The Mark of a Beta

thirty- one

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Okay, enjoy this chapter. It may just break your heart.

~

Axel opens the car door for me, and before sliding into the passenger seat, I feel like I should say something to him. I want to show that I support every part of him- even his violent tendencies. I'm so, so grateful that he didn't kill my parents. I know that took a lot out of him, especially because of who he is and his past experience with his parents. I don't know the details, but maybe now would be a good time to find out.

"Thank you for not killing them," I say to Axel's emotionless face. His forest-green eyes find mine immediately, and then he scrunches his eyebrows in the adorable way he always does when he's confused.

It seems that I confuse him a lot these days.

"You're not-" he begins, then clears his throat and swallows. His adam's apple bobs up and down, and I can't help but let my mind wander to how he would react if I licked it.

Stop it, I scold myself. He still has your parents' blood on his hand!

"Why aren't you mad?" He corrects himself. I can see why he would be confused. In the past, I purposefully didn't tell him about the injuries inflicted by my mother so he wouldn't hurt her. Now, I'm acting fairly calm for the situation.

"Because they're never going to love me. I'm never going to be good enough for them, no matter what I do. I guess you helped me realize that. And after living with Larry and Lane for a while, I can finally see what parental figures should look like. My parents are definitely not that," I say.

I'm actually pretty fucking proud of myself. I didn't cry while I was in there confronting them. I'll probably cry myself to sleep tonight, especially because I'll be without Axel, but at least they didn't see me affected.

Axel looks down at me, then sends me a small, jaw-dropping smile. It's not the wild, untamed smirk that screams murder, but a gentle one only reserved for me.

"Good," he says, then he walks around the car and sits in the driver's seat. He reaches into the glove compartment with one hand, pulls out a disinfectant wipe, and cleans his hand quickly and efficiently. This is definitely a regular thing, and I try to block out why he would be so good at wiping blood off of his hands.

The drive from my old house to Larry's is pretty short, and I don't really know what to say. When I see the normal-looking, one-story house that I know is a chaotic mess on the inside, I figure that now is the only time I'll be able to question Axel about his parents for a while. He knows all about my family, and I know nothing other than the fact that his parents are dead and he doesn't mind.

"So, my parents fucking suck," I begin, and Axel rolls his eyes as he pulls in to the driveway. He doesn't further the conversation, so I know that I have to be the one to keep the conversation flowing.

"What about... your parents? I say hesitantly. Axel freezes up at the question that he probably views as intrusive, but I think I have every right to know. Axel knows so much about me, and it really helps him protect me and comfort me. I want to do the same for him, but I can't if I don't know about his past.

Even though Axel doesn't respond right away, my stupid, talkative brain thinks it's a swell idea to keep talking.

"I mean, you basically know everything there is to know about me while I know nothing about you. We're mated now. I'd like to know everything about the guy who I'm spending the rest of my life with, you know? And-" I stop myself when I can feel Axel's discomfort through the mate bond. Uh oh. I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable. I just want to know more about him. I care about him. I love him.