"What's the deal between you and that filthy rogue?" He jumps straight at it with an expression far from the loving one from earlier."Wha... Axel, you were there when I explained it to your father. I felt like I owed it to him for saving me twice... I'm so sorry for hurting you. If I knew you would get hurt I wouldn't...""Of course you didn't know I would get hurt. That would require you to have any knowledge or training in combat." He spits furiously as he gets up and starts pacing around the room.I stare at him in disbelief. What happened since I left the Alpha's office? Did the Alpha already break his part of the deal?"Axel? I... I'm really sorry... For everything. I know I messed up, but...""Oh mess up does not even begin to describe it! Yeah, sure, my dad will say it was a misunderstanding, but that won't clear your name completely. You... if they didn't like you before... now, I don’t even know. And it's only four months before the Alpha ceremony. Should I announce you as L
"Why didn't you tell me about the self-defense classes?" Is the first question he asks me after we sat down on the small bed. There is nothing left of the anger from earlier, just pure regret."I didn't think it mattered. It's not like they helped me in any way. I'm still useless." I say, playing with the strings of my hoodie.Silence takes over as I feel Axel tensing up next to me."I didn't... earlier... It's not what I meant." He stumbles over his words awkwardly trying to touch my hand but changing his mind at the last second."It's the truth. I could train for a lifetime and still, nothing would change. I don't have a wolf. Combat is in wolf shape. It's not like I could ask the rogues to fight in human form so I can stand a chance. And I wasn't good at it anyway. Worse than even an average human." It's hard to say it out loud, but... hiding it doesn't make it less real. "I am finally able to admit that. I am good at other things... I am great at math, I am a good cook. I used to w
"I don't know about this Axel..." I whisper as he picks the lock of his father's office."Don't worry, I've been doing it since I was ten." He brushes off my concern with a wink and gets back to business."I thought you could just tell him you want to look over them, not that we have to break in!""All the reports are in his office and they can't leave his office. Pack safety. So if you don't want to spend some quality time with my dad, let me focus.""I was standing accused of treason yesterday and now I am breaking into the Alpha's office. This can't end up well." I complain, terrified of returning to that dark and moldy dungeon."Only if we get caught!"Judging by my luck, the Alpha will have a nightmare about not watering his plants and will come to check up on them the second we get in. I point this out to Axel, but he rolls his eyes saying his dad has plastic plants.Finally, a click from the door almost gives me a heart attack, but Axel turns around, proud of his work.The offi
"Honey, I'm hooome!" Axel shouts as he comes in, with a satisfied grin on his face. "Damn, that's fun to say!""Glad you are living your patriarchal dreams, but I must warn you there is no after-work snack waiting for you in the kitchen. And the house is full of those damn pages everywhere." I answered, pointing at the mess around me."What do you mean there is no snack for me? I am looking at her right now!" His cheeky joke actually makes me laugh. "How are those reports looking?""I don't have great news..." I answered, looking down at my notebook."Rogue attacks are very chaotical. People spent years trying to figure out patterns, but there are simply none. Don't get too upset.""Oh no, I found the patterns, but they are... not good news."This gets his attention fast and his demeanor changes as he takes a look over my notes. I move some of the pages so he can sit down and discuss them together."What's this?" He asks after a few seconds of confused silence."I suck at taking notes
"Alpha!" Both me and Axel greet him as he puts his phone down."If it isn't the heroic couple." I believe he tried to sound genuine, but god damn did that come out sarcastic. And exactly because he attempted to be nice, I am so much more convinced it won't be a good discussion. "Take a seat. Rose, Axel told me you were the one that figured that the rogues would attack yesterday.""I just thought of looking for a pattern when Axel mentioned the attacks can't be predicted." That and the moon Goddess appears in my dreams and gives me advice lately like a fairy godmother, but I'm not going to say that out loud. Not that they would believe me anyway."Yes. In the reports that you too stole from my office the other day."All the blood drains from my face as I sneak a look towards Axel, but my mate seems quite pleased with himself."I see that old age didn't make you senile, father." he says, and I almost choke with my own breath. I expect the Alpha to be outraged, but instead, he bursts out
"Did you just lie to your Alpha?" Axel asks as we come out of the Alpha's office the next morning."Alpha is for werewolves. If he is acting like a peacock, I can treat him like one, right?""What have you become?" Axel asks, amused, and I return a smirk.Truth be told, I was shitting myself, but the old bastard was questioning what else I found in the reports so he could take credit himself for the ideas when he would meet with the Alphas in the north. The Whiteclaws are a very influential pack, one of the oldest in the country, so once they took the situation seriously, many others followed their lead. Now a meeting is in order, something that hasn't happened in hundreds of years."I told you, I don't mind you taking credit, but him... I'd rather go back to the dungeon." I explain as we get into the car to drive back to the little house. I caught a glimpse of Caroline when we drive by the training grounds, but she turns around fast when she sees Axel. I throw him a questioning look,
#Axel's perspective#"I will try to hint at this, Rose, but... It took them so long to admit that the attacks are a problem, even though endless packs fell in the last years. To accept there is any pack in the world that would work with the rogues... It would shake the foundation of their beliefs." I shake my head as I paced around the room."Their beliefs is the root of those troubles. The distance between packs, the distance between members of the same pack, between us and the rogues. Instead of a community that was created for the survival of everyone, it became the rule of the strongest.""Because that's what is needed to survive...""No, that is the easy way to exist, not what is needed to live, to thrive."We are running in circles at this point, with both being right and wrong at the same time. And I get what she's saying is right in a way, but just because it's right, it doesn't mean everyone will jump to accept it. Yeah, the weak will, seeing an opportunity, but the strong? T
" Another attack was prevented before it even happened. Goddess bless our future Alpha." Mrs. Tensel tells her friend.I smile as I pass by. It's been three months since we lost any warriors to the rogues and the moral of the pack increased tremendously because of it. That, and their trust in Axel as a leader."My day just got better." Axel smiles when he sees me in his room. I didn't catch him when he returned from his border duties, but that's no problem, as I caught him right as he got out of the shower, which is a treat for the eyes."Mine too. I heard some old ladies talking about how great you are. And not just them, the whole pack can't stop praising you. My mate is such a catch." I laugh and wink at him, but even though he smiles too, he seems a bit uncomfortable.I don't want to ruin the mood so I say nothing. In the last month, he has been uncomfortable every time the mate thing comes up and I am tired of asking why, only to start a fight with him arguing that it's only in m