ALPHA QUEEN

FOURTEEN.

"I was so worried about you. Axel was also badly hurt when he was trying to catch you over the counter and it was a mess. Too many injured people for me. I did come to visit you, only Axel wouldn't let me near you."

"Wait; what? Axel was injured, too?" She nodded and I ran past her to Axel's room. I pushed the door wide open to find him lying on his bed, asleep. I slowly walked up to him and sat beside him.

"Why haven't you told me?" I whispered. Blue eyes opened and his brows furrowed in confusion. 

Oh, Axel. Why did you try to save someone who can't be saved?

"Show me," I demanded and he sighed in realization. Lifting his shirt, he exposed a large bandage on his left hip; there were also traces of scars all over his chest. I gasped at the sight in front of me and felt something slide down my cheek. 

Was I crying?

"Hey, hey. I'm fine, Rose." Axel sat up and pulled me into a hug. I heard him hiss lowly when I hugged him back and I quickly moved away from him. The bandage on his hip changed colour from pearly white to crimson red.

"You're bleeding!" I whimpered and saw Lily appear at the door. I asked her to bring me a first-aid kit and a towel from the bathroom. Axel started to protest but when I yelled at him, he quieted down. Lily handed me the kit and I opened it, pulling out what I needed. I told Axel to lie down and he obeyed without protests. When I removed the blood-soaked bandage from his wound, my heart stopped.

He had a lot of stitches on his hip and half of them were broken. I took a deep breath to hide the sob in my throat and carefully cleaned his wound. Then, I stitched him up again as best as I could and placed a new bandage over the closed wound. After I took everything to the bathroom and came back to the room, Lily was gone and Axel was lying on his back. I lifted my right hand to remove a stray hair away from my face and all I saw was blood. I went back into the bathroom and removed the ruined bandage when his hand fell on my shoulder.

"Let me do it. Go sit on the bed." I turned around and looked up in his eyes. Then, I truly realized I don't want to be harsh with him anymore. I was just trying to project my pride in anger and hurt his feelings. I then nodded and he smiled softly. Once I was comfortably sat on his bed, he came to sit beside me and started to work on my wound.

I gritted my teeth and tried to endure the pain, but a groan escaped my lips while Axel was stitching up my palm. He immediately stopped and looked at my face.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No, no. Continue." He finished the stitches and I let out a breath of relief; that was the worst injury I ever got and I've had many stitches over the years. He wrapped my hand in a clean bandage and stored everything he used back into the box before placing it on the floor. His eyes looked into mine and I almost blushed under the spell. Almost.

"What?"

"Thank you for helping me with my wound." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you, too. I'll leave you now to rest." I stood up, ready to go back into my bed when he gently grabbed my wrist. The sparks were exploding like crazy on that one spot and I felt Athena purring in my head. 

Yes, I know it feels amazing.

"Stay? Please." All my doubts and insecurities hit me in the head at his words. His eyes were full of hope, but...

"I just want to sleep, Rose. There will be no marking or mating. Just let me hold you for tonight," He said and I felt my heart melt at his words. Nodding, I lied down beside him. Axel's arms wound themselves around my back and I laid my head on his chest. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is a soft kiss on my forehead.

...

My rest didn't last long; hunger woke me up. I contacted Toni for food; he only asked if pasta with cheese and Greek salad were fine and I wanted to hug the man to death. He asked if Axel wanted anything and I told him to bring the same thing for my mate. I also ordered some water and a pill for me since my head was killing me. Toni came in Axel's room five minutes later, carrying a huge tray. I smiled up at him and he looked at the sleeping form of my mate whose arm was still behind my back, hugging me.

"I see you guys are finally working on your relationship; thank the Goddess. Where do you want me to put this?" I told him to place it on the nightstand beside Axel. He placed it there and quietly left the room. Now, all I had to do was wake Axel up.

"Wakey, wakey. Axel. Hey." I nudged him but he didn't even flinch. Oh, I've got an idea! A bad one but...an idea. I let my canines elongate and then I grazed them over his jaw. His eyes shot open and I giggled. He looked down at my face and I smiled innocently at him.

"Don't tempt me, love." He spoke in his raspy voice and I almost died at how good it sounded. And he called me 'love'.

Holy shit.

"Well, I've tried to wake you up so we can eat but couldn't do it in the first twenty attempts. So I did what I did." Axel removed his hand from my back and I sat up, yawning. He lifted himself in a half-sitting position and looked to his left, at the tray filled with food.

"Toni was here?"

"Mhm. Now, hand me that food, I'm starving." He laughed at my enthusiasm for food before taking the tray and placing it between us. I immediately missed the warmth of his body. When I'm close to him, I feel at peace and safe. I guess I'm doomed. 

I can't be a bitch to my man anymore.

We ate in silence and I drank the pill after I was full. Then, I left the bed and looked back at Axel.

"Do you need anything? I'll bring it to you before I go to bed." He raised his eyebrow at me and I waited for his response.

"I do."

"Name it and I'll get it for you."

"You."

I widened my eyes at his words even though I had a feeling he would say that.

He beckoned me over and I sighed.

What did I get myself into?

I slid back into the bed beside him and he pulled the covers over us. His arm snaked around my waist and I snuggled into his chest. I placed my palm over his heart and closed my eyes.

For a few minutes, I listened to the sound of our heartbeats that were now in sync and smiled to myself.

I think I like this way too much.