CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Axle
The sky was dark, painted in deep shades of navy and charcoal, with stars trailing endlessly beyond the sea. The wind carried a gentle breeze, cool and salty, and the refreshing smell of the ocean drifted around us like a whisper from nature itself.
From where I stood, I could see the waves rolling softly in the distance, their rhythm steady and calming. The loud music blaring from the speakers and the bright, flashing lights were in heavy contrast to the natural serenity before me. It was like two worlds colliding—chaos and calm, noise and silence.
The day had come.
The day I had anticipated for so long had finally arrived. My eighteenth birthday. The day I was supposed to feel different. Stronger. More complete.
But I didn’t.
I was disappointed, if I’m being honest. It felt just like every other day. No shift. No surge of power. No mate.
And Hans—he had gone quiet. All his fussing, all his acting up, all his restless energy—gone. He was just… calm. Silent. Like he had already met his mate and claimed her.
But how?
I hadn’t met mine. Not even a familiar whiff. Nothing.
Elric had told me to use my party as a medium to announce that Mina and I were officially dating. But I was holding back. Something didn’t feel right. I knew I could never be with Lexi—not in the way I wanted—but I still hadn’t confirmed whether I’d stop being attracted to her once I turned eighteen.
I had always thought I’d be happy with Mina at my side. She was strong, loyal, and a Beta wolf with excellent instincts. She would be useful for my future plans. But right now? I was having doubts.
I wasn’t attracted to her. Not in any way. In fact, I had begun to see her as a sister. The idea of mating with her felt… repulsive.
I scanned the crowd and spotted her in the arms of a human—Lex. Seems she’d be opposed to the idea of mating with me too. She had taken a liking to the human boy.
I searched around for Lexi, but I couldn’t find her. A dull ache settled in my chest at the thought that she might not attend my party. I knew the party was just starting, but I had already begun worrying.
"Hey, birthday boy," a group of girls passed and smiled seductively at me.
This was the life, right?
I had picked a beach-themed party, so guys were all in beach shorts, mostly shirtless. Some wore shirts, but most didn’t bother. The girls were in bikinis and bodysuits, though some covered up with cutoff shorts or oversized shirts.
I wondered what Lexi would wear.
I was shirtless, wearing blue beach shorts. Somehow, I hoped she’d wear something blue too. I also hoped she’d cover up—because I didn’t want guys gawking at her amazing figure.
Heat flooded my body as my mind drifted back to the night I went to talk things out with her at her house.
The moment I pulled her closer to me, I knew it was going to be hard to let her go. Her body fit perfectly against mine. My hands had settled on her waist, aligning my hips with hers.
Her eyes were wide with shock, but she didn’t step away. She couldn’t deny the pleasure she felt from just being close to me. There weren’t any sparks—no magical mate bond—but as my hand skimmed her soft flesh, I felt on fire. And I was sure I left a trail of fire behind, because she whimpered slightly and bit down on her lip, probably trying to muffle her moan.
Wrong move.
Her white teeth grazing her bottom lip excited me more than I’d ever thought possible. The evidence of my excitement strained against her belly, and she gasped softly.
Closing the remaining distance between us, I covered her lips with mine.
Just as I had imagined—her lips tasted heavenly.
I sucked on her bottom lip, eagerly seeking permission into the nectar-filled haven that was her mouth. But she wasn’t budging.
She was kissing me back, but she wasn’t confident about opening her mouth. It seemed like she hadn’t had enough experience to master the act. But that was okay. I didn’t like to think of anyone else plundering her mouth.
My hands left her waist and traveled down her hips to her soft ass cheeks. I grabbed a handful and squeezed gently. It must’ve alarmed her—or excited her—because she opened her mouth.
I saw my chance and took it.
My tongue entered her mouth and touched hers. I explored every corner, teaching her step by step how to dance the dance of tongues. She caught on quickly. Soon, she had me breathless and wanting more.
Just like that, I had my first kiss with Lexi.
And it was nothing like I’d experienced before.
Her kiss put every other kiss I’d ever had to shame. Just one kiss, and the seams of my trousers were ready to burst.
She pulled away abruptly, and I had to fight the urge to yank her back to me. After gulping some air, she turned to me, her expression unreadable. For a split second, I thought she was going to slap me across the face.
"Why?" she asked.
And somehow, I wished she had just slapped me. I had no answers to whatever questions she might throw at me.
"I want you," I replied.
I knew it was one of the dumbest things you could say to a girl who was all about feelings and emotions and love and all that. But I couldn’t find anything else to say.
"To stop staring at me with anger and hurt. Because I love to see your beautiful eyes brightened and not dulled. And because I’m attracted to you. And I can’t stay away from you anymore," I added when she looked like she was about to burst into tears or bite my head off.
I must’ve said the right things, because she calmed down. I hadn’t made any promises, but I had left her house that day a changed person.
I smiled all the way home.
"Hey, dude, what’re you staring at? Your party is lit!" Cam nudged me excitedly, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Thanks, man," I said, smiling and taking in the cool air through my nostrils.
"Want some coke? I've got ecstasy, oxy, and even more," he whispered lowly.
"Nah, man. Thanks, I’m good," I whispered back. Most of the drugs didn’t work on me anyway. My insides were way stronger than a human’s.
"Your loss," he said and walked off.
Cam was a great guy and a phenomenal athlete, but I worried about his mental health. I was sure he was using those drugs to deal with some heavy stuff. But why couldn’t humans see that drugs were never the answer? They only added more salt to the injury.
My wolf started to stir inside me, restless and alert.
I looked far ahead, scanning the crowd.
Maybe—just maybe—I would finally find my mate.
But all I saw was Lexi.