*Axel*
Everything was going to hell.
Five days have passed since I left Tristan on his own at the house. Thankfully his friend Cameron was able to stay with him for the time being, so I felt a little relieved that he wasn't completely by himself. Still, it worried me that I wasn't there with him. More so, I was already feeling the separation between us. It was safe to say that my body was going through major withdrawals without his scent to appease my craving to be around him.
I should be upset that it was affecting me to this extent, after all this was exactly what I was desperate to stay away from when it came to Omegas. But I couldn't find it within me to be even slightly bothered or even care. I just wanted to be with him. Even a simple glimpse of him would suffice.
That morning it was so hard to leave him there in my bed as I told him that I had to leave for a little while. The dejected look on his face nearly made me say fuck it and stay regardless of the demands and threats from Han that kept blowing up my phone. But just the mention of that bastard firmed my resolve to hurry up and get back. Besides, Tristan is who needed to be protected after all.
Of course, I didn't get away unscathed when I first arrived.
As soon as I got to the mansion Han demanded for my presence in his office. The soreness in my side still throbbed as I remembered what had happened as soon as I entered through those doors.
I didn't make it two steps past the threshold as a sudden fist slammed me on the side of my jaw completely throwing me off and I fell to the ground. I didn't even get the chance to get my bearings as sharp pain speared through my side as kick after kick was impacted against my ribs.
The beating didn't stop until Han finally said, "That's enough."
The man who had been kicking me steps away and goes back to his position by the door. Once again, he folds his hands in front of him and stares straight ahead as if he just didn't beat the living shit out of me.
Han leaned against his desk, causally inhaling a puff of his cigar that made the room stink with tobacco.
I curled up, holding my bruised ribs as the pain strikes through me. I tried to cough but even doing that hurt like a bitch. My body felt a bit weak, and I was thankful that my mind had been so consumed on protecting myself that none of my Alpha pheromones leaked out. Rage wasn't an emotion I could afford to show off right now. But while it was bubbling up, I hated the fact that I had to show the weaker side of myself to this disgusting man just so I didn't put the people I loved and cared about into harm's way.
I would rather him take his anger out on me than with my birth father or Thomas.
"It seems you needed a reminder of your position in life, brat. Since when did you start thinking you can grow a pair of balls and start rebelling against me, huh?" His tone was one of boredom, but I knew him well enough that it was just a sign that suppressed anger was just beneath the surface.
I knew better than to talk back. So, I just tried my best to control my breathing, but even doing that hurt as well. My entire right side was in flames from the constant kicking that I just hoped I didn't acquire cracked ribs in the process.
I take a chance to look up at him with watery eyes. He stares down at me with no remorse and a hard glint to his black eyes.
"Apparently, I have given you a bit too much freedom lately." He moves away from his desk to walk around it and sits in his way too expensive chair. "Perhaps, you need another lesson on what happens to those who don't immediately follow orders."
I slowly sit on the back of my feet, wincing as I turn to stare at him. I try my hardest not to give him the death glare that I so desperately wanted to give right now. But I refrained and instead gave an impassive look even though my body was in throbbing pain.
He folds his hands together in front of his face after he puts his cancer stick in the ashtray.
"It seems like I can't trust you, Axel. You seem hellbent on pulling away from me so..." He waves his hand for the man at the door to come forward.
"Meet your new partner from now on. This is Baxter."
My eyes widen at the sudden declaration of what this could mean. "W-What?" I hated that I just stuttered, but the man just threw me off guard right now.
"It seems you're getting a little too comfortable with Thomas. The man is getting up there in age so he must not be able to control you. I'm changing you two up. Since he wants to let you do whatever you want, I'll be transferring him to the third division. He's needed there." He states like he wasn't just upending my life, upending my birth father's life.
He couldn't do this. He couldn't send Thomas away like this. The third division was all the way to the other side of the country and full of hard asses that had even less control then the first and second. Why was he doing this to us?
"Baxter is to watch your every move from now on. He reports back to me on every aspect of your life until I feel it deemed enough to trust you again and be out on your own with the upmost respect you need to have towards me." He snaps. "I will know every place you visit, every person you speak too, and every single thing you do."
I can feel my chest starting to cave in as tightness swarms around my heart and rib cage. And while I was panicking all I could think of was Tristan. How the hell was I going to get back to him with this new dark cloud hanging over my head?
Since then, I haven't been left alone once. Baxter was like a dark shadow that followed me everywhere. He was quiet and refused to speak to me. I couldn't even visit my birth father, afraid that he was going to break down before he realizes that the man was there and reveal something that could cause death to us all.
But I heard about it through everyone else. Thomas was leaving the mansion.
I wanted to know how he was fairing with this. But again, I just couldn't trust anyone in this place. So, I kept my distance. There was just no way that those two were going to be able to make it without each other for more than a few weeks if that.
Not with my birth father so far along already.
It was after midnight and for once Baxter was nowhere around. I was in the mansion, so I guess he felt that he didn't need to be on me constantly when Han was present in the home. Fine by me, it was a relief that I could be alone for once. I had to find a way to contact Tristan, but I wasn't sure I can risk even that while being here.
I needed some fresh air and a new plan of what to do before Thomas left for who knows how long. He leaves tomorrow afternoon, and I was feeling like we were running out of time to figure this shit out. I haven't been able to talk to him since Han forbade us to interact with one another. The cold hard fact that he had this much control over our lives was downright depressing.
As I causally walk down the long dark corridor, I hear a scuffle of feet practically dragging on the ground. I frown a little and become a little comprehensive of what I could find. But the person who rounds the corner was the last person I expected.
I slow to a stop and stare at him with a bit of shock.
It was Lincoln.
And he was drunk.
I have never seen him like this as he sways towards me. I haven't seen him since that time that Han found our birth father's pregnancy test. He suddenly became a man of mystery around the clan. I wasn't sure what he was doing or where he's been off too. But it wasn't like I actually cared.
And normally I wouldn't have cared about his situation now, but there was something off about him. Something that didn't seem quite...him.
Once he notices I was standing there staring at him he abruptly comes to a stop. His eyes widen just a bit but then they turn dark filled with distain, maybe even a little hurt. Which was weird in itself. I wasn't sure what the hell he would be hurt about.
He starts walking again, avoiding any eye contact, and was about to pass me, but something told me that something was wrong. I couldn't quite explain the sudden feeling of dread entering my chest as a huge wave of alcohol hits my nose that was so strong it should be illegal.
On instinct, I go to grab his arm to get him to stop. My frown deepening. "How much did you drink?" I ask.
He snatches his arm from my grip, the action causing him to sway dangerously. "Why the fuck do you even care?" He snaps back, a few of his words slurring.
He goes to walk away again, but again that dread spears through me to where I grab his arm a second time. "Seriously, Lincoln, how much?" I snap back.
His face turns red with anger, and I could feel some of his Alpha pheromones start to seep out. Strange, now that I really think about it. I don't think I've ever felt the brunt of his pheromones hit me like this.
They felt strangely familiar, yet I couldn't pinpoint on what that was.
"Don't. Touch. Me. Axel." He seethes, his chest beginning to heave a little.
This time he pushes me away. And when he does, he nearly falls flat on his ass, his balance was so off. I reach out to grab him, honestly, I don't know why I did. I was on pure instinct, I guess. Normally I would have just let him fall. But something was telling me that he needed someone. Anyone. And it was a strange thought to even think. Especially with Lincoln.
"Why don't you fucking listen?!" He yells now, pushing me away yet again.
His back slams against the wall this time and I was flabbergasted by his sudden outburst. Lincoln never yells. In fact, I don't think I ever seen him lose his cool. He was always so indifferent to everyone. Didn't matter who they were. It was the reason why he always seemed so cold.
"Lincoln, just calm down. You're really drunk, I'm just trying to help-"
"Help?" He scoffs with a laugh that seemed sarcastic to my ears. "I don't need your help." He sneers his eyes suddenly becoming a bit glassy. "I don't need anybody's help, Axel."
He tries to stand up straight, but his intoxication was making him seem really sloppy and nearly falls back down to the ground, but he catches himself. "Help? What a fucking joke." He mumbles as he looks away from me.
"Come on Lincoln, at least let me get you to your room so you can sleep this off." I don't know why I was so hellbent on trying to help him right now.
There was just something about this I couldn't just shake off. As crazy as it sounds maybe it was brotherly intuition or something like that. Which was weird since I've never had it before with him.
As I go to get a hold of him once again, he slams his fist against my chest hard, then pushing me away with all his strength. "I said don't fucking touch me!"
I stop to stare at him, my side burning with the roughness I was putting it through dealing with him.
He stares at me with unshed tears, something I don't think I've ever seen him do either. I didn't even know he was capable of them. But to see the pain and the hurt reflecting back at me was a blow to the chest.
"I don't need you. And I don't need h-him." He choked up a bit, his anger subsiding just a bit as a tear falls unchecked.
"I'm fine on my own. I was always fine...on my own." He swallows with difficulty. "So, just leave me alone, you're good at that. Acting like you care about me and what I do...or how I feel."
He pushes himself off the wall again and starts heading for his room, looking away from me. "You help me?" He scoffs again in disgust, my heart clenching in a feeling I never thought I would feel towards him. "Fuck you, Axel. Don't act like you care now. You haven't ever cared. No one ever cares..."
He looks up at me again when he finally reaches his doorknob. The pain shinning in those eyes that were so like mine ripped my heart into a thousand pieces.
"And no one ever did."
He then slams the door closed leaving me standing in the darkness of the hallway.