Chapter 11

“Are you sure she won’t mind?”

Aiden had said he was taking her somewhere nobody would be able to find her - to his mothers. Charlie had been worrying for the entire journey. Hanging out with a stranger was one thing but temporarily living with one, was another thing entirely. What if she was a deadly mafia assassin, too?

“She won’t mind. I can guarantee it,” Aiden said, knocking on the door to a house.

“Aiden! What have I said about knocking? Come in. Come in,” Sarah beamed.

“Thank you,” Charlie said as she followed Aiden inside.

“It’s about time he found himself a beautiful woman,” Sarah whispered as she closed the door behind Charlie.

Charlie felt her face warm and caught Aiden's eye roll as he sat down. “We're just friends, Sarah. Nothing more.”

He held her gaze as he spoke and Charlie saw a gleam in his eyes that sent chills through her. She had been apprehensive about keeping him near her after he had told her who he was, but somehow, she found herself trusting him. There had even been moments when they were together, where she wondered if there was something more than just him wanting to help protect her.

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Sarah said. “You're probably better off that way if I’m honest. His feet stink and he snores like a bloody tractor.”

“My feet do not stink, thank you very much.”

Charlie laughed out loud at the mortification in Aiden's eyes and couldn’t resist playing the tease with Sarah. “Oh, I’ve heard the snores. Felt them too. I had a house until he stayed over. Now it’s just rubble and a local attraction. The locals have named it Snorer's Corner.”

“Ha! I like her, Aiden. I think I’ll keep her,” Sarah said. “Stay as long as you want, lovely. I’d be thankful for the company. It’s been a while since I’ve had someone decent to talk to.”

“Oi! I’m here, you know. Women when they get together are like bloody witches around a cauldron. I thought faeries were supposed to be nice, pleasant little beings but apparently not.”

Charlie furrowed her brow in confusion at Sarah’s dismissive wave of her hand as she said," Oh, honey, you have a lot to learn about your heritage. Pleasant little beings we are, for the most part, anyway. Just don't piss one off."

“You're a faery?” There was no disguising the awe in Charlie’s question or the shock on her face as Sarah nodded that it was true.

“I'll tell you all about it later, but first, let me make some tea. You must be parched.”

“I'll give you a hand,” Aiden said, jumping to his feet.”

As they left the living room, Charlie couldn’t help wondering how a faery managed to end up as a hitman for her father. It wasn’t exactly the profession you would expect a faery to take, but then again, with his strong build and solid pecs, Aiden wasn’t exactly what you’d expect a faery to look like, either.

“You haven’t told her, have you?” Sarah asked, barely giving a chance for him to close the door.

Aiden shook his head. Charlie barely trusted him as it was, how was he supposed to tell her that he was part wolf and she was his mate?

“She's the one, isn’t she? Don’t try to deny it. I spent years seeing that look in your father's eyes whenever we were together. I know when a wolf is looking at his mate.”

Aiden grabbed the kettle and refilled it, then placed his hands on the edge of the basin and sighed. “It’s complicated,” he said.

“More complicated than an Alpha and a faery princess?” Aiden felt her hand on his shoulder, gently tapping.

“You already told me about you and him and trust me, it’s more complicated.”

“I told you some of the story, Aiden, not all of it. Now, pass me that kettle or the tea won’t ever get made.”

“What more is there to tell? Forget it. It doesn’t matter anyway” Aiden blew out. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Sarah, hovering the kettle over the mugs, raised a questioning eyebrow at Aiden and nodded.

“Is it okay for her to stay here for a while? There’s something I need to do but I need to make sure she’s okay. There are some not very nice people looking for her and I know you can do some,” Aiden twiddled his fingers in the air, “you know if it’s needed.”

“Magic, Aiden. You mean magic. I don’t twiddle my fingers though, but yes, if it’s needed, I can, I suppose. Maybe...”

She was keeping something from him, her worry lines gave it away, but what, he didn’t know. “Maybe? I can’t work with a maybe, Sarah.”

Aiden blew out at Sarah’s shoulder shrug. He wanted to scream at her that it could be life or death, but he knew that would do no good...

“I will have to visit the Circle. I’ll go tonight, but I can’t promise anything. I’m sorry. I know that’s not the answer you want but it’s the best that I can give you.”

“I understand,” Aiden nodded.

He didn’t understand but he knew Charlie was safer with Sarah than anywhere else. She would do her best to keep her safe, with or without the use of magic, besides, he had no other option.

“Why are these people after her and who are they?” Sarah asked. “It would help with the conversation I’m going to have to have with the Circle.”

Aiden shook his head. “I can’t tell you right now, but I will when it’s safe. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

Sarah nodded as she stirred the tea. “Okay, but you have to trust me too. I will do the best that I can to keep her safe.”

For the first time in his life, Aiden prayed to all that was holy as he put his trust in the woman that abandoned him at birth.