Father's POV
"Ahhhhhhh!"
My little girl screams as Aaron lays her on a bed in his pack house.
"Call the doctor!" I call to Aaron. I run to my daughter's side and grab her hand. She howls in pain at my touch.
"Don't touch her." Aaron says as he pulls me away. This pup! I growl at him locking eyes.
"Right now every touch feels like hot coals raked across her skin. You're hurting her." Aaron says.
"How would you know?!"I snap.
The boy just looks at me. "Sorry." I say softly. I know the answer. His father put him through it as a small child. Poor boy.
"Call the doctor." I say again.
"No." He responds. I growl at Aaron.
"Do you want to undo the respect she just earned? Portray her as weak?" He asks.
"No." I growl
"She will be fine." Aaron says. "She'll be out for a few days."
"How long were you..." I start
"2 weeks" he says. Aaron turns away from me "You trained her for this." He said not a question a statement.
"Yes." I respond.
"You may have done more harm than good."
Alpha Aaron's POV
I was mad. I can't show Mason that. He is upset enough about his daughter's condition.
"You may have done more harm than good." I tell him.
"How so?" Mason asks putting his head in his hands.
"She made it through... that was your plan right?" He nods at my statement.
"Its mental torture Mason. You know that!" Mason buries his head in his hands. I run my hand through my hair. "Every command builds... it chips away at you and when the dam breaks...Ahhh!... when it breaks everything comes crashing in... the longer you last the harder it hits."
"Are you blaming me boy." Mason asks all energy out of him.
"No Mason...No" I say "but she is in more pain than you know right now. It would have been better if she had broken sooner."
We sit in silence for a while.
"Thank you Mason." I say he seems surprised.
"Why?" He asks.
"You saved me."
Flash Back Aaron Age 11
"You know theirs a party tonight?" Johnny asks me.
"Yea, so what?" I respond.
"You don't know who it's for do you?" He asks. Johnny is always picking on me. wants to prove he's better. Gets me in trouble. No avoiding him.
"A bunch of Alphas" I say "boring"
"You know" Johnny says "other Alphas bring their sons... guess your dad doesn't think you're good enough."
"Shut up!" I say
"Another failure... man he must be so disappointed."
"Leave me alone Johnny!" I run back to my room. Stupid Johnny doesn't know what he's talking about. I go to fathers office.
"Enter!" He says when I knock "what do you want boy!"
"Ummm the party tonight" I say
"What about it?" He responds.
"Can I come?" I timidly ask.
"No!" He says shortly
"But fat..."
"I said NO!" He growls I begin to shake in the presence of my father. His power radiates off of him.
"AER YOU CHALLENGING ME BOY!" I shrink under the weight of his gaze. I focus on my shoes.
"N..n...n...No...sssss...sir." I shake
"LEAVE NOW!" I fall as I try to run out. A growl shakes the room as my father comes after me. He grabs me up by my arm and throws me out the door slamming it behind me.
I curl up in a ball and look at the bruise on my arm fighting tears.
"Told ya" Johnny's voice comes around the corner. "A disappointment."
That night my mind was set.
"I have to prove myself." I think.
"Not a good idea." My wolf says.
"Shut up. If I go I can show him I'm Alpha material." I respond.
"Not a good idea." My wolf insists.
But I go.
I put on my one suit. It is too small. I haven't worn it in over a year but it's all I have.
I sneak in and watch the Alphas. I was right. They are just talking. What did I think this was gonna be? Oh well I guess I'll just leave. As I'm sneaking out a hand clasps my collar.
"What have we here." A large Alpha says holding me in the air.
"Let me go!" I yell.
"Aaron!!!" My father growls and the big man puts me down. My father grabs the front of my shirt pulling me up to his face "you man enough to disobey me hu?!" He hisses
"Hay boys!" father says turning to the other Alphas "we have a party crasher!"
He holds me close to his side. "why don't we show him the best part of this gathering!" He yells with a grin "let's put him to the test!" The alphas begin laughing and my skin crawls.
"No!" I hear a voice boom as a towering dark haired alpha comes forward. I sigh in relief seeing Alpha Mason. "He's still a pup! It's not right!"
"He's MY pup Mason. Back off!" Father growls "We test!"
"I'll have no part of this!" Alpha Mason says taking a seat away from the other Alphas. Nearly half the alphas follow Mason in protest.
Father places me in front of the Alphas and walks over to join them.
"Stay strong Boy." I hear a whisper and turn to see Alpha Mason nod at me.
The first Alpha steps up. "KNEEL!" The command rings.
Present
"If you hadn't stood up to him...I... I wouldn't have made it." I say. "I know i never said it so... thank you"
Mason stands up and comes over to me wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I just did what is right." He pauses and pulls me into a hug. I stiffen under his touch hugs are not something I'm accustom to. "You're a good boy... a good Alpha." Yup... everything I wish my father was.
Father's POV
I sent my beta home but I won't leave Lilly. Carson can handle the pack for a few days. She's been out for two days so far and I just sit here willing her to wake up.
"Eat something Mason." Aaron says eyeing the plate that was brought to me which I hadn't touched.
"Not hungry." I say. Aaron has been annoyingly present these two days. He has been caring for me and watching over Lilly waiting for her to wake... I guess it makes sense. He knows what she's going through. He is the one who broke her. He must feel horrible. I know for a fact he has never given a command like that before.
"Bull... Mason it's been 2 days you need to take care of yourself and frankly you stink!" He tells me. This pup. I shake my head. He's right tho... I stink. "How about this." Aaron starts "you go shower. I'll stay here till you're back and order you some food... you don't want Lilly to see you like this."
Once again the boy is right. "Yes Alpha!" I say with a smirk and Aaron laughs. I leave the room.
Lilly's POV
Every thing is hazy. I feel like I'm floating. I hear people talking. What are they saying. I listen harder and my head starts splitting again so I try to relax. What's going on.
My door opens. "I... back... ron" I can make out pieces of my fathers voice.
"See... ter... ason." Another voice says
"Co...on...lly. wake up." Those last words clear I feel the fog lifting. I begin to wake up.
"Daddy?" I whisper.
"Lilly!" He yells and pulls me into a hug.
"Shhhh please my head." I say.
"This should help." I hear and look at the doorway. Alpha Aaron walks in with a bottle of pills and some water. He hands them to my father. "Worse than a hang over right?" He asks
I grab the pills and take them eagerly. I nearly choked on them my throat was so dry. I downed the water.
" here." My father says as he refills the cup with the pitcher of water that was on the nightstand.
"I wouldn't know I don't drink." I say to Alpha Aaron. He looks surprised by this.
"Run" my wolf says
"Well now that you're awake we can go home." My father says.
"I wanna RUN!"
"You guys can stay as long as you like!" Alpha Aaron responds
"RUUUUUUUUN!"
"Its been two days. We've imposed long enough." Father says. Two days! Man I was out cold!
"Its no imposition Mason you are welc..."
"Aaron. We're leaving." Father says
"Now we Run?"
"Alright Alpha Mason. I'll have a car brought around." Alpha Aaron offers.
"Actually." I say to both men's surprise. "My wolfs going nuts. If I've been out for two days that's three without a shift. Can we just Run home?"
They both look at me shocked.
"Little wolf... that's a long run I'm not sure you can take it. Father says eyes full of concern.
"I'm not sure I can take being in human form much longer." I say
"What ever you say." Father says with a sigh knowing I won't let up.
As we are leaving Alpha Aaron stops us.
"Mason. Now that Lilly is better." Alpha Aaron shoots me a smile "We need to talk about the rouges. Mind if I come over tomorrow?"
"Sure thing Aaron you're always welcome." my father responds and we walk away.
"He's a good man." My father says "He'll make his mate very happy."
I blush at that. Father must not know. Why didn't Aaron tell him? Am I making this up. Is it all one sided?
"Calm down Lilly... we can talk to him tomorrow." My wolf says "Now let's RUN!"