Taste of Wolves

Chapter 52

She wanted to jump for joy when she was released. It still hurt to move around and take deep breaths but it was getting better. Her facial swelling and bruising was almost gone. There were a few of the deeper cigarette burns that looked like they were going to scar over making her frown. Quinn had already asked Happy if he'd tattoo her again and told him it would be going on her stomach to cover the stab wound scar and that she wanted a colorful butterfly. Happy snorted but said he'd draw one up for her and to let him know when she was ready for her new ink. Gemma had taken her home while Quinn was out on club business with Happy and Chibs. They had been tasked with having a talk with the Grim Bastards while Jax, Opie, and Tig had a talk with the One Niners.

"Gemma?" Aria asked as the pair walked into her house.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Gemma replied.

"Do you think he'll still want me since I'm all scarred up?" Aria stared at the floor.

"Oh, baby. That man is absolutely crazy about you. A few scars isn't going to scare him away or make him not want to be with you." Gemma stated.

"I mean, I've got this scar on my stomach that's so obvious it nearly has a neon sign pointing to it. I've got all these cigarette burns all over me..." She started out.

"Quinn loves you, sweetheart. A few scars isn't going to change that." Gemma said, "Have you brought your feelings up with him?"

"No."

"Maybe you should. He cares for you, Wolfie, and knowing how you're feeling right now is something he needs to know about." Gemma gave her shoulder a squeeze, "I need to go check on Abel. I'll talk to you later. Get some rest and feel better soon."

"Thanks for everything, Gemma." Aria stated before Gemma left her alone in her house.

She sighed as she moved into the kitchen to see what there was to make for dinner. Still healing up, she didn't want to have to do too much work for dinner. Something simple and quick was best so she opted for making tacos that night. She took out some meat to start thawing in the sink then walked into the living room to get settled in a recliner and watch some TV. As she sat there, she carefully lifted her shirt up to look at the ugly scar from where she'd been stabbed. 'How could he still want to be with someone as scarred up as me?' she sighed. She had a few burns on her left arm that she knew was going to scar and began thinking of what she wanted to cover them up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two months had passed since Aria was released from the hospital the second time. Her doctor liked how well she'd healed up. There was no permanent damage according to him making her sigh in relief. The ribs had healed up, all the slices to her arms and torso had healed up with no scarring. The stab wound scarred and several of the cigarette burns scarred. She wasn't having nightmares as much as she did when she was first released from the hospital but she wasn't telling him about those. He knew something was bothering her because she had pulled away from him emotionally and wouldn't let him touch her. He was very worried about her and decided to talk to Gemma. All the Matriarch told him was he needed to sit down and talk to Wolfie about how she was feeling.

Chibs could tell something was bothering his brother. When he went to ask him about it, Quinn was already stalking to his bike to head home for the day. He was determined to get to the bottom of why his 'ol lady was acting so strangely. He parked next to her SUV, shut his engine off, and headed inside. He was sliding his kutte off when he heard her talking to someone.

"I know but I don't know how to tell him." Aria stated making his heart drop out from under him.

'What's going on?' he thought as he stood frozen in his spot.