Aaron's Mate

"Hay!" I hear someone call to me. I turn to see the woman from Red Rivers. Man she's hot!

"Hay! Your the lady from Red Rivers pack!" I say shooting her a smile "I'm Brayden by the way... you didn't get in trouble with your Alpha because of me did you?"

That dude is scary! I'd hate to know I caused problems for her and he didn't look happy when he called her out.

"Naw little man. The Alpha is actually my dad he just wanted to let me know he was staying with Alpha Aaron and your pack for the night." She tells me then looks around. "Speaking of... where is your Alpha?"

"Alpha Mason's your DAD?!" I yell. That literally makes me shake. I couldn't imagine him as my dad. "scary!" I say and she laughs. I shake it off and decide to take her to Ari. Hopefully he can stop being a jerk long enough to see her. "Fallow me!"

I lead her into the pack house. "You're pretty!" I say turning to her as soon as we are through the door."Do you like younger men?" I ask. Why not make a move? Her jaw drops. Before she can respond I hear him come out of the office and turn towards him.

"She's spoken for pup." Ari says coming into view.

"Ari!" I yell hugging him. Ari hasn't been out of his office in days! I miss him. I decide to explain everything knowing he dosen't like outsiders on his territory. "I found her outside. She was looking for you. Did you know Alpha Mason is her dad! Oh my gosh he's so scary. I couldn't imagine living with him. I think I'd pass out when ever I saw him. Like the middle of breakfast plop! Head in my cereal bowl! I mean he..." a stern look from Ari stops my rant. I did say I was trying to avoid his wrath.

"Sorry... I got excited." I tell him looking at my shoes in submission.

"Its fine buddy." Ari says and I look up. He seems in a much better mood now. "You found her?" He asks.

"Well.... she found me but I brought her in... we were going to your office!" I say excited to have him back to normal.

"You have a son?" The woman asks. Ari goes quiet and I chuckle.

"Na Ari's not my dad he just took me in when I was little." I answer her.

"Yea. I picked Brayden up about 9 years ago. He'll be an Alpha one day. That is if I don't kill him first!" Ari says running his knuckles through my hair.

"Stop it Ari!" I yell at him and squirm away while laughs. He's definitely back to himself.

"So Ari? What are you up to?" She asks. No way only I can call him Ari! Why is he not mad? Wait! Is she the mate? She fits his description.

"He's supposed to be catching up on his paperwork!" Beta Clay says.

"But I can put it off since you're here." Ari responds eyeing Clay. Does Clay not realize who she is? Nah he must just be messing with Ari.

"No need...I'm pretty good at that kind of stuff... I can help!" She offers.

"Ummm Lilly." Ari says awkwardly glancing back at his office. So that's her name. "You don't have to I can..."

"It's no problem Aaron. I breeze through it at my pack... hay Bray you wanna help?" She says. I can't believe she wants me to help this is awesome! Alpha training from two Alphas! Ari did say she was an Alpha.

"Anything for you!" I tell Lilly giving her a hug.

"Sounds great you guys can get to work. I'll have the kitchen send over some food." Clay says pushing us toward Ari's office.

We walk into the perpetuity messy office and Lilly's eyes go wide.

"Wow" she says as we come in. I see Aaron look away embarrased.

"It's always like this Ari hates paperwork." I tell her.

"Shut it!" Aaron scolds me and Lilly laughs.

"Its all good! We'll get this sorted out... think about it this way. We get to spend time together." Lilly says. gag! Maybe I don't want to be in here... but I can help and I kinda want to hang with Ari.

"Well you said you were good at this... where do you want to start?" Ari asks.

"Hmmm." She seems to be considering where to start until the smell of BBQ wafts into the office."lunch.... we start with lunch" she smiles

We ate together in the office I sat next to Lilly on the couch and Ari in his chair. I like her even if she is stealing Ari.

"Well let's get started!" She says standing up. "Do you have a map of your territory?"

"Why do you need this?" Ari asks as a he pulls out the map.

"It helps you visualize what your doing. We can sort the papers based on where they come from. Seeing the map helps me. Okay so who's in charge in the northern sector?" She asks. I was going to answer but Ari was quick to talk.

"Riley." He says.

"So..." Lilly says looking at me."anything from Riley we need to put here." She gestures to a spot on the floor for us to start sorting.

Lilly decided on a place for information from each sector and we all began working. Honestly I kinda tuned them out focusing on the job at hand. I love learning and there is so much information here!

They have been talking about Alpha stuff but I can tell it is personal so I try not to pry but I'm interested! Lilly is a female Alpha. Somehow this effects them mateing. Yea I'm not gonna think of Ari like that!

"Let me explain it like this." Ari says. Lilly leans back on the couch calming a little. I am trying to keep working but keep glancing between them.

"Ok so it's kinda like Braden here." I stop to listen now. "I haven't brought him into my pack even tho he's been here 9 years."

"So you can't mind link anyone?"Lilly asks me.

"Nope!" I grin. "It bugged me when I was little till Ari explained it to me."

"You see." He continues "if I brought him in it would effectively nullify his Alpha status. If we wait until he turns 20 we see if he inherited his fathers Alpha. When he shows himself an Alpha he will take over his fathers pack."

"Soooo..." Lilly starts and pauses "if we were to ahem... umm..." she starts to blush. Wow are we sure these two are grown up? They are acting like the teenagers here. "If we were to become...mates" she whispers the last word "I wouldn't be able to be Alpha?"

"Nope it would revert to me... I'd gain your title and power." Ari tells her. She looks worried by the news. "I don't want that tho! You will be a great alpha! You deserve it!"

"I mean father did say someone could try to forcibly mate me taking my Alpha but I didn't realize my true mate could do the same." Lilly says thinking it over.

"You don't have to worry tho because we're taking it slow. I don't mark you you don't mark me and... nothing.... else happens... all is good we have time." Ari is trying to comfort her. Its adorable. I try not to laugh at his worried scrunched up face.

"I guess." She says "I just hate not knowing things."

"How about this you ask me a question I ask you one we can learn about each other and our packs. Have some fun while we fight the paper beast." It's like I'm no longer in the room.

"Ok but let's do it this way... whatever you ask you also have to answer. It keeps us from things getting too embarrassing." Lilly counters.

"Works for me!" He says.

I focus on the papers trying to avoid the awkwardness.

"Past relationships?" Lilly asks and I'm out! I soooo do not want to hear this! I start singing songs in my head as I read the papers.

After a while I lay back on the couch closing my eyes. I swear I did more paperwork than either of them.

"What have we here?" Someone wakes me up. As I sit up I realize I ended up with my head in Lilly's lap.

"Hay Delta David what are you doing here?" She yawns. I guess he is from Red Rivers. The man is standing next to Clay who is smirking at Ari.

"Well let's see lil' Alpha... I believe yer father said ta be back before dark." David says.

"How mad is he?" Lilly asks David.

"More worried, but we need ta go." He says.

"See ya soon?" She asks Ari.

"Most definitely!" he responds with a smirk.

"Hay Ari!" I yell and they both look at me. "I got to sleep with her before you even kiss her!" I taunt him and I see him blush while Clay chuckles.

Aaron chucks a stress ball at me as I run out but I catch it and tosses it on the couch. "See ya soon Lilly!" I say with a smile and bolt out the door. I head to the kitchen knowing I need to apologize for that comment. It was funny tho!

"Hay Clay" I hear Ari say as I approach the office. "Why didn't you tell me Billy and Abigail had a pup?... I woulda sent them something!"

"You did." I tell him as I come back into the office eating a push pop. "Beta Clay sent me to give them a soft blue baby blanket."

He glares at me I guess he's not quite over what I said about Lilly. I toss Ari a push pop and he smiles. They are his favorite and I know it. I grin at him and he waves me in, apology accepted! I jump into the chair opposite him with my feet dangling off the arm.

"It's kinda my job." I say "I play errand boy for Beta since you won't let me patrol."

"I got you Aaron. I've always watched out for you." Clay says.

"Clayton?" Ari asks apprehensively. "Am I a bad Alpha?"

"No Aaron... you just do things... differently." he says. Ari sighs and puts his head in his hands.

"And you've been covering for me all these years?" He ask. Clay shifts uncomfortably.

"Look. You're a great Alpha. You love your pack and get to know each member personally. You may not get all the information you would through the reports but I make sure you know the big stuff. Plus everyone loves you! After your father... you are exactly the Alpha this pack needs." Clay says.

"Thanks Clay... for everything... I want to do more... I will do better." I tell him.

"No matter what I'm here for you man." Clay says.

Suddenly the phone rings.