CHAPTER THIRTY
Axle
Mina turned eighteen today.
And just like I expected, she didn’t find her mate.
No spark. No scent. No bond.
Which meant her status had just shifted—from my maybe mate to my official mate. Elric had already informed the pack of our decision to be mated, and they supported it without question. With the full moon approaching, I needed to be bonded before the transformation. The final phase of becoming a true Alpha required it. No exceptions.
I should’ve felt proud. I should’ve felt ready.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down at a future I didn’t want.
More and more sightings of the Yellow Moon wolves had been reported. They were getting closer, their numbers growing. They weren’t just scouting anymore—they were preparing. If they attacked, we’d be vulnerable. And I’d be expected to lead.
I had a lot on my mind.
Too much.
And yet, through all the chaos, through all the pressure—I couldn’t stop thinking about Lexi.
I had hoped the attraction would fade. That time would dull the edge. That distance would kill the hunger.
But it hadn’t.
It had only grown stronger.
She was driving me insane. On purpose. I could see it in the way she smirked every time our eyes met. In the way she leaned into Eric like she was daring me to react. She knew exactly what she was doing.
We hadn’t spoken since that night.
The night I broke her heart.
And mine.
She hated me now. I could see it in her eyes—hurt, anger, betrayal. All of it aimed at me. And I deserved it.
I’d started having nosebleeds. Regular ones. My body was reacting to something I couldn’t explain. She had a hold on me—stronger than any bond I’d ever known. Hans had gone quiet, distant. He didn’t approve of my choices, and he made that clear.
Mina decided to host her birthday party at the mansion. Elric went all out, as usual. He loved celebrations. Loved the spectacle. Loved the control. The house was packed—wolves, humans, pack elders, council members. Everyone who mattered was there.
Against my better judgment, I asked Mina to invite Lexi and Eric.
I knew it would be awkward.
I knew it would hurt.
But I needed to see her.
Halfway through the party, just when I’d given up hope, they arrived.
And the room shifted.
Lexi walked in like she owned the night. Her outfit was tight, bold, unapologetic. It screamed confidence. It screamed danger. It screamed, take me to the bathroom and ruin me.
My mouth watered.
I had to look away.
But I couldn’t.
She was magnetic.
And she knew it.
She danced with Eric like they were the only two people in the room. Grinding. Laughing. Teasing. My fists clenched. My jaw tightened. I felt the heat rise in my chest.
I couldn’t take it.
So I cut in.
I didn’t ask.
I just stepped in.
My hands found her hips, and the moment I touched her, something surged through me. An electric current. A spark. A jolt.
It was familiar.
Too familiar.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was the feeling true mates get when they touch.
But that couldn’t be.
She wasn’t my mate.
She couldn’t be.
Her body froze beneath my hands. Her eyes locked with mine. And then—pain.
She peeled my hands off her body like they were poison.
And walked away.
No words.
No hesitation.
Just rejection.
She went straight to Eric, and I nearly lost it when she bit her lip. I growled—low and guttural. Thankfully, the music drowned it out.
Then they kissed.
And she led him out of the house.
I felt like I was being torn apart.
Her scent was no longer pure. It was tainted. Mixed with his. And I hated it.
I hoped she was still innocent.
I needed her to be.
Because if she wasn’t—if Eric had taken that from her—I didn’t know what I’d do.
I left the party.
I didn’t tell anyone.
I didn’t look for Mina.
I just left.
I searched the parking lot, scanning for their cars. Eric drove a wagon. Lexi had a purple Benz. Not exactly subtle.
I used my wolf sight to scan faster. My senses were heightened. My pulse was racing.
I found Eric’s car.
He was sitting in it.
Alone.
Lexi wasn’t with him.
Relief flooded me.
She was still innocent.
She hadn’t left with him.
She hadn’t given herself to him.
Not yet.
I turned and headed toward the back of the house. If she didn’t leave with Eric, maybe she went looking for Lex. Maybe she needed her brother.
Lex had been acting strange lately. Detached. Distant. He didn’t seem to care that I was with Mina. He’d started dating some blonde girl whose name I didn’t know.
I felt bad for Mina. I knew how much she liked him. And I could imagine how she felt seeing him with someone else.
Because I was feeling the same thing.
The twins.
They were different.
No human had ever affected me like this. And Mina had hated humans—until she met Lex.
I reached the backyard.
And then—I heard it.
A sound.
Soft. Rhythmic. Familiar.
I turned toward it.
And froze.
Mina.
Sitting on a table.
Lex between her legs.
His head buried in her thighs.
She was moaning.
Gripping his hair.
Her eyes closed in ecstasy.
I didn’t need to guess what was happening.
He was eating her out.
And she was loving it.
I stood there, stunned. Speechless. Betrayed.
Then—
A gasp.
I turned.
Lexi.
Standing behind me.
Her hands clasped over her mouth.
Her eyes wide.
Her face pale.
She had seen it too.
We locked eyes.
And for a moment, everything stopped.
The music. The party. The pain.
Just us.
Just the truth.
Just the wreckage.
Her skin glistened beneath the moonlight. Her body tense. Her breath shallow.
She looked like a ghost.
And I felt like one.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t know what to feel.
All I knew was that everything had just changed.
Again.