Part B: Chapter 28

***Aidan’s POV***

“Now you’re about to be dead.”

I growled as I charged after him. I couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy. He knew that Jemila and I were going through a rough patch and he decided to do something as stupid as have her tranquilise me. For *fucks* sake I was his Alpha, the least he could was show me some respect.

Carter backed up, the glass of wine still in his hand. He had that cheeky smile that I hated so much because he was enjoying this more than he should. “Come on man, I didn’t have a choice,” he said, a hint of a smile present on his lips as he took a sip from the glass. “Besides, if you really think about it, all I did was tell her to do it and then you went and knocked me out so technically, you can’t be angry with me because I wasn’t even conscious during the time you were tranquilised.”

“Hey!” Jemila exclaimed from her position by the bedroom door. She looked kind of scared and I wasn’t sure if it was because of me or because of the situation. “I wouldn't have known about it or where they were if you hadn’t told me. I accept responsibility for my part but so should you.”

Atta girl, I thought to myself as a smile appeared on my face. I was proud that she could stand up for herself to Carter but that only meant I had so much to worry about because they bonded yesterday over alcohol for crying out loud. I had so many scores to settle with Carter.

“And you gave her alcohol without my consent,” I added as I stalked after him. “What is wrong with you? She is *my mate*, not yours man. Not cool.”

I wanted to punch something because I was frustrated with myself for how I had handled myself a few days ago. But not just that, I was frustrated at the fact that everyone else knew how to treat Jemila while all I did was make this worse and treat her as if she was my property. What the *fuck* was wrong me? Did I take after Gerald after all? *Fuck my life.*

Carter shot Jemila a look, not taking any of this seriously as usual. “Let’s all act like grown ups and talk things over, violence is never the solution,” he chirped happily, drawing the hand that didn’t have anything towards his mouth and he whistled. “So, what do you think *Alpha*? Can we talk things over like grown ups?”

“*Fuck* you Carter, stop playing around,” I snapped, then stopped stalking after him and ran my fingers through my hair. I was so tired of this crap now.

“Cursing in front of Jemila, shame on you Aidan. Shame, shame, shame,” he tsked as he walked back to the mini bar and refilled his wine glass. “Anyway, I have news from Mal, he says he’s found something.”

That got my attention. It had been a month now since Mal said he would get in touch with information about Jemila that I had given up hope and hired someone else who ended up being worse and a complete joke.

“What is it?” I asked, sounding hopeful. I needed something to work with. I had brought her here with the promise that I was going to find information about her past and family but so far I had nothing to show for it except my temper which was going to require a whole lot of work. “Does he finally have something for us or is it a dead end?”

Carter turned to me, his face back to the sombre one I had gotten used to. “I think you should both have a seat for this,” he said with all seriousness. “And maybe have a glass or two of wine because it’s a lot.” He picked up two more glasses and the bottle of wine he had opened.

I walked over to the couch and Jemila sat next to me as Carter joined us, sitting on the single reclining chair. He poured me a glass and then another for Jemila before handing it over to her.
“What is it?” she took the words right from my mouth. She looked eager but I could sense that she was worried and afraid of what he had to say.

Carter sighed, brushed his hair behind then gulped half of the wine in his glass. “Let me start from the beginning for Jemila to follow along,” he breathed as he leaned forward, interlacing his fingers in front of him. “A month ago, the same day you both arrived, Aidan had me contact Mal, our private investigator to look into your past and family but Mal came back a week later with nothing claiming that whoever had left you alone in the woods wanted you dead and all information about you erased.”

I glanced at her and she was clutching the wine glass with both hands, almost on the edge of her seat. I could feel everything she felt even though it was less than when we would truly become one in body, mind and soul. I wanted to hold her but I had to stop myself, not sure how she would react.

“Mal told us there was nothing he could do and then that was that so Aidan had me hire someone else who was utter shit and we fired him within a few hours,” Carter sighed, kneading his knuckles, a habit he did whenever he was trying to keep calm. “Anyway, we began to lose hope of ever finding anything about your past but then earlier this morning when I left, he called me and told me he had news.”

“What did he find?” she asked, her voice breaking at the end.

“I think you should drink that for what I’m about to say because it might be hard to process,” he eyed her glass.

I gulped mine in one swift motion, hating the aftertaste it left in my mouth then turned to Jemila, I took one of her hands in both of mine. “Please drink up, I need you to know that no matter what we learn, I will always be by your side through it. I may seem like a real jerk at times but I care about you and that’s why I need you to be ready for whatever it is that Carter has to tell us.”

Jemila looked down at our hands, took an audible breath and gulped everything in her glass. “Okay, tell me what he found,” she said, shaking slightly.
“Your parents were killed the same night that you lost your memories.”

I felt my breath hitched as she squeezed my hand harder, her strength tripled but I didn’t let go. I could feel the pain inside her and I held onto her tighter too, letting her know I was here for her.

“Mal doesn’t yet know who was behind the attack but it seemed that during your 22nd birthday, everything went to hell and they killed everyone who was in attendance but you somehow managed to escape and they chased you into those woods and also tried to kill you but by the Goddess you survived,” Carter continued, “it seems the trauma of everything that happened that night put you in shock and made you lose all your memories as a coping mechanism.”

“Who were my parents?” she asked instead.

Carter looked at me and bit his bottom lip then poured himself another glass of wine and muttered something under his breath which I heard but pretended I didn’t. It was already too much, I wasn’t sure she could handle anymore heartbreaking news.

“Are you certain you want to know?” I asked, turning to face her.

She looked at me with emotionless eyes and I knew there was nothing I could do or say, she needed to know even if it broke her. “I need to know, that's all I’ve got.”
I turned back to Carter as he placed the glass back onto the coffee table. “Tell her.”

Carter sighed, “Mal doesn’t know, all the records were wept clean by whoever it was that wanted you and them dead,” he finally said. “But from what he gathered, your parents were important people in the lycan community who held high titles and it’s either they pissed someone off who they shouldn’t or someone wanted something that they had. Whatever it was, it was enough to kill them for it.”

“So where am I from then?”

“By my guess, I should think you are from the eastside, one of the packs near those woods or further. But whoever did that must think you’re also dead.”
“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”