Go to mate! Raelynn tries to tell me, but I block her from my mind.
“What is Reid talking about?” he questioned while breathing shallowly, trying to calm his raging wolf, “Why do you believe she needs to be protected?”
“Don’t pretend Axton,” I tell him, “He knows about your promise. The promise you made to me; I will not allow you to keep it.”
His face contorted in confusion as he looked at me.
Is he really trying to pretend like he didn’t threaten to murder both Zea and I? I ask Raelynn.
I don’t know. His wolf keeps calling out to me, she tells me before hiding back into my mind. I was so focused on the pain Raelynn was projecting; I didn’t even notice the question Axton had asked.
“Is she mine?” he asks, his voice husky.
“I told you the truth once before, and you didn’t believe me. Why would you now?” I ask him, my pain slipping through my voice as it cracked at the end.
“Ellie, I don’t understand,” he starts to step towards me, but I put up my hand to stop him.
“Don’t you dare come any closer to me,” I tell him. He halted midstride as he caught the fear I had for him in my eyes.
“Ellie, what happened?” he asked me, taking another step forward. I immediately stepped back, my heels hitting the first step of the porch.
“Before or after?” I ask him, my pain turning into anger towards the man I once loved, “A lot has happened in the last seven years.”
“Ellie-” he took another step toward me.
“No, do not come near me,” I told him, stopping his movements again. I paused for a second before I made him a promise, “You made me a promise that night and now I have one for you. You come anywhere near me or my daughter, I promise your fate will be worse than death.”
Chapter 10
Ellie POV
7 Years Ago
My hands shook as I looked at those defining blue lines.
After the night of the party, Axton and I became inseparable. By that first night, I felt like I knew everything about him. We spent every day with each other; we were almost never apart. The only times we weren’t in the same room together was when he had his Alpha duties with his father to attend to, but that never bothered me because I had my own Luna job to adhere to with his mother.
Normal people might think that it would be weird, spending everyday with one person, but it wasn’t for us. Maybe it was because we were mates, but I never wanted to be separated from him. He was my other half.
It had only been a few months with Axton, and I never thought I would be happier. That was until I saw those two lines. A million emotions were flying through me all at once as I looked down at those lines.
I was uncertain. I didn’t know if I was ready was this. What would it all mean?
I was scared. Did Axton want this too? Were we ready for this next step? We were both so young, could we really do this?
I was afraid of the future. Would we be able to protect it? Would it grow to be safe?
But the emotion I was feeling the strongest was joy. It was not only me or Axton, but a piece of both of us. A light that we would share and raise. Our baby.
A smile grew on my face as I ran all my emotions through my head and my hormones finally settled on happy. I was going to be a mother. We were going to have a baby.
I quickly finished up in the bathroom and made my way down the fine wood steps. The pack house was empty since tonight was the annual Wolf Moon. Werewolves might not be controlled by the full moon, but we sure did love to throw parties under it.
I checked the kitchen one last time to make sure Axton’s beta, Walker, didn’t eat all of the s’mores fixing I had set up for the kids before getting ready to head out.
While making sure everything was set, I started thinking about the future. What would our child be like? Would she be strong like Axton? Would she be kind? Would she know she was completely loved? Without even thinking about it, I already knew she was a girl. I guess I would call it mother’s intuition, but I am pretty sure I’m right.
After all the questions ran through my head, I started thinking of ways to tell Axton. I could just spit it out and tell him bluntly, but I thought against that idea. I want to surprise him somehow.
I thought of a few scenarios in my head on different ways to break the news. Maybe over dinner or I could get him one of those best dad in the world t-shirts. I kept thinking of all the ways I could tell him, but I never could come up with what his reaction would be.
We haven’t talked about having pups yet. We were both so young; we just never got around to the conversation. I know he would eventually want an heir for the next Alpha of the pack, but that would be years away. Would he be happy?
I was so lost in thought, I almost didn’t hear the sound of the floorboards creak behind me until I heard the familiar voice talk to me, “Ellie.”
I turned to face my gorgeous mate with my smile still cracking on my face, “Axton, I thought you had already left for the bonfire with Walker. What are you still doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
“Alright. What’s up?” I asked him as I took a step forward, but my foot faltered as I looked at his once angelic face. He wasn’t looking at me with love in his eyes. He almost sneered my way when I tried to move. It was as if he didn’t feel our bond, as if he hated me, “What’s going on? Axton, what’s wrong?”
“With me? Nothing is wrong. It’s with us that we have an issue,” he spat.
“I don’t understand,” I told him.
“Of course you don’t,” he sneered, almost laughing to himself, “You would have to be smart enough to notice anything.”
“What?” I almost whispered, unsure about why he would say that when he has always valued my opinion.
“What?” he mocked in a sickly tone, “It’s time we had a little talk, sweetheart.” The usually loving endearment sounded like daggers being thrown my way, “You know, the boys and I were talking on our patrol today and we had a little disagreement. Do you want to know what it was about?”
I didn’t make any indication of wanting an answer. For some reason, I somehow knew I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say.
“Well I’ll tell you. The boys and I couldn’t decide. Who was a bigger whore, you or Angel,” he laughed to himself. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mate’s mouth.
Why is he saying such mean things to us? Raelynn whimpers to me, I thought he loved us.
“What?” I look at him, unable to understand why he was trying to hurt us like this, “Axton I don’t understand why you are acting like this.”
“You don’t understand,” he sneered, “Well of course you don’t. Didn’t we already go over this?”
“Axton-” he cut me off before I could say anything to him.
“Shh Ellie. I have listened to you enough over these last few months and the sound of your voice is starting to really irritate me,” I just stared at him as his once loving blue eyes, only to be met by a cold reflecting ocean, “Now it’s time for me to take out the trash, so to speak.”
“I don’t understand what you are saying.”
“Do I have to spell it out for you Ellie? I am rejecting you.”
My heart shattered at those crushing words.
How could he! My wolf shouted, crying in my head as a tear escaped my eye, Why would he do that?
“What?” I asked, my pain echoing in my voice.
“Do I have to repeat myself? I am rejecting you Ellie. I don’t want you, I don’t need you, and I sure as hell don’t love you.”
My wolf whimpered into the back of my mind, calling out to a mate that no longer wanted her, “But-”
“But what, Ellie?” he asked, almost amused with my pain, “You thought we would live happily ever after. You thought that I would love you forever. You actually thought I would ever want a whore like you to be my Luna.”
“I have never-”
“Like I
would care to listen to your excuses. It’s all the same to me. I had my fun and now it’s time for you to go.”
“Why would you accept the bond, if this was what you were planning on doing?”
“Because I love a good game, but you’ve grown boring to me and it’s time for a new play thing.”
Pup! What will happen to our pup! My wolf called out. My hand immediately travelled to my stomach, as if to block my pup’s ears from hearing our mate’s rejection.
“Our-”
“Our pup?” he laughed wickedly, “Please, with the amount of men you’ve been with, it’s somehow doubtful that thing growing inside you is even mine.”
“Do you truly believe that?” I asked him, trying to muster any strength I have to try to reach the man I had fallen in love with.
“You and I both know that thing is not mine,” he sneered.
“You know that isn’t true,” I pushed back, but my strength waning with the crack in my voice.
“Well how about I make you a promise then, little mate.”
“And what kind of promise would that be?” my voice barely above a whisper.
“I can’t kill you right now because my father would never allow me to stay in power as Alpha, but he does not know about this,” he smiled as he looked down to my stomach. Both my hands tried to cover it from his heated stare as he walked closer to me, “Leave now and never come back. But if you do, if I ever see you or that bastard thing growing inside of you on my land ever again, I promise I will give you both a fate worse than death.”
I felt my heart breaking as the man I had loved disappeared forever, only to be replaced by this monster. I didn’t understand what happened to my Axton, but I will never allow him to harm my child.
If he wants to hurt her, he will have to find her first; Raelynn whimpered to me as we both agreed to leave. It’s not what either of us ever wanted, but that isn’t what parenthood is about, We must protect pup from all, even our own mate, her voice broke.
Pulling all the strength she could give me, I lifted my head to look into Axton’s eyes, “I don’t understand what happened to you, Axton. But thank you,” I told him.
“For what sweetheart?” he leaned in.
“For showing me who you really are on the inside. I thought I knew you completely, but you had me completely fooled. But I swear to God, if you attempt to harm my child at all, I will kill you,” I told him.
“Well then, it looks like I will have a new game after all. Since I can’t kill you now, it seems you will be getting a head start. If I were you, I would run,” he laughed.
“Goodbye Axton.”
“And goodbye unwanted mate,” he smiled as I sprinted out the door.
Chapter 11
Ellie POV
The tension could probably be felt a mile out. It was so thick; I could have cut it with a butter knife. We both stood still, waiting on the other to make the first move. He knew the pain I had gone through when he rejected me. Now it was as if he had completely forgotten about it all.
I don’t know how long we stood like that, but neither one of us was willing to make a sound. He eyed me up and down as I did the same with him.
He hadn’t changed much in the last seven years; except for getting even more muscle than before if that was even possible. His hair was still tossed around in the same manner he used to wear it in. His eyes held me the most though.
For a split second, I thought I actually saw pain flash through his eyes. But the emotion was gone so fast, it must have been a trick of the eyes. He didn’t feel pain for what he did. If he had, he wouldn’t have rejected me in the first place.
But I couldn’t stop the hope that I felt when the idea of him actually regretting what he did. If only it was true.
I was so engrossed in him; I didn’t hear Reid come back out onto the porch.
“Luna,” His voice snapped me out of the ravine of thoughts Axton had placed me into. I nodded my head slightly, afraid to break eye contact with Axton, “Zea is with Luna Layla.”
“Thank you, Reid,” I told him, watching as Axton shook with a slight anger still.
“Ellie, you should leave-” he started, but was immediately stopped the thought by Axton.
“She is not going anywhere,” he said in a definite tone.
“We do not belong here, Axton. Not anymore,” I reply, my voice breaking slightly above a whisper as I continued, “You saw to that.”
He thought for a second, seeming to be deep in thought, “I will not allow you to disappear again. You are staying and that is final.”
“You can’t keep us here.”
He was in front of me within a millisecond that I never even saw him move. He lifted his hand ever so slightly. I held my breath, waiting for the emptiness to take over my body when he touched me.
I knew what it would feel like from the stories of others have told about what happens when rejected mates touch again. It is like a black hole is swallowing your heart. All you feel is the emptiness and loss of the rejection. It is like you relive every ounce of pain you have ever gone through. For me, that was a large mountain to endure again.
I watched him as he looked over my face, as if memorizing the changes that had occurred over the years. I waited as his fingers twitched forward ever so slightly, the tips gently touching my cheek.
I prepared for the pain, but what I didn’t prepare for was the electricity running from his fingertips. The sparks exploded upon the gentle touch, spreading through my body. They ran from my cheek all the way to the ends of my toes.
The shock of feeling the tingles and sparks once more caused me to gasp upon my mate’s touch.
The mate bond, how can we still feel it? I asked Raelynn.
I do not know. He rejected us. Both of them did. I do not know how the bond is still intact, she replied.
He leaned in closer to me. He softly caressed my face with the smallest of touches as he whispered back to me, “You will find that I can.”
After Axton had declared that I was staying, he dragged me into the pack house. We were currently sitting across from each other in the living room as we both just stared at one another. Again, both waiting for the other to break the silence.
He shifted slightly before apparently manning up and going first, “Are you going to tell me why you left?”
I let out a humorless laugh at his act, “Seriously? You want to play it that way?”
“I don’t want to play at all, Ellie,” his voice rising a tiny bit, “I want to know what happened.”
“What happened?” I stared at him, “Since you want to pretend like you don’t have a single clue about the reason I left, I guess I get to say it. You happened Axton.”
“What did I-” his question was cut off by the sudden pounding coming down the stairs. The stampede of shoes hitting the oak floors shook the frames around on the wall.
All I saw was a sudden blur before I was being pulled into a bear hug, “Ellie!”
I laughed slightly as I realized who exactly was squeezing the life out of me. I pull back so I can look her in the eyes, “It’s good to see you Sawyer.”
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