Chapter Four

Annalee's P.O.V

It was finally here, the day everyone had been waiting for, tomorrow is the day Maddox turned eighteen. All our neighbouring packs were coming to celebrate the occasion and hopefully he would find his mate, he deserved to be happy everyone did. As my list grows longer and longer, with all the things I needed to get ready for tomorrow it feels like the number of hours in the day needed to be multiplied by three if I had any chance of completing this. ‘Crap’ I cursed at myself as the decorations I was trying, not very successfully, to hang kept falling down, rubbing my face with my small hands I took a deep breath and tried again. A deep but quiet laugh came from behind startling me. The ladder started to shake and slip and I knew I would fall so I braced for the impact, but instead I was caught by two strong arms before hitting the ground.

“Why is it every time we are in the same room together you are always falling over, if you want my arms around you that badly all you need to do is ask” Maddox whispered seductively in my ear. What is this guy’s deal? Lately he was turning up everywhere. A fact that was not unnoticed by Brittany and her gang of bitches. Their assaults had increased, I currently do not have a single part of my body that was not covered with bruises right now, except my face, which hey that was a win, the thought made me smile.

Falling back into my default response “ I'm sorry,” I said before readjusting the ladder to continue I did not have time to waste.

“Here let me help you” he offered trying to take the decorations out of my hands.

“No, I got it” I scurried to take the banner off him as I heard his father approach the hall and he scared the hell out of me. If he thought I was asking Maddox for help I would be in big trouble, not wanting to upset him I was still holding out hope I would be allowed to go to the party.  

“What is this Annalee? Are you trying to palm off some of your duties to my son? I did not take you for a slacker maybe I was wrong" he said hatred laced his words. "well we will see if we can fix that, here are the extra tasks I need you to complete before tomorrow” he handed me a double sided piece of paper that seemed endless, catering changes, last minute RSVPs who would need accommodation and place settings organised and they decided on changing the colour scheme to include the gold, in the family crest up until now it was midnight blue, with white and silver, now it was midnight blue, white and gold. The entire room needed to be redone. This was only scratching the surface of what was on the list. There was no way I was sleeping tonight.

“Yes Alpha” bowing my head not saying another word, I mean I couldn’t complain these people took me in when I had no one, I owed it to them to do as I was asked without complaint. 

“Good, now Maddox, come with me I need you to look over some things in my office” Alpha Maxwell left without ever looking at me directly and Maddox followed. But not before stopping to look over his shoulder at me once and he looked sad. But right now I couldn’t concern myself with him silently cursing the universe for not giving me super speed or the ability to stop time as I looked at my endless list.

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Maddox P.O.V

As my birthday neared, I was finding it harder not to be near her, every chance I got I would accidently run into her, giving me a reason to talk to her and if I was lucky enough touch her. Tomorrow I finally turned eighteen and I would know if fate would give me what I had waited so long for, her! Knowing she was busy getting things ready it didn’t take me long to find her in the hall hanging decorations, I begged my mother to not go overboard, but she wouldn’t have it. Now Annalee had to do all this extra work to get it ready, none of the other omegas would be in the same room as her for long, they were busy helping getting everything ready but they put a lot on her because she just did it without complaint. Standing back just admiring how even sweaty and flustered she still managed to be the most beautiful woman in existence. “Crap” I heard her curse to herself and the decorations fell, I couldn't help but laugh. The sound must have scared her because she fell and lucky I have speed on my side reaching her before she hit the ground.

“Why is it every time we are in the same room together you are always falling over, if you want my arms around you that badly all you need to do is ask” I whispered.

But she ignored my flirting and muttered “I'm sorry,” before readjusting the ladder to continue.

Needing an excuse to stay a little long I offered to help make it a little easier on her “Here let me help you” trying to take the decorations out of her hands.

“No, I got it” she looked terrified at the idea and I could not understand why someone helping her would scare her this much. My father entered the hall his presence was hard to miss.

“What is this Annalee? Are you trying to palm off some of your duties to my son? I did not take you for a slacker maybe I was wrong, well we will see if we can fix that, here are the extra tasks I need you to complete before tomorrow” he handed her a double-sided piece of paper with more to do there was no way she would get this all finished by herself. But she did not complain like I knew she wouldn’t.

“Yes Alpha” bowing her head not saying another word.

“Good, now Maddox, come with me I need you to look over some things in my office” he had the nerve to walk in here and order her around insult her and add to her already long tasks to complete and wouldn’t even look at her directly. Hating the fact that she was doing all this work and knowing after it they still would not let her come to the party, it made me sad. But like the dutiful son I kept my mouth closed and followed my father without complaint.

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Axel P.O.V

Lately no matter how much I punched things, trained or spent time with Xander and Tristen blowing off steam I could not get the thought of her out of my mind. Since finally admitting I did in fact think that Annalee was the most beautiful girl I had even seen she was all I could think of.  It was not just the fact that her face would rival the moon goddess herself, it was just her! No matter the task she did it without complaint, she took nothing for granted appreciating every day, every meal, every time someone would dare speak to her even if it was barking another order. She was ignored, hurt and humiliated by the others because of what she was and she just took it, being grateful for the smallest things. Once I caught her admiring the warm sun and how it reflected off the glass making small rainbows on her hand with the biggest grin spread across her face. She didn’t seem to mind she had another bruise from goddess knows what, and no one asked. She could just admire a small thing such as a rainbow and be completely happy in that moment. It hurt me to not be near her now, before I didn’t like it because I missed my friend, what we were before. Now I didn’t like it because of what we could be, and how our relationship could be more maybe one day she would even look at me the way I looked at her. The thought made my chest hurt, what the fuck! this sucks! Groaning internally, I wanted to tell my father I didn’t give a shit if he didn’t want me to spend time with her, but I couldn’t risk him sending her away, alone in the world. Where would she go? Would she have someone to care for her and treat her well? I couldn’t risk her being hurt like that so I kept my distance it wasn’t about me it was about her, always her.

It was the day before Maddox turned eighteen and I knew everyone would be busy getting ready for his big party. Sometimes being the second born had its benefits, I could go unnoticed during these occasions. Wanting to go find her maybe I could help with all the tasks, they had dumped on her without even asking if she wanted to do it, but knowing her she wouldn’t complain. When I walked into the hall and saw her in Maddox’s arms my heart felt like it had been smashed into a million pieces. Not even sure why? It was obvious with the ladder laying on the floor and decorations falling around her she had fallen and he had caught her, but the thought of my brother holding her when I longed to, hurt. Even my wolf growled.

Their voices were soft but I could hear little pieces of the conversation, he was offering to help. Maddox never did anything for anyone, why was he offering to help her when they all looked down on her for what she was. Feeling my anger rise and getting increasingly hotter with rage, I needed to leave before I made an idiot of myself, shifting right here. Instead, I decided I needed to let some of the rage out. When I reached the training room, before I realised what I was doing I put my fist through the wall. Fuck! Why is it whenever she is concerned, I ended up needing to punch something?

After working out till way past midnight, finally feeling less angry, I made my way into the pack kitchen I had missed dinner and now I was starving. Freezing as I opened the door, finding Annalee, asleep on the floor sitting up leaning against the cupboard. Kneeling in front of her, I brushed a stray hair out of her face and just took a moment to appreciate this as a rare moment she wasn’t flying around in a busy whirlwind, and she looked so peaceful. Leaning a little to close, I bumped into the cupboard and startled her awake.

“I’m up, I’m up, sorry just closing my eyes for a minute” she rambled in a half-asleep daze. She was so freaking cute all sleepy and frazzled. Looking up at me realising who it was she punched me in the arm “Axel, you scared the shit out of me, seriously you could have given me a bloody heart attack, jerk” still half asleep she tried to conceal a yawn but failed, “why are you being all creepy watching me sleep anyway?” she asked defensively as she got up and rested her elbows against the counter.

“I wasn’t watching you all creepy, I came in to get something to eat and you were passed out on the floor” I felt I needed to be defensive I didn’t want her thinking I went around starring at her in her sleep. 

“I was not passed out I just needed to close my eyes for a minute” she yawned again

“You were passed out look there is drool on the floor and everything” I laughed, slightly nudging her, enjoying the feeling of her shoulder against mine.

“Sorry, it’s all this party stuff I haven’t really stopped in three days I’m exhausted” she yawns again. Then I remembered before I went off on my little temper tantrum, I was going to help her and I just left her on her own again, I am such a dick.

“How is it going?” was all I could say wanting to see if there was still something I could help with.

“I am finally finished” doing a little half-hearted victory wiggle and it was so bloody cute “I came in to get something to eat, and kind of just fell asleep” she said still struggling to stay awake.

“You still hungry?” I ask softly, I might not have been there to help today but I could still feed her it was something right?

“Starving, but don’t worry about me you said you came to eat here let me make you something” she went to get up but I placed my hands on her shoulders gently before taking her hands in mine.

“Sit I am capable of heating up some left overs and I will get you some to, no complaining” she smiled and looked down at me hands, and looked really worried.

“What happened to your hand Axel?” she demanded, I hadn’t even realised my knuckles were bleeding and cut, probably from punching the wall, how would I explain that one?

“Training a little too much must have punched a little too hard” I lied, rubbing my knuckles awkwardly.

“Well, I don’t believe you” she could always call my bullshit ever since we were kids “but I won’t push it, here, let me fix it for you” I went to pull my hand away but she frowned and said “I won’t eat until you let me fix your hand now sit and stop being a baby”

“I am not a baby” I retorted sounding very much like a little kid, she raised an eyebrow in response, and gave a little half smile, that simple act made my heart beat faster. After retrieving the first aid kit from the pantry she inspected my hand, applied some cream and a bandage. After she was done it felt a lot better, I hadn’t realised how sore they were until that moment. Since gaining my wolf I knew it would heal fast but still it felt nice to have her take care of me “you’re really good at that”.

“At what?” she looked confused

“Taking care of people, making them feel better” she blushed.

“Thanks, I like helping people, my father was the pack doctor before he umm, well you know, and I would have loved to follow in his footsteps, if I was allowed to go to school and study but it doesn’t seem that is on the cards for me now” she revealed, she would be a great doctor, she cares so much and was incredibly smart. I always looked over the homework I gave her to see how she was doing and she always bet me in test score she would have been top of our class if they let her in. Fuck! I hated that this was her life, it wasn’t fair.

“You would be a great Doctor I never knew that’s what you wanted to do” I stated wanting to keep the conversation going. We haven’t spoken in so long it always came naturally with her.

“You never asked” she looked sad fidgeting with her nails, and her words were like a punch in the gut. She was right, I hadn’t, I was hardly in her life anymore, regardless of the reason, and how I justified it to myself, it hurt her and that hurt me. Before I could answer she changed the subject “so I fixed you, now you can feed me” she smiles and I nodded.

We sat eating left over lasagne, which I remember being one of her favourites, and catching up. When we were finished, I noticed her touching the scar on her left palm and not realising she was doing it. Reaching over I laid my right hand in hers and traced both our matching scars, we would always be connected, as I touched mine, she giggled softly.

“What?” I asked curiously

“I can feel you doing that” I looked confused “when you rub your scar my tingles” she revealed.

“Yeah? let see if I can feel when you touch yours” she rubbed hers and I felt little sparks running over my scar, I gasps and she just laughed. We really were connected, I would always be able to feel her and she would be able to feel me, the thought made me smile. Thinking back, I could always feel my scar tingling at night, or random times throughout the day and never knew why. I chuckled “you think about me a lot” I said playfully nudging her shoulder. At first, she just looked confused but must have got what I meant and lightly punched my arm.

“Your one to talk” she was right she would know how much I actually did think about her, and I wasn’t sure I wanted her to know it was every waking minute of my day. As if knowing she chuckled, and I felt my cheeks getting warm. She yawned again signalling it was time to for this moment to end “it’s late and it’s the big celebration tomorrow, we should get some sleep” I didn’t want to let her go but she was right.

“Good night Annalee” I said softly, feeling bold before I knew what I was doing, I bent forward and lightly kissed her cheek. It was so soft and she smelt amazing, like the cinnamon and chocolate.

“Goodnight Axel” she said so softly I barely heard her, and she just left, leaving me sitting in the dark kitchen.

Laying on my bed after showering, thinking about her, I felt little electric shocks running over the scar on my palm, and smiled, she was thinking of me. Running my fingers over my scar wanting her to know I was thinking of her, and I just hoped that thought made her smile. Realising in that moment, I would try everything to help her get out of this life that was forced on her, she deserved so much more than this.