The Awakening Aidan

Chapter Three


Aidan looked across the seat, wanting to break the unbearable tension inside the cab of the truck, but the shattered look on his friend’s face made coming up with words impossible. Inwardly, Aidan cursed.

If Liam had just sucked it up and shown up for his appointment this morning, then he’d already have one therapy session under his belt, and Aidan wouldn’t be sitting in painful silence with his friend.

Since slamming himself shut inside Aidan’s truck, Liam hadn’t spoken. Not a word, but he sure as hell fidgeted. Constantly. He scrubbed his palms against his thighs, rubbed his hands over his face, and took deep inhales. A few minutes ago, he’d started rocking. A slight motion, barely noticeable, but Aidan felt every movement.

Something had happened. But what?

Whatever it was, it’d been huge, since Aidan was driving thirty minutes to Asheville.

To Jaylin.

Man, she’d be stunned to see them. Probably pissed she was going to have to deal with him again. He bit back a smile. At least he had a reason to see her.

Aidan glanced at his GPS, noting that it told him to take the next exit off the interstate into downtown Asheville. After he entered the city, he turned right onto a side road where the buildings became sparser and more residential. About a mile up, he entered another commercial area, but instead of towering structures, the street was lined with different style homes that had been remodeled for business use. He finally found Jaylin’s practice. A ranch-type house with sage siding and flat-stone trim work that was set a little farther back from the road than the rest of the houses.

He understood why she’d picked this place instead of one in the heart of the city. It was quieter. Not as busy. Less chance of shifter activity being noticed, but still close enough to the city to bring in human clientele.

He found a place to park by the sidewalk. Without a word, Liam got out and trudged toward the house. Sighing, Aidan followed him up the long cobblestone path to the front door. They entered what would’ve been considered a small living room but had been transformed into a cozy waiting area, complete with plush light-blue chairs and thick beige carpeting.

A pixie of a woman with a loose bun, sitting at a desk in the right corner of the room, looked up from her computer. Her lips pursed and Aidan didn’t miss the appreciative once-over she gave both him and Liam before saying, “May I help you?”

When Liam didn’t speak up, instead his jaw hardening as agitation rolled off him, Aidan stepped toward the desk. “We’re here to see Dr. Avgar.”

“I’m sorry, you need an appointment.”

“If you’d just tell her—”

“I can make an appointment for tom—”

“Forget it.” Aidan stalked past the receptionist and headed straight for the wood door that sealed off the rest of the house.

The woman jumped to her feet. “Sir, you can’t go back there!”

The hell he couldn’t. He strode through the door, which led to a wide hallway with three more doors. He picked the first one and entered a large office decorated in darker colors that were a surprising contrast to the lighter, calming colors used in the waiting area.

Jaylin was bent over a notepad at her mahogany desk, writing. To her credit, when her head snapped up at his intrusion, her eyes only widened slightly before she calmly leaned back in her chair. “Mr. O’Connell.”

God, he hated when she called him that.

The receptionist hurried in behind him. “I’m so sorry. He just walked right by me.”

Jaylin waved her hands, brushing aside her employee’s words. “Pam, I’d like you to meet Mr. O’Connell. The roommate of the client I was telling you about earlier.”

“Oh.” She made a now-I-get-face that Aidan didn’t get. “Well, that explains the rudeness.”

Stunned, Aidan watched the receptionist return to her desk. What was with the women in this building?

Jaylin’s chuckle drew his attention back to her. “What has brought you by, Mr. O’Connell?”

The third time she’d used his name. The third time she used it to be superior, to put that clear “do not cross” line back in place. He’d let her for now, for Liam’s sake, but they had unfinished business to deal with after this was over.

“Liam is here for his session.”

“His appointment was four hours ago. He’ll have to make another one.”

“Why? It doesn’t look like you’re busy.”

Anger flashed in her eyes before her gaze shot past him, a frown forming on her lips. She stood and walked around her desk. She’d shed her suit jacket, showing off the silky, pastel blue blouse she wore underneath. Aidan couldn’t draw his gaze away from the way the material hugged her breasts and tiny waist.

“Hello, Liam,” she said.

A grunt came from behind Aidan. He glanced over his shoulder to see that Liam had stepped into the room, looking even worse than he did in the truck. A dazed sheen had entered his eyes as a muscle twitched in his jaw.

Jaylin came to stand beside his friend, intensely watching him. “Why don’t you sit down?” she said in a soothing tone he’d never heard before. She’d certainly never used that tone with him.

“I don’t want to f*cking sit down,” he said in a tight voice.

She didn’t even flinch, just nodded. And Aidan’s admiration for her grew. “Okay. You don’t have to.” She looked at Aidan. “Give me just a few moments and I’ll be with you, okay?”

With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her. The swift change in her attitude had Aidan studying Liam, trying to understand why she’d treated him like fragile glass. Yeah, he was all kinds of messed up right now, but he’d been messed up for months.

Liam caught him watching. “What the hell are you looking at?” Then he shuddered and took a step back, his gaze darting around the room as panic shook his large frame. “I can’t f*cking do this! I never should’ve come here.”

He spun around, reaching for the doorknob when he froze, hand locked in midair. Aidan blinked at the sudden immobility of his friend. “Liam?”

Stunned at how quickly his friend had gone from an animated being to a statue, he moved closer, then he noted the vacant eyes, the face devoid of all emotions. Aidan grabbed Liam’s shoulder. “Liam!”

What had Jaylin said to do? He was drawing a blank, then he remembered…snapping. He snapped his fingers in front of his face. Liam didn’t even blink.

Shit! He cracked open the door. “I could use some help in here!”

Seconds later, Jaylin slid through the space, glanced at Liam, and cursed. “I was afraid of this.”

She locked her hand on Liam’s shoulder, snapped her fingers in front of his face and yelled his name. Again there was no response. She repeated the process a few more times with the same results.

“Damn it. How can he already be in this deep?” The tension pinching her features increased Aidan’s worry. She hurried behind her desk, then slammed a briefcase on top of the surface, popping it open. After she grabbed a small black case and a stethoscope, she strode back to Liam and sent Aidan a don’t-argue-with-me look. “You need to leave.”

“But—”

“Now.”

The seriousness of her tone had him moving toward the door. Once he was in the hallway, she yelled, “Close it behind you.”

A few seconds after the door snapped shut, a red flash brightened the space between the bottom of the door and the carpet. His beast hissed, and Aidan stumbled back into the far wall, concerned by its sudden fury.

“Mr. O’Connell, if you would just come back to the waiting area with me,” the receptionist called to him from the end of the hallway.

The red light flashed again, and his beast growled low in its throat, rising to all fours with its hackles raised. Why was it so angry?

“Mr. O’Connell. I must insist that you move away from the door.” A feminine but firm hand grabbed his elbow. As Jaylin’s assistant tugged him backward into the waiting area, he couldn’t tear his eyes off the thin strip underneath the door, feeling nothing but the rising rage of his beast with each flare.

Then it flung open and a pissed Liam came storming out past Aidan, and his beast immediately calmed.

“F*ck this shit!” Liam yelled. “That bitch can’t help me!”

Jaylin stomped after him, fire sparking from her eyes. “You can’t ignore this anymore. The fact you went into Bahrraj so quickly after the last one is bad. You need to learn to control it.”

Liam swung a hand out and sent a pencil holder on the assistant’s desk flying against the wall. “Stop telling me what I have to do.” Rage contorted his features as he stepped forward, pointing a finger at Jaylin. Stiffening, Aidan positioned himself between them. “You don’t have a goddamn clue what I’m going through. All your f*cking books and degrees don’t tell you shit. You’re a woman. You’ll never have to worry about this. You never have to learn to control anything. So f*ck you and your psychobabble.”

Aidan’s beast snarled. He didn’t need the added anger of his beast, he had enough just from the way Liam was talking to Jaylin. “You need to choose your words more carefully, my friend.”

Liam offered no apology. No moment of contriteness. No sign he planned to back down. Before Aidan could demand he apologize, Jaylin walked around him and planted herself in front of Liam, arms crossed over her chest, that defiant chin in the air. “You can cuss and yell and throw whatever temper tantrum you want, it won’t change the fact that your mate rejected you.”

“Shut up.” Liam’s body started to shake.

Aidan moved to stand between them again, but Jaylin held up her hand and sent him a “don’t interfere” look. Fisting his hands, he forced himself to stay still when all he wanted to do was knock Liam out cold.

“You’re going to have to make me shut up. Can you do that?” She paused as Liam’s nostrils flared. “Guess not, so I’ll continue. Ava may have been your mate, but you were not hers. Are you really going to let her have that control, Liam? She didn’t want you. You’d rather be lost in a woman’s emotions rather than fight it and claim some of your life back?”

Liam’s entire body stiffened, then shook violently once again. Had Jaylin gone nuts? Why was she goading him? Goading his beast?

“I don’t have time for this shit.”

As Liam stormed to the front door, she said, “Do you want your beast back?”

He froze mid-step, then slowly turned around. “H-how do you know about that?”

“From all my f*cking books, degrees, and psychobabble. I’ve pushed you far enough that the change should have occurred. Your beast is raging, isn’t it, Liam? Yet I didn’t even see a flash of it in your eyes.”

The anger fled Liam as quickly as it had come on. His shoulders slumped.

Aidan stared at him. “What does she mean?”

His friend avoided his gaze. “Seriously? With all the rages I’ve been in over the last few months, you didn’t notice my beast hadn’t emerged?”

He had noticed. He just thought it was some effect from the Dsershon. Apparently not. “I don’t understand. How can you feel your beast but not be affected by its emotions?”

“His connection to Ava has taken over everything,” Jaylin answered, her gaze never wavering from Liam. “He’s consumed by her. That has damaged the connection with his beast.”

Aidan swallowed. Everyone knew Dsershon was bad, but this bad? To the point a shifter was no longer connected to the one thing that made him who he was? Never.

“You can get your beast back,” she continued, her voice calm and soothing. “But you have to learn to control her bond.” She stepped closer to Liam. “Don’t you miss running? The release the change can bring you?”

Liam remained silent, but the hopefulness that entered his eyes screamed yes. Aidan understood. As much as he sometimes hated having to fight the beast for control, the idea of being separated from it was terrifying. They were a part of each other. Enemies at times, but one.

“How long will it take to learn?”

“It varies from shifter to shifter, Liam. Life can get better, though, if you’ll let me help.”

He sucked air through his teeth, his eyes taking on a faraway look, then he swallowed. “Why do I know I need this, but I feel all cagey about it? I was ready to commit to this, even asked Aidan to drive me here, but as soon as I got into Aidan’s truck, I felt like I was going crazy. The closer we got, the more it ate at me. The more I felt her.”

A sad smile tipped the corner of Jaylin’s lips. “That’s the Fewshon. It doesn’t want to accept, Liam. The bond is making you hold on even though you know it’s over.”

“How am I supposed to battle an eternal link?”

“I never said it would be easy. Your instinct and the Fewshon are going to fight you every step of the way, but you have to be stronger. You have to start using your mind to overpower the bond. I promise, it can be done. It has been done.”

Liam shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and was silent for a long moment. “Fine.” He inhaled deeply, then released it in one gush. “I’ll do it.”

“Do you mean it this time?”

Another second of silence, before he said, “I want my beast back. I need something to feel normal again.”

“Okay. Therapy will trigger more Bahrraj episodes. Considering this episode came almost on top of the one you had yesterday, we need to give you at least twelve hours to recover. You’ll need to be mentally prepared to do what we’ll need to do.”

Liam shifted, a tinge of red creeping up his neck.

Jaylin cocked her head to the side. “You can ask me, Liam.”

Aidan was amazed at how in tune she was with his friend, how she seemed to know what was going on with him without him even speaking. She was intuitive, smart, caring, and feisty. Qualities he loved in a woman.

His friend cleared his throat. “Can we still do this at Aidan’s cabin? This place gives me the creeps.”

“If that is what you need to feel comfortable, then yes, we can do it there,” she said without hesitation. “I’ll stop by around noon, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

Seeing that the plans had been made, Aidan stepped forward. “Liam, I need to talk to Dr. Avgar before we leave. Can you give us a few minutes?”

He noted the way Jaylin stiffened. Already preparing. Putting up the defenses. Too bad for her, because he had every intention of tearing them down.

“Want to get some babysitting instructions?” Liam asked. “Learn how to take care of the pathetic shifter who lives in your home?”

“No, that’s—”

“Whatever. I’ll be in the truck.” Liam turned, shoving open the door that led outside.

Jaylin spun on him. “Why’d you just do that? I had him calmed down.”

“How was I supposed to know a simple question would have him lashing out again? Besides, we need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you, Mr. O’Connell.”

“I’m not leaving until we do.”

She motioned to the chairs lining the walls. “I suggest you make yourself comfortable then, because you’re in for a long wait.”

As she made her way back to her office, Aidan immediately followed, catching the door before it closed in his face. After he entered, he slammed it behind him. “You can’t keep ignoring me, Jaylin.”

She stopped walking, her hands clenching by her sides as a long, cleansing exhale came from her. When she faced him, the ice princess was firmly back in place. “I’m not ignoring you, Mr. O’Connell. You are of no concern to me.”

“Bullshit.” He stepped closer, and she threw her shoulders back, that chin notching up, and all the while the sweet scent of her arousal filled the air. A slow smile drew his lips up, and that scent increased. Oh, she liked their war of words. “If I’m of no concern to you, say my name.”

“What I refer to you as is neither here nor there.”

“Really. Then it shouldn’t be a big deal to call me by my first name.” He stalked closer. “Here let me help. Aidan.” He stretched out the syllables.

“You are such an ass.”

“You want to say it. Whisper it. Scream it.”

“In your dreams, Mr. O’Connell.”

He inhaled deeply as another blast of her arousal poured over him. “Do you think I can’t smell it…see the lies with my own eyes.”

He looked pointedly at her breasts, where two nipples jutted out proud against the silky material of her blouse. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I feel nothing but loathing for you.”

His beast gave a long, rolling growl that vibrated his chest, pushing Aidan to step even closer to her. “Such a beautiful little liar. It’d be convincing too if I were human, but I’m not.” He looked into her eyes. “Are you throbbing yet, Jaylin?”

A slight shifting of her body was his answer.

“Oh, yes, you are. I can help ease that. I would love to help ease that.”

As he closed the distance between them until he was standing directly in front of her, a stuttered inhale tightened her chest and she actually took two steps back. “It’s time for you to leave. Past time.”

She turned her back on him. He yanked her against his chest, his hand wrapping around to splay across her stomach, keeping her locked against him. For a moment, she melted into him, a delighted sigh shooting past her lips. Then she went rigid before trying to jerk away from him but meeting the resistance of his palm. “Let me go, Mr. O’Connell.”

He brushed his lips against her ear and took satisfaction in the way her body trembled. Her desire for him was a weakness that she hated, but he’d use it against her. “Say my name, Jaylin, and I’ll consider it.”

He slid his palm up her stomach to tease the underside of her breast. Almost helplessly, her chest pushed forward, seeking more. He smiled. “Say it, Jaylin. Just two little syllables.”

As if his words gave her a renewed sense of strength, she shoved his hand away. “Get out of my office, Mister O’Connell.”

She started toward the door. Caterwauling, his beast pounced, driving Aidan forward. Without thought, he grabbed her wrist, spun her around and yanked her back to him.

Her eyes widened, hands pushed at his chest. “Oh, God! Aidan! No!”

His name registered a split second before his lips crushed hers. Then her words no longer mattered. Their game no longer mattered. All that did was the rush of spiraling emotions sweeping over his body, rocking him to his very core.

Belonging. His. Forever.

Heat bloomed in the area above his heart and spread across his torso, filling him with contentment, happiness…peace.

The restlessness he’d felt ever since he’d met Jaylin eased. His beast purred, rubbing the side of its head against Aidan’s ribs as the heat slowly faded, leaving behind a current that vibrated in its wake. Such an odd sensation. Not unpleasant. Not in the least. He felt…awakened.

The Drall.

Without a doubt, he knew Jaylin was his. After he marked her that current would become her—the eternal link.

At the thought of leaving his mark on her, the tip of his canines tingled. And when she returned the gesture? The tops of his shoulders burned in anticipation of having her tiny bruises of ownership branded on his body. He would be hers, as she would be his.

Together. One unit. Everlasting.

He gathered her closer, completely lost in the warmth of her mouth, her sweet taste, lost in her—his other half. Then he felt it, tasted it. The stiffness. The salt.

He jerked back. The tears streaking down her face felt like a fist to the gut. She pressed one hand to her trembling lips. “Aidan. What have you done?”

“I kissed my mate.” Even with her less-than-enthusiastic reaction, his voice was strong, firm, no hesitation, no confusion. Jaylin was his.

She shook her head. “I’m not your mate.”

“Yes, you are. There is only one for us.”

“Don’t you think I know that!” She shoved at him until he finally stepped back, smacking his body as he held up his arms in defense. “You weren’t supposed to kiss me! Damn it, I was trying to protect you.” She froze, then stumbled back, hand covering her mouth again, staring at him. “What have I done?” she whispered.

The sight of her horror made him want to comfort her, wrap her in his arms and assure her that now that they had found each other, everything would be fine. But when he moved to do so, she flinched.

“Jaylin—”

“Don’t come near me!” She fled behind her desk, fingers clutching the back of the leather chair until the knuckles turned white, staring ahead at nothing. “Oh Dea, why?”

She’d barely breathed the words, but he heard them crystal clear. Heard the despair. “Why are you so upset?”

Her gaze snapped to his. “Upset? I’m horrified. Appalled. Dismayed. Sickened. Take your pick from any of those much stronger adjectives, because upset doesn’t even begin to define how I feel.”

He jerked back. “You make it sound like the end of the world.”

“Oh. Not my world. Your world. You have no idea what you’ve awakened, and how it’s going to change you forever.”

Melodramatic much? Yet, he knew when to retreat. And now was the time. Pressing the issue would only upset her more.

“I see you need time to think about this. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“No. We won’t. I’m there for Liam. Not you. You will stay in your office and give me a wide berth. Do you understand?”

His beast growled at her demand. Aidan pressed his lips together before saying. “I have no intention of leaving my office.”

With that he turned and strode out of the room. His beast caterwauled, again, demanding he go back. But he kept his motion forward, remembering she’d finally said his name. Twice.

In horror.

What would it take to hear it said in a way he truly wanted?

…

As soon as he left her office, Jaylin collapsed into her chair and cradled her head in her hands, allowing the tears to break free.

Everything he was about to endure was her fault.

It’d been her responsibility to prevent the awakening. Why had she turned her back on him?

She’d been lured into a false sense of security, that’s why. As they flung words at each other, his eyes had remained clear. Even after he’d pressed her back against him, she hadn’t heard a warning rumble from the beast. Had there been one?

She didn’t know for sure. All she’d been aware of was Aidan’s hand roaming over her stomach, the feel of his lips brushing her ear, overwhelmed by her own desire for the man. Thankfully, he didn’t know to keep his mouth shut and his demand for her to say his name had penetrated through her stupor.

And that was where she’d made the fatal mistake.

She’d been unaware that telling him to get out had brought forth the beast until he’d whirled her around and his green eyes had been overtaken by the iridescent blue.

Then it was too late.

“Jaylin?”

She lifted her head to see Pam standing in the doorway. Pam’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. What happened?”

“H-he kissed me.”

Pam covered her mouth with her hand and stared at Jaylin. “Oh no.” She hurried forward. “Are you okay?”

Jaylin shook her head. Pam’s slim arms wrapped around her, and at the gesture, tears formed in Jaylin’s eyes again. “I’ve ruined his life, Pam.”

“No, honey, you didn’t. It would’ve eventually happened no matter how hard you tried to stop it. You can’t blame yourself.”

“You should’ve seen the happiness, the peace, on his face.” She cupped her head in her hands again. “I don’t want this. I’ve never wanted this. Why would there be a shifter made who has me for his mate? Does our Dea have some twisted sense of humor?”

“I know it feels that way with everything you’ve seen, but you have to remember it’s not all bad.”

“Not all bad?” She stared at her friend. “Our entire gift is horrible. I want no part of it.”

Pam sighed. “I know you don’t, but now that I’ve met that man, something tells me you’re going to have a hell of a time convincing him of that.”