Arranged Mate Bond

16.- Reaching boiling point

Recap

The idea of having all these fighters protecting only two people while there was an entire pack out here was making me nauseous.

'I have enough men covering the territory and the boarders. Don't worry about it. Now let's get inside. You're sister is waiting.'

Aiden walked around me and headed for the entrance. I stopped him, though. Or actually he let me stop him. Aiden was more than capable of getting out of the grip I had on his arm, but he didn't. The only thing he did was glance with curiosity down at my hand that was holding onto his arm and back to me.

What would he have done if it was just the two of us? I wondered, but blocked the question out of my mind.

'You can't ask me not to worry about it when these people are putting their lives at risk for my sister and me,' I told him angrily as I tried to keep the tears in.

I wasn't much of a weeper, at least not before Michael died, but for the first time I couldn't keep my emotions in check when I felt the weight of the responsibility.

I didn't know a lot of them, but I knew they all had families and friends and a life. I knew that Leo's wife was caring their second child, I knew that Craig's daughter went through her second shift six days ago, I knew that Angie encouraged her seventeen year old son Calvin to train and join the fighters to fill the spot of his father, who died during the last battle. She was willing to put her own son in the same position she lost her husband.

So how could I not worry about this?

Aiden, who sensed my distress and probably thought I was a ticking time bomb, gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and leveled himself to my height. "Let's get inside," he spoke softly as I felt his breath brush against my face. "We'll talk it all through after you've seen Elaine. She's been waiting long enough."

He was right. So when Aiden slipped his hand into mine I let him lead me inside. With each step we took Elaine's scent became stronger. I was grateful that Aiden hadn't let go of my hand when no one was around anymore. Or else I might have ran through the house in search of my sister.

Suddenly Aiden stopped abruptly right when he entered the living room, which almost caused me to bump into him. When he didn't move I stepped around him to see what made him stop dead in his tracks.

Caleb's messy brown hair as he was hunched over was the first thing I saw. The second thing that caught my eye was his arm that was over a certain hazel eyed girl's shoulder; Elaine.

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Chapter 16.

Aiden's POV

"Is she your mate?" I asked bewildered, eyeing the protective arm around Elaine's shoulder. Never did I imagine Caleb would find his mate this soon since he was never looking for her. I always thought maybe in a couple of years he would bump into her on a trip to one of our family members who lived in other packs.

And not in a million years did I think Caleb's mate would be a minor.

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head. "She's practically a child. Even I wouldn't go there."

"We don't chose our mates. So it's possible," Brooke added, which earned her looks of disbelief from both Caleb and Elaine.

"Oh, really?" Caleb taunted. The true meaning behind his words didn't escape us.