“Benjamin!”
Sarah's world was threatening to crash around her as she ran down the street, faster than she had ever run before, screaming Ben’s name at the top of her lungs. As she reached the trio of snarling wolves, the man jumped in front of her.
“You’re going to get yourself killed, woman. Stay out of it.” Simon told her.
“I can’t!”
Pushing Simon away, Sarah ran to Ben. It had been years since she had seen his wolf but it was still just as beautiful as the day he had first changed in front of her. After he had shifted, he had asked her if she had been scared, but she had felt nothing but love from the powerful beast.
Standing in front of him while he snarled at Aiden, opened a floodgate of painful memories. Reminding herself that it had been a different time and a completely different situation when she chose to spare Nyx's life, Sarah put herself between Ben and Aiden.
“Ben,” she said, looking at the wolf she loved. “Ben, look at me, not him.”
She waited for the telltale sign of recognition in his beautiful red eyes but found none as he growled in warning.
“Woman! Are you fucking crazy? Move out of the way. He will tear you limb from limb,” Simon shouted.
“Shut up!” She shouted back. “Don’t tell me what to do. I can do this."
Turning to look at Ben, she moved a little closer, raising the palm of her hand slightly. “Ben, baby. Look at me. Look at me, not him. I’m here baby.”
There was grunting from Ben's throat and Sarah heard a growl from behind her but she stood her ground. “Ben. That wolf is Aiden, our son. He needs you. Come to me, baby. Help me to help him.”
This time Benjamin looked at her and Sarah felt a flicker of hope rise up as she saw the love in his eyes. She raised her palm higher, offering it to him to muzzle like he had done many times before in their younger years and as he lowered his head, Sarah closed her eyes to savour the moment that she had missed for too long.
She yelped in fright as hands grabbed her waist, pulling her to the floor just as an almighty crash sounded, followed by the blaring of an alarm as Aiden sent the white wolf crashing into a parked car. Sarah opened her eyes to find Simon's stubbled face staring at her with eyes full of anger.
“Get off me!” She battered her first against his chest as she squirmed to get from underneath him.
“Are you trying to get yourself fucking killed? Really? You have no idea what you’re trying to throw yourself into!”
“That’s his son! The brown wolf, Aiden, is Ben's son!”
Ben suddenly howled, causing the white wolf to stop his assault on Aiden, who was lying on his side in the road, panting. Sarah watched his human form take shape and felt a stab of pain as Aiden looked at her with a face full of hurt.
“I'm his what?”
“Get off me!” Sarah shouted as Simon tried to stand. She ran to Aiden and crouched beside him, just as Ben, completely naked, came running towards her.
“He’s Aiden? You never said he could shift. I thought…”
“For fuck sake, Ben. You always were a hot-headed bastard. You could have killed him. You and your whatever he is,” she said, waving a hand at the other naked man.
“My beta, Paul, and the other guy is Simon. He’s a rogue that floats around here sometimes. I did know who you were, Aiden. I just..."
“What the fuck is going on, Sarah?" Aiden said, ignoring Ben.
"I think we should all take this inside, don’t you?" Ben said, holding out his hand for Sarah to take.
“No, we shouldn’t,” Aiden said. "Tell me what the hell is going on, Sarah."
Sarah looked through tear-filled eyes from one man to the other. She had never intended for Aiden to find out like this, or for Ben to find out the way he had but she couldn’t continue with the lies anymore.
“I came to ask for help with your shifting. You have a lot to learn and I can’t give you those lessons, but he can,” she said. “Benjamin is your father, Aiden.”
“All these years you let me think that he was dead or that you didn't know where he was. All these years and you've never once told me he was here, ten miles away from where you lived,” Aiden said, pushing himself up to stand.
Sarah lowered her eyes as Simon came running over, holding out his jacket for Aiden to cover himself with.
“I know and I regret that. I shouldn’t have kept you both from each other. Can we please discuss this inside? You’ll catch a chill standing around in the middle of the night, stark bollock naked.”
“Come, I’ll get you some clothes, Aiden,” Ben said.
“I don’t want any! How long have you known he was here, Sarah?”
“Aiden, mate. I know you’re pissed and I don’t blame you, especially after the day you’ve had but time is running out,” Simon said.
“I don’t need his help. Not now. Not ever. Thank you for your information, Simon, but I will go it alone from here.”
“Aiden, you can’t!” Sarah screeched.
“Don’t you dare tell me what I can or can’t do! For ten years you kept him a secret, not even mentioning his name. Ten years you gave me half stories about the faery princess and Alpha wolf who were destined to be together but were ripped apart. Ten years you let me think he was dead, without ever correcting, so no, don’t you dare tell me I can’t do something because from now on, I want fuck all to do with you.”
Aiden didn’t even wait for replies as he took off at a barefooted run. Simon was right. Time was running out and the only bit of help he had found, had become a smack to the face.