These Lights

Twenty-One: Secret is Out

Aaron had me sitting on the kitchen counter. bandages, painkillers and other medical items strewn about around me, Melissa was watching from the couch intently.

"Ah! Aaron be careful!" He looked up at me apologetically, wrapping my hands tightly in disinfectant soaked bandages.

"S-Sorry, Still not thinking straight, that should stop the bleeding and make sure it doesn't get infected." My hands still stung, and worse now due to the disinfectant, I felt his arms wrap around me in a protective hug.

"I should have seen it coming, Father knew we would come, he was prepared to get you out of my life by any means." I started getting drowsy just being in his arms like that, even on top of the counter I was still a few inches shorter than him.

"You okay Cutie?" Melissa smiled and looked my way, I nodded, feeling much more tired than I had ever felt in my life.

"Thanks for your help Melissa, But I know you have a flight to catch." She nodded and hugged her brother, then looked at me.

I expected a handshake or even just a goodbye, instead I got a gigantic bear hug, I was taken aback, and she whispered in my ear.

"Ask him about his secret." Before I could react she ruffled my hair and left with a hurriedness to her step.

I shook it off and sighed, Aaron started to undo his tie, but I grabbed it and pulled him closer, making him face to face with me.

"Woah! Hey now.... I thought you would've been turned off after what happened." He was smirking, but there was still concern behind those steel eyes of his, I kissed him gently.

"Not anything too crazy.... I just want to take it easy for tonight, I just couldn't resist." I admitted while laughing a little he chuckled and shook his head.

"I hope you mean by that, you're going to take it easy, I'll do all the work." I was confused for a moment but Aaron had already lifted me onto his knee.

"I know you need me to be gentle, just tell me if you get uncomfortable, I'll stop, I'll always stop." He looked less confident now, and hesitant, I felt bad, I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

"Aaron, you don't have to-" He stopped me with a nervous smile and a chaste kiss.

"I just don't want to hurt you... ever." He admitted he snaked his arms around me back and just held me there, He lifted me from the counter and carried me bridal style to the bed.

He lays me down carefully like I'm a precious gem or a small child, he started lightly kissing my neck, not attempting to leave hickeys as before, but light and gentle.

"I love you......" I heard him whisper, my breath got caught in my throat and my heat started fluttering, he had implied it, but never said it directly to me, not unless I had said it first. He returned to his light kisses, this time leaving them on my forehead.

I tangled my fingers in his hair and got his attention by kissing him on the nose.

"Hmmm?" He let it trail off like a question, his eyes boring into me, usually they were clouded over with lust when we were like this, but now, a brightness was behind his eyes that I'd only seen when I had caught him staring and he'd look away.

"I love you too." He smiled but sighed, he sat up, looking at the ground.

"Then.... Then I need to come clean." He took my hand and pressed it to his heart, I felt it beating rapidly, he was starting to sweat.

"I'm not the man that I said I was.... In fact.... there's a side of me that.... not many people have seen." He gulped, was this the secret Melissa had told me to ask about?

"I want you to see it,  You deserve to know what you're signing up for." He started breathing deeply to calm himself down.

"Aaron, tell me, I want to know all of you." He closed his eyes and squeezed my hand, the sun was going down through the window.

And that's when I saw them, two black, furry objects that just seemed to appear on his head, I looked down to see a large bushy tail the tips of both were a dark red.

My brain tried to process this, was he human? No obviously, but he was still Aaron, the same man I fell in love with.... but what was he? How? WHAT?!

"Please don't freak out, I know it's a lot to take in!" His ears stuck up on top of his head and he accidentally opened his eyes to calm me down.

They were so, very, very red. I didn't look directly at them, I heard him gasp like he had just killed someone and fall silent for a few minutes.

"Maybe... I should have waited.... Aph? Please understand I wanted to tell you, but what was I supposed to say: Hey I'm not human I'm actually this half wolf thing?" I just stared, was this actually happening? I had to have been dreaming, this couldn't have been real.

"Uh.... How? Since when? What?!" I managed to force out of my mouth, I was scared, did he turn into a beast every full moon or kill people unintentionally?

"Since forever, born with it, and...... Surprise!" His ears flicked up in fake excitement for a moment and I saw his tail flick sideways.

"Wait! Are you like, gonna loose control and go on a rampage or turn into a monster?!" He looked a little hurt, and I felt bad, but how could he no expect me to fear him after this.

Maybe that's why he didn't want to tell you?

"No... those are all myths... I'm not going to hurt you Aph, please trust me, I know I'm scary looking, I-I love y-you."

I paused for a second, He glanced up at me his eyes had returned to steel, his eyes still shone behind them the light that told me he was telling the truth.

"A-Aaron I still love you, it just going to take some time to.... get used to.... this" I pointed to his ears, "and this." I motioned to his tail that was wagging at super speeds.

I inched closer and tangled my hand in the hair between his ears, they immediately patted down for me, this tail starting to curl around me.

"T-that f-feels good..." I smile.

Okay, Maybe this is okay, I can deal with this, I can work with this.