Taming the Queen of Beasts

PATREON SHOUT OUT: Thank you, @Sravanthi82 for being a SUPER FAN on Patreon! Your understanding for Aaryn and Elreth, and the way you see through their story to the love underneath is a joy to me. Thank you!

***** 

AARYN

"Take that back!" he growled. "It's not too late!"

Elreth startled at the rage in his voice. He realized he was snarling at her and forced himself to calm. Sucking in a breath, he closed his eyes. "She just hasn't realized yet how… what she's doing to me. She got the wrong idea from your dad. She thinks… she thinks I don't need her anymore. And I do. Once she realizes—"

"Aaryn, look at me.." Her Alpha power vibrated in those words and his eyes snapped open. She stepped up to him again, until her chest brushed his, but she didn't touch him with her hands. "I'm sorry I said too much too fast," she said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's not that!" he insisted. "You just don't understand—"

"No, Aaryn. I understand. I do. And I hope I'm wrong. I'm here with you, okay. Whatever you need. I'm here."

A sob broke in his chest and he sagged.

Elreth whispered his name and he fell into her arms, burying his nose in her neck, her hair, clinging to her so tightly she grunted. But she clung back, one arm stroking up and down his spine, whispering how much she loved him, that she was there, that she wasn't going anywhere.

Aaryn struggled against a tornado of tears. He couldn't let himself give in, panicked when another sob cracked in his throat. If he gave in it would pull the weight over him and he'd fall under the weight of it all. He was certain of it. He couldn't let her… he couldn't tell her… he couldn't think like…

He pushed out of Elreth's arms and backed away again, moving so quickly his mother growled and crouched again.

Elreth didn't move after him, just stared at him with those big sad eyes that he hated. They made her pain his own—and he knew his pain was hers and… he couldn't carry both of them just then. He shook his head and turned away, back to his mother, setting his jaw. "She just needs to hear me. I just need to get through to her," he insisted, his voice so rough it was almost a growl.

His mother's beast eyed him warily, glancing at Elreth now and again, as if asking for help. And that brought his anger back, thick and hot and undeniable.

"Stop looking at her! She's not going to save you! I'm here, Mom! I am! Me! You need to come back!"

It all happened so quickly.

He reached for her as if she were human, intending to hold her ruff, make her look him in the eye and see him!

But as he reached for her, she opened her mouth and bit him, lightning fast, her teeth flashing and so sharp, it took a second before he registered the pain.

He cried out and instinctively dropped his arms, turning to put his back to her, gripping the bleeding hand with the other. Elreth gasped and rushed towards him and everything shifted.

His mother's beast darted past Elreth, to the others side of the living room, whining and growling.

Elreth stood over him, begging him to show her his hand.

And Aaryn stared at the blood dripping out from under his hand.

She'd bitten him.

His mother had bitten him.

"Aaryn, please, let me see it. I can put pressure on it—"

He straightened and stood tall, turning towards where his mother, now able to move, paced the living room, looking at the windows and hesitating, as if she was measuring whether she could jump through one.

That panic rose, clawing at his throat again and he started after her, but Elreth screamed.

"AARYN, YOU HAVE TO STOP BEFORE SHE KILLS YOU!'

He stopped in his tracks in the same moment his mother's beast whipped around to face them, her chin low and lip lifting again.

And he realized, suddenly, what he was doing.

The thought came and he tried to push it away. But it wouldn't leave. Because he knew that feeling. He'd felt that way himself when he was small and his mother was so ill he couldn't leave her side even to get more food.

He'd been a prisoner to her illness then, and she was a prisoner to his panic now.

Neither of them was right to do that to the other.

A strange noise eased out of his throat and his mother's beast began to pant.

There was warmth, perfect smelling warmth at his side, but he couldn't look away from her. Away from what he was doing to her.

Her. Not his mother, her. A she-wolf.

He'd caged a wolf. She'd been careful to warn him. But he hadn't listened. And now she was at the end of her leash.

He stood, halfway across the room, staring at her and she stared back. The room was so quiet all he could hear was his own heartbeat thrumming in his ears, and his breath tearing in and out of his throat.

As if they could see the storm about to break inside him, no one moved. They barely breathed, both of them, waiting for him. As he fought.

He fought it. He fought the truth. He fought what he had to do. He fought against the very idea…

"Aaryn?" Elreth whispered finally and, without thought, he turned away from the wolf to look at his mate, whose eyes were pleading and desperate. "I'm here," she said. "Please. I know this is so hard. I'm so sorry. But I'm here. Please… please see me."

A guttural moan of pain erupted in his throat. "She's leaving me again," he said, his voice a whine, like a child's.

"I know. I'm so sorry," Elreth said, her own eyes filling with tears. "But I'm not, Aaryn. I never will. I promise you."

He fell into her arms then, sobbing. His entire body trembled and he felt like he was falling apart at the seams. As if the wrong movement or sound could tear him into two pieces.

But Elreth held him, and whispered his name, and whispered her love.

And he didn't.

He bled. And he hurt. And he cried.

But he didn't break.

*****

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