Chapter 19: Chapter Nineteen

Claire could have sliced the tension in the room with a knife. Axel’s heated stare lingered on Kerry, who Claire was introduced to as the Beta in the pack. Second in command to Axel’s father, Luke Davers.

He seemed more easy to get along with than Axel. He was young, blond, and reminded her of a stereotypical surfer guy, but his giddy personality seemed to even out the balance of stern that the Davers men brought to the pack.

Kerry placed his palms on the counter and smacked it. “How was it when Mr. Sunshine saved you? Were you shocked?” he asked Claire.

Sunshine wouldn’t be one of the adjectives that she would choose for Axel. But she picked up on the sarcasm quickly; apparently, Axel didn’t like it.

She tucked a piece of hair, remembering the sight of his wolf and how human he looked in the eyes. For a brief moment, she understood the saying of the eyes being the key to the soul. “I’m surprised that I didn’t pee in my pants, to be honest.”

Kerry laughed. “I can’t imagine how it would feel to be human and find out an entirely different species exists.” Kerry’s gaze shifted to Axel, and she sensed the smirk Kerry gave was aimed at him. “So, has Mr. Future Alpha told you about mates?”

A rumble of a growl vibrated from Axel’s chest. “Drop it, Kerry,” he hissed.

Kerry chuckled softly, pinching the end of Claire’s hair between his fingers, taunting Claire. Or maybe taunting Axel.

And she didn’t understand it. She didn’t understand the look of fury on his face, or why his canines were noticeable from underneath his upper lip.

Claire popped her hip to the side and folded her arms over her chest. “What am I missing?”

Kerry smiled. “Just checking … I was right. It was nice to meet you, Claire. I’m sure I’ll see you around since you’ll be staying here.”

Claire watched him leave the kitchen, the door swinging behind him, while Axel stared holes into her head. “What’s the matter? Did the meeting not go well?” she asked, taking a big bite of cheddar cheese that Mrs. Sydney left out for her.

“The meeting went fine,” he said, his voice gravelly and deep. “My dad asked if we could stay here and commute back and forth to campus until the Lycan is caught.”

Claire’s eyes widened at the thought of staying in a house full of wolves. She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to mask her thoughts. “Uh, where will I stay? In what room?” she asked. “What do I tell my father if he wants to come see me? And what about my Aunt?”

Axel shifted. “We have plenty of rooms. We can go to see your Aunt together tomorrow. And we won’t tell your dad unless it comes down to it.”

Claire nodded and tried to hide the embarrassing rumble in her stomach. The corner of Axel’s mouth tugged into a smirk. “Mom and the other wolves barbecued. Come on, let’s eat. I’ve missed my mother’s cooking, and it’s only been one week.”

Claire smiled. “I can cook a little bit. I may have to whip us up something to eat soon.” Claire followed him toward the back door but reached forward and touched his forearm. “Axel, what was that about?”

He furrowed his brow. “What was what about—?”

“Why didn’t you want him to touch me? He’s not a Lycan.”

Axel’s heavy stare lingered on her mouth and her neck. Something about the way the room began to slow, and the thundering sound of her heartbeat in her chest, told her Axel was hiding something that would change the course of their relationship forever.

It felt electric and all consuming, two feelings she’d never experienced before.

He took a step back, barricading her against the kitchen island, her back pressed against the countertop, and her hands braced behind her. “What … “

Axel swallowed, and she watched the way his throat moved as he did it. Once he was a hair’s breadth away from her, he tiled his head to the side and sighed deeply.

“I’ve been keeping something from you,” he said in a soft voice that she didn’t recognize as his. “I’ve known since I walked into class on the first day, and I’ve battled with it since.”

Claire’s ears turned hot, and she imagined what he would say.

“I think I’ve known before then, but I didn’t know for sure. In a twisted way, it was my way of keeping you ostracized and to myself, but I didn’t know why back then. I couldn’t have officially known until I turned eighteen.”

Claire chuckled beneath her breath. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”

Axel reached forward and touched the tips of his fingers against the back of her neck, running his thumb down her throat. “Claire…you’re my mate.”

Claire’s head began to swim, her heart hammered, and her entire body closed in on itself. She stared at his handsome face, contemplating if she wanted to run away, run until it made sense or she had a chance to breathe.

“You’re telling me that…I’m your mate?”

Axel nodded slowly, his tongue licked out and wet his bottom lip. “Yes.”

Claire’s body went weak. How could that be? Why would the universe put her with Axel Davers…her high school bully?

Why would he hide it? Why did she feel so warm all of the sudden? And out of breath. The sight of Axel should have her running in the opposite direction, and all she could think about was the need to taste his kiss.

How badly she wanted to feel his hands on her body, and it made no sense. None of it did. She’d had a good few days with him, but nothing to reward a physical relationship.

Yet his dark eyes were probing her in every way possible.

“I don’t… why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her fingertips tightening around the edge of the counter.

Axel flexed his fingertips. “Because I didn’t want you to feel obligated to like me,” he whispered, sending her stomach into a fit of flurries. “I was so mean to you, and I would hate myself if you just went along with being with me because of the bond. That’s why it’s difficult to mate with a human. They don’t know the bond like wolves do.”

Claire closed her eyes briefly, taking in the woodsy smell of his skin. If being a wolf intensified your senses, she couldn’t imagine how everything felt for him.

“I don’t know what to say,” she finally managed to get out. “It must be such a huge disappointment for you,” she finally said.

Axel looked shocked for a moment, then angry, but when he snaked his arm around her back and brought her flush with him, her body began to heat.

“You, Claire Summers, are nothing like a disappointment. You’ve shown me a side these last few days that I can’t wait to get to know better. I’m so sorry I was a dick, and as a future alpha and mate, I swear it will never happen again. I can’t move forward without your forgiveness and your ability to be open.”

Claire’s tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her lips parted. “You only like me because you’re being forced to, right? You don’t get a say.”

Axel’s sweet spearmint breath spanned across her lips, causing her parched mouth to water. “I am destined to be with you, but I am not being forced to be here. I could leave—”

“And be a mate-less alpha?”

He growled, and it forced the hair on her neck to stand on end. “You want proof?” he asked.

Claire nodded, as if he could do anything to prove it, and when he lowered his head and diminished the space between their mouths …

Every doubt vanished.