The Beta's Missing Mate (Book 16 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 27

The plane landed and Aidan grabbed their things and led her down the steps. He headed across the tarmac towards a car, while Bianca craned her neck, looking around.

Pennsylvania wasn't flat, that was for sure, though this small area where the landing strip was located was. They had several planes too, she noticed.

Aidan had a red sports car that he popped the trunk on and placed their bags inside of. Then he walked over to the passenger door and opened it for her. At least he was a gentleman.

She climbed in and glanced around, afraid to touch anything. His car was much too nice and probably the fanciest one she'd ever been in.

He got behind the wheel and started the engine. "This is all our territory. It's about a ten minute drive to the pack house."

"Okay," she breathed.

"Are you nervous?"

She looked at him. "A little."

He lifted a brow at her.

"Okay, a lot. This is the Royal Pack," she reminded him.

His lips twitched. "Just don't piss anyone off, and you'll live to see another day."

"What?" His words didn't help at all. What if she pissed off the wrong person and they killed her? Maybe she should stay with Aidan.

"I'm kidding, Bianca. No one is going to hurt you. Or kill you." He smiled at her.

"Not funny," she grumbled, wondering if this was the way Aidan truly was when he wasn't drowning in his grief of losing his mate.

"Sorry."

She gapped at him in surprise. Was he really apologizing to her? She'd never expected a member of the Royal Pack to apologize.

"What?"

"You apologized."

He frowned at her. "Why wouldn't I?"

She supposed it was a good question, and one she didn't really have an answer to. Aidan was going to be her mate. He'd been a gentleman to her. She supposed he would treat her differently.

But she reminded herself that she hadn't even really been around him before he'd asked her to be his mate. She didn't know what he was like. She didn't really know much of anything about him.

The pack house wasn't at all what she'd expected, but then she really hadn't had any expectations. Aidan parked the car in a huge garage with way too many vehicles, then grabbed their bags. He led her up to the house, and on inside.

She was surprised to see a man meeting them at the door. He had blond hair and blue eyes and a beard. He wore a t-shirt and jeans and she noticed that he had tattoos up both of his arms.

The man gave her a genuine smile before turning his attention to Aidan. "How'd it go?"

"The way I like it to go. Perfect," Aidan replied. "Bianca, this is my father, Cade. Dad, Bianca."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bianca. Welcome to Regal Eclipse," Cade said flashing her a smile.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Keys to the guest room." Cade handed them over. "You talk to Ragnar?"

"Yes. Have you talked to Zane?"

Bianca watched Cade clench his jaw, reminding her of Aidan. She looked back and forth between the two of them. Aidan was basically a dark haired version of his father. She wondered if he had tattoos too.

"Yes, and I'm not at all thrilled about it. What the hell was he thinking?" Cade grumbled.

"No idea," Aidan responded.

Cade shook his head. "I'm going upstairs. I'll see you later." He turned and walked away.

"Come on," Aidan said, and led her down the hall, stopping in front of a room. He unlocked the door, and pushed it open, then walked inside. "This is your room for the time being." He turned to her. "Until you're ready to leave it." He handed her the keys.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Aidan stared at her for a long moment, and she wondered what he was thinking. Probably about his mate. "Let me give you my number," he finally said.

After they'd exchanged numbers, Aidan turned to leave. "Breakfast is at nine in the morning. I'll come down and get you then. After that, I'm going to hit the gym, and you're more than welcome to come with me, if you'd like."

"Okay," she agreed, a little surprised that he'd invited her.

"If you need anything at all, Bianca, you can call me or text me. I mean that." He stared at her for a long moment and she nodded.

"Okay. Thank you...Aidan," she said quietly. It felt weird saying his name.

He nodded. "I'll see you in the morning." He turned and walked out of her room then, shutting the door behind him.

Bianca breathed a small sigh of relief once he was gone, letting her shoulders slump. She glanced around the room. It was nice and bigger than she thought it would be. Her new safe haven.

She walked over to the bed and sat down, then let the tears fall as a fresh wave of sadness washed over her. Did she really want to do this? No. She felt like she was betraying Brian. She was supposed to let this man mark her, and he didn't even want her.

Her hand moved up to her neck, to the bare spot that used to hold Brian's mark. It had disappeared the moment he had perished, severing the bond between them and leaving her heartbroken. Leaving her broken.

She'd been practically suicidal for the first two months after. Then miserable for the next six. She wasn't sure she could do this. Could she let Aidan mark her? Could she let him destroy what was left of her severed bond with Brian? Once he marked her, that bond would be completely destroyed. Brian would fade away and be a distant memory.

And Aidan would take his place. His emotions would be the ones he felt. She wasn't sure she wanted to feel them. She wasn't sure she wanted him to feel hers either. It was way too intimate. It was something she'd shared with Brian, something that she'd absolutely loved.

She wasn't sure that she wanted to share it with Aidan. He didn't care about her. She'd be deluding herself if she thought he did. He cared about his mate, the woman who had unknowingly betrayed him. She didn't want to feel that.

Maybe the whole idea of coming here has been stupid. Maybe she really hadn't thought this through enough. Maybe she should just tell Aidan no. She didn't want to be his mate. Second place. Because that's all she would be for him.

The tears fell in full force now and Bianca kicked off her shoes and laid down on the bed. She cried for Brian. She has moments when she almost hated him for leaving her. She had moments when she absolutely hated being a werewolf, and the mate bond. She hated that she'd been so attached to someone and then he'd up and died on her. He'd ripped out her heart and taken it into the bottom of the sea with him.

She hated that Aidan wasn't her soulmate, and she would never be his. Yes, they'd share a bond, but it wouldn't be the same. What if he could never truly get over his mate? What happened when he broke the bond with her? Wasn't she still his soulmate? Bianca didn't know.

She did know though that she didn't want to be able to feel that. She didn't want him mating her and thinking about his mate. She didn't want to mate him and think about Brian either.

Bianca brushed at the tears. She didn't want to cry herself to sleep, but it seemed that she did every night. Nights were the worst. She hated laying in her cold bed alone. She hated that she would never feel Brian's arms around her again.

She couldn't do this. She just couldn't. She'd have to get up the nerve to tell him, but she couldn't bring herself to let him mark her. She'd have to tell him soon too. He'd have to find someone else.

Bianca bit her lip. Hopefully he would take her home. Otherwise she'd fly back herself.