Chapter 84

Aiden’s POV

When we reached my house, my phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen, groaning when I saw my mother’s name flash across the screen. I thought about denying her call, but I knew I would only get backlash later if I did, I reluctantly answered it while Carol went into the bedroom to get changed.

We were having dinner with her parents this evening, which both of us almost forgot about after our time at the stadium. Thankfully, her mother texted her a reminder while we were driving home, and she rushed to get ready only an hour before we were expected to be there.

“Hello,” I said into the phone, trying not to sound as annoyed as I felt.

“Aiden?” My mother said at the other end. “I wasn’t expecting you to actually answer the phone. You never do.”

I don’t miss the bitterness in her tone, and I roll my eyes, grateful that she can’t see me.

“Is there something you wanted, mother?” I ask her, my own bitterness oozing off my tone.

“I just wanted ot let you know that your father and I discussed it with Katrina’s family, and we agreed to pay her bail money so she can return home.”

My heart dropped into my stomach.

“You did what? Why would you do that? Are you forgetting she stole money from my hockey team and framed my mate?!” I asked through gritted teeth.

“Of course, we didn’t forget. Katrina’s family paid every penny back to Mr. Whitlock including interest and a large fee to make sure he doesn’t press any further charges,” my mother surprised me by saying.

“So, they blackmailed him?” I asked, feeling my anger rising.

“It was business, Aiden,” my mother said simply. “There was no harm done and Katrina is remorseful for her actions. After every cent was paid back, we paid for her bail and got her released early. She’s home now and recovering from spending the last few days in jail. I just wanted to let you know.”

“Why?” I asked, not bothering to hide my disgust. “Why call and tell me?”

“I wanted you to hear it from me and not from a third party,” she told me. “I’m sure the media is covering it by now and this time tomorrow there will be articles about it. You know how the paparazzi are.”

“Yeah,” I murmured, feeling a wave of dread wash over me.

Carol was going to be so upset when she found out that Katrina was walking the streets again.

“She paid for those stalkers to get out of prison,” I muttered. “She put Carol, and her family's lives in danger.”

“As I said, she was remorseful and she wasn’t sure what she was doing when she did that,” my mother said, and I knew without looking at her that she was waving off my concerns with her hand. It was what she always did when I expressed my feelings, and she didn’t want to hear about it. “The real criminal is whoever paid her to do the deed. They didn’t want to get their own hands dirty, so they paid poor Katrina to do it for her. She doesn’t even know who they were, just that they really wanted those prisoners free, and they wanted to make it look like Carol had something to do with it.”

“Maybe Katrina should have asked more questions before she stupidly agreed to it,” I said through my teeth, my annoyance and anger reaching peak levels. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my wolf under control any longer; he was furious from this conversation and all he wanted was to protect Carol.

“Honestly, Aiden. Have some compassion; you’ve known Katrina your whole life and she’s been nothing but kind to you. Don’t let this mistake cloud your judgment of her. We have already forgiven her and spoken to her about her lack of judgment and she agrees that she was wrong. So, just let it go.”

I didn’t want to talk to her any longer and thankfully, Carol walked out of the room wearing a stunning and very casual sundress. Her brown hair was tied back with a pink ribbon and flowed evenly down her back.

She looked up at me with worry in her eyes; no doubt hearing some of this conversation.

“I have to go, Mom,” I spoke with no emotions in my tone.

“Okay. I—” she tried to, but I hung up before she could speak another word.

“Is everything okay?” Carol asked, studying my face and her beautiful eyes.

“Yeah….” I started to say, but then sighed and shook my head. “My parents paid for Katrina’s bail.”

She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

“What?!” She gasped, staring at me with wide and frightened eyes. “She’s free from jail? Why would they do that? Don’t they know what she did?”

I nodded, running my fingers through my hair.

“Yeah, but Katrina’s family paid all the money back, plus interest, and included a large fee so Mr. Whitmore wouldn’t press further charges,” I explained, shaking my head from the conversation I had just had. “My parents think she’s remorseful and she won’t do it again. They say she’s a fucking victim. So, they paid for her release. She’s home now.”

Carol went visibly paler with each word I spoke.

“It’s going ot be okay though,” I said as I quickly rushed toward her and wrapped her in my arms. “I’m not going to let her come near you.”

“She’s capable of a lot of terrible things,” she whispers, worries clear in her tone. “What if she comes after me?”

“Then, I’ll go after her ten times worse,” I assured her, kissing the top of her head gently. “You never have to worry about that. I promise.”

She nods against my chest and pulls away after taking a long inhale of my scent as if she were committing it to memory.

“We should go,” she said, plastering a smile on her perfect lips. “I don’t want us to be late.”

I nodded and followed her out of the house and toward my car where Jarrod was waiting. Jarrod took us across the town and to Carol’s family house.

By the time we got to the house, I could smell the delicious foods her mother was cooking. She always cooked amazing food and my mouth was already watering by the time we entered the house. I greeted Carol’s father with a firm handshake, and I gave her mother a quick hug. Carol hugged both her parents tightly as if she hadn’t seen them in years.

They all started to talk at once, catching up on previous and current events in each of their lives. It was hard to understand a thing they were saying with all their voices going at once. Then they stopped and started laughing.

“You first,” Carol’s mother said ot her daughter, pulling her into the living room and sitting beside her on the couch.

Carol went into telling her parents everything that happened these last few weeks, including the part where we just found out Katrina was released from jail.

Her father was visibly angry about that fact and her mother was worried. But after some reassurance from me that I wasn’t going to let Katrina hurt any of them, especially not Carol, they all seemed to relax a little.

Then, Carol’s parents went into details about their last few weeks, which wasn’t as interesting, but Carol seemed to be hanging off every word they said. I admired the love she had for her family, and I couldn’t help the goofy smile on my face.

But I also noticed something, not for the first time, about Carol and her family as they talked. Their personalities were very much alike, probably because they raised her, but as far as looks go, Carol didn’t look a thing like either of them. It was kind of odd, to be honest; I noticed it the first time I met them too, but I didn’t think much of it.

But lately, Carol has been developing these strange abilities that I’m pretty certain she wasn’t aware of. Like the fact that her pep talks are extremely effective, and she can get the team to feel and think certain things that they didn’t feel or think before. She also was able to get the truth out of a couple of different people these last couple of months, which don’t think I hadn’t noticed. It was strange that Daniel kept his mouth shut until Carol demanded the truth and then suddenly, he was spilling the truth about everything.

The same thing happened with Katrina at Oliver’s birthday party too. She was hellbent on coming clean, even after she was caught red-handed, but after a few choice words from Carol, she was spilling everything.

Don’t get me started on my mother who came to Carol’s rescue, which was completely out of character for her.

I shook my head at the memory; I thought that was just a fluke or a coincidence. But what if it wasn’t? What if that was actually Carol’s special abilities? But that would mean she inherited those abilities from where and from being around her parents, I doubt it was from them.

“I’m just finishing up with dinner and it should be ready shortly,” her mother finally said, standing to her feet.

“I’m going to run to the bathroom before we eat,” Carol said, giving me a quick kiss on the lips before leaving the room.

I went with her parents into the kitchen, the conversation falling silent as her mother finished making dinner and her father finished setting the table and pouring glasses of wine.

“Can I ask you both something?” I found myself saying before I could change my mind. They both looked at me, their eyes large and curious.

“Sure,” Carol’s mother said, cocking her head ot the side as she studied me.

“What’s on your mind?” Her father asked, studying my face.

I took a deep breath; it was now or never. I just hoped they didn’t hate me for asking and I hoped they wouldn’t tell Carol that I did.

“I was wondering…” I stared and then I paused to take a deep breath. “Is Carol adopted?”