Rescuing His Captive Mate: Saving The Future Luna

Chapter 168 - Artem - A Talk With Aaron

~~

Artem

~~

After the lunch with Star's Fae family was over we were still all sitting around the residential area, talking and having a good time. I really couldn't believe the way this was all going for my Star. She had gotten nothing but good news while we were here. She had found her father, she had gotten a lot of new family members that seemed to love and care about her, and she was happy.

That was what mattered to me the most, in all honesty. All I cared about with this trip was that my Star was happy. She was safe and protected, I was making sure of that, but I couldn't control how the other people treated her. Physically, I could protect her as much as any other mate, but emotionally, that was where I was lacking.

As I thought about everything that has happened for me over the last several months, I couldn't help but realize how wonderful my life really was now. There wasn't much else that I could ask for. In all seriousness, I had it all. I had a loving family back home, I was the Alpha, and I was rebuilding my pack. I had a super adorable and beautiful mate who was already giving me a pup, and to top it off, I already had a whole slew of children back home. Those might not be my children biologically, but I was going to raise them all and care for them all just the same.

I had a family, and I didn't want to lose them. When I looked at Aaron, I knew what it was like for a man to lose his family and not have them there for him. This was not something that I would ever let happen to me, nor would I ever let it happen to Aaron again.

It was then that I had a sudden thought. I wanted to talk to Aaron about something. There were a few things that I thought it was best to talk to him about now and get things figured out before we moved forward with anything else.

"Aaron?" I called out to him when there was a lull in his conversation. Most of the people around him didn't seem to notice me saying his name, they were focused on my mate and learning about her. The grandparents, aunts, and uncles were all happily learning everything they could from her. They had already heard all the bad parts, but they were happily talking about all of the good things now.

"Yes, Artem?" Aaron smiled at me and walked over to where I was standing behind the large family.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked him, a hint of uneasiness and nerves in my chest. I don't think any man would like to ask what I was going to, involved father or not.

"Yes, let's step aside and discuss whatever it is that you have in mind." He smiled at me like he already had an idea of what I wanted to talk to him about.

When we were well out of earshot of the group but still able to see them, Aaron facing the family that he knew, and the family that he was just getting to know with a smile on his face, I broached the subject.

"Aaron, I would like to talk to you about something that I believe is important." I felt like I was grimacing right now. I don't even know why I was nervous. This subject was the happiest in the world for me, and I knew that Aaron more than approved of me. Still, it was nerve wracking.

"You are way too nervous, Artem." He grinned at me. "Do you think I mistrust you?" He, like I had guessed, already knew what I wanted.

"You and Star are a lot alike, even having similar magic I see."

"I had not expected that. It is not common for it to be so similar to the parent, but I couldn't be more proud of her. But, yes, we are very alike with that power. My hand of power is the heart's flowers. That also seems to be what Star can summon. With that ability, I am able to see that you are nervous about what you want to talk to me about. You don't need to be nervous though. I accept and approve of you, Artem. You were with my daughter before I was so I really have no right to say no now, do I?" He was smiling like he understood this unique situation better than any of us. Well, we had learned earlier that he was one hundred and nineteen. Apparently, my father-in-law had been born on May 2, 1902. His birthday was only three days before Star's and they were happy to learn that they shared that closeness.

"Well, whether you were there or not, Aaron, you are her father. If I am going to do this right, which I hope to, then I will need your permission. So, without delaying anymore, and with no more beating around the bush, I would like to ask you something important." I cleared my throat, stood up a little straighter and fixed my jacket all at the same time in preparation of what I was about to say. "Aaron Fields, may I please have your daughter's hand in marriage? May I have the chance to love, honor, and respect her for the rest of her days? May I give her the best life that I possibly can and make sure that her days are filled with love and happiness? May I grow old with her and have a family with her that we will both love and cherish?"

"Are you proposing to me or asking for her hand in marriage?" He laughed at me, mischief sparking in his eyes. "Those sounded like wedding vows to me just now, Artem. I can see that you are very serious about this, and that you have had quite a bit of time to practice that little speech of yours." It was easy to tell how he and all the other pixies had gotten the trickster reputation when you saw the way that he was looking at me now. For a second, I was worried that he might make me do something to earn his favor. But then, he spoke and alleviated all of my fears.

"Yes, Artem, you can marry my daughter. I know you love her as much as I loved her mother. As much as I still love her mother."

While he spoke, Aaron pulled something from his pocket. I saw that it was a very old fashioned wallet, something that looked like it had been made back in the fifties or earlier but it still looked nearly brand new. He was opening it and looking at a picture that had been tucked away into the folds. The picture was of him and Star's mother. They had their arms wrapped around each other and they were smiling happily. I could tell that he looked at that picture a lot over the course of almost two decades.

The look in Aaron's eyes told me that he knew exactly what he missed out on, and he didn't want someone else to ever feel that way. When he slid the picture back into its proper place he reached into the folds of the wallet and pulled out something that was wrapped in a small piece of white silk.

The silk looked like nothing more than a piece of scrap at first, but then I noticed that it was a piece of a silk scarf. I had a feeling that it used to be much longer but had been trimmed down for the purpose it was presently used for.

"I had this made when I went home for the Yule Celebration that year. I had wanted to give it to Vivian when I went back to the city. I wanted to ask her what you are wanting to ask my daughter. I think that it would be best for you to have it. I would like for it to finally have a use. Star deserves to have something that was crafted out of love."

The ring he pulled from the silk was beautiful. It was gold but it looked like it had been crafted from tiny little flower petals that would caress Star's finger. The actual circle of the ring was shaped like ivy, it was almost as if the flowers were coming from the vine itself. It must have taken a long time to craft something so intricate. It was beautiful, and I knew that Star would love it.

"Aaron? Are you sure?" I didn't know what to say, this was too much.

"Yes, I am. I want you to use this when you propose to Star, I want her to have the ring that I had meant to give to her mother. I would have liked to have seen the joy this ring would give the recipient, but I will be able to see that on my daughter's face when she marries you."

There were tears in Aaron's eyes now, he had been staring at the ring the entire time that he spoke, but he was looking at me now. I could see the heartache he was still feeling as he thought about the woman he loved and lost.

"Artem?" He said my name with a slightly unsteady voice. "I have something that I would like to ask you."

"I am sure that whatever it is, my answer will be yes. I want to help you out as well, Aaron. After all, you are going to be my father-in-law." I grinned at him.

"That's good to hear." He almost laughed, but didn't quite make it. "Can I come back to live with you all? Can I be near my daughter? At least for a little while?" Now it was his turn to look unsure of himself.

"Like I would tell you no." I laughed. "I am sure Star has been looking for a way to bring you with us already. She will be overjoyed to have you there with her for the birth of our baby."

"Thank you, Artem." Aaron looked like he was really going to cry now. "Thank you so much." With that he hugged me. It was a shock, to be honest. I hadn't been expecting it when he threw his arms around me and held me tight, but I got over it quickly and hugged him back. It was strange, looking at this man and thinking that he was my Star's father. He didn't look much older than me at all. And not only that, but he was about to become a grandfather. Talk about looking young for your age. I couldn't help but laugh at the thought, and when Aaron asked me what was so funny, I just laughed harder. It had been a good conversation with my mate's father, and I was glad I had the courage to talk to him