Aiden was devastated and different kinds of enraged when he saw the bruises on Karen’s face. When he remembered images of his smiling mate, he couldn’t fathom how someone could be so cruel as to hit her.
He couldn’t control the tone of his voice when he had asked her what the hell had happened.
And it seemed like his sweet mate wasn’t in the least bit scared by the shift in his eyes color maybe she simply hadn’t noticed? for she spat out with venom, “What the hell brought you here?”
“Do not speak to me that way,” his wolf had taken over and hissed at her, and she flinched, almost as if she had been slapped. He tried to get some self-control back, by closing his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, and inhaling and exhaling loudly.
“Why are you so pissed anyways? You shouldn’t have sought me out,” she carried on in a rather sad almost resigned voice.
“Because I care a great deal about you! Can’t you see that?” He retorted in a strong voice, opening his eyes, having recovered from the small lapse in control.
“You’re just another guy trying to get into my pants,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes at him.
“Oh, honey, believe me, I’m in for the long run,” he said with a lopsided smile that did nothing but make her purse her lips further.
Then, his gaze focused again on the bruises marring her face, and his eyes hardened. “Who did this to you?”
“Why do you care?” She asked on a sigh. “It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll live.”
It must be someone close to her that did this to her… she’s protecting them, his wolf reasoned.
Oh, the motherfucker who had dared touch his mate shall need all the protection he could possibly get.
“How can you be so nonchalant about this?” He tried to put it out there nicely, and although his words weren’t chosen with care, his tone did come out soft as he had intended. He didn’t want to be harsh with her. She was obviously on the receiving end of an abusive relationship already.
She rolled her eyes at him anew, and then said, “Do you need something? Why did you come?”
“I just came to check up on you,” he shrugged. “And I was right to have worried about you.” Then, taking the plunge, he asked, “Do you want me to take you to the hospital or to the police station? I’ll be your support if nothing else.”
He meant every word. But it seemed like she didn’t believe him. “If my dad who is supposed to love me unconditionally, and support me indefinitely, no longer does, why would you?”
Her words drove a dagger through his heart. His mate was so messed up, it was killing him slowly.
“So, it’s your dad, huh?” Aiden let out in a scoff.
Karen’s eyes widened, almost as if she had just realized she had given her father up, and she shook her head in denial vehemently.
“No?” Aiden challenged, an eyebrow jutted up in disbelief.
Somehow, Karen couldn’t bring herself to tell him that it wasn’t her father who did this to her, and she found herself hanging her head down in shame.
She wasn’t of the weak kind to cry at each and any given occasion, but when Aiden patted her head gently affectionately almost she was appalled when the damn broke and she burst into tears. And her tears soon turned into violent sobs.
“Oh, Karen,” Aiden let out wistfully. “If only you weren’t injured, I’d hug you and soothe your worries away.”
“If I weren’t injured, I wouldn’t be crying to begin with,” she retorted bitterly.
“True that,” he conceded sheepishly, a small smile adorning his handsome face.
And at the rather confused expression he sported, she couldn’t help but giggle.
“God, I love hearing you laugh,” he told her in a tone that was undeniably sincere but also husky.
Karen was as polite as they came. “Thank you,” she told him. “You lifted my spirits up.”
“My pleasure,” he told her with a bright smile. Then, the smile faded away slowly and he asked the fateful question, “So, how about we head to the hospital?”
Her eyes grew big as saucers immediately. “No, I can’t,” she let out breathlessly, “I couldn’t possibly,” she said.
“Why?” He asked in a pained voice.
“I’m not naive, Aiden,” she bit out with more force than intended. “They are bound to ask questions. And I’m not ready to answer those questions.” She inhaled deeply and then admitted in a hushed tone, “You’re the only one who knows.”
But it seemed like Aiden was full of resources despite being new in town, “What if I took you to a clinic and you were asked no question?”
“That’s impossible,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.
“But what if it wasn’t?” He countered.
“It’s impossible,” she told him again, shaking her head with confidence.
“Let me just make a phone call, and then we’ll be on our way there,” he told her in a resolute tone, and she found herself nodding, already scared of what might unfold… if only life could give her a reprieve!