Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty-Four

Axel

Axel took a bite of the godawful zucchini dish and forced it down his throat. His wolf growled at him for putting anything that wasn't meaty or at least surrounded by meat into his mouth.

Claire's aunt's gaze shifted from Mr. Summers to Axel, and something snaked its way down his spine. She wasn't a wolf, or a lycan, but she felt like … something. Claire wasn't joking when she said her aunt was odd.

And why did she assume Claire was safe with Axel from a campus menace—animal—or whatever the news was calling it? It made him feel just like Claire suggested—it made him feel like Demetria knew.

Mr. Summers, on the other hand, wasn't impressed with Axel, just as Claire knew he wouldn't be. Axel admired that about him. He cared enough about Claire that he questioned the people she brought home with her.

"Demetria," Mr. Summers said. "Seriously? Kids are being attacked, and now they've gone missing, and you're justifying her being safe because she's hanging around a football player," he said, waving his hand in Axel's direction. "No offense, son, but that is ridiculous."

Axel didn't take offense to it because he thought he was just some regular guy. Demetria, on the other hand, he wasn't too sure about. She stared at Axel, as if she knew, with a wicked smile on her face. "You know I sense things, Don—"

"Oh, bologna," he said. "Here we go with that new age crap. I think she should stay here—"

"She can stay with me," Aunt Demetria said. "I'm closer to the college than you are, and it's an easier commute. You don't want her traveling late at night after her shifts at the coffee house, do you? I'm only thirty minutes away. It'll be easier."

Claire's face told us all she didn't want to stay there. I didn't want her to stay there. I just got her to a place where I felt I could keep her safe and near me at the same time.

He thought about it. "I guess that would be okay," he said, scratching his jaw. "As long as you give her some real food, and don't feed her rabbit food all day, every day—"

"Don—"

"Stop," Claire said, rolling her eyes. "I won't even eat at Aunt Demetria's because I eat on campus," Claire said, pushing her food around her plate. She gave Axel the side eye, and he reached over to squeeze her thigh.

Her dad's gaze lingered on the movement, and Axel pulled his hand back onto his lap quickly, biting his tongue to keep from laughing.

The rest of dinner flew by with Aunt Demetria keeping the conversation going, while Claire's dad observed Axel the entire time. When they finished, Axel helped Claire clean the table and met her in the kitchen.

"What are we going to do—"

"Shhh," Axel said. "It's going to be fine—"

Her aunt appeared in the doorway with the bottle of wine the adults had drank at dinner and a smile on her face. "Don't worry," she said. "Your secret is safe with me. I know she's safe with you, and she can continue to stay safe. I'll make sure your dad doesn't know you aren't staying at your dorm room anymore—"

"How do you even know that, Aunt—"

She gave her a knowing look. "Like I've told you for years. I am in tune with my senses, and I know when people are lying. I pick up on … things."

Axel watched Claire's face as she said it, and the disbelief, but Axel did believe it. Why wouldn't he? If there were supernatural beings, why couldn't there be witches? He wasn't sure if she knew everything, but she knew something.

Her dark gaze lifted to Axel's. "You can take care of her, can't you? I don't have anything to worry about?"

Axel stepped over to Claire and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'll guard her with my life," he said.

She smirked. "Just like I knew you would. Now, let's go entertain your grouch of a dad, so you two can get back. I don't want you on the road late at night. I'm not sure what's going on at the campus, but I do know it's not good."

She turned on her blocky heel and walked into the living room.

Claire glanced at Axel. "See."

"I do see. I think your aunt is a witch."

Claire made a face. "I wouldn't go that far, but I mean, I can see that. Let me finish cleaning up, so we can get out of here. Dad is on one tonight—"

Axel chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "He just cares about you, Claire. Don't be so hard on him."

Claire sighed. "You're right."

Axel helped her clean up the kitchen, and they spent the next hour chatting and talking with Aunt Demetria and Mr. Summers. He seemed to have lightened up but still held Axel at arm's width.

When they decided to go, they played out a big scene of having Aunt Demetria follow them back to campus so that Claire could go home with her. Claire seemed nervous about lying, and so did Axel. He didn't want to piss her dad off, and he wished he could explain, but how could he.

It was against their policies to tell a human voluntarily and only if they were mated to them. If it weren't, he would have told him quickly, diminishing his fear of Claire on campus.

They made it back to the pack house before dark. The pups ran around outside, playing as the fireflies danced in the setting sun, making Axel happy to see them so carefree.

He prayed they stayed that way as long as they could.

Axel sensed a small group of wolves in the backyard around a fire. His first thought was to go tell his parents they made it back, but he pulled Claire upstairs instead.

He shut his bedroom door behind him and turned to kiss Claire. He'd kept his hands to himself most of the day out of respect for Mr. Summers, and his wolf had called him every name under the sun for doing it. Obviously, his wolf wasn't a gentleman.

"It's been a long day of keeping my hands to myself," he mumbled into her kiss.

Claire chuckled and braced her palms against his shoulders. "I'm so glad that is over with. It felt like they had you under a hot lamp the entire time."

"It was fine," he said, resting her forehead against hers.

Claire closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Now we have to worry about my dad finding out that I’m living at your parents' house. God, he'll blow a gasket if he finds out."

"I agree. He probably will," he chuckled; lifting her to his hips, he walked over toward the bed and sat down. "But I think since your Aunt Demetria is clearly a witch, she'll see it coming—"

"More or less," Claire said. "What about tomorrow? You said the wolves were going in to sniff out the lycan?"

Axel swallowed. He'd tried to put off his duties for the week and ignore the stress of football practice, school, and keeping up with the hunting schedule.

But it all started tomorrow morning. He'd not only be a college student, but he'd be hunting the lycan terrorizing his campus—and his mate.

"We are," he said. "But I don't want you to worry about it, okay? The pack is going to sniff him out." He frowned, remembering his talk with his father that morning. "And during the times that I can't guard you or protect you, Kerry is going to step in.

Claire looked shocked. "Kerry, as in the Beta that you snapped at yesterday? That Kerry?"

Axel groaned. "Yes, that one. Dad suggested it. It wasn't my idea. Believe me."

She smirked. "Obviously. It'll be fine. I'll be fine. We'll be fine," she said. "Don't worry about it."

Axel sighed, knowing he shouldn't be worried about any of it, but he was worried. He was more worried than a future alpha should be because deep down something felt so off that it twisted his stomach into knots.

Claire rested her forehead against his. "I trust you, Axel."

It was the first time she'd openly given him her trust without prying, and it was up to him to live up to it.

Because God knew, he didn't deserve it.