Chapter 24 Safer

Chapter 24 Safer
I’m getting worried sick about Axel. He hasn’t been back for hours, and I’m really starting to get scared. I thought about going to check for him myself, but I know better than to do that. It’s not safe out there, and I don’t want to be a victim of circumstance again.

I kept pacing around the room, biting my fingers as I waited anxiously for Axel. I’ve never been this worried about anything before and it’s really making my head spin. 

Stephanie, who was sitting on the couch, said, "I think it’s high time you sit down, Nyla. You’re getting yourself all worked up."

"I can’t help it. He’s meant to be back by now, but he’s not," I said, walking closer to her. "What if something bad has happened to him? What if he’s hurt? What if the enemies took him?" My mind started to wander with too many thoughts, making it impossible for me to think properly.

"You really need to calm down. I’m sure Alpha Axel is fine," She said, trying to reassure me. She’s been doing that for minutes now, but nothing she says is working. 

I’m losing my mind. 

"If he were, he should be back by now, right? But he’s not back. That says something, right?" I started to put meaning into things that shouldn’t be. 

She sighed heavily. "No, it could be that he’s busy with work."

I scoffed. "He left in the morning. Now it’s nighttime—how busy can he be?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "Maybe you should go look for him and tell him that I’m worried sick about him."

I paused to think about it then shook my head. "No, don’t say that. Just let him know that I’m wondering where he is, but don’t say I’m worried. I don’t want him to think that I’m worried about him."

I thought about it again and didn’t like it. "You know what, don’t say that either. Just say…" I trailed off, trying to think, but nothing made it seem like I didn’t care. "Tell him anything, but don’t make it seem like I care about him. Just make it seem like I’m nonchalant. I don’t want him thinking that I’m worried about him."

"And why don’t you want me to think that?" Axel’s voice suddenly filled the air.

I froze. Oh no—he heard me. 

I slowly turned around to face him. He had an annoyingly cute smirk on his face. As he stepped closer, his eyes searching mine.

"Why would you not want me to know that you’re worried about me?" He asked again.

"I’m not worried," I said almost immediately. "Am I worried, Stephanie?" I asked.

"Umm…. no," She replied sounding unsure.

"You hear that? I’m not worried at all. I was just wondering why you haven’t come back in a while—nothing more than that."

His eyes lit up, and the smirk grew. It was almost as if he knew I was lying. "And why were you wondering?"

"Because… umm… because…" I racked my brain to think. When I am unable to think of anything, I turn to Stephanie. "Tell him, Stephanie. Why was I wondering?"

Stephanie looked at me in disbelief. Axel didn’t bother looking at her—his eyes were completely on me, still smirking.

She must have been clueless because she rambled, "Umm… I have to go get dinner started." With that, she quickly walked out of the room.

I sighed heavily. Now I was stranded.

Axel, clearly amused, folded his arms over his chest. "I’m still waiting for your answer. Why were you wondering?"

I opened my mouth to speak, then shut it. I had nothing—absolutely nothing—that could get me out of this.

As if he knew, he laughed softly. "It’s okay to be worried, Nyla. It doesn’t make you weak."

"You don’t know that," I frowned.

"I do." He stepped closer. "I was worried about you too. Do I seem weak?"

I shook my head 

"You see, I don’t."

I hesitated, then sighed. "Okay, I guess I was thinking too much."

"It’s fine. We should go down for dinner. Mom and Dad are already waiting for us." He said 

Axel led the way downstairs, his hand brushing mine briefly.

The dining room was already set when we walked in, and just like Axel said, Cathrine and William were seated, waiting for us.

"You’re late," Cathrine said.

"Sorry, I got held back at work," Axel replied as he pulled out a chair for me before taking his seat beside me.

We began to eat, the clinking of cutlery filling the air. Then Cathrine spoke.

"I heard about the note Axel. And about the letter carved into the tree."

Axel stopped eating for a second, then said, "It’s nothing really serious."

"From what I’ve heard, it seems very serious."

"Trust me, it’s not. Everything is fine. We just have to be a little more careful around here, that’s all."

"It’s not safe around here," William chimed in.

"It is safe. We just have to be careful, that’s all," Axel said.

"For how long?" Cathrine asked. "Because the last time I checked, your Luna was attacked, and now this. God knows what’s next."

"There won’t be anything next, Mom. I have it all under control."

Cathrine set her fork down. "I think it’s best if you and Nyla move from here. Maybe stay at the farmhouse for a while."

Axel didn’t respond, so she turned to me. "What do you think, Nyla?"

I thought about it for a second. "That actually sounds safer."

Axel’s jaw tightened. "It’s not necessary."

Cathrine looked at him. "Why not?"

"There’s work here," He said. "I can’t just leave my Alpha duties."

"No one’s asking you to leave," William said calmly. "Just to be cautious."

Axel shrugged slightly. "I have things under control."

The way he said it made me uneasy.

Cathrine studied him, then sighed. "Just think about it."

"I will," He said, though it didn’t sound like he meant it.

Dinner went by quickly, and Axel didn’t say anything again but it’s clear, he’s not happy about the mention of the farmhouse, I wonder why.