Chapter 21

Third-Person POV

      "Is your ankle okay?" Aaron picked Jasmine's leg and held it in his lap, massaging it a little. After his conversation with Dom, he bolted down to their meet up spot. He wanted to shake off the uneasy feeling of being caught meeting with Jasmine. He didn't want to be caught; he'd rather tell his friends himself.

      And then there was the whole "turned wolves are stronger" thing that Brian had mentioned. So Jasmine was a turned wolf then, right? Had to be. She could have killed Aaron if she wanted to. She overpowered him with no struggle. Aaron just didn't really want to be believe that he got overpowered by a woman. It really did something to his ego. Not to mention this meant he didn't really know a thing about this woman.

     Jasmine smiled and shrugged a little. "It still hurts. I can't do much, and I walk really slowly." She laughed softly.

     Aaron nodded and shrugged a bit. "That's okay. I'll help you." He patted her leg a bit and got silent. After she tilted her head, noticing his silence, she nudged him with her foot, urging him to talk. Aaron cleared her throat. "Can I ask you about Marissa?"

     She sighed and shook her head slowly. "I knew you'd eventually ask about her. It was only a matter of time. All I can say is that the Alpha is being really stingy with her. She can hardly come out, and when she does, it's to get food for an entire two days that she's trapped back in the house with him."

     Aaron blinked. First of all, he wasn't expecting her to actually tell him. The very first time he asked about her, she turned him down and wouldn't say a thing. Secondly, she was being kept inside? For days? Like some hostage? And why her? What was so special about her? Aaron opened his mouth to ask her a question, but Jasmine shook her head. "That's all I can say. I'm sorry."

     "That's not all you can say." Aaron shook his head. "You can definitely tell me more, you just won't. Look, it's not me. It's Dominic. You know how crazy he is over this woman." Aaron tilted his head as he thought more about it. "It's like he's a mated werewolf."

     Jasmine rolled her eyes. "He'll get himself killed. If anything, he needs to apologize for getting you all involved in this."

     "He might get killed, but he won't go down without a fight. I'm sure he'll take someone down with him. And he fought Amaris before like he was nothing." He did lose, but it was an interesting fight, nonetheless. Then he furrowed his eyebrows at her last statement. "Wait a minute, we got ourselves into this. It wasn't a problem. If any of us were going through that, we'd want help too, you know?"

     Jasmine tilted her head. "You'd come looking for little ole' me?"

     Aaron looked at her with the utmost intensity he had ever had in his eyes. He barely knew this woman, yes, but she had managed to sneak into his heart in so little time and change his entire outlook on mates. He thought he wouldn't ever find one, considering that he wasn't getting any younger. And to find her in Italy of all places! If he never would have come with Dominic, he wouldn't have found her.

     Fate had a terrible way of bringing them together, but he didn't regret any of it. "I'd stop at nothing to find you," he finally responded. The cutest blush settled on her cheeks, and she looked away briefly. Aaron watched as she pushed back her curls away from her flushed face. Aaron chuckled a little and pulled her closer to kiss her cheek.

     Suddenly a twig snapped, and Aaron slowly stood up. "Stay here," he ordered. Jasmine stood up and winced as she put weight on her ankle.

     "But I can help-"

     Aaron gave her a stern look. "You're hurt right now. I'm not letting anything happen to you. Please stay back, okay?" She nodded, looking into his eyes, and she squeezed his hand.

     Aaron took a step forward, his hands in fists, listening to anymore sounds of twigs snapping or leaves rustling. He sniffed the air. Someone followed him. And from the damn scent, he knew exactly who it was. "Brad?" His heart fucking stopped. Brad had followed him out here. Of course. Of all times. 

     Brad stepped out from behind a tree and furrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell are you doing out here?" Nice to know he didn't try to sugarcoat his obvious following.

      Aaron tried to think of something to say. "Nothing. Just getting some air-"

     "Aaron?" Jasmine limped behind him, with just his luck.

     Brad's eyes widened as he caught on quick. "She's one of them. Quick, let's get her before she runs!" Brad growled and got down low as he readied himself to lunge at Jasmine.

     Bad idea.

     Aaron stepped in front of Brad, put a hand to his chest, and shoved him backwards. Brad stumbled back and frowned. "What the fuck are you doing! She probably has information on Marissa!" He looked at her leg and saw that she was limping. His eyes flashed in triumph. "She's hurt! We can take her down."

     Brad prepared to lunged for her again, but he stopped dead in his tracks when Aaron covered himself in front of her. Aaron was not having it this time. His eyes glowed with anger and his teeth were down. He looked like he was going to kill Brad if he touched her.

     Brad frowned a little and saw as Jasmine took Aaron's hand and squeezed it. She whispered something in his ear, and Brad frowned even more as Aaron started to calm down, as if what she said to him soothed him.

     "You can't be serious..." Brad growled.

     Aaron sighed as he finally calmed down from the threat of his mate being hurt. "Brad, dude-"

     "She's your fucking mate?!"

     Aaron didn't know what to say. "Listen, I can explain."

     "Why the fuck didn't you tell me? You're sneaking out here every night for her? She's the fucking enemy! That guy you're so close to now? Dominic? His girlfriend is with them! You're sitting here with her!"

     Aaron growled. "Listen to me. It's not my fault we're mates. It just happened. And if you were a good friend, you'd understand."

     "A good friend? You're calling me a bad friend?! Who was with you when all of our other friends suddenly ended up with mates, and it was just us two? Who hung out with you when everyone wanted to go on dates? Who the fuck isn't even going to tell the others about your little enemy/mate?"

     Aaron's eyebrows furrowed. "What? You're not going to tell?"

     Brad shook his head. "No. I won't. Because I'm such a good friend." He flipped him off and started to walk away. Aaron's heart dropped. He watched his best friend walk away from him. 

     "Hey!" Jasmine suddenly shouted. She let go of Aaron and began to limp towards Brad. "You're Brad, right?"

     Brad looked shocked as to how she even knew him. "Yeah?"

     "Aaron's told me a lot about you." She limped right up to him. "Said you were like his brother."

     Brad snorted. "I was."

     "You can't be mad at him just because he didn't tell you about me. He didn't know how you would react."

     Brad looked at her. She was hot, he'll give Aaron that. "I will never react badly if Aaron tells me anything. I'm his brother. I'll always be there to support him." He looked over her shoulder at Aaron. "And I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed." Brad turned around and walked away.

     Aaron sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Shit."