Protect |✔️

Chapter 10

Axel watched as Ayliah left the store, sadness seeping into his heart. He knew he couldn't keep her there, but he wanted to at least spend a bit more time with, get to know her a bit and maybe ask her out for dinner.

But she didn't even give him a chance before she apologized and walked away. Axel knew he would see her again, he just had to make sure she didn't leave, make her see the beauty of the town and hope that she would stay.

He couldn't let her leave. He wouldn't.

Hearing a small huff, and he turns his head to notice Lilly still standing there.

"So, that's your mate?," she said.

"Yeah," he says lowly but even he could hear the happiness and shock in his voice. Yeah he knew she was here but he didn't think he would run into her so soon, if anything he thought he would have to "accidentally" bump into her just to meet and see her.

"Mhmm," Lilly replies and he looks at her with one brow raised. What the hell was her problem, usually when one finds their mate, other are happy and congratulating them. But Lilly doesn't seem to happy and he wasn't sure why?

"What the hell is that supposed to mean," he rumbles out, growling slightly, getting agitated with her. That was his mate and he wasn't going to stand for any disrespect, no matter who it was. Family or not, they would show her the respect she deserves.

"Nothing!," she says. She knew she was treading on thin ice, but she wasn't happy anyways. Though Ayliah seemed nice and friendly, Lilly wasn't happy she's mates with Axel.

Grunting, Lilly watches Axel takes his stuff and leaves the store without another word. Cussing in her head, she knew she pissed him off with that remark, but what did she expect. She was hoping that eventually Axel would open his eyes and see her like she saw him, but all he sees is that she is his "little sister". And that title just pissed her off, and now he found his mate, she knew he wouldn't look at anyone else now.

But she wasn't going to let some girl that just came into town take away the man she loves, she was leaving in a month anyway, but she didn't want to wait that long, she had some thinking to do.

Axel left the store, and looked down the sidewalk to see if he could see his mate, but he couldn't. Shaking his head, Axel tries to clean the frustration Lilly caused him, he didn't care what anyone thought of her, and he wasn't going to listen to what anyone said until he got to know her.

All he hoped for was that Ayliah likes him, and he was going to show her just how much a great mate he will be for her.

And now more than anything, he was glad he saved himself for her. He wanted to give her all of him. He has never even kissed a girl before, let alone anything farther than that. He saw his parents love for one another and he wants that for himself, and now he was closer to having it, and like before, a small smile that's barely visable, graces his lips as he thinks of his mate, Ayliah.

Walking into the brick building, he walks pass Beth, who looks up at him shocked. and for a moment he thinks there must be something on his face with the way she was looking at him.

"What?," he grunts out, bringing his one hand up to wipe his face incase anything was on him.

Chuckling, Beth looks at him with a wide smile, and he was getting creeped out the longer she smiled at him. Him, a damn bear shifter, was actually getting nervous as an old lady started at him with a big creepy smile on her face.

"You're smiling! Oh my goodness! You're actually smiling!," she yells out all excited, her smiling widening even more if that was possible.

Okay so he didn't smile very much, but to freak out like this, was a bit ridiculous he thought.

Shaking his head, he grunts and gives her a dirty look, before trying to walk away. Because if she asked he would be stuck there forever.

"You met a girl!," she yells.

Are you fucking kidding me, Axel thought before his eyes widen open a bit. Within a second he heard a crash and the pounding of feet running out of the one office.

Shit.

He knew Jarred heard Beth, and he was correct, because at the end of the hall, there he stood, looking at him with shock and happiness for his brother.

If anyone needed a mate it was Axel, the big guy was grumpy and sourly and a mate could help him calm down and maybe let him live a little.

"You met her?!," he says lowly that Beth wouldn't hear, but he could.

Axel wasn't sure when he was going to tell Jarred and Derek that he found his mate, he was hoping to maybe go see them tonight and tell them. But that's not happening now, thanks to Beth.

He nods, and smiles as he thinks of his beautiful Ayliah. The way her eyes sparkled when she looked into his eyes, and then raked her eyes down his body, that was now and forever hers.

"So who is she?," Beth's voice bring his back.

"I don't know what your talking about," he grunts out. By the end of the damn day he knew the whole town would know he met a girl.

"Sure, sure. Don't worry, I'll find out soon enough. Let's just hope the poor girl can handle your grumpy attitude," she says with a wink.

"Your just looking for gossip now aren't ya?," he rumbles out with a small chuckle.

"Of course I am! What do you think us old gals do? Just sit and read books all day?," she laughs, her blue eyes crinkled as she smiles and continues to laugh.

Chuckling, he walks pass Beth, " don't you have work to do?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. But I'm happy you "may" have met someone. Because she is already doing you good, smiling and actually chuckling is a big improvement. And I'm a fan of it. Now get, get. Don't you know? I have "work" to do." She uses her fingers to quote him, before shooting him away with a smile and flick of her wrist.

Walking by the crazy lady, he heads towards his office, knowing he may have gotten Beth off his back, but the same won't be for Jarred.

He swears Jarred is just as bad as Beth with all the damn gossip.

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I'll be posting the next chapter either tomorrow or Thursday the latest.