Lethal✔️

Chapter 9

Maybe Onyx is the troublemaker of the group, Cain, I suggested, knowing that was probably incorrect. And by the look on Cain's face, he agreed with that. Okay fine, I'll behave. But only because Thane won't let me around his mate if I corrupt her too much.

Cain's posture relaxed at my words, and commanded, "Be back no later than noon." I rolled my eyes at my bossy mate, but to my surprise, Onyx nodded and kept her eyes down, completely submissive. Even Cain looked surprised by her behavior. He expected it from his wolves, but certainly not from another Alpha's mate.

"Go ahead and lead the way, Onyx. You probably know the territory better than Ares or I," Axel suggested at my request.

Onyx looked surprised, but nodded. We walked out of the pack house due north.

"So, what pack were you from?" Axel asked, once again following my request.

Wincing, Onyx mumbled, "I was a rogue."

"You weren't originally from a pack?" Axel asked directly.

"I don't talk about that," Onyx stated, her tone hardening. I was surprised that was what pushed her into getting a backbone. Unfortunately, that only made my curiosity intensify. Maybe Thane could get more information about that.

"Okay, okay!" Axel put his hands up in a fake surrender. "Ares told me to ask you so don't be mad at me."

Onyx smiled. She really is gorgeous. "I'm not mad. I just don't talk about it. I'm sure there are plenty of things you wouldn't prefer to talk to me about, which I understand."

Ahhhh. There's the chill bone in her body that matches Thane. In fact, most of her anxiety seemed to dissipate once we were no longer around my mate. I knew what I had to tell Axel to say in order to get her to open up to me.

"Ares says that you can ask her anything and she'll tell you about it," Axel hesitantly spoke. I could tell he didn't think that was a good idea, but it's not like he could tell me no.

Onyx raised her eyebrows. "Oh, no. I could never..." Her voice trailed off. She was so polite it was killing me.

"Ares will tell you anything you want to know. That is quite an interesting offer from the Blood Luna," Axel encouraged her.

Onyx hesitated. "The... Well... Yknow how when... The whipping?" Onyx choked out nervously, and her eyes widened at the last word, like she couldn't believe she actually said it.

I smiled and told Axel what to say. "Ares offered to take the whipping for someone else," He cringed as he said that, knowing it was him. "And the Alpha had to follow through or he would seem weak."

Onyx considered Axel's words. "I... do not agree with that. Nobody should be whipped by their mate. Alpha or not. The Alphas have a duty to model behavior for the rest of the pack. Whipping your mate sets a bad example."

I was surprised that she had said so many words at once, and that they were so contradictory to what Axel said. I told Axel what to say. "In a perfect world, maybe. In a civilized, human world that may be the norm. But we are werewolves and any perceived weaknesses means that the pack could be in danger. Like Red Crescent for example, is in turmoil because the stand-in Alpha doesn't have the backbone he needs. Of course, your opinion is completely valid, but these ideals are what makes Blood Lake unconquerable."

Onyx scrunched her face, but she didn't disagree. Suddenly, her expression relaxed and almost appeared to be completely tranquil. "We're here," she softly said.

We had reached a small field, on the edge of the territory. Scattered throughout the field was various sunflowers and dandelions.

"You like flowers?" Axel asked, unprompted by me. He sounded flabbergasted by this notion.

Onyx nodded, a huge, genuine grin spreading across her face. "Who doesn't like flowers?"

Axel's face twisted in disgust and he looked like he was about to tell her who exactly doesn't like flowers, but I stopped him. Don't discourage her when she's starting to open up. He nodded in response.

"Ares wants to know why you're scared of Alpha Cain," Axel bluntly asked.

Onyx' eyes widened and she coughed awkwardly. "Oh, um..."

"It's okay, Nyx. You can speak freely about Alpha Cain. Ares and I gossip about him all of the time," Axel told her on his own, and I laughed. It was true.

Her lips turned up into a smile. "Well... One, the whipping thing... Two, because Blood Lake kills a lot of rogues... Three, have you seen him? He's enormous." She chuckled nervously.

I gave her a small smile, but inside I could feel my stomach twisting slightly as I recalled ripping out the rogues heart the day prior. She was scared of the wrong Alpha.

Suddenly, I caught an familiar scent that made the inside of my nostrils burn.

"Luna-" Axel started, but I already knew from the scent and the fog that started to spread over the field. Onyx looked at us in confusion, her sense of smell and vision too weak to see what was happening, which could be summed up in two words.

Wolfsbane gas.