Blood Marriage

Chapter Eleven: Lies, lies, lies.

ONE WEEK LATER 

When Aries returned he was different. He was more protective and angry. He was acting as if I wasn't a fully grown vampiress with young. I tried to get him to talk but he wouldn't. I was getting tired of it. His mood swings, late night howling fits. I felt bad for my thoughts because they were howls of immense sorrow. But I had tried and we had babies to think about. I knew he would tell me when he was ready but he was starting to treat me poorly. He would would snap his teeth at me and growl when I came near. He acted as if I was the enemy. Today he seemed more lucid and was cuddling with the three of us. I had both pups latched to my breasts while he played with my hair. Everything was fine until dinner. I was eating next to my mother while he and my father chatted quietly. Mother had said something I thought was funny, but when I laughed he glared at me. "Shut up." My parents and I looked at him with a shocked expression. Now I was pissed. "I beg your f*****g pardon?" "Calm yourself Ava. Remember he's not himself." My bat whispered. I knew he wasn't himself but I was dammed if I let my husband speak to me this way. "I said shut up!" He slammed his palms down on the table with such force he cracked it. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and my bat had changed her mind, she was demanding I shift. I could see his skin rippling from his wolf trying to break free. "I have had enough of this attitude towards me. I have done nothing wrong to deserve the way I've been treated." Instead of fighting my mate, I got up and left. He followed. "You don't walk away from me." He snatched my wrist pulling me to his chest. I slapped him with my free hand. All was quiet for a moment as he registered the fact that I had struck him. "I don't know what's gotten into you because you won't talk to me. But I refuse to be your punching bag." His expression softened when a tear rolled down my cheek. His eyes had changed as if he was now seeing clearly for the first time. His whole demeanor changed. I pulled my self free from his grip and walked away. When I arrived at our room I began packing some clothes for my self and our pups. We had a cabin secluded in the woods on the castle grounds that no one used. Only the servants went there and it was only to clean it. Why we even had it I didn't know. All I knew is I needed some space from him while he got over what ever little hissy fit he was having. I couldn't fight the tears that clouded my vision so I just sat on my bed and cried. My pups, who were now shifting frequently between forms, placed their from paws on my knees and rested their little chins there. I scratched the both behind the ears trying to smile but failed. "Mommy and daddy just need some space for a bit. We'll come back soon." Just as I had finished packing, Aries appeared in the door way. His eye blood shot from tears. "What?" I felt bad about my tone but had had enough. "Everything I had known is a lie. She's not my mother." He came in and sat on the bed. I could see the emotions in his eyes. Whatever happened at the pack castle had changed him. I softened up a bit and cupped his face. "Talk to me. Im right here." As he recanted the things he had learned I suddenly felt horrible for snapping at him. His whole world had shattered and for some reason when wolves suffer any kind of trauma, their minds snap. Most never recover. Luckily our bond was strong enough that him seeing my pain had brought him back. I held while he cried. I will never forget the sound and nor do I want to hear it again. "I don't know what to say my love." Our pups laid between us as I stroked his hair. He had his head on my chest with his eyes closed while he thought about everything. My poor mate. "Im sorry I slapped you." He laughed a bit. "If you hadn't I'd still be and emotional zombie." We spent the next few days in the cabin to get away from everyone and everything while his mind healed. When we returned he set about investigating a matter he said was personal and he had to do alone. I didn't mind. He made sure it didn't consume him and he spent more than adequate time with us. As far as I was concerned it was his business. I had little ones to tend to. They were now talking and getting into everything. Mother and father had been delighted by the fact that their first words were nan nan and pop pop. Of course. We finally had a spell of peace. We all needed this.