A Reluctant Mate

Aria's POV (40)

"Hello, my name is Aria, I'm Rangers mate, this is one of my brothers, Dixson" "one? How many do you have?" "I have four brothers, Dixson, who is here, I also have Malcolm Curtis and Mitch, Mitch is the alpha of the Shadow Moon pack over in the east" "wow, you have a big family" "yeah, these three pups are Kassian, Caspian and Soloman" "triplet pups? That's almost un heard of" she said stunned, her eyes fix on them.

"They are my little miracle's" Ranger said as he kissed my forehead, "I'm going to take Mika on a tour for the grounds" "ok, also go talk to Hill to see if he can give Mika some land so she can start growing, sorry, I heard the conversation you had on our run back, Aria loves watermelon and I love strawberries" "I've never grown watermelon" "first time for everything" Ranger said as he took Kassian from Dixson and ushered me inside.

"Tell me, how have the pups been?" Ranger said as he sat down in the pups room, the pups had there bed room up stairs but also they had a room down stairs so I can feel comfortable feeding the pups without everyone looking, if I'm not outside, the pups seem to be the happiest when they are outside, I'm in this room.

"You know how they have been, I've spoken to you everyday while you have been gone, you have only been gone little over a week, there's nothing new to tell you" I laughed, "I know but I still want to know everything, what about you, how have you been?" "I'm not going to lie, it's been hard without you, I missed you like crazy but deep down I knew it was for a good cause, if Dixson wasn't here with me, I don't think I could have coped, he was my life saver, he has asked if he can stay for a little while to help me out" "Aria, I told you to ask him when I'm not here" Dixson looked embarrassed "didn't Mitch tell you that your welcome here anytime?" "Yeah he did but I didn't want to burden you all with my issues" "we are all family, I know I'm the outsider in your family but this is also your family", "thanks Ranger, I just need to clear my head for a little bit, the constant talking behind my back is starting to catch up on me and some dark thoughts have embedded themselves in my head, Aria and Cora have been the only people that has helped me out".

I looked at Ranger confused "Dixson, who is Cora? You haven't mentioned her before" "she recently joined the Shadow Moon pack a little while back with her little brother Grover, she's really nice, she's the only one that I've confided in back home" "mate?" Ranger said, "no, no, no its not like that, she's very nice and all but my fated partner is dead and she hasn't found hers" "so, you can still make her you mate even if they are not your fated one" Ranger encouraged.

"No, I couldn't do that to her, it's unfair" Dixson said getting uncomfortable with the way the conversation is going, "Ranger please drop it, its making him uncomfortable, he doesn't want to talk about it" "no, its stupid, if he likes her, you can tell by the way he looks just talking about her, he should just ask to see how she feels, you don't know, she might feel the same" "Ranger just stop" I said annoyed "stop pushing the subject, he has just got out of a very abusive relationship and your already trying to mate him off to someone else" "I just want him to be happy" "I see that but he needs to heal, he needs time, he don't need idiots like you" I argued.

"Aria, he's only trying to help" "no, don't defend him, he is out of line" "don't forget who you are talking to, I'm the top alpha" "well the top alpha is being an idiot" "please don't argue over me, I thought this was going to be my safe space, Ranger please take Caspian, I think I will go back to the Shadow Moon pack", he handed the pup to Ranger who still had Kassian, then left the room, "Dixson wait, look what you have done, he was starting to feel like he could open up a little more, then you swoop in and spoil it, I think I'm going to take the pups to the Shadow Moon pack to see there other uncles and for there father to get his priorities straight" "you are not taking them anywhere" "are you going to stop me?" I was furious.

"If I wanted to take my pups to see my brothers for a while, you can't stop me" he slowly and carefully got down onto his knees and rested his head on my stomach "please don't leave, you and the pups are my world, if you leave, I will fall apart" "see you can feel heartache, Dixson is constantly in that state, his whole world was ripped apart, he is struggling to patch it back together, you saying them things is just reopening his wounds" "sorry, I won't do it again, just don't leave", I got down on my knees also, I gently butted our heads together, "ok I will stay, but please just be more considerate to him, I understand you don't fully understand what he is going through but please give him some time here to heal" "he can have all the time he needs".