The moment they reached a familiar clearing, Aiden slowed down and then stopped altogether. Karen got off his back, and she was positively glowering.
Oh well… When was she not?
He quickly changed to his human form, not minding his nudity, and said in a resolute tone, “We need to talk.”
“Just because you’re next in line to be the alpha ultra of the US doesn’t mean your word is law,” she spat out angrily at him while keeping her eyes focused on his face.
He frowned at her a little bit, “That was uncalled for. What did I do now?”
“You basically swept me off my feet and brought me here,” she accused him, while giving him murderous looks still.
“Why don’t you seem accepting of anything I do? It’s as if I can do nothing right,” he sighed while rearranging locks of his hair into place out of nervousness.
“You do realize your tampering with my memory wasn’t exactly a right move,” she fired at him, anger oozing off her in waves. And she was absolutely right. Hell, her anger was justified. It was just that some of her hurtful words were just too much for him to bear.
“Yes, I do,” he admitted easily, and she looked taken aback by his confession, “and it’s because I realize how big a mistake it truly was that I am here right now, trying to apologize.”
“I…” she was at a loss for words.
“Growing up, I was always too naive for my own good. I came out to a friend a human friend about my being a werewolf. And believe me, even if he had sworn secrecy, I regretted my actions shortly after for he babbled like a baby. I was never the same after that. I could never bring myself to trust humans again,” he told her the last part in a hushed ashamed tone.
She was about to speak up when he held his hand up, thus silencing her and carried on, “I know that that doesn’t excuse my actions, but I’m trying to shed light on what happened. I love you, Karen. Heavens know that I do, but you are human, and you were so freaked out, I feared a repeat of the past,” he forced a hesitant smile on and looked at her with hope in his eyes, “Forgive me?”
** ** ** **
Karen knew somehow that Aiden’s opening up didn’t come easy to him, especially considering his past experience. And if there was anything he showed her, it was that he was capable of protecting her and willing to go to any length to do so. That had to count for something. And even if his wiping her memory had been a betrayal on his part, a betrayal not just for her, but for the feelings he harbored, she just couldn’t bring herself to keep a grudge against him.
“I can’t say I’ll just forget what happened, but I know that in time I’ll be able to forgive your rash action,” she told him with a small smile.
The smile he flashed her was almost blinding. And she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. They were not back on good terms exactly, but it was a start.
“But for the love of god, put something on,” she pleaded with him.
He burst off laughing and soon enough changed into his wolf. And much like before, he swept her off feet but this time around he took her back to the training grounds. And this time around, she was not apprehensive of what was to come, save maybe for the whole Blake ordeal, and all it entailed.
What would become of this wonderful place if Blake’s mate were to die and he were to declare war? To say she feared for the future would be an understatement.