahhhhh... why am I so mad... oh yea Alpha blow hole.
The door cracks open and his scent overwhelms me. I duck behind Dorothy's desk hiding from him.
Why am I hiding? Confrontation time.
Alpha Aaron comes out of the office. He passes my hiding spot spinning around sniffing the air. I need to get a move on before he finds me hiding.
"You idiot!" I yell charging toward him getting right up in his face.
Alpha Aaron's POV
I could smell her but couldn't see her. That is until she screams at me charging like an angry bull.
"Hu?" I believe is all that came from my mouth.
She is still wearing the male's clothing.
"I have every right to know about MY pack. You misogynistic jerk."
She is flailing about. She swings her arms at me and I flinch. No one has come at me with this kind of anger since my father. I guess I still have that involuntary response.
She continues to yell at me. None of it registers to me. I am between two thoughts.
I am angry. Beyond angry. She was off with another male and now she is yelling at me? I want to explode but I'm afraid of what I'll do. I don't want to hurt her. I'm not my father.
Then on the other hand her coming at me with such aggression hurts. I feel like a pup waiting for a beating. Her every move makes me flinch. She won't hurt me. I know this. I'm an adult. I can defend myself. NO! I can't if I do I'll hurt her and I can't be like him... I won't!
It's so confusing I don't know what to do. Hands in fists at my sides i stand there silent.
"Answer me!" Her command pulls me out of my thoughts. I look at her just now realizing I was focused on the floor.
"Why?!" She asks
Lilly's POV
I yell at him with no response. His lack of reaction makes me even madder. I roar insults at him and nothing.
Why didn't he want me in the meeting? Why won't he talk to me? Why on earth is he staring at his shoes?
"Answer me!" I yell. He finally makes eye contact. "Why?!" He opens and closes his mouth with no words coming out.
Just then Carson pulls me away from Alpha Aaron.
"Hay hay." Carson says "Alpha linked me to come down here but man!" He looks to me. "Your father needs to talk to you."
I look at him angrily.
"We'll be in the rec room when your done." Carson says shooing me away "come on Aaron let's talk."
I turn away from them and storm into my fathers office slamming the door.
"Hello little wolf!" He says with a smile. I flop into a chair.
"What do you want!" I blurt out seething. Fathers look makes me sit up straight. "Sorry father." I say and his expression softens.
"So your mate?" He says.
"How did?... What?... You?... You know?" I stammer.
He laughs.
"Kinda obvious by your response to him... I mean you aren't exactly quiet." He says and I blush "plus Aaron told me."
My jaw drops. He said it! He feels it! He admitted he's my mate!
"Then why didn't he want me around?" I ask my father.
"Did you ask him?" He responds. On that I jump out of my chair steaming again.
"Of course I did!" I yell "he just stood there! He said nothing! He wouldn't even LOOK at me!!!"
"Sit down!" Father orders. I am leaning over his desk inches from his face. How did I get to this point? I sit down and take a breath. "Now." He continues "did you ask or yell?"
I hadn't thought of it that way. I feel kinda bad now. Did I even give him a chance to respond.
"Yell... all I did was yell." I whisper.
"I figured." Father said "you are a lot like me. You look like your mother but you definitely got my personality... and temper."
"You don't explode like I do." I say. Father laughs.
"I believe Dalton would disagree but your right I don't go off easily. I've taught myself to control it more over the years."
I think about this. I can't imagine father being as quick tempered as me.
"Every relationship requires work Lilly." Father says "I fought with your mother at first... she would shut down she didn't know what to do with me. I had to figure out how to fight fair so she could talk without me going berserk."
"He's not mom. He's a grown man, an Alpha, who should be able to step up and answer me." I say.
"Little pup listen to me." I growl at the pup comment but father ignores it and continues. "You don't know anything about him. History shapes how a person responds not rank or gender."
"How do I talk to him?" I ask.
"One little thing helps a lot." He says with a laugh.
"What?"
"Put your hands on your pockets." He answers
"How will that help?!" I jump out of my seat arms flying up with me. I am so tired of this!
"Try it." Father says calmly. I scowl at him and he just nods. I put my hands in my pockets.
"This is stupid!"
"You are right I guess you'll never talk to your mate." Father says.
He did not! I thought he was trying to help!
"Hay I tho...!" As I begin to yell at my father my arms try to fly up again but are caught in fabric. It stops me. I realize how stupid I must look raging around like an angry penguin. It makes it hard to be mad. Hard to yell.
"Thank you father." I say
"Go." He responds "TALK to him. You can do it little wolf." Father says and I get up to leave.
Here goes nothing.
Alpha Aaron's POV
I follow the Beta to a comfortable room with a sofa, pool table, foosball, a TV, and games. I'd guess a lot of kids hang out here.
"Have a seat" he says "want a soda?"
I ignore him. He is being nice but he took me away from my mate. My angry screaming mate but hay I did say I can't think straight.
The Beta sits across from me. "Lilly's got a temper eh?" I growl at him. I'm already protective of her. He looks at me kindly. I don't know why but I feel like I can trust him.
"She hates me." I say
"No." He responds "she just needs you to explain yourself."
"Easier said than done..." I debate what I'm about to say... I hope I'm right about him. "I don't know how to respond to someone when they are like that."
The Beta looks at me like he knows exactly what I'm talking about.
"Listen Aaron." That's the second time he's done that only other alphas don't refer to me by title. He speaks to me as if he knows me and its ticking me off. "Relationships take work... Lilly won't hurt you and you won't hurt her. Your not your father... and neither is she."
Who is he to talk about my father? What does he know? I'm mad but I really can't be because he is trying to help.
"How do I know I won't hit her?" I ask. It's all or nothing now this Beta knows more about me than anyone... well except maybe Mason.
"Do this." he says smiling "Lilly will be down soon. Sit on your hands."
"Why?" I ask but before he can answer Lilly appears in the doorway. "Trust me." He says as he slips out behind my mate.
I slide my hands under me as she enters and takes a seat on the other end of the sofa.
"Hay." She says softly. She looks so sweet.
"Hay" I respond.
Lilly's POV
I didn't know what to expect but now I'm sitting here a few feet from him looking him in the eye and... nothing. We've been staring at each other without speaking a few minutes now. I just don't know how to start.
"Alpha Aaron." I say "I'm sorry for yelling at you." His eyebrows shoot up in shock.
"You don't have to..." he starts.
"I do actually. I let my anger get away from me. I'm sorry. I wanted you to explain your actions, and I still do. I know I didn't give you a chance to talk tho... I'm sorry." I say.
"Lilly." He says my name and my heart jumps. "I'm sorry for treating you harshly. I didn't say why I didn't want you in the meeting and growled my responses. I may not of yelled but my anger was not controlled either."
What does he have to be mad about I just walked in! I didn't do anything! I can feel myself about to explode. Just before I go off I feel the tugging of the pockets and I rethink my response.
"Why were you mad at me?" I ask through nearly clenched teeth.
Alpha Aaron looks me up and down and starts growling. "You're still wearing it."
"Alpha Aaron what on earth are you talking about?" I ask.
"You came to a meeting you knew that I'd be at dressed in another male's clothes... you reek of him!... you're supposed to be my mate and you parade around smelling of another man!"
My jaw drops.
"He called us mate" I'm as giddy as my wolf on this one. I can't help but smile. Probably not the best move tho because Alpha Aaron just gets madder.
"You don't even deny it!" he yells "you were with someone else!"
He keeps looking at the clothes I'm wearing. We won't get anywhere like this. I roll my eyes.
"Give me your jacket." I say.
"What?" He seems less mad more confused.
"Just do it!" He does and just looks at me.
"I'll be right back." I run to my room as quickly as I can.
Alpha Aaron's POV
I accuse her of being unfaithful and she just runs off. What the crap!
I kept my hands safely tucked away and you know it helped I can't take a swing when I'm restrained. I don't think I would anyway. I was mad but I never even considered hurting her...maybe just maybe I'm not as bad as him.
"Better now?" Lilly asks as she renters the room. I look up to see her in her own jeans and my jacket. It is unzipped just enough to tell me it's all she has on. I like the idea of my sent being on her skin.
"You still haven't answered for your actions before I got here." I say.
I can see her anger rise. She shoves her hands in her pockets and plops onto the sofa next to me staring me down.
"I did explain it to you when I first walked into the pack house I went for a run." She says leaning into me. She looks silly. All the anger without the crazy arm motions. I would laugh if I wasn't still mad myself.
"So still naked with another male. Not really helping here Lilly." I say
"Alright Mr. Alpha you caught me. The guys clothes I was in is a high school freshman. I guess I just like robbing the cradle!" She says. I glare at her no words will come
"oh come off it Alpha Aaron! I was in a rush lost track of my clothes and grabbed some kids who decided to run to school... if anyone has the right to be mad its him!" She says.
I breath a sigh of relief. Then I feel awful. I can't believe I doubted her.
"I'm so sorry" I say. I suck at this. I look down.
Suddenly I look back at her as she kicks my shin playfully.
"So that's why you sent me away?" She asks "not because you look down on me."
"I could never look down on you." Of course I do because of height differences but now is not the time for short jokes. "But it's not the only reason I couldn't have you in the room."
"Why?" She asks.
"You are such a distraction, beautiful" I say with a blush. "No way I can think straight around you."
She leans on the back of the sofa staring at me.
"You realize this could have all been avoided if you would have called me your mate and asked about the clothes in the beginning." She says.
"Or if you would have been on time in your own clothes." I respond.
"I want to be your mate." I say moving close to her. She scoots away and I sit up straight. "What?"
"I want that too..." she says that and pauses keeping her distance from me "I just want to do this right."
"What do you mean?" I ask. I was not expecting this.
"I wanna be friends first. Get to know you. Make sure we are truly mates." she says.
I think for a moment. It's not exactly a no. I will get to spend time with her. She wants me which I never thought would happen. She is an Alpha. Wait that's it.
"I get it... you have to make sure to find the right mate. One who won't hurt you, abuse you, take your alpha.... I need to prove myself. I'm ok with that... but how long is this friends only thing going to last?" I ask because I'm not sure how long I can take it.
"3 months" she says. I groan in protest.
"3 weeks?" I counter with a smile.
"2 months"
"1 1/2" I say "final offer" she rolls her eyes and laughs.
"Fine 6 weeks." I smile at her as she stands up. She pulls her hands from her pockets and holds one out to me.
"Hello I'm Lilly Blackthorn." She says I laugh as I stand. The red mark in her hand from being in her pocket tells me we got similar advice. I take her hand in mine.
"Alpha Aaron Rose." I say still finding this absurdly funny "but please call me Aaron."
"Nice to meet you Aaron!" she says and I can't help but laugh. I shake my head.
"You too Lilly." The tingling sensation shooting up my arm and the overly long hand shake tell me that this is going to be a long 6 weeks.
"Ahem" someone clearing their throat made her drop my hand. In the doorway stood the Beta. "Come on you two dinner is ready."
We follow the Beta up to the dining room. The place is packed. They already seem to know who I am judging by the whispers. Lilly leads me to the head of the table where Alpha Mason sits.
"Its not usually this formal." She says in my ear as she takes the seat to the right of her father. The seat next to her is open so I take it. Wolves are everywhere. This room is packed the adjoining room is packed. I swear it must be 200 wolves.
I grab my fork to eat but Lilly puts her hand over mine with a look telling me to wait.
"Thank you God for food and friends." Mason announces. I realize no one has started eating. Mason picks up his fork and cuts his pork chop. He holds up the piece of meat. "Dig in!" He says and puts it in his mouth. I look at Lilly.
"Respect God. Respect Alpha. Respect Pack. It's the order of things." She says quietly as she releases my hand and begins to eat.
I haven't heard someone talk to God since my mother died. Something about it... I like it... it just seems... right.
We finished our meals and Lilly walked me to the door.
"I look forward to seeing you Aaron" she says.
"Me too." I respond. She wraps her arms around my waist pulling me into an unexpected hug to say good bye. Once again I like it... it just seems... right!
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