Trinidad arrived back from the grocery store and entered with some bags. Garret walked out of his small office to help. "Thank you, honey." Garret smiled and nodded as he took the bags off his wife's hands and went to the kitchen to drop them off on the table. Trinidad's look softened when she looked at her husband. She knew he was still hurt and tried to disguise it with smiles. Her husband would always be in his study, doing some work for the pack, but it wasn't the same; Garret didn't have the same drive while he was Beta. Trinidad tried talking to him about it, but he would brush it off or try to convince her that it was nothing.
"Are there other bags in the car?" asked Garret.
"Yes, my love. I would appreciate your help." She watched as her husband walked outside toward the car. "I have caused him so much pain. I need to find a way to fix this by Christmas." Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone vibrated; she held and answered it. "Hello?"
The other end was silent, but a sigh was heard. "H-Hey Trinidad, it's me."
The older woman gasped as she immediately went to her room and closed the door. "Aidoneus, is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. S-Sorry for calling out of the blue. Is this a good time? Can I still call you?"
"Of course you can. Don't feel that you have a fault in your father's decisions. I was the one who made the mistake, and I dragged you and Garret in my insistence. So what's up, Aidoneus? It's not like you to call your nosey auntie!" Trinidad was surprised that Aidoneus called her; she was glad he did. She couldn't deny viewing Aidoneus as a nephew since she saw him grow up. Also, Trinidad couldn't help but notice his tone of voice; he sounded concerned and nervous.
"I-I didn't tell you this because I knew how you would react but I found my mate."
Trinidad sat silently on the bed as she slowly grasped the information she was told. When her mind finally accepted the news, Trinidad immediately walked out to the balcony and closed the door. She screamed happily but not too loud so Garret couldn't hear her. "Y-You found your mate! When!?"
"Pl-Please calm yourself! It was when we went to spy on Pops and his mate. My mate was there at the ice rink."
"Wh-Wh-Why didn't you tell me there and then!?" Aidoneus let out an annoyed ground; Trinidad giggled. "He's just like Treyton."
"It's because I knew how you would react. I knew that you would try to butt in my dating life, and we all know how that turned out." The two were silent, and the young werewolf felt he spoke out of turn. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
Trinidad looked through the window to ensure her husband wasn't in view, then continued, "It's okay. It's the truth; I learned my lesson. I hate hurting my husband the most; he looks so lost."
"How is Garret, by the way? I couldn't stop thinking about him."
"He's quiet and is getting bored. Being Beta gave him drive, and he felt he was a failure. I called your father to see if he could give Garret his position back; I don't care if I don't participate in planning the Christmas Party. I just want Garret to be happy."
Aidoneus felt bad for Garret; he wanted to make his wife happy. However, his father's word was final, so he changed the subject. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you I took my mate out on a date today."
"Oh? How did it go? What's her name?"
"Her name is Persefone, and the date went well. We went to a unique coffee shop that I never heard of. We had so much fun."
The older woman could tell that something bothered the young werewolf. He wouldn't call her out of the blue unless something was wrong. "Your mate has a unique name, but I can't help but feel that something else happened."
"W-Well, when Persfeone went to the restroom, she accidentally left her phone and she received a text message that said that Persefone is missed and to call back or something. I'm conflicted."
Trinidad paced back and forth; she couldn't believe Aidoneus and Treyton were in similar situations regarding mates. However, Aidoneus was new to dating, and finding his mate was a pressure on his own. "So, you are wondering whether or not your mate received a text from another guy, right?"
"I-I don't want to think of the worst-case scenario, but I can't help but feel overwhelmed with anger and worry. The text has to be from a guy. Who would send an 'I miss you' text? She did say that it was from a former friend. I feel that she is hiding something."
"Well, I guess you are in a serious pickle. You young people don't know how to communicate well. I don't know what is happening with your mate's personal life, but if she texts another man, it is unfair to you. You need to be honest with your feelings and ask her about the text. I know you don't want to ask because you don't want to risk losing her. Mates have to be honest with each other to make the relationship work. I also know that your mate, Persefone, will respect you more when you are honest and upfront with her. She will see that you are a man of self-respect and value. The next time you see her, be honest on what you saw and how it made you feel. Understand?"
Aidoneus was quiet momentarily. He was afraid to be upfront with Persefone; the text could have been a misunderstanding, but the endless possibilities would plague his thoughts. Getting the ugly truth would be better than living a beautiful lie. "You're right, Trinidad. I will ask her when we go out again. Thank you for hearing me out."
The older woman smiled. "No problem,, and please don't be a stranger. Although we're punished, it doesn't mean we can't see one another. Take care, and tell me how it goes." The two hung up, and Trinidad reentered the room. However, Garret stood by the door, his arms crossed. "Hello, darling. I imagine you heard some of the conversation."
"Some of it. It would seem that Aidoneus found his mate."
"That he did. I'm surprised that he called me instead of telling his father."
Garret shrugged. "He probably needed a woman's advice since you would understand her way of thinking. However, we can't pry and get involved in his personal life; he needs to make his own decisions."
Trinidad walked to her husband and hugged him tightly. "I know, my love. I learned the hard way." The couple looked at one another and then kissed each other. "I never got the opportunity to say this, but I'm sorry, Garret. I'm sorry that I got you in trouble, and I promise that I will never put you in that situation again."
"Trinidad, you don't need to apologize. It hurts me to see you like this." Husband and wife looked at one another and hugged, enjoying each other's embrace.
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