The Tripartite Mate Bond Chapter 11: CHAPTER ELEVEN

My mom was a white, blonde woman who wore glasses but didn't really talk much. I've never seen her smile or laugh and I always tried to change that but nothing ever worked.

I gave up when I was twelve. I had stolen a pink bow from a girl in class and given it to her; one of my many failed attempts, but she just threw it out.

She didn't go to work just like father, so she spent most of her time in the house, not really doing much, since all the house chores were left to me.

Even though she spent most of her time in the house, her skin glowed and was beautiful. I had always pitied her for being forced to live with my father and I somehow felt guilty that she kept staying with him because she didn't want to abandon me to him. No one knew how far he'd go without her being around, not like her presence changed much of anything. Also, who would stitch my back-up, so I can prepare for work after every incident?

It did come as a shock to me that she wasn't jumping over the stars in excitement at Father's absence. She could finally smile, or take up a hobby. All my salary usually went to Father's account, so there should still be money for her to thrive on. I will definitely make sure to tell whoever I choose to take care of her financially if they are going to relieve me of my job so it seems nonsensical that she's screaming at me to get him back.

When she threw my clothes on the floor, Ares was stunned at first, but then stepped forward to me and attempted to get involved, but I shook my head no, this wasn't something I wanted anyone to even witness. I noticed his men were packing my things back into my suitcase as my mom yelled unintelligible words at me.

I looked back at her, still dazed at the whole situation.

“But Mom, I thought you hated him. He used to hit me all the time; have you forgotten?” I asked her, a tear escaping my eyes. I was scared of the angry person that stood before me.

“So because he beats you, he deserves to die? Do you know these people you have gotten yourself mixed up with? They are too dangerous, and I'm sure they are torturing him as we speak!” She shouted in my face.

From her reaction, there was a lot more going on than she was letting on. How did she know anything about the men with me? There's no way they'd allow her to be if she was a human who knew they were werewolves.

I was about to turn around and just leave, but then I heard a movement from my back.

“Wait, you called her a bastard earlier on, what did you mean by that?” Ares asked, even though I'd asked him not to interfere.

“Because that is what she is! A spawn of the devil. And to think they stopped sending money for your well-being for the past year, and we have been managing to keep you alive and fed. How dare you take him away from me?”

“What on earth are you talking about? You are my mom. Who is sending money for me? I've been working to repay all you've spent on me as Father said” I replied, my mind running in different directions at what she was saying.

“I will not answer any of your stupid questions anymore. Go and get my husband back! I know you took him. I've always seen it in your eyes, you've wanted him dead for a while now but you won't succeed, you hear me?”

“Well, if I could, I would have done that a long time ago” I screamed in her face, a force of anger enveloping me.

She slapped me.

Ares growled and my mother recoiled in fear. It was the first time I saw real emotion on her face.

“You are never going to see me again, neither will you see him again. I probably won't ever understand why he hates me so much. I didn't want to run away and have him turn his attention to you. But I guess it was all a lie, and you were his secret accomplice in making my life hell. I won't let anyone touch you, but you will live alone without him and that is my revenge”, I said to her and I turned my back on the house I'd grown up and suffered in.

I have always been broken, but today, I was shattered. I was without an identity, my parents were simply my kidnappers or something.

The question of who or what I was hung in the air as Ares drove like a demon through Manhattan, my tears unable to stop.

It took about six hours of very fast driving before we came up to his Pack.

The pack wasn't like Alpha Kane’s, which has bungalows in an arranged manner with different paths leading to the center.

This one had a fountain right in the middle, but there were apartment buildings that probably had a hundred rooms or more. I counted about 7 before he drove past them down the path that led to a very big school and something that looked like a place where Greek gods trained for war but was probably their gym. He drove into a compound in a beautiful, white bungalow with sophisticated glass doors.

When he packed, I was about to open the door to step out, but he stopped me. He walked over to my side and helped me down, his proximity giving me butterflies even in my depressed state.

We had not spoken all through the drive here, not even when I was crying. He simply stopped and ordered his men to get into the other cars even though they were stuffed. I liked that he actually let me grieve my loss instead of pretending to care because of some invisible bond.

He opened the door with his fingerprint and I went in after him.

“I'll get my housekeeper to give you a tour of the house tomorrow. But for now, follow me, so I can show you your room” he told me, casually undressing himself as we got in.

He took off his coat and his tie and was unbuttoning his shirt when we got to the room.

“Here. You go take a shower and come out for dinner.” He said. I heard him, but my eyes were somewhere else.

I have seen him shirtless before, but then it was gory and blood was splattered everywhere, but right now, a peek at his chest made me want to touch him. Why would he do this to me, I wondered. I literally wanted to jump his bones and it looked like he did too because he got so close to me, my body hot and needy.

He cupped my face in his hands and brought down his head and I closed my eyes instinctively, both of my lips opening in anticipation; but the kiss never came.

I felt a whoosh of hot air on my face and I opened my eyes to see him struggling to... control himself?

What was wrong with him? Or me for goodness sakes, kissing two men in less than a week? I shook my head free of the thoughts that had clouded it when I saw his bare chest in time with him finally opening his eyes.

“Aurora, I need to tell you something," he began, his voice sounding strangled, "I really don't want you to get yourself all worked up about me. You can't choose me, I don't want to give in to the mate bond, I'm just doing this so I don't give anyone the impression that I'm insulting the goddess” he said, his voice low like someone else was in the room that could hear him.

My heart dropped to my stomach.