Sold To The Alpha
Chapter 7

Outside in the grounds, Aaron slammed into his opponent as hard as he could, sending him flying, 'oouff' grunted the lad as he clambered back to his feet, 'sparring Aaron! we are SPARRING!' yelled Justin, as the young lad brushed the gravel from his shorts. 'I'll take over Max' he said to the lad, 'go spar with James instead', Max bowed with a grateful look and jogged over to a dark brown-haired boy on the other side of the driveway.

'Ok' demanded Justin, spinning round to face Aaron when he was sure everyone else was out of earshot, 'what's up with you? I know you are pissed about the whole arranged marriage thing, but s**t man, you could have done a hell of a lot worse than Charity! She's nice, and sweet, and be honest, she's got a body that will turn the heads of most of the pack!". Aaron growled at his words and suddenly lunged at Justin, grabbing him by the throat, 'Don't you EVER mention her body again! you shouldn't even be looking!' he roared. 'No-one should!' Justin grappled at Aaron's hand, pinned around his neck, his face starting to turn red. Four pack members ran over and tried to prize Aaron's hand off him with little effect. Aaron seemed to suddenly snap out of his anger and released Justin's throat, dropping him in a heap on the floor where he massaged his neck coughing. Once sure that Aaron had calmed down, the members backed away to give the two leaders space.

Justin slowly got up from the ground and scrutinized Aaron, 'soooo when were you going to mention to me that she's your mate dude?' he asked finally. Aaron ran his hand distractedly through his hair, 'I can't get her out of my head Jus' he muttered, 'my wolf is going crazy, it's taking everything I have to keep him reigned in'. Justin grinned, 'but this is great!' he beamed, 'you lucky bastard! your dad not only replaces you a wife but replaces your f*****g mate! Why are you holding back? go claim her!' Aaron looked at Justin's smiling face incredulously, 'but I don't WANT a mate! I was perfectly happy on my own! I don't need a woman to lead this pack!' he growled, 'but now she's everywhere, I can smell her in every corner of the pack house. She's in my dreams, I can't get her out of my mind no matter how much I try'.

Aaron sat on the gravel with his head in his hands, Justin squeezed his shoulder briefly before plonking down beside him, 'dude, members spend their entire lives searching for their other half and your's just got placed in your lap' he reasoned, 'maybe you should get to know her?' Aaron stared at the floor, 'haven't got a choice, dad is forcing me to spend time with her! How the f**k do I hang around her and keep my distance' he said, more to himself than his Beta.

*******

Weeks passed and Charity was fitting in well to her new life, learning the names of the pack members, and listening intently to Chloe as she explained different aspects of pack life. Aaron had been avoiding her like she was contagious, every time she saw him, his head would swivel in her direction before he would almost run from the room. Other pack members would look at her curiously but she soon learned that none would question the future Alpha about his behaviour. His beta Justin would speak to her when they met or give her a wave before following his Alpha when he disappeared each time. She soon came to accept that Aaron wanted nothing to do with her and though it inexplicably hurt her, she started to push him from her mind and tried to stop herself searching for him each time she entered a room.

'Ugh' came Chloe's voice from beside her staring at Gemma who had sat herself on Aaron's lap and was currently draping herself over him, 'why doesn't she just c**k her leg up against him and be done with it!', Charity started to choke on the drink she had just taken a swig of as she snorted with laughter. Chloe banged her on the back before starting to giggle herself. Tears rolling down their faces, they looked up to see Aaron and Gemma both staring at them, Aaron with a flicker of confusion and concern, Gemma with barely concealed rage having obviously figured out that they were laughing about her.

Aaron, unceremoniously pushed Gemma from his lap and got up before stalking out the room with his hands in his pockets, Gemma's crestfallen look set the girls laughter off again and they had to stuff their hands over their mouths to try and muffle the giggles that were trying to escape.

Returning back to their room later that evening, Chloe shoved the door closed with her foot before plonking herself on Charity's bed with a loud sigh. She looked Charity sternly in the eye, 'YOU!' she declared, 'are going to tell me everything about you and you are not going to spare any details, you have been here weeks and have told me nothing about you! we are best friends, so start talking. Charity looked away with the hope of replaceing something to distract from the unspoken questions that hung in the air, stealing a look at Chloe she noted the young girls crossed arms and stubborn chin and realized she was not going to skirt around her friend's curiosity.

Sighing, Charity sunk down on the mattress next to Chloe before speaking, 'firstly' she said seriously, looking Chloe straight in the eye, 'you have to promise me you will never tell another soul this story', Chloe looked shocked 'Of course not! I would never!; she gasped. Charity nodded sadly, 'It's just, I'm not ready to share my life with people, I only just got here and I don't want people staring at me with pity, or worse thinking I deserve to be treated this way!' Tears sprung to her eyes causing Chloe to throw her arms around her protectively, 'Oh Charity' she exclaimed, 'what the hell happened to you! tell me please, I swear on.. on.. 'she grappled to replace something serious enough, 'on my future mates life! I will never tell another living soul' she declared finally. Charity smiled, having picked up in her time here, how strong the connection was between mates, so she knew Chloe was serious when she said she would keep her secret.

'It started when I was four' she began, her eyes misting as she fell into her memories, the memories she had buried for so long. 'My mother, she got sick, my father tried to help her but the fever just got worse and worse. She spent more time in bed than out, my father stopped going to work to care for her but there was nothing he could do. One day, a few weeks after my fifth birthday, she was burning up, my father came running out of her room calling me, shouting that I needed to get the doctor quick. I ran out the front door and down the street toward the village, I ran so fast I almost fell, but I kept going, all the way to Dr Carlson's house. I knew where it was, my mother had taken me once when I got a cold, for medicine, I remember he was a nice man, always smiling! A sob caught in her throat, Chloe's arms tightened around her whilst she waited for Charity to continue.

Regaining control of her voice, Charity continued, 'I skidded up to the door and pounded on the glass, calling his name. His wife came out and I was crying, "help my mama! help her, she's really sick!" I kept shouting over and over again. Dr.Carlson came running out with his bag and ran down the street, his wife tried to get me to stay with her but I pulled free and ran after the Doctor back to our house. As I ran in the gate I heard a cry, the pain in that cry made my heart feel like it had stopped beating. Even at 5, I knew that sound came from my Father, and I knew what the only thing could be that would cause that sound to come from him.' Charity wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. 'I sat on the path in our front garden' she whispered, so quietly Chloe had to lean in to hear her. 'I sat looking at the flowers my mother had planted the year before, even now I remember them' she said smiling slightly, Chrysanthemums, they were her favourite flowers, she used to always say, as long as there flowers then there is always something to smile about. I don't know how long I sat there, but the sun was going down when I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was my father, he had been crying, his eyes were all red, he scooped me up into my arms and said "don't you worry petal", that's what he always called me' she laughed as the tears continued to fall, 'he said "Mama has gone to a place where the pain has gone and she's happy, but I'm still here, and I'll always be here until mama calls us home'

Charity looked up at Chloe to see tears rolling from her eyes, sharing her grief at the loss of her mother so young. 'Oh Charity,' she breathed, clasping her hand tightly, 'i'm so sorry about your mama, but how did you end up here with us? how did you end up as the future wife of a werewolf? surely your father didn't want you to leave!' she exclaimed.

Charity laughed bitterly, 'unfortunately, that is only the beginning of my story' she sighed 'its a long tale and it doesn't have a happy ending, are you sure you want to hear it?' she inquired, looking Chloe in the eye, giving her the option to leave the story there, but suddenly replaceing she was hoping desperately that her friend would say she wanted to hear it all. Sharing her grief had somehow lessened the hold it had on her, made it just a tiny bit more bearable.

Chloe took a deep breath before nodding, 'I want to hear everything' she said, 'we are best friends, and no best friend of mine is going to carry this kind of pain alone!' she gave Charity another quick squeeze before grabbing her hand again and settling back ready for the story to continue.