Chapter 29

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I noticed Aiden turn away from me, avoiding my apprehensive gaze. My heart sunk as I contemplated the reasons behind his sudden closed off expression.

He was considering how to reject me gently.

"I can go if you want," I told him once the uncomfortable silence that echoed around us became unbearable. "I'm sorry about all this, I just thought you deserved to know."

With that, I rose from my seat and smiled gently until his gaze snapped back to me and his eyes widened. "No sorry, don't leave," he requested pleadingly.

My heart skipped a beat as I nodded and lowered back into the seat. He wanted me to stay. "I just sort of disappeared into my thoughts for a moment." He chuckled lightheartedly but I could still see doubt residing in his eyes.

"What were you thinking?" I asked in a light, friendly tone. The last thing I wanted to do was press when he had just had a bombshell dropped on him.

He visibly hesitated, once again avoiding my gaze which caused nerves to stir in my stomach. "Doesn't matter." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Aiden?" My tone indicated the worry I felt and I sent him a pleading look. "Please tell me whats wrong," I begged.

"I can't." He shook his head and pasted a smile on his face. "So, are you ok with all this?" He asked kindly.

"Aiden!" I snapped and gave him a deadpan look. "Nice try but that doesn't work with me. I don't let things go. So what is it?" I pressed further and he frowned.

After a deep breath he smiled a half smile. "Noted. But I can't tell you Ella so please drop it."

"Aiden, if all of this is too much for you, if you don't want this, just say and I will leave," I demanded, becoming impatient.

"No Ella it's not that," he defended urgently. "I do want this, I really do. I'm so happy that I can call you my sister I just..," he drifted off, sending me an apologetic look and I realised I wasn't getting anywhere by demanding.

So I changed tactics. "Why can't you tell me Aiden?" I asked his softly.

"You'll hate me," he muttered and I froze. Hate him? My heart thundered a little as I watched his Adams apple bob up and down from his clear nerves. What could he possibly be hiding that would make me hate him?

"Aiden, I doubt I could hate you," I told him honestly. It took a lot for me to hate someone and Aiden didn't seem like the kind of person who could incur that kind of anger. "Please, please tell me."

"I-." He halted, looking me straight in the eyes and displaying his reluctance and fear. Not nerves or anxiousness but genuine fear. "What if I told you he was alive?"

It was barely a whisper but the words struck me like a bullet. "Your dad?" I hissed, overcome with shock and confusion.

"Yeah." He nodded solemnly and watched as the colour drained from my face. "Ella I am so sorry. We brought him back to the pack doctor and they managed to preserve his body until the full moon could heal him. We gave him some of my blood and he lived. I know after what he did or was going to do to you, I shouldn't have done it, but he's my dad Ella. Wouldn't you have done the same?" He defended but he didn't need to. I understood exactly why Aiden would want to save him, I just couldn't fathom the idea that he was alive. He could've attacked any time in the last few months and I wouldn't have had a clue. The man who still haunted my nightmares sometimes was out there.

"Where is he?" I asked through a quiet growl. My fists subconsciously clenched at my sides and I found myself seething.

"In the cells. I wouldn't risk letting him free while he was a threat to you Ella, please believe me. Your friendship was always important to me and I wanted to ensure you were worth keeping him locked away and you were." The words rushed out of his like a waterfall, spilling rapidly in front of him. Once he finished, he simply stared at me hopefully.

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