After returning to the house Aiden had called the other unit leader Lorcan and arranged for him to interview the parents of the missing couples. He was serious about staying at her side.

"I can't imagine what a trying day it has been for you my dear." Byron reached across the table and patted her hand.

"It wasn't so bad. I'm more sorry about any trouble I may have caused with that vampire Elder." Meryn grimaced at the memory. Gavriel's head turned in her direction.

"What is this about Elder Evreux?" He raised an eyebrow. Meryn felt her cheeks flush. Ben chortled at his mother's side. Now all of the men were looking at her including Aiden's two older brothers who happened to be home for dinner.

"It seems Meryn still has to learn that paranormals have exceptional hearing. She was trying to whisper something to Aiden and of course everyone in the room heard." Byron's face was stern.

"What'd she say?" Colton was on the edge of his seat.

"She asked if all vampires were douche bags, because Gavriel wasn't." Byron's cool composure collapsed and he began to laugh. He laughed so hard he had tears streaming down his cheeks. The men around the table seemed to be in shock. Meryn couldn't tell if it was from her social gaffe or Byron's reaction to it.

"She called Elder Evreux a douche bag?" Gavriel whispered. Shoot me now! Meryn wanted to sink through the floor. Around the table male laughter boomed. First Colton, then Darian, then Keelan followed by Aiden's brothers. The one that shocked her the most was Gavriel's silent laughter. He simply covered his face with his hand and shook. She watched him closely.

"Is he breathing?" She asked Aiden concerned. Aiden looked at his second in command and then raised a hand and slapped him on the back. Gavriel inhaled deeply and a contagious chuckle emerged, this of course set off the entire table again.

"I don't see how that's funny. I was so embarrassed." Meryn frowned down at her lobster tail, determined to crack her own instead of having Aiden do hers again.

"We're not laughing at you dear, it's just that so many of us have wanted to call him that and worse over the decades, it feels good to finally see it happen." Byron kissed her cheek.

"And it was my daughter who put that ass in his place. What an amazing day!" Byron easily snapped another lobster shell, handed Meryn the meat and wordlessly took the one she had been struggling with. Accepting that she was officially the weakest person, no matter where she went she decided to just enjoy the lobster.

"My mate is brutal in her honesty." Aiden winked down at her.

"Only because I know my mate will keep me safe." She said back to him flippantly. The laughter and chatter around the table quieted. Meryn glanced around to see what had happened. Aiden was staring down at her in wonder.

"What?" She frowned up at him.

"Say it again."

"Say what?"

"What you just said." Aiden's smile couldn't be wider.

"Because my mate will keep me safe?" Meryn looked up at him confused.

Aiden let out a loud shout before he stood and scooped her up in his arms. Laughing, he swung her around in the air.

"Oh, that's just beautiful." Adelaide sniffed and dabbed her eyes with her napkin.

"Aiden I'm gonna puke on you." Meryn's head was spinning. He immediately stopped and sat down this time with her in his lap. She swayed, trying to get the room to stop spinning as he nuzzled the back of her neck.

"What in the hell has gotten into you?" She demanded.

"It's the first time you've called me your mate." He beamed at his parents.

"Oh. I kinda accepted that I'm stuck with you." Meryn picked up a breadstick to munch on until her stomach calmed down.

"Because I'm your destined mate?" Aiden teased.

"No, because I love you and I am horribly possessive. I'm never letting you go. So even if Fate made a mistake she can kiss my ass." Meryn waved her breadstick around like a sword. Aiden stood, picking her up in his arms.

"Mother, Father, if you'll excuse us."

"Of course son." Byron sounded choked up. All of the men at the table were grinning like idiots.

"I'm still hungry!" Meryn squirmed. Aiden ignored her and sprinted from the room, heading upstairs.

Once in his room, he set her down and closed the door.

"You must say these things on purpose." He stalked forward. She backed up.

"What do you mean?"

"You must know what they do to me." She backed up until the back of her legs hit the bed.

"Aiden ..." He went to kiss her and she pushed him away.

"We can't yet." Meryn felt lightheaded all the blood in her body was boiling in her cheeks. He froze.

"What do you mean we can't? We're mated. You just claimed me as your mate in front of my entire family. Give me one good reason why we can't!" He bellowed.

"Because I started my cycle this evening." She blurted out the words and sat down on the bed. When he didn't respond, she looked up. He blinked. Then blinked again.

"What does that mean?"

"What do you mean, what does that mean?"

"It means I have no idea what you're saying. Again!" Aiden threw his arms up in the air.

Meryn thought about it. He had been raised by a warrior father and had three brothers. When he left the house he moved in with other men in a military type barracks. She didn't really see Adelaide as the type of woman who would explain these things to her sons, those things were probably never discussed back then. It hit her like a ton of bricks, he really had no clue what she was talking about.