Collision Course

Chapter 1

No feelings. No emotions. No problems.
- Abhinav Bhardwaj
***
Axel's POV
***
If Axel were to say he wasn't nervous, it'd be a bald-faced lie. The twenty four year old man had just previously stepped into the role of Alpha of the FreeCrest Pack, and by previously he meant about 2 months ago. His father had passed, and the callow but strong son was left to take control of the second largest pack in North America with minuscule training.

His only guidance was his mother, who had steered him in all the right directions so far. If only he had spent his years listening and learning from his father, rather than chasing any available tail he could find. He was definitely the definition of young and dumb as a teen.

But now it was his turn to step up and be responsible. And while he had been successful so far, he wasn't sure how this conference would go.

The alphas of the other packs knew and respected his father, and while most were acquainted with Axel, his reputation was known and he likely wouldn't be taken very seriously.

He was more than content with sitting back and learning.

Taking a deep breath as he sat down, he tilted his head, taking in the room filled with different scents.

It didn't smell like he assumed it would, musky and full of testosterone as all of the most powerful alphas in North America gathered in conference.

There was another scent. Ginger, he decided. A smell of ginger and rain, accompanied by an almost sweet-smelling floral scent. It was beautiful and almost melancholy. He wanted-needed- to know where it came from.

He could probably bathe himself in it, and never get sick of the smell.

God, he needed to know where it came from.

Later, he decided, as the leader of the largest and strongest pack walked in, clearing her- wait, her? His head snapped up, taking on the frigid stare of an absolutely stunning woman, who introduced herself as Lilith Jakobsen, alpha of the Lapis Stone Pack.

And his mate.

Okay, she didn't introduce herself as his mate but he knew it, just from locking eyes with her, and the fact that the gorgeous scent he caught earlier was drifting straight from her. It felt as though the breath had been sucker punched straight out of his lungs. He was sure he was gaping like a fish, but she remained oddly unaffected.

Her blue eyes widened a fraction of an inch, but were recovered quickly as her gaze tore from his, sweeping over her fellow alphas. Her black hair was confined in a pony tail, the bottom brushing against the back of her leather jacket. His eyes slid over the expanse of her neck, olive skin on display and all he could think about was how he couldn't wait to get a hold of her and-

"Mr. Lucian. Are you listening?"

God that voice.

Oh shit that voice was talking to him.

He blinked, feeling several pairs of eyes on him, including the icy gaze of his mate. She was looking at him, a slight smirk curving one side of her lips before it dropped, an eyebrow raising in expectancy.

"Yes, I apologize. I was just..." Axel was at a loss for words, he had no excuse and it was clear in his eyes.

Thankfully she decided to cut him some slack.

"As I was saying, there has been an increasing amount of pack deaths, not just in my own pack but packs all over the country. They are getting braver and trying to condense our territories." Wait, who was? Before he could ask Lilith was sliding what seemed to be photographs along the table, allowing each alpha to look at them.

When it was Axel's turn to look at them, he sucked in a breath, digesting the pictures of mutilated pack members. Young and old. Some were sliced beyond recognition, others strung up in trees, dangling by tendons. It was appalling. He passed them along, no longer wanting to see the pictures.

"A majority of these deaths are from the smaller packs. A few are from our own. It seems the less populated are being targeted first, as they have fewer numbers available for patrols and fighting. Now we don't know for sure who's committing these crimes, but we have a pretty good idea..."
•••
After three grueling hours of protocols on how to protect their younger pack members, going over more photographs, and drooling over his mate, the conference was over.

As the other alphas left the room, he noticed Lilith lingered, gathering her paperwork.

Now was his chance.

Axel straightened his shoulders, taking in a deep breath as he walked up to the woman, his 6'3 frame easily looming over. He was sure she could lay him out in a second if she wanted.

"Excuse me, Lilith?"

Those leather clad shoulders tensed, her eyes flicking up to him as she straightened her own posture from leaning over the table. Up close the aroma coming from her was even stronger, and he almost felt light headed as he stood there.

"I suppose you want to talk about us." That strong voice touched his ears, and his brain came to a halt. About us? Why was she acting so formal? He had seen his friends find they're mates, and they had practically been all over each other from the moment they realized. But here was Lilith, as normal and aloof as she was with all the other alphas she had seen.

"You're my mate." He breathed out, reaching out to touch her forearm, his finger tips ghosting the skin of her wrist before it was pulled from him. Even just that brief moment of contact sent a thrill through him, and he could see momentarily that it had the same effect on her. He looked over every detail of her face, from her long, dark lashes to the small smattering of freckles that were few and far in between. Axel had thought many girls were beautiful, but none held a candle to his mate.

As he watched her dark pink lips part, his heart plummeted into his stomach.

"Biology might say I'm your mate, but I don't. I can't afford any extra weight." The words cut through him like a knife as he looked down at her, brows furrowed.

"Wait, what? What are you saying?"

She sighed as though this was a massive inconvenience for her, looking down as she gathered the files into her arms. When she looked up again, she had the expression of someone trying to teach a full grown adult that two plus two equaled four.

"I'm saying that I refuse to take you as my mate."

And with those final words, she stepped around him and left the room.

***
Oof she really did that to him.

We love an independent woman.

Jk not a mean independent woman. Poor Axel just wanted to love on his lady and Lil was even having it. Hopefully he doesn't take no for an answer.

I'm going to attempt to upload every Sunday, but I'm also going to have to play it by ear as a full time college student who works and owns horses. Pray for me! I've also never written a werewolf story before, and the title isn't cemented because I don't know if I really like it. I'm definitely open to suggestions! I'm also soooo rusty so sorry about any errors or awkwardness.
If you enjoyed the chapter or have suggestions, please let me know!