My Step-Dad Is My Mate
Chapter 8

Few Days Later

I had just left school and was now heading towards the woods toHaven.

The past couple of days have been...undescribable. I have barely seenAiden because for some reason I keep pushing him away, I stay thelongest I can out of the house and avoid my mother and Richard at allcosts.

The thought of moving out was really crossing my mind right now. I'm18 now and I can access the trust fund my father left for me. It wouldbe more than enough to buy my own small house, furnish it and soforth and still have money left over. Of course I don't intend on usingall of it in one shot so I'd get a job, get my life together. All I need to dowas catch up in school with the classes I've been missing, graduate andthen get the hell out.

Last night I got home pretty late and guess who was waiting for me?Richard. He tried to "talk" to me but that did not go well.

Flashback I opened my front door and stepped into my house.2:34am.

They should be asleep by now.

"Where were you Danica?"

Shit.

"None of your goddamn business Richard.”

"Danica, we need to talk." He said as he walked closer to me but I tooka step back.

"Don't come near me."

Richard sighed and stopped dead in his tracks. "At least come outside.Your mother hasn't been sleeping that well.”

"Who gives a fuck?!" I exclaimed and threw my hands up, "You'redestroying my fucking family Richard. Look at this! I can't even standthe sight of my own mother now, all because of you.”

"Don't shout.” He whisper yelled at me and I gave him the finger."Don't shout? Is that all you can say? After everything you've done tome? Go to hell."

I began to walk away but he grabbed my arm and I flinched away. Anytime he touched me I felt the sparks and the pull even stronger thanbefore and I will not be weak now.

"I'm sorry...for what I did..” He said lowly.

"If you haven't gotten the memo, I don't care for your apologies. Sofuck you and it. You knew if you slept with her it would hurt me. Everydamn wolf knows that you stupid ass. For a grown man, you sure are adamn stupid one.” I said with disgust and hatred lacing every word Ispoke.

Richard's face became torn and then suddenly pissed

"You don't see me saying anything when you hang out with that wolfboy!"

I stared at him in disbelief. "You can't compare Aiden to this. At leastI'm not fucking him!

Because I know you damn well haven't felt anything! You are hurtingme every single day and Aiden has only helped me feel better. I've beenpushing him away because of you! You! And he doesn't deserve that,you do Richard. And you know something else? I reje-"

"What's going on down here?"

My head snapped up to see my mother standing at the bottom of thesteps with a tear stained face.

"Nothing." I said with narrowed eyes at Richard.

"Don't do this." He said to me through our mind link and I blocked himout immediately.

Sending Richard one last hard glare, I stomped out of the room andbrushed past my mother to my own room,

I screamed the loudest I could as I sat in the safety of my Haven.Remember I said I used this place to release pent up anger that Icouldn't show in front of my mom?

Well, this is it. This is me at my weakest and I've never felt so alone. Imiss my father so much.

He would know what to do about any situation, but would he knowwhat to do about this?

I let another high pitches screamed and gripped the forest grassbetween my fingers. I couldn't even cry, they didn't fall and I didn't feelthem coming.

"Someone's angry."

I jumped from my crouched position to face the owner of the voice thatspoke.

"Aiden..."

"What are you doing out here Danica?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "Screaming as you can see.”

Aiden just nodded and leaned against a tree with his arms folded.

I knew he must be angry that I've been pushing him away but I swear Idon't mean too.

"You're mad at me aren't you?" My voice cracked at the end of mywords as guilt flooded my nerves.

He sighed and pushed his body off of the tree and slowly walked overto me. "I'm not mad at you Dani. I just don't like seeing you get hurtover this. You don't see how much I care about you. All I want to do ishelp but I can't do that if you want let me."

My hands were trembling slightly and I rubbed them together. At themoment I didn't know what to say so I closed the gap between us andengulfed Aiden in a hug.

“I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.”

His arms wrapped around me and I buried my face in his chest.

"It's okay Danica."

We stayed like that for a few minutes, just in each other's arms until hepulled away a little.

"But ya know..just sorry doesn't cut it." He said with a smirk and myeyes widened.

He isn't talking about...No he can't be can he?

"No I'm not talking about THAT." He reassured me and I felt a littlerelieved.

"Then what?"

Aiden moved some strands of my hair away from my eyes and smileddown at me.

"Let me take you out."