The Chase

Chapter 21

"They won't help you. So, stop looking at them like that." Axle says with a low growl.

I look up to him surprised and cautiously. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Don't lie," he growls, "You were giving everyone that pitiful look. I had to send the waitress away after she reached out to me about your behavior."

Realization dawns on me, "She's a wolf."

He leans down a bit toward my level and gives me a leveling stare, "Most of the people in this diner are and the other ones who aren't are a part of my territory and therefore apart of my pack. So, tell me. Do you really believe anyone in here would go out of their way to help you escape?"

"There-there would have to be at least one person willing!"

"Let's say you're right. There is one person willing to help you, likely another human, what makes you think I couldn't kill them and have you in my arms in less time than it takes for someone in here to make their next breath." He sneers at me.

I look down at my hands again in defeat. He's right. Even if someone helped me, they would be no match for him. I may not know much about the supernatural's and all of their laws and abilities, but from what I've learned they are unmatched in strength, especially Alphas. The higher the rank the more strength. He would have that person killed and I would be trapped in that house. No more outside. No more interactions.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"I know you won't. Now look at your menu and pick the food you want. I will request for the waitress to come back, now that you are acting more...civil."

A few moments later the waitress comes back with the same anxious smile and asks if we are ready to order. The whole time I ordered I could feel Axle's eyes on me, studying me. The entire time we ate, he stayed silent. His body still seemed to radiate that anger that he had shown me earlier.

After we finished eating Axle paid for the bill with a black card that had Platinum written on it in silver. He even left a tip in cash for one hundred dollars. Our meal only costed forty dollars, I would have killed for a tip like that in my last store and he just hands it out like its candy. As he makes his way out of the booth, he extends a hand toward me and helps me up out of the booth. As we make our way over to the front door the waitress stops us with a shout.

"Alpha, wait!" She runs up to us and tries to hand the hundred back to him, "This is too much!"

"Nonsense, keep it."

"But sir-"

"Are you questioning your Alpha?"

"N-no sir, thank you. I hope you and the Luna have a magnificent day and if there is anything you need from me just let me know."

Once we get back into the car, I give Axle a questioning look.

"What is it?"

"Why did you do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"That girl, you gave her all that money."

"Did you believe she did not deserve it? I thought you would have appreciated me giving her that amount since you were once in the customer service business."

"I didn't mean it like that. She does deserve it, but I just meant that that's a lot of money."

"I have more than enough. Are you worried about me?"

"No...I guess that I'm just trying to understand you."

His eyes light up at me as if I gave him some gift. Feeling uncomfortable, I shift my body over to the window and try to curl up into it. Soon after I get comfortable, Axle starts to talk to me about the lay of the land.

"Right now, we are in the city that is conjoined to my pack lands. I know that you saw that most of my land is made up of the forest surrounding our home, but there are other parts you have yet to see. If you look outside, you'll see all the humans and supernatural's that make up the city. I look out the window and see that he is right. The streets are covered in people walking and it seems like they all know each other, they all seem happy.

Throughout the drive he continuously points out details of the town I should be taking in. How the sun shines against the clouds, how certain buildings have been there for quite some time. He even points out the city hall and how close by there is a chapel where many of his packmates complete their ceremonies when they are mated with humans. I let him drown on and on about his land and its people and how I could love it here if I could just try. Finally, after about thirty minutes of driving around, Axle makes a right turn onto a dirt road. He drives up further onto the road and makes a few more turns before I see us come across a trail.

Axle parks the car and comes over to my side to open the door. When I come out, I stumble on the dirt patch underneath me. I fall forward but am stopped before I can reach the ground by an arm banding across my chest. I use both hands to hold on to his arm and look up at him.

"Be careful, love. This date won't be as fun for you if I have to carry you the rest of the way. Though I wouldn't mind."

I give him a haughty look and right myself up, squaring off my shoulders, I motion for him to continue walking. He gives me a smirk and reaches down to grab ahold of my hand. He swings out of the way of the door and shuts it behind me and starts to drag me away.

"Where are we going."

"On a small hike. I want you to see something."

Axle leads me up the trail and while I don't particularly like hiking or any sport, I do love nature and the beauties that holds. I notice along the way I see beautiful flowers and lively greenery. I think one of the things I notice most about this hike is that the sun shimmers through the tops of the trees cascading down onto us. The light breeze in the air is wafting against my hair and it makes me feel light. I notice Axle looking at me from the corner of my eye and a bright blush break across my face. I can tell he's smiling, as if he's won something, but he doesn't say anything as he continues to walk the trail.

The higher we go up the more my legs start to strain, just as I'm about to ask him if we are almost there he speaks up, "Be careful. We are just about to go through these bushes, and I don't want you to fall."

He grabs my hand for extra measure and leads me through the bushes. We pass them and make our way past some trees till finally we're on top of a cliff. As soon as we break out into the cliff the wind rushes past us making my hair flow around me. I breathe in a deep breath and concentrate on how it enters my lungs and travels through my veins. This is nice. This is peaceful. As I'm letting the peaceful tone of the air around me consume me; I forget that Axles even there. That I'm there. I imagine myself as just a piece of the wind or part of the grass, that is until Axle speaks up and I'm slammed back into my body.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?"

I don't answer him. I just give him a sideways glance and continue to focus on the wind brushing against my arms.

"You can come here too. Of course, you will need to bring Noah and more guards, but you can come here to find peace or to just get out of the house."

He turns to me and grabs my hand to turn me toward him, forcing me to look at him. "I never want you to feel trapped in this life, love. I can't let you go. I need you. The pack needs you. And as much as you hate to admit it, you need me. You may not see it now, but soon you will and when that day comes, I will be here."

I give him a nod. Of course, he believes I need him, but I've lived without him before I could do it again.

"Let's climb back down, so I can show you the rest of the town and get you some lunch." He begins to pull me away, but I tug my arm back.

"Can we stay for just a while longer?"

"Yes, we can stay." He gives me a small smile and wraps his arms around my shoulders. I shrug him off and try to placate him by holding his hand. I can't let him ruin this for me, but I also know that he calls the shots for now. He doesn't say anything, but I can tell he's content. I can feel it in the air. And as we stand there hand in hand, I let the moment capture me once again.