Five fucking hours and two stops later, and Aiden finally announced, “We’re here.”
“Where’s here exactly?” Karen frowned at him. All she could see around was the green lush forest. For some unfathomable reason, she trusted him he did protect her with his life and thus didn’t question him anymore about their destination.
A few more meters, and she was able to see a gate.
There were guards at the fancy looking gate.
He opened his car window and said amiably, “Would you open the door for us?”
One of the guards looked at him briefly, confusion filling his eyes when his gaze fell on Karen, before he obliged, “Yes, young master.”
Young master? Karen echoed mentally after the guard.
What did she get herself into? Some kind of mafia web?
The car moved forward slowly and Karen took in their surroundings. If he lived in this luxurious mansion all his life, she couldn’t understand how he could have left his comfort zone so easily for her. She knew she, at least, wouldn’t have been able to uproot herself so readily.
She looked around her, and was almost stunned to see wolves fighting among themselves a few meters away from where he parked the car.
Aiden got out of the car and she did the same, not wishing to tread on unknown territory alone. She never felt so out of place as she did at that moment. No sooner had they left the car did a woman come out of the palace like mansion in haste. She flung herself at Aiden, her tears running down freely.
Who the hell is this? She thought to herself, her jealousy flaring. She grimaced, and then averted her eyes, unable to watch the lovers’ tearful reunion anymore.
Almost as soon as she averted her eyes, she heard the resounding sound of a slap. Her head snapped around so quickly, she was glad she didn’t hurt herself.
“You fool!” The woman exclaimed. “How could you…” she trailed off, not finishing her sentence.
“Go on, mom. She remembers,” was Aiden’s sole response, though he was smiling despite the slap.
Mom?
Indeed, the more Karen looked at the woman, the more she saw the similarities.
“Oh my god,” she exclaimed, turning to face Karen, “How did that happen? I’m so glad you remember what had transpired, sweetheart. And I am so sorry for the way my son treated you. Dick move!”
Aiden shook his head in disapproval as a small smile stretches his lips.
Karen, on the other hand, didn’t know what to say to that.
Soon enough, a man came out, and put a hand around Aiden’s mom’s waist, and said with a welcoming smile, “Hello. You must be Karen. I am Jonathan, this fool’s dad.” She nodded at him courteously, and he went on, “This is my mate, Jasmine.” The way he looked at his mate was dream-material, “Welcome to our house.”
For some reason, she never felt more at ease than she did at that moment. Her eyes started misting with tears and she sniffled before letting out a simple, “Thank you.”
Aiden looked at her, concern showing in his eyes.
“If you ask me if I’m okay one more time, I’ll chop you to pieces and feed you to the wolves,” she threatened on a sigh.
That had the knack to lighten the atmosphere as everybody started laughing.
** ** ** ** ** **
Aiden didn’t know how to deal with Karen as she was very upset with him still.
It wasn’t about the fact that he brought her to his home. It was about his deceitful ways. It was about the mistake he had made when he asked the eraser to do what he had summoned him for.
Bad move on his part. A big mistake, one he shall repent for.
He wasn’t above begging her for forgiveness. He just didn’t know how to go about it since her stubbornness didn’t make things easy.
Karen had retired with his mom and he had to follow his dad to train.
Parting from his beloved mate pained him. But he had to talk strategy with his dad. He had to tell him about what he knew. This resistance the witches had formed was worrying him.
“As interesting as this might be, I don’t think it’ll be of much use to us if Blake were to go mad, son,” his dad told him once he had finished telling him about that weasel of an eraser.
“But surely…” Aiden tried to protest.
“It’s not just some conspiracy against him. They touched Maria, his cara. He won’t be in a forgiving mood,” his dad cut in. “Imagine if it hadn’t been Maria but Karen. Your own mate with whom you’ve had a child is cursed to forget all about you…” He scoffed in disbelief. “I don’t understand how he’s even still sane. I know for a fact, I’d have gone mad from the get-go.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Aiden conceded with a nod. “So, what do we do now, dad?”
“Now, we just train while we wait.”
His father’s smile was somehow chilly.
Aiden didn’t understand what he did wrong by his dad until they were done sparring, nearly an hour later.
“Weren’t you aggressive,” Aiden chuckled dryly.
“This is war, pup. You clearly have not known war,” his dad shrugged.
Aiden averted his gaze in dismay before asking in a meek tone of voice, “What did I do?”
“You dare to ask me that?” His dad bellowed. “You summoned an eraser just because of your past! She is your mate. Mates are to be cherished and loved, not toyed with.”
“I know,” Aiden sighed in dismay. “And I regret what I did. It’s just that she only just found about the deceit. I haven’t had much time to apologize.”
“Well, find the damned time,” his dad then patted his shoulder. “Because let’s face it, if Blake snaps, he’ll bring hell down upon us.”