Page 40 of Lycan and Lark
“Thank you. Call me if you need anything.” Darren led Dahlia swiftly toward the back of the complex.
Aria watched the whole encounter with fascination. “Damn, a lot has changed.” She shook her head as she tried to process the mass of information that had been laid upon her in the last ten minutes.
“Let’s get to my office before we have any more interruptions.” Gideon rubbed a hand down his forehead and led the way.
ChapterSeventeen
Gideon walked into his office and straight for the decanter of scotch he kept on the far wall. Aria took a seat on one of the couches, staring out at the view over Mountain’s End. She had missed everything about this place. “I think we could both use this.” Gideon handed her a glass and she gratefully accepted it. They drained their glasses. It was improper not to savor the beverage, but in each other’s company, neither of them cared.
Aria’s empty glass sat limply in her lap. Gideon rolled his around in his palm. “Look—”
“I just—” They both started to speak at once.
“Go ahead,” Aria murmured.
Gideon took a slow breath in. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Aria laughed mirthlessly. “That my fated mate was Creedin’s right-hand man? I’m sure that would have gone over well.”
“True.” Gideon sighed and then chortled. “I probably wouldn’t have taken it as well as I am now.”
“You call imprisoning him in the basement taking it well?” Aria cocked her eyebrow at him. “And you didn’t tell me Dahlia was your mate. I’m sure you sensed it that night at the club. It explains why you were such a dick after she left.” She mumbled that last part under her breath.
“You’re right.” Gideon set his glass on the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. And I’m sorry for the way things have gone with Lark so far. But the actions he took under Creedin’s command…”
“He had no choice. Creedin killed his mother, tortured Lark, forced him to absorb those powers, and then made him fight on his behalf. Lark is a victim here, not a villain. All he wants now is a normal life and help with his wolf. Creedin wouldn’t allow him to shift and now when he does, his animal takesfullcontrol. And it’s never Lark’s choice.” Tears were streaming down Aria’s face as she thought of how unfairly Lark had been treated. “He’s already suffered so much.” Her voice betrayed how broken she felt.
Gideon pulled her into his arms, rocking her the way he did when she was a child. It took him a long time to compose his thoughts into words. “Thank you for sharing this with me. I may not be able to come to terms with things immediately, and I still need to consider what is best for my pack first and foremost, but I promise, from now on, I will try.”
The relief those words brought Aria made the weight on her chest lighten significantly. “Thanks, Gid.” She listened to his heart beat through his shirt as he held her. “How’s it feel to have found your mate?”
He chuckled and the sound vibrated through her cheek on his chest. “It’s pretty incredible. She came out of nowhere and changed my life.”
“And twins!” Aria looked up at him. Gideon was grinning widely. “But Dahlia being a lycan? I bet she’s even more of a handful now that she has an inner wolf…and is pregnant.”
Gideon sank back on the couch and put a hand over his face. “You have no idea.”
Aria giggled. “You deserve a mate that keeps you on your toes.”
The office door flew open and the energy in the room shifted immediately. The look on Lucas’s face indicated something was very wrong.
Gideon was on his feet. He moved straight for the other man. “What happened?”
“One of our teams is in distress and needs immediate evacuation from the area. I have Romani ready to go, but now my second team has also made a distress call. They’re outnumbered and being overpowered. Romani cannot be in two places at once but I thought…” Lucas’s wild gaze flicked to Aria. “We have someone else here who can teleport.”
* * *
“This is a bad idea.” Aaron had joined the group soon after and was accompanying them down to the lower levels. “We can’t trust him. Especially with the lives of our pack members. What makes you think he won’t just vanish as soon as he’s out of here?”
“Don’t be such a douche, Aaron. You don’t even know him.” Aria sent a snarl his way and he glared back at her.
“You’re really okay with this whole situation, Alpha?”
“As you said, I am the Alpha and this is my decision. If Lark agrees, I will be going with him to assist in the rescue and recovery, personally. Lucas will go with Romani and bring home the other team.”
“He’ll say yes!” Aria was sure he would.
“Why would he? We’ve kept him a prisoner here.” Aaron was really starting to grate on her nerves.
