02 | Hard News

*Axel’s POV*

~A few months before~

“Fūck. Just like that.” I groaned, throwing my head behind my shoulders as Analisa sucked my length, my hands interlaced in the back of her head. 

I forced myself down her throat urgently as her moan vibrated down my throbbing cōck, making me hiss. I’m fūcking close and she knows it. I was about to voice it when I felt the annoying pressure in my head, forcing me to fūck her throat faster. I had to burst my load in her mouth before answering the mind link or I would not be able to get shīt done today. 

Who can work with a stiff cōck? Not the hell me!

“Twirl your tongue around my head, princess.” I groaned out, opening my eyes to meet her usual vibrant gray eyes that had darkened in lust. 

A few more hard thrusts had me pulling her platinum blonde hair tightly with one hand as I gripped my cōck with the other, stroking until I was coating her mouth and lips. A low growl emanated from deep within my chest as I gave a few final pumps, emptying my balls completely to my satisfaction. 

I watched her spit my cūm just as I opened my mind link. 

“Dear goddess. About damn time!” Quinton, my alpha and best friend hissed. “I told you that I needed to discuss some things with you.”

“I’ll be right there, Quinton.” I mumbled before closing the mind link as I helped Analisa on her feet, brushing off the cūm she hadn’t licked off her bottom lip with my calloused thumb. 

She smiled up at me as I tucked my cōck back in my pants with my other hand. She wrapped her arms around my neck as she trailed kisses down my jaw. “So when do you want to do this?” She breathed against my ear as I gripped her asš over her jeans. 

Analisa and I have known each other for some time. I mean, I met her when Quinton met his mate, her sister. We’ve always gotten along, especially now that we have decided to take the next step. We aren’t getting any younger and neither of us have found our mates, so why not choose each other as chosen mates? 

“I’ll let you know. We just decided this a few minutes ago.” I murmured before placing a kiss on her forehead. “I have to go. I agreed to meet with Quinton.” 

“Okay.” She grinned as her hands glided down my shoulders until she gripped my collar and pulled me closer, sealing her lips over mine. 

Her tongue parted my lips and pushed through, seeking to tease my tongue. I growled lowly, pulling her closer by her waist as her arousal filled the air again. Too bad I had lots of shīt to do today or I’d be doing her tight channel right now. 

I wrenched my lips from hers, earning a whimper to escape her lips. 

“I really have to go, princess.” I told her, releasing her and making my way to the door. 

“I’ll be back later today then.” She mentioned, making me turn. 

“I thought you came to visit your sister?” I questioned her with raised brows. 

“Yeah, but since things changed,” She wiggled her brows as her smile grew. “I can’t wait to let my parents know. Might as well start moving things from my pack over as well.” She shrugged while I shook my head at her. 

I keep telling myself that it’s for the best. We’ve been fooling around for a while. Who needs their fated mate anyway? 

“Dumb asš.” Dash, my wolf, grumbled in annoyance before retreating to the back of my mind again. 

He’ll get over it. I’m doing this for him too. We need an heir and who better to give it to us than an alpha’s daughter, who is also very great company?

***

“Okay, what is it?” Quinton sighed as he settled on the seat next to me after hours of talking strategies. “We’ve been talking—Let me rephrase that—I’ve been talking nonstop about ideas of taking down Blackfort as well as the kidnappings and your head isn’t in it.”

“I’m taking Analisa as my chosen mate.” I blurted out before he could get another word out, making him freeze.

“Fūcking hell, Axel. Are you sure?” He asked with concern evident in his gray eyes. “The council is no longer riding higher rank’s asšes about finding their mates and the alpha king has too much on his plate to assign a new council, so you don’t—” He was saying, but I just shook my head. 

“I’m not getting any younger, Quinton.” I interjected, making him sigh in exasperation. 

He knew how I felt about pups, so he must understand. Goddess knew when my moment would be and I wanted to make sure to have pups before it happened.  

“Fine. I won’t question you further because I know how you get when you have your mind set, but let’s not have the official ceremony yet. I heard the military has a few positions available. Why don’t you consider it for a few months? The alpha king was quite impressed with you last time.” He mentioned with a flash of his brows. 

“Quinton,” I glared at him. “I get you’re concerned, but I can’t leave the pack when you all need me the most. With all the missing she-wolves—” I was saying, but it was his turn to glare. 

“Your pack wants the best version of you. You don’t understand what finding your mate does to you and your wolf.” He stated as his eyes twinkled like a fūcking lovesick puppy. 

I swear I don’t envy my best friend. I’m happy for him, but I wish I would have found my mate to understand him and how mushy he becomes when talking about her. 

I felt Dash’s intentions and pushed him back before he gave me a smart remark. 

“I don’t know, man.” I muttered, crossing my arms as I watched him stand up and walk towards the bar in his office. “What about my beta position?” 

“It’ll always be here for you, Axel. You know that I would never replace you.” He stated before looking over his shoulder with a smirk. “No one takes a beating in sparring like you do, so why would I get someone to replace you?” 

I scoffed at that as I stood up and walked towards him too. “If you call your girl punches beating…” I rolled my eyes as he chuckled before placing a hand on my shoulder while pointing a finger from the hand that was holding his drink. 

He was about to open his mouth when the door banged open. “Quinton!” Priscilla, his mate, rushed inside in tears. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?” He questioned in panic, placing his drink back on the bar as she threw herself in his arms. 

“Analisa—Analisa.” She sobbed into his chest as him and I shared the same look. 

“What’s wrong with Analisa?” He asked for the both of us, since I couldn’t get the words out.

“She doesn’t answer her phone.” She cried, making me sigh in relief. Maybe she didn’t have her phone on her? At least that’s what happens to me all the time.

“Why don’t you call your parents?” I offered Priscilla before she turned to look at me like she had just now realized they weren’t alone. 

“I did. They said she hadn’t returned home since she came here this morning. I didn’t even know she was here.” She trembled in Quinton’s arms.

“She was with me,” I told her as I turned my wrist, looking at the time. “But that was about four hours ago.”

“Maybe she stopped somewhere and doesn’t have any signal?” Quinton offered as he rubbed his mate’s back gently. “We can send some warriors out to search for her if that makes you feel better?”

She nodded frantically as her hand clutched around her gold necklace that matched her sister’s. “Please. Father has a search group too, but the more people the better.” She choked out, tears welling in her eyes again.

“We’ll find her, baby. I promise.” He whispered before pulling her to his chest again and wrapping his large arms around her as his eyes met mine once more.

Without exchanging any words, I already knew what he was thinking. Or better yet, hoping. 

That she wasn’t another victim of the recent she-wolf kidnappings.

*Melody’s POV*

~Present Day~ 

I have been sitting in some sort of office since the guard took me out of my cell. Shifting uncomfortably, I looked around again. Nothing in this room would give my location away. They clearly used this room on rare occasions, since there were only a few chairs, a mirror, and a desk with lots of drawers.

I swallowed my extremely dry throat as I pushed a few strands of hair behind my ear nervously. What were they going to do to me? Am I going to meet my end? Goddess, I wish I would have seen my Father one more time.

I closed my eyes briefly, holding back the tears I had yet to shed since being taken. I refuse to give any of them that benefit. Before I could open my eyes, the door swung open. When I opened my eyes, I gulped at the sight of a huge man in a suit and a thin woman with a white coat beside him. It was clear that she was some kind of doctor. 

I gulped nervously as I struggled to keep an emotionless expression on my face. 

The man’s loud footsteps was all that could be heard in the room as he made his way towards me. “Melody, is it?” His deep voice echoed in my ears, making me shiver involuntarily. “Are you deaf?” He growled when I didn’t respond, causing me to slightly jump up before nodding. 

“Yes. My name is Melody.” I was surprised at how steady my voice came out. 

“We will ask you a series of questions before she runs a few tests on you. We can’t just trust what the sellers told us.” He disclosed through gritted teeth. Sellers? So I hadn’t imagined that last bit before everything went dark?

He sat down right across from me, next to the desk, as he opened up a folder I hadn’t noticed him holding. 

“Melody Forte, future beta of the Silver Frost pack. Twenty-five years old. Mateless. And most importantly, virgin.” He stated before his eyes lifted, meeting mine. His eyes seemed cold and heartless as they glowered back. “Is everything correct?”

“Yes.” I replied, feeling my cheeks flush as I looked away. 

“Worth every penny then.” He declared in amusement, forcing my eyes to shift back to his. I wanted to say something smart in response, but his glare made me bite the inside of my cheek. I don’t get why now? Why are the questions and tests being run after months?

“A virgin, but I am sure you’ve done other things?” He questioned after a few moments of silence, making my eyes widen. Is he serious right now? “We need this answer to know what category we can sell you under.” He declared like he was talking about the weather. 

“Sell?” I gasped as he rolled his eyes. 

“I’m the one that asks the questions.” He growled, slamming his hands against the desk. 

“None.” I whimpered, looking away. 

“Interesting. And you said you are twenty-five?” He questioned again as I lifted my chin in defiance. I’m done cowering away. If anything, death was better than my new lovely life.

“Well, before I was involuntarily taken, I was. I’m not sure how long I’ve been here.” I replied, making him nod before turning to the doctor. 

“I need a double dose for her. Even though most of our clients like a she-wolf with a fight, we can’t risk it with her.” He told her before leveling his gaze on me again. “Education level?” 

I rolled my eyes before crossing my arms and turning to face the wall. Before I could react, he launched himself forward, gripping my chin tightly and forcing me to look at him. 

“Your defiance can be considered cute to most,” He spat, digging his fingers into my cheek as I grabbed at his steel arms desperately. “But I find it a hurdle to the potential of greater profit out of your sale.”

“Fūck you!” I hissed through gritted teeth before he released me, lifting his hand in the air, connecting to my cheek and knocking me out of my chair. 

My hand gripped my cheek as I glared back. “Run the tests, give her the first dosages, and then have one of the guards take her to the showers. Her skin will look good in red lingerie as her red dress has been the talk amongst my guards.” He told the woman as she jotted everything down before he turned back to me. “Once all of that is done, we will try my questions again. My clients don’t mind a little roughening up of their purchases, so I expect you to act accordingly if you don’t want a few broken ribs.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared back at him. I had done so well keeping my mouth shut, earning rare beatings, but I could no longer take it. I just wish I had my wolf to back me up with strength and quick healing. I would have wanted to see him try if I had her. 

“And if a few more beatings don’t keep you in line, I’m sure I can think of other ways.” He declared as his eyes trailed down my body slowly, forcing me to cover myself with my hands. Disgusting pig.

He stormed out of the office before I could get another word out. I was still glaring at the door that he had just walked out of when the woman approached me. 

I was about to question her when my eyes met her fear-filled ones. She shook her head and that was all I needed to understand, that he was gone, but we were still being watched.

I inhaled as I let her help me back to the chair. At least there was one positive in all of this… I finally get to take a very much needed shower.