Part 11

"So how is your relationship with Aaron going?" JJ questioned her friend curiously, as they ate lunch together at a little cafe.

"It's going great," Penelope beamed at her friend. "Aaron is such a gentleman, but he's also compassionate, intelligent and kind. He's also not as arrogant as a lot of alphas I've known over the years. Don't get me wrong he can be extremely arrogant, but it's not like those other alphas I dated, where they put the people around them down with those subtle comments or their attitude, probably without even realizing they are doing it or believe they are better then those around them. No, unlike a lot of Alphas I've known Aaron is always polite, even when it's clear that he dislikes somebody. Also when Aaron dislikes somebody there is a more serious reason for it other than their looks or their body shape as he's not that superficial. When Aaron dislikes someone it usually has to do with their attitude towards others, especially those that aren't Alphas themselves or have weaker personalities."

"The kind of attitude where they disregard or disrespect others who are not the same as them or do not fit their standards," JJ said.

"Exactly, and that's the kind of attitude that I dislike intensely," Penelope said. "A lot of people with that kind of attitude will bully others, treat them like dirt or at least try to force their will upon those with weaker personalities. I dated a few such Alphas and believe me I broke up with them fairly quickly, even if they didn't want to, but I wasn't going to be bullied or forced into mating with them so they could treat me like garbage. Aaron is way different than the few alphas I dated before and..."

"You're falling in love with him," JJ said, as she sipped her Coca-Cola.

"Yes, I am, but I wish I wasn't," Penelope whispered.

"Why not?" JJ asked puzzled. "Aaron is a good man."

"Because it will hurt more when he finally breaks up with me," Penelope explained, thinking she was being perfectly logical.

"Why would you imagine he'd break up with you?" JJ asked in utter surprise and astonishment. "The two of you seem to suit each other as well as Dave and I do."

"Because that's always what happens no matter how long or short the relationship may be," said Penelope. "Before though, I've never been this close to anyone or even came close to falling in love as I have with Aaron Hotchner and I just know it's going to destroy me when we finally do break up and he finds someone more attractive."

"Penny you need to realize that you're just as attractive as all those model types out there," JJ told her friend in exasperation wanting to shake some sense into her. She didn't, though it was hard to resist the urge. "You've got to stop taking everything people who are jealous of your beauty and goodness to heart. Not everyone is an idiot, though I admit there are a lot of idiots out there. I mean seriously you're beautiful inside and out, which is likely what attracted Aaron in the first place. Why would you believe Aaron would want someone whose beautiful, but likely very shallow as a puddle of water after a Spring rain? Someone who would likely act unreasonable at least in privacy like his ex-mate did?"

JJ shook her head at Penelope and looked at her as if she couldn't believe her friends attitude.

"Look, tell me something has Aaron played the game with you?"

"Well, yes," Penelope said feeling thoroughly chastised. "Every week like clockwork. He even uses medicinal cream afterwards so that my butt stops hurting sooner."

"And that right there ought to tell you that Aaron cares about you a great deal, because I don't believe he would play the game with you or at least not as often, much less doctor your butt afterwards if he wasn't attracted. Will for instance never doctored my butt after we played and to tell you the truth we hardly ever played at all, which left the Omega in me very unsatisfied and the woman as well. He never even made sure that I knew that it was play and not genuine punishment just left me to deal with my stinging butt myself. As Dave figured out when we first got together Will never used his Knot to Lock me meant that I only had singletons both times he got me pregnant and why Henry and Michael are so far apart in age. In any case, if Aaron's anything like Dave he probably wouldn't even have asked you out in the first place if he wasn't genuinely attracted. Dave's not the type to just ask anybody out on a date, as there has to be some lust and attraction as well as genuine liking there. Dave has admitted that he lusted after Carolyn, but didn't really love her like he believed at the time. He was attracted certainly, but attraction isn't love. He didn't even care at the time that Carolyn was sterile due to a childhood disease."

"I hadn't thought of it like that," Penelope admitted her hopes rising that something permanent would actually come out of her relationship with Aaron, as she had fallen in love with him. She wasn't used to her relationships working out, so she had been sure that Aaron would break up with her at some point, which would devastate her. Now, thanks to JJ's little lecture and her pointing out that Aaron was doing what an Alpha should to keep their relationship healthy she had hoped that their relationship would become permanent. She was just so used to being cast aside when some other gorgeous woman came along, that that's what she'd expected to happen this time as well. On the other hand though, Aaron hadn't dated for three years after his break up with Haley and she was the first person that he had dated in all that time. Sure part of that time had likely been to get over his feelings of betrayal and devastation at that betrayal, but Aaron could've started dating after a year, a year and a half and yet he hadn't.

Penelope wasn't even sure what had made Aaron ask her out on that date, because there were far prettier girls at that cookout then she was or at least that's what she believed. However, Aaron had said that he had been mated with someone very similar to a lot of the Omegas at the cookout and he didn't want the same thing to happen again. Not all beautiful woman were like his ex-mate, but still, Penelope could understand Aaron's point of view and how he wanted someone totally different in looks and personality from the one that betrayed him.

"Well, you need to start thinking about it like that and stop assuming you're going to be eventually rejected for a supposedly superior model, just because that's what's happened every time. Really, all those people that told you or at least gave you the impression, you would never get mated because you weren't pretty enough or you weren't slim enough were idiots. I mean seriously beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not everybody is so focused on just how someone looks on the outside instead of what's inside a person. You have to realize that Aaron is older than you by a few years and he would have gotten past the stage where he only concentrated on how someone looked on the outside instead of what was on the inside. A lot of stunningly gorgeous girls are very shallow and yes, I know I'm stereotyping, but that doesn't make it any less true. I mean look at Haley his former mate, I'm sure you've seen pictures of her and that she was a stunningly gorgeous woman. Now tell me why Aaron would go for the same type that hurt him again as he's smarter than that," JJ lectured.

"You do have a point," Penelope admitted.

"Besides, you ought to know by now that Dave would never be friends with someone if they were going to do what you suggested with no reason to do so. If you and Aaron do break up it won't be because he decided that you weren't suitable and immediately go after a supposedly prettier model. If it happens it will be, because you're too different in personality and all that's between you is lust and attraction, nothing else. In your case, I don't see that happening because it's clear that you adore each other," JJ said. "I suspect that you'll be mating sometime in the very near future and if I'm wrong..." JJ shrugged and said, "Well, I don't believe I'm wrong in this case."

"That would be a dream come true for me," Penelope sighed, as she ate the rest of her lunch.

"But you don't really believe that'll happen," JJ suggested shrewdly.

Penelope shrugged and didn't answer, mostly because she didn't want to confirm what JJ had suggested.

"You just wait and see. If Aaron doesn't ask you to mate with him in the next couple months at the outside then Dave and I will both be very shocked, as courtships for our kind aren't usually very long," JJ said. "Also if you aren't pregnant immediately afterwards I'll be doubly shocked."

"Yes, that's what it is, a courtship," Penelope said slowly. "We see see each other for a few hours nearly every day, even if that's in the evening after Aaron gets off work, though sometimes we see each other for lunch to. The only time we don't see each other is if Aaron is busy working on a court case and he needs all the time he can get to prepare."

"Well, that right there ought to tell you something because the two of you wouldn't be spending so much time together unless you were heading in the direction of a long and happy life with each other, one with many children," JJ pointed out triumphantly.

"Well, I sincerely hope you're right," Penelope said finally allowing herself to be convinced at her friend's words because she wanted to be.

JJ said nothing, but she still knew that her friend still had massive doubts about her relationship with Aaron. She couldn't really blame Penny for that though considering that her friend had been rejected so often for more gorgeous girls that it had left a deep, unerasable mark on her psyche.

The two finished their lunch in silence and they decided by mutual consent just do their shopping without bringing the subject up again.

~~~Healed Hearts~~~

"So how did lunch and shopping with Penny go?" Dave asked.

"It went just fine," JJ promised, as she kissed Dave passionately. "I bought several new things that I'm sure you'll enjoy me modeling for you."

"Oh, absolutely," Dave grinned at the thought. Jennifer had excellent taste, so he always enjoyed whenever she bought a new outfit or several new outfits that she could model for him. "Tell me what's bothering you? I can tell that something is," Dave gently suggested easily seeing the worry in JJ's eyes.

"Let's go somewhere private and I'll tell you," JJ said.

The two of them walked up the stairs to the bedroom and shut the door.

"So tell me," Dave urged her.

"Really I'm fine it's not me, it's Penny," JJ assured him.

"What's wrong with Penny?" Dave asked with a worried frown.

"Healthwise she's fine, because you know that our species doesn't get sick easily, but emotionally and mentally it's a different matter," JJ began and then told Dave all about her conversation with their friend.

"Basically, you're saying that Penny believes that Aaron will break up with her just to go out with someone she considers more suitable then herself, so you had to give her a little lecture," Dave said.

"Yeah, that's basically it," JJ sighed. "I don't think Penny believes that she deserves to be happy or maybe it's she doesn't believe she deserves someone as handsome as Aaron is. If you get teased or bullied or picked on about your looks often enough as a child it has an effect on you no matter how tough emotionally you believe yourself to be and we both know that Penny is extremely softhearted, one of those people that take such comments as the truth, which can then affect you years later."

"So you think you convinced her at least partially that Aaron wasn't the type to do that," Dave said and JJ nodded.

"I believe I did, as she seemed to cheer up after we finished lunch and started shopping," JJ said. "I'll bet you that she dated alphas before that weren't halfway in Aaron's league or that she deliberately chose Alphas that she couldn't possibly form a connection with, even if she did it subconsciously. I think she truly believes that the average, boring joes or those that are geeks, intelligent in certain areas, but not knowing much beyond whatever their interest are, are all she deserves. She doesn't seem to believe that she's good enough for someone like Aaron because in her mind she's never been pretty or slim enough for someone so handsome to take an interest in her as anything other than a friend. I also think that she deliberately went out with Alphas that there was no way she could possibly form a serious relationship with and that treated her terribly because she truly believes that's what she deserves."

"I know that's how she subconsciously thinks which is why I wanted us to try our hand at matchmaking, as it was easy to discern just from talking to her for a few minutes. I didn't think that Penny would ever find someone on her own mostly because of her subconscious making her pick those that are in no way worthy of her. She likely doesn't even realize that's the reason she picks a certain kind of man. In any case, she has every right to be nervous, because she's dating someone that treats her properly, because Aaron would never do anything less, just like I never would," Dave said.

"I only hope that Penny doesn't do something stupid and break up with him out of fear, because she already admitted that she was in love with him, but expects Aaron to break up with her any day now. She said that would devastate her if that happened, because she's never formed such a close connection to someone that she's interested in romantically," JJ said. "I tried my best to point out that they were acting just like an Alpha and Omega couple should and that Aaron was performing his duties because I asked her if they played the game."

"And I bet you her answer was yes," Dave said confidently. "Aaron would never get into a serious relationship with anyone unless they agreed to act like a real Alpha and Omega couple and that means playing the game at least once a week, even if they broke up later because they discovered they weren't suitable for each other. He would have made sure Penny agreed with that before they seriously started dating."

"That's exactly what I pointed out to her too," JJ agreed. "I'm pretty sure that's one of the reason Penny's in love with him because Aaron has taken the time to play spank her for some fictitious wrong, so that the Omega in her was happy and likely also made sure that she understood it wasn't a serious punishment, just like you do with me whenever we play. She hasn't said so, but I get the impression that the few alphas she dated before almost never did that."

"It happens," Dave snorted his contempt for those Alpha's attitudes clear. "If that's the kind of Alpha Penny's been dating, the kind that don't know their duty or just don't care to perform it, it's no wonder their relationship never went anywhere and I doubt very much they lasted more than a few weeks. Play spanking an Omega is just part of our culture, our traditions and customs, as you well know and although it is considered play we do it for some very serious reasons."

"It's to make sure the Omega doesn't get more seriously punished because they forget to act appropriately in public, like if they flirted with others who would likely be human, since our kind would be able to tell that an Omega is off the market, though some Alphas don't care if an Omega is taken or not. Also it helps the Alpha to keep their very strong instincts, like the need to protect their property under control, so that they don't go ballistic on somebody in public and possibly kill them, even if that will most likely be a human who doesn't know any better," JJ recited and Dave nodded. "Of course, since we're lifemates I would never imagine cheating on you or flirting with anyone else, not even causally, but that's not true for most of our species. Aaron and Penny aren't lifemates, because they would've mated immediately otherwise, but they are certainly well-suited to each other, much like my sister and Pav are."

"I agree with you," Dave said. "I always felt that Aaron and Penny were well-suited, because I knew both of them, even if I've known Penny for a much shorter time than I have Aaron."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it, except subtly encourage Penny, as much as we can," JJ sighed with a frown of worry. "I just want her to be happy, as she certainly deserves to be, you know?"

"I don't think Penny will be so stupid, as to break up with him, not if she's really in love anyway," Dave said. "I'm nearly positive that Aaron plans on proposing sometime in the next month or two."

"I told Penny the same because Omega and Alpha courtships and don't usually last more than two or three months tops," JJ said. "The two of them have been practically spending every spare minute together for a month now and I don't see that happening if they hadn't fallen in love or at least weren't very strongly attracted."

"No, they might date twice, maybe three times a week, but they wouldn't be spending every spare minute together, but I don't think Penny's picked up on the fact that Aaron spends quite a bit more time in her company then is normal for a traditional courtship at least from what you tell me. She expects to be rejected, so she expects that to happen this time as well, which is probably why she doesn't realize that her and Aaron spending so much time together is unusual," Dave said. "She might even be preventing herself from realizing that out of fear of it not working out."

"Yes, that's very possible," JJ admitted, frowning in concern. "The same thing can happen to humans as well as our species, so in that way we are very similar."

"I'm sure that Aaron has picked up the signs and he'll probably speed things up as much as he can without making it obvious, as he is observant and intelligent," Dave said.

"I hope so, because I really want Penny to be happy, Aaron too of course," JJ said. "I know I'm going to worry about it the back of my mind until Aaron and Penny actually mate."

"We all want what's best for our friends and I do believe that Aaron and Penny are best for each other, so I'll worry to, even if there is nothing we can really do," Dave sighed.

"No, unfortunately, there's not, as neither would appreciate us interfering," JJ said.

"I truly believe that things will work out and once Penny is mated to Aaron if things go like I believe they will a lot of her doubts will fade away," Dave said. "Not all of them will be permanently banished, but so long as Aaron continues acting like an Alpha should I do believe that a lot of them will simply disappear once they have mated."

"I hope you're right," JJ said.

Dave said nothing, simply holding Jennifer in his arms and comforted her as best he could, but knowing that was really nothing he could do to make her stop worrying about her friend's situation. One of the things that he loved about Jennifer was that she truly, deeply cared about others and even though neither one of them had known Penny very long she was still a good friend and as for Aaron, Jennifer was just getting to know him while he had known Aaron for years and they had been friends for all that time.

"Well, there's no point of worrying about it right now," JJ said finally. "Or at least I'll try my best not to."

"You're right, there's no worrying about it, but neither of us can help doing so, as we have a vested interest, since we want our friends happy, as happy as we have been," Dave said.

The two simply sat there on the bed for a few more minutes before leaving the bedroom to get back to their normal routine, so that at least they could be distracted from their worries for awhile.

~~~Healed Hearts~~~

One month later

"I want to make you and me permanent if you're amicable," Aaron told Penelope after they had gotten back from yet another date and Penelope had asked him up to her apartment for drinks.

The two had been dating nearly every day for the last two months and Aaron now know that he loved Penelope Garcia. They usually spent most of their evening hours together, sometimes with his children, sometimes without.

They had often made love, but Aaron had always been cautious enough to use a condom so that Penelope wouldn't get pregnant. Now though, if she agreed to be his mate he couldn't wait to get her pregnant with at least twins. She also got along well with his children and they all adored her, which was another reason he had fallen in love with her. She had a knack with children and it was clear that she spent a lot of time around them, even if she didn't have any of her own. It was likely that most of her family did though.

"I love you, so much and I can imagine the rest of my life without you in it," Aaron said, as he took the rather stunned Penelope in his arms. "I want you to be my mate, my wife, my partner in all things."

Aaron let go of Penelope temporarily and dug a jewelry box out of his pocket and opened the lid. Inside was a beautiful ruby ring.

"I accept," Penelope squealed excitedly. "I love you too and I adore your children."

"That's been obvious from the beginning," Aaron said smiling as widely as he ever had. He slid the gorgeous ruby ring onto the offered finger and kissed the back of her hand, before putting his arms back around her, holding her close.

His feelings for the beautiful woman in his arms were much stronger than they ever had been for Haley. He loved everything about Penelope, she was gentle, compassionate and kind, loving, tender, gentle and passionate. With Penelope at his side he could look forward to a long and happy life and coming home every day to his family.

Haley had better make sure she stayed away, because if she dared harm one hair on Penelope's or any of their children's heads he would show her absolutely no mercy, Aaron thought fiercely. There was no way he would let his ex-mate ruin the happiness he had found after her betrayal.

Dave's mate JJ had been lucky and he knew it when she had been so badly injured by those thugs that had been hired by Dave's former mate Carolyn. It was unlikely the same thing would happen again for the love of his life. If Haley thought it was a good idea to get revenge by attacking Penelope when she was just going about her normal routine, like JJ had been, as Dave had told him all about the incident.

He sincerely hoped that Haley wasn't that stupid and could control her need for vengeance, because he would put her to death without a qualm and he didn't want to do that because it would hurt his children, since she was technically, still their mother, even if their emotional and parental connections had been severed.

Aaron kissed Penelope passionately and she responded exactly as he expected with equal passion.

The kiss broke finally leaving both of them panting and wanting more.

"We can't do this here," Aaron said having a difficult time resisting his beautiful soon-to-be mate.

"The first mating always takes place in the home of the Alpha," Penelope quoted what she had learned as a child.

"Exactly, so I suggest that we go to my house, as the children should be in bed. We can worry about hiring a moving van to move all your stuff over to my house in the morning."

"Just let me pack a bag first," Penelope said. "I just need a few things. It won't take long."

Aaron nodded consent and watched as Penelope hurried into the bedroom

It was only 5 minutes later when Penelope emerged from the bedroom with a tote bag slung over her shoulder.

Aaron took it from her silently and put it on his shoulder, before he escorted his beautiful soon-to-be mate out the door

It was only a 10 minute drive to his place at that late hour, so soon Aaron unset the alarm and escorted Penelope inside.

"Just let me leave a note for Sheila, so that she knows I'll be unavailable for at least the next 24 hours," Aaron said, after resetting the alarm. "Sheila was aware that this was coming, as she's incredibly perceptive, so she'll understand. Besides, you're the the first I've dated since Haley betrayed me and she knows it. She'd been urging me to start dating again, long before we met, so she'll be happy that I've mated with you, because as I said she knew it was coming, saw how close we were becoming."

"What about the children though?" Penelope said.

"They are also old enough to understand and they've been asking me if you were going to be their new mother for the last few weeks anyway and since it was in the back of my mind to ask you after the first month..." Aaron said. "In any case, I didn't answer in the affirmative, but I wanted to, but didn't want to get their hopes up just in case you said no."

"They asked me the same thing a few weeks back, but I thought they were joking, just being children," Penelope blushed. "I should've taken into account that they're old enough to notice the changes in their father and also that they are perceptive and intelligent. By the way, I never would've said no as, I love you, deeply and completely."

"I should've known they'd said something to you," Aaron chuckled. "I'm glad to know that you do love me, because I definitely do you and more deeply and truly then I ever did my kids mother. Now shall I carry you upstairs, gorgeous?"

"You shall," Penelope said with love and happiness shining in her eyes.

"I want to get you pregnant as soon as possible," Aaron said, the Alpha beginning to show in his dark eyes.

"I want you to, I've been wanting children for years and you know it," Penelope said. "I want to have your children as many as we can afford. I see nothing wrong with having 20 children running around as I come from a very large family, larger than is normal for our kind."

"If possible we'll have that many and if we do I'm not going to object and in fact, I'll be overjoyed," Aaron said, as he swept Penelope up in his arms and started to carry her upstairs. "Even if we only get half a dozen I'll be happy."

"I'm young enough that I can get pregnant probably up to five, maybe six times before it will not be as safe for me to, as I'm 36," Penelope said. "Because our species gets pregnant every year, year and a half and with the gestation being only six months I figure by the time I get pregnant that many times I'll be in my late 40s."

"Well, let's get started shall we?" Aaron growled possessively causing Penelope to shiver with delight and desire, as her new mate carried her straight into the master bedroom. He put her on the bed, which was a different from the one he had shared with his ex-mate as he had nearly done what Dave had done if he had only known it and that was set the other bed on fire, but instead had donated it. He'd also had the bedroom repainted so that it looked nothing like the one he had shared with Haley. Only then had he been comfortable enough to sleep here.

Aaron pulled Penelope gently to her feet, then held her in front of him in the mating embrace, with one arm under her breasts and the other wrapped around her stomach. Penelope was panting and eager, and the Alpha in him was satisfied at his mate's response. Aaron let his mating teeth descend, scraping them gently over Penelope's mating gland on the right side of her neck.

Penelope whimpered in need and that whimper turned to a keen of pleasure when Aaron finally bit down, getting some of the liquid on his tongue, which caused him to groan in satisfaction. He sucked a little and the rest of the fluid from Penelope's mating gland came flooding into his mouth, causing him to come in his pants.

"Mine!" Aaron growled possessively, even as he licked her mating gland, with this tongue. "Mine!"

"Yours!" Penelope agreed with a whimper. "I had begun to doubt that I would ever find someone that I could love for a lifetime. Not anymore though."

Aaron easily ripped the blouse that Penelope was wearing and the pieces immediately fluttered to the floor.

"I'll buy you another," Aaron promised, "but now bed!"

Penelope obeyed eagerly removing her pants, underwear, shoes and socks before laying on her back on the bed her legs spread wide.

Aaron removed his clothes in record time and immediately pounced on her. His cock was already pulsing with his seed and his Knot was already beginning to grow. This was despite the fact that he had already came in his pants just a minute ago, which he hadn't done since he was a teenager.

His new mate was already wet and ready for him and this pleased his inner Alpha, as he thrust his cock in smoothly not having time for foreplay as he wanted Penelope to badly.

He was just in time it seemed, because the Knot that was part of every male of his kind penis suddenly grew to a size that would not have fit in her narrow passage if he had been a few seconds later.

His Knot had never grown as fast with Haley, not even after they had first mated so he knew that his feelings for his Penelope were at least 10 times stronger. He knew deep inside that Penelope would never betray him the way Haley had as she was to honest.

It was only minutes later with very little stimulation needed that Aaron's penis shot his seed into Penelope's body and his mate climaxed at the same time. Aaron knew that his mate would be pregnant by the end of the night and that made the Alpha in him practically purr in pleasure, anticipation and satisfaction, as that part of him wanted to get his Penelope pregnant as soon as possible.

Now that the pressure in his cock had been released Aaron began to gently make love to his mate having her withering beneath him in seconds and another climax erupting throughout her body for the third time that night. The first climax had been after Aaron had claimed her as his, the second after Aaron had spurted his seed into her for the first time and now the third, as Aaron made slow, tender and gentle love to her causing her third climax of the night, all within minutes of each other.

Penelope knew very well that the two of them were just getting started and they would be making love for most of the night, before falling asleep, only to wake up and make love again. It was definitely something she was looking forward to as she loved Aaron so much and she had begun to give up hope of ever finding someone to settle down with.

It just went to show you that life could throw you a curveball when you were least expecting it and she was so deliriously happy it had and she was glad she hadn't let her doubts get in the way of love.

Aaron was Knotted inside her, so they wouldn't be able to separate by more than a few inches until it went back to it's normal size, which likely wouldn't be until morning. Having the love of her life Knotted inside her was just fine with her as she loved having his weight on top of her and she just knew she would soon be pregnant, something that deeply thrilled her, because she had been wanting children for a long time.

Aaron continued to make love to her, until hours later they both drifted off to sleep with Aaron's weight on top of her both more than satisfied.

~~~Healed Hearts~~~