“Ugh!” I let out as I threw the book I was currently looking through at the wall near the door, the pages shattering on impact.
“Sorry,” a small voice whispered. I whipped my head to the quiet voice that spoke out to me.
A pair of blue eyes stared up as me as mine connected with the little girl. The one Layla had brought with her, Zea.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said, hesitant about intruding.
I gave her a slight smile as I walked around the chair in front of me to stand before her, “It’s alright.”
She nodded her head slightly before looking back to the book I had shattered against the wall. Confusion covered her tiny features, “Why did you do that?” she asked.
“Um,” I was at a loss at how to answer her.
“Did the book do something wrong?” she asked, clearly confused by my behavior.
Running my hand through my hair out of habit, I thought of a way to explain an action that was not exactly one easily explained. After a second of thought, I knelt in front of her, so we were on eye level, “Well you see, the book did nothing wrong.”
“Then why did you throw it?”
“I was very angry with myself because I am having trouble solving a problem,” I tell her.
“What kind of problem?” she inquired. The curiosity in her eyes reminded me of my past.
“The one your Aunt Layla has brought to my attention.”
She nodded her head in understanding. She looked to be no more than five or six years old, yet she seemed to understand everything I said without any difficulty. After a moment, she looked back at me and asked, “May I help you solve the problem with the rogues?”
It was a bit shocking that she knew what was happening back at her pack, but I could respect a child who was mature enough to not break down in the situation, “Very well.”
She shook her head up and down as she walked past me to the table I had been sitting at. Grabbing the first book that she came across, she pulled if off the table and headed over to one of the plush chairs. Pulling herself up, I watched as she opened the book and began to scour the pages for information about the attack she saw.
Constantly taking glances at the small child, I walked back to where I was sitting before and began to go through another one of the books I had placed on the table. It was only five minutes before Zea spoke up.
“Have you thought about the magic people?” she asked. I put down my book to look at her. She was watching me as she pointed to a picture in the book she had picked up, “This book says magic people like blood.”
“Warlocks,” I tell her.
“Warlocks,” she repeated, “Is this what you are looking for?”
I went next to her and gently took the book from her and began to read the pages.
“This is exactly what I was looking for,” I told her, smiling at her.
She smiled back to me before jumping up from her seat, “Well my job is done then,” she shouted happily as she skipped out of the room, hollering back to me, “Good bye Alpha!”
I laughed slightly as I watched her leave.
She is a perfect pup, Knox commented.
I was a bit shocked at his sudden input, Where have you been? I asked him.
Around, he said secretly, I had things I had to do.
Like what? I asked him.
I can’t tell you yet, he answered cryptically, You aren’t ready yet.
I was confused by his secrecy towards me. Knox never kept things from me since we were the same person. He was protective and possessive, but never secretive. I started to wonder about all the things he would keep from me.
My thoughts were interrupted by Layla’s voice, “May I come in?”
I stared up at her, taking in the woman I had met so many years ago, “Of course.”
I gestured to the seat across from me and we both sat down.
“How are you feeling?” I asked her.
She gave me a soft smile, “Better. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine,” I answer automatically.
“Of course you are,” she said, nodding her head but biting her lip as if to try and hold back what she wanted to say, “I would be too if I lost my mate. Oh wait, I have,” she snapped.
“Layla-”
“Don’t give me that bullshit Axton,” she scolded me, “I remember the first time I met you. It was the Christmas party you threw for your mate.”
I smiled slightly at the memory of how happy my mate looked when she came down those stairs to see all of our family there to celebrate the holidays with us, “It was a great day,” I breathed out.
“Yes it was,” she said, “You were the happiest person I have ever seen. All it took was for you to look at her and you would instantly have a smile on your face.”
“Things change,” I said, my cold tone overshadowing all the memories she was trying to make me think of.
“Yes they do,” she says coldly. I was a bit confused over her sudden harshness, “Some things are just not fated.”
“Why are you here?” I snapped at her, annoyed at the disrespect and hostility she started to show me without a just cause.
“I was told you would protect us. I needed to make sure Zea was safe?”
“Who is she?” I asked, wanting more information on the little girl my wolf was begging me to protect as if she was our own.
“She is my niece,” Layla said quickly, but I caught a bit of hesitation as her voice quivered in the slightest way that I almost thought I had imagined it.
“Why is it I don’t believe you?” I questioned her abruptly.
“Believe what you want,” she said coldly, “What have you found out about the rogues?”
I could tell she was trying to change the subject, but I went along with it for now. I knew I would get to the truth soon enough. She was sure to slip up and then I would know the answer I wanted, “I believe they had help from a warlock,” I told her, handing her the book I got from Zea.
“Warlocks,” she said. I watched her reaction closely. She seemed deep in thought as if she was thinking over the possibility when something seemed to dawn on her. The second she put together the pieces, fear struck her, “This is not good.”
“Do you know which warlock is after your pack?” I questioned her.
She shook her head, “It isn’t a warlock. He’s a rogue and he isn’t after my pack. He is after one person in particular and now he has her.”
“Who?” I asked, confused on why a warlock would attack an entire pack only to get one lone she-wolf.
“Once he finds out it is her, he will kill her,” she rambled as she started pacing.
I walked over to her, placing my hands on her shoulders causing her to stop her pacing, “Who? Who is the rogue after?”
She gave me a sullen look before answering, “Zea’s mother.”
Chapter 5
Axton POV
7 Years Ago
I slowly crept down the stairs in the attempt to pass by without being noticed. They were making today a bigger deal than it needed to be. It had only been a year. No more, no less. One year older, but if you asked my mother, it was the day I became a man.
Moving through the pack house, I stayed on my toes so I wouldn’t be detected by the women who gave birth to me in the kitchen.
I had it all planned out. Sneak downstairs to avoid the big day surprise breakfast she did every year. Go to my best friend Walker’s house to hang out for a while. Then go to the party the pack was throwing late tonight.
It was easy, almost too simple. What could possibly go wrong?
That’s when I heard it. The slight tip of my bag pushing the antique china vase my mom had placed out on the entry table. Closing my eyes tight, I listened to the sound of the old glass shatter into a million pieces against the hard wood floors.
“Axton!” my mother’s Luna tone screamed to me through the walls.
Well there goes the plan, I thought to myself.
Did you really think one of your plans actually had a chance at surviving without you screwing it up in some way? Knox mocked me.
Hey!
Not my fault you can’t handle the truth, he said. I could even see his wolfish smirk as he laughed at me.
“Axton Knight!” my mother yelled at me as she came veering out of the kitchen door. Her short stature put her less than a foot smaller than me as her brown wavy hair shook around her face. Her face held a stern look as her anger shown through the blue eyes I had inherited, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Um,” I scratched the back of my neck, trying to think of a way not to piss her off any more than she was, “I was just going to talk to Walker real quick. I promised him I would come by this morning.”
“Oh, don’t try to pull that crap on me,” she scolded, “After what you just did to my vase! You are going to get in that kitchen and celebrate your birthday,” she pushed me towards the door.
“You would think after over twenty hours of excruciating labor, I would get just a little bit of respect today,” she muttered under her breath as we entered the decorated kitchen.
My sister, Alex, sat at the counter laughing at my failed attempted to get out of this family tradition.
She was only two years younger than me, but she looked to be almost the same age. Her brown hair twirled around her face as she smiled through the same blue eyes we both inherited from our mother.
“I see you failed at sneaking out,” she continued to laugh.
I stuck my tongue out at her childishly as she did the same before I took my seat next to her.
“Where’s dad?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“He is in a pack meeting. He will be back in time before your party though,” my mother smiled brightly at me as she moved a stack full of pancakes in front of me, “Happy birthday, Axton.”
“Thanks mom,” I tell her as I start to dig in, trying to avoid the subject I knew she would bring up.
“So about tonight?” she started.
“No. Don’t even go there,” I say, although my words are muffled by the pancakes in my mouth.
“I was just wondering if you were ready to meet her,” she said offhandedly.
I swallowed my food before answering her unspoken question, “I don’t know if my mate will be there.”
“Well I think she will,” she said.
“Of course you do.”
“I am your mother. I can sense these kinds of things,” she mocked me.
“Mmhhmm,” I nod my head as I try to leave.
“I have a feeling about tonight!” she yelled to me as I walked out the door.
* * *
“Are you ready for tonight?” Walker asked me as he adjusted his tie in the mirror.
“Never been more.”
“So, you’re not nervous at all?” he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows in the mirror. I just shook my head as I cracked a smile. He gave a look to say that he didn’t believe me for a second before continuing, “Packs are coming in from all over. This house is going to be filled with hot, unmated she wolves, in which one of them just might be your mate, and you’re not nervous at all?”
“Not even a little bit,” I said.
“Wow,” he marveled, “If it was me, I would be freaking out already. Heck, if you remember I had been. Just the thought of meeting my mate had my wolf clawing at my insides, wanting to meet her but terrified about what she will think. I lucked out with Sawyer.”
“Well you aren’t me,” I laughed at him, standing to go to the closest to pick out a decent shirt to wear for tonight.
“That I am not, thank god!” he laughed, “Hurry up and get ready,” he said before leaving and closing the door behind him.
I started to mess with my tie. Every time I tried to wrap it around my neck, it just seemed to get tangled. I started to get frustrated and ripped the tie in half.
Calm down human.
I can’t Knox, I tell my wolf, I can’t stop thinking about tonight. Do you think she will be there?
I hope she is. I just want our mate! he called out.
You and me both, buddy, I thought, You and me both.
* * *
Music blasted through the house as I made my way down the stairs. Streams of people were filing into the house as many went straight to the dance floor. Each stopped by to nod their heads in respect, saying happy birthday. But the more people entered, the faster the house filled.
Within an hour, people were pouring out of every door and window. I went around the room talking to each of the other alphas and betas that had come. Although I tried not to think about it, I couldn’t get my thoughts off my mate.
Maybe she was here. Maybe she was coming. Maybe I wouldn’t find her tonight.
The last thought put a frown on my face at the idea of not meeting her tonight.
“Why you are frowning?” Walker came up to me, slinging his drunk arm around me in a supportive manner, “She not here yet?”
“Nope.”
“Well nothing we can do now,” he slurred, “Come on. Reid set up beer pong in the basement.”
I cracked a grin at his drunken behavior before following him downstairs. Most of my friends were down there, laughing as Walker tried to walk to the table before failing and collapsing onto the couch.
Reid called me over to his team as we shot the ping pong balls into the red cups. By the time we won, both Reid and Walker were extremely drunk.
“We’re out of beer,” Sawyer said.
“I’ll go get more,” I told her as I made my way up the stairs.
I pushed past the people blocking the hallway, trying to make my way to the kitchen. But the second I reached the door, a scent hit me like a truck. The smell of vanilla and honey invaded my senses, blocking me out of everything else in my surroundings.
It was her.
Her scent filled me with joy as I followed it right into the kitchen. I walked in, pushing past a girl that apparently had come up to me.
Mate! Mate! my wolf screamed to me.
The second I saw her, my entire world stopped. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid my eyes on. Her black hair fell in waves over her shoulders, while the tight red dress she wore showed all of her perfect curves. Her green eyes pulled me in as if she had hypnotized me.
“What are you doing in here?” a voice snapped me out of my trance.
I looked over to the person who had interrupted the perfect harmony my mate had just put me in. I growled at the boy as I saw how close he was to her. He had placed his arm around her shoulder and seemed to be trying to flirt with her.
I took a step forward, about to threaten him to remove his hands before I did, but my mate beat me to the punch.
THE ALPHA's MATE: A Romantic Thriller Page 3