My Commander (Bewitched and Bewildered #1) (11 page)

"Whatever it is, quit thinking about it so hard. What will happen, will happen." Aiden's voice startled her out of her anxiety spiral.

"What if I'm scared about what will happen?" She whispered.

"Tell me what scares you and I'll kill it." Aiden shrugged. Meryn shook her head; of course the arrogant bastard wouldn't dream that she was scared about her future with him.

"Why are you so confident about us? Do mates ever get divorced?" She watched his face carefully. She was beginning to like his frowny face. If that wasn't love, what was?

"No. Once we find our destined mates, we are with them for life."

"How do you know that we're destined mates? Maybe you just like my perfume." Meryn didn't know why she was fighting this so hard. Given what she had been told about paranormals she knew Aiden was her mate. But, it was difficult to believe that he blindly accepted her because of Fate and not because he desired her.

"You don't wear perfume." Aiden's simple reply made her want to beat her head against the dash. She turned and stared out the window, silent.

After a few minutes she watched as the car Colton was driving turned to head towards Aiden's parent's house. Their car veered off to the right. Aiden pulled over to the side of the road. The tree branches overhead extended out over the road creating a fall-colored canopy in reds, oranges and yellows.

"Why did you stop here?"

"You don't wear perfume." Aiden repeated. She went to turn away, but his hand cupped the back of her head so that she had to look at him.

"You don't wear perfume so what I smell is the very essence of you. Every slight nuance, every chemical change your body makes, I can smell it. Every time you're angry, every time you're sad, every time you're aroused, there is a distinct smell. Today I smelled your fear, true terror for the first time, and I nearly lost control. I know you're my mate because even though your scent is a physical manifestation it's a true reflection of your soul and that bright soul belongs to me." His blue eyes seemed to radiate their own inner light. It was as if she could truly see into the depths of his being and what she saw brought tears to her eyes.

Deep in his heart, she saw herself.
 

"I'm weird and awkward! I don't like most people and I don't have one of those social mouth filters!" Meryn exclaimed wiping her eyes. Aiden's smile was kind.

"I know."
 

"I eat junk food and I don't know how, but I always find a way to get into trouble." Meryn sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Aiden's mouth twitched.

"I know."

"I can be violent, short tempered and vindictive and I don't know the first thing about being a lady." Meryn looked into his face saddened that she might not live up to expectations. He nodded.

"I know. I know all of that already Meryn. You scaled a fence to trespass on private property because you were curious. You accused me of wanting to wear your skin and you knocked me unconscious with the back of my toilet. You called one of the oldest and most revered members of our society a douche bag and threatened to castrate my best friend. That was roughly in the first twenty four hours I've known you." Meryn closed her eyes and dropped her head. Warm fingers under her chin guided her to look back up at him.

"Do you know what I thought about all of that?" Aiden asked softly. She shook her head, afraid to answer.

"I thought: 'this woman is completely unhinged. I don't know what the hell she's going to say or do next'." He paused. Meryn let her tears fall. She knew that there was no way he would want her! She twisted her face trying to escape his hand, but he refused to let go. Seconds later his lips were on hers. He nipped her lower lip until she opened her mouth. Then he began his assault. His tongue was relentless, twining and dominating hers. When he pulled away, she whimpered at the loss.

"I also thought: 'this woman is the most beautiful, brilliant and captivating person I have ever met. She will keep me on my toes for the rest of our lives'." Aiden's lips returned this time to kiss her gently. When she looked up at him there was no doubt left in her heart. She was meant to be his, for the rest of her life.

"I will drive you out of your mind." She smiled through her tears. Aiden used his thumbs to wipe her cheeks.

"Gods I hope so!" With a final quick kiss, he started the car and drove them back to her new home.

*****

"I'm sorry someone broke into your place Meryn, but can't help but appreciate the consequences. We get to crash here and eat Marius's food!" Colton shoveled in another huge lobster tail in his
 
mouth.
 

After returning to the house Aiden had called the other unit leader Lorcan and arranged for him to interview the parents of the missing couples. He was serious about staying at her side.

"I can't imagine what a trying day it has been for you my dear." Byron reached across the table and patted her hand.

"It wasn't so bad. I'm more sorry about any trouble I may have caused with that vampire Elder." Meryn grimaced at the memory. Gavriel's head turned in her direction.

"What is this about Elder Evreux?" He raised an eyebrow. Meryn felt her cheeks flush. Ben chortled at his mother's side. Now all of the men were looking at her including Aiden's two older brothers who happened to be home for dinner.

"It seems Meryn still has to learn that paranormals have exceptional hearing. She was trying to whisper something to Aiden and of course everyone in the room heard." Byron's face was stern.

"What'd she say?" Colton was on the edge of his seat.

"She asked if all vampires were douche bags, because Gavriel wasn't." Byron's cool composure collapsed and he began to laugh. He laughed so hard he had tears streaming down his cheeks. The men around the table seemed to be in shock. Meryn couldn't tell if it was from her social gaffe or Byron's reaction to it.

"She called Elder Evreux a douche bag?" Gavriel whispered. Shoot me now! Meryn wanted to sink through the floor. Around the table male laughter boomed. First Colton, then Darian, then Keelan followed by Aiden's brothers. The one that shocked her the most was Gavriel's silent laughter. He simply covered his face with his hand and shook. She watched him closely.

"Is he breathing?" She asked Aiden concerned. Aiden looked at his second in command and then raised a hand and slapped him on the back. Gavriel inhaled deeply and a contagious chuckle emerged, this of course set off the entire table again.

"I don't see how that's funny. I was so embarrassed." Meryn frowned down at her lobster tail, determined to crack her own instead of having Aiden do hers again.

"We're not laughing at you dear, it's just that so many of us have wanted to call him that and worse over the decades, it feels good to finally see it happen." Byron kissed her cheek.

"And it was my daughter who put that ass in his place. What an amazing day!" Byron easily snapped another lobster shell, handed Meryn the meat and wordlessly took the one she had been struggling with. Accepting that she was officially the weakest person, no matter where she went she decided to just enjoy the lobster.
 

"My mate is brutal in her honesty." Aiden winked down at her.

"Only because I know my mate will keep me safe." She said back to him flippantly. The laughter and chatter around the table quieted. Meryn glanced around to see what had happened. Aiden was staring down at her in wonder.

"What?" She frowned up at him.

"Say it again."

"Say what?"

"What you just said." Aiden's smile couldn't be wider.

"Because my mate will keep me safe?" Meryn looked up at him confused.

Aiden let out a loud shout before he stood and scooped her up in his arms. Laughing, he swung her around in the air.

"Oh, that's just beautiful." Adelaide sniffed and dabbed her eyes with her napkin.

"Aiden I'm gonna puke on you." Meryn's head was spinning. He immediately stopped and sat down this time with her in his lap. She swayed, trying to get the room to stop spinning as he nuzzled the back of her neck.

"What in the hell has gotten into you?" She demanded.

"It's the first time you've called me your mate." He beamed at his parents.

"Oh. I kinda accepted that I'm stuck with you." Meryn picked up a breadstick to munch on until her stomach calmed down.

"Because I'm your destined mate?" Aiden teased.

"No, because I love you and I am horribly possessive. I'm never letting you go. So even if Fate made a mistake she can kiss my ass." Meryn waved her breadstick around like a sword. Aiden stood, picking her up in his arms.

"Mother, Father, if you'll excuse us."
 

"Of course son." Byron sounded choked up. All of the men at the table were grinning like idiots.

"I'm still hungry!" Meryn squirmed. Aiden ignored her and sprinted from the room, heading upstairs.

Once in his room, he set her down and closed the door.

"You must say these things on purpose." He stalked forward. She backed up.

"What do you mean?"

"You must know what they do to me." She backed up until the back of her legs hit the bed.

"Aiden ..." He went to kiss her and she pushed him away.

"We can't yet." Meryn felt lightheaded all the blood in her body was boiling in her cheeks. He froze.

"What do you mean we can't? We're mated. You just claimed me as your mate in front of my entire family. Give me one good reason why we can't!" He bellowed.

"Because I started my cycle this evening." She blurted out the words and sat down on the bed. When he didn't respond, she looked up. He blinked. Then blinked again.

"What does that mean?"

"What do you mean, what does that mean?"

"It means I have no idea what you're saying. Again!" Aiden threw his arms up in the air.

Meryn thought about it. He had been raised by a warrior father and had three brothers. When he left the house he moved in with other men in a military type barracks. She didn't really see Adelaide as the type of woman who would explain these things to her sons, those things were probably never discussed back then. It hit her like a ton of bricks, he really had no clue what she was talking about.
 

"Right. Do you remember when you told me that paranormals can only conceive one time during the year?"
 

Aiden nodded.

"Okay, for humans, we can conceive every month of the year. For a human woman if we don't conceive our wombs shed their lining in preparation for pregnancy for the upcoming month." She looked at him and he was staring at her, waiting for her to continue.

"So basically every month my womb contracts, ripping the lining away from my uterus and I bleed and discharge that lining for about three to four days all while in excruciating pain." In fact, all the bouncing around had kicked her cramps up in high gear, she could tell this month was going to be a bad one for cramps, it figured.

"You mean to tell me that you are bleeding internally, right now?" Aiden's face drained of color. She nodded. He picked her up and put her in the center of the bed.

"What do I do? Should I get a doctor, my mother?" Meryn almost felt bad at his level of panic, but her cramps were making her more evil than usual.

"I'm okay for now. But I noticed when we were packing that I only had one tampon left and I used that this evening, can you run to the store and pick up some more?"
 

Meryn you are going to hell!
 

Aiden nodded quickly, a shell shocked expression on his face.

"Will they help? Should I leave you alone? Maybe I should have my brother examine you." Aiden paced beside the bed nervously.

"You want your brother to examine up inside me?" Meryn asked amused. His head snapped to her and he growled.

"No! Of course not!"

"Aiden, this is a natural part of being a human woman. The pain should subside in a day or two, then I'll be just fine. Until then I'll be very, very cranky." At least he couldn't say he hadn't been warned.

"Okay. Right. Okay. You stay right there in bed. I'll have Marius bring you up a snack. Do you need an extra blanket?" Aiden's concerned face hovered over her. She shook her head.

"No Aiden, I'm fine." She smiled up at him.

"Okay. Be right back. Don't move!" Aiden was almost to the door, he paused and ran back to the bed. He kissed her gently as if she would break and then raced from the room. When the door shut Meryn smiled to herself and curled up into a small ball as another wave of cramps started. Somehow, knowing that her badass mate was going tampon shopping made enduring her cramps a little easier than normal.

CHAPTER SIX

Aiden ran down the stairs, heart pounding. He skidded into the dining room and all eyes turned to him.

"That was quick brother." Adam teased.

"Alpha Unit move out. We have a mission." Aiden barked and turned on his heel and headed out the room. Behind him, he could hear chairs being pushed back quickly and footsteps racing to catch up to him. He grabbed the keys to the SUV from the foyer table and went to the start the car.

Minutes later his men were in the car checking their sidearms and pooling their weapon stashes together.

"Aiden what's the target? Did you get a call while you were upstairs?" Colton asked.

"No I ..." Aiden didn't know where to begin. The idea that his mate was upstairs in pain and bleeding internally made him feel ill. Whatever she asked for she would get. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Did you know that human women have the ability to conceive every month?" He asked. Around him the men shook their heads.

"Well evidently, when they don't conceive their wombs turn inside out and shed their lining. It's extremely painful and causes internal bleeding." Aiden took a shuddering breath.

"Do you mean to say that Meryn is going through this now?" Colton looked shocked.

"I could barely tell she was in any pain, she's very brave." Aiden appreciated the level of admiration in Keelan's voice.

"Human females are truly mysterious beings." Gavriel added.