So after doing some soul searching I decided to upload the rest of the book. Even if it sucks, in my opinion. People read it and liked it. So I shall finish it! Uploads will be random, but often. Hopefully lol.
I have a new novel out called "For the Love of Kimchi" this WILL be better. Check it out if you want!
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Ashlyn
I turned my head to look up at the girly voice invading the truck. Did she just say brother?
I didn't know Axel had a sister. I guess this was just yet another secret he kept to himself. I shook my head at the thought. Here I was having a panic attack in the cafe about being selfish and here he was a whole freaking werewolf or whatever he had called himself.
A freaking werewolf?! What's even crazier is that he expect for me to sit here and accept his craziness.
I looked down at my Dad and brother and my mind instantly went to when my Dad was being mauled. Was he going to let my Dad die earlier? The thought made me shutter.
I felt like asking him just to hear him stutter. Axel could be very cold and calculating at times. Like at the bonfire when he left Izzie and Becca to their own devices during the wolf attack, or should I say werewolf attack.
I looked back at Axel and his sister talking. Is he still the same guy?
This whole situation was just plain crazy. Werewolves, Alphas.. What's next? Witches?
My mind was swirling with these thoughts as the trunk was lifted open.
My Dad had lost a lot of blood, you'd think with my being a Biology major that I would have some sort of inkling as to what to do do. Ask me about the bones in a body a body and I could name any one. Ask me how to save my dad, and I wouldn't have clue where to start.
Axel's sister looked towards me and my friends first and then down at the bodies.
"This is bad," Her was face stern and calm. "We need to get them out of here now."
Her voice held the same commanding qualities that Axel's did, however I was much less inclined to do what she said. Confidence radiated off of her as she took control.
I looked at Axel. Who was this person standing before me. All of my instincts told me to run, but he hadn't shown any inclination to hurt me... yet. My thoughts drew back to us cuddling in his twin bed, barely enough room, but it was perfect for us. Where was that guy now?
Axel seemed more like a general now than to a college student.
"We should do what she says" he said a little gently. He was always reading me like a book. "I trust her and I need for you to trust her too Ashlyn."
I gave him a hard look. If she kills them, then I'm killing you Axel Black! I may not be as strong as you but when it comes to my family I fear nothing but God.
"I know," he said simply, as if he heard my thoughts.
He gently pulled my father out of the car. My father groaned in pain. He was barely conscious. I didn't realize how tight I was holding onto him till Axel gently peeled my fingers away from his hand. Axel tugged my arm guiding me outside of the truck. My legs were nearly jello from kneeling in the back for so long.
"It's okay." He rubbed my fingers.
There was a stretcher waiting for my Dad outside the car. Axel's sister did the rest of the work and pulled him onto the stretcher. She did it without breaking a sweat. She must be like them too. There's no way a woman of her size could haul a 6'0 man onto a stretcher by herself.
I looked at Axel, his head was bent down examining my hand as he rubbed the soreness out of it. I didn't even know why I was allowing him to touch me at this point. He was a killer, a murder. Just like the rest of those wolves out there.
He knew exactly what was going on back at the park and he didn't stop it. Why? There were so many innocent people. So many lives lost. Why did Axel have to come into my life? Why did it have to be my father struggling to live? Why was this happening now?
Axel's rough hands against mine gave me butterflies, even in this situation now, and it angered me. The tingles raced down my spine and for the first time ever I wanted them to stop. Why does his touch do this to me?
I snatched my hand back from him. Hurt flashed across his face and it almost made me smile. Good. This was the only way I knew how to hurt him. The thought was fleeting though as guilt pooled in my stomach. Why can't I hate him like I want to?
I sighed and put my hand back in his. His face lit up and it almost made me want to snatch my hand back again.
"Is there another stretcher?" I asked him. My voice clipped and my tone one of annoyance.
"Yes, she should be back soon with another stretcher." He replied quietly, noticing my mood. Within seconds she was back with the other stretcher. She got my brother out with ease. Right before she wheeled him in she glanced at our intertwined hands and smirked. Her smirking made me very uneasy.
Izzie and Becca watched the whole ordeal in silence, and climbed out of the truck themselves.
"You coming Kyle?" Axel looked towards the hulking figure in the truck.
"Yeah in a minute." Kyle's voice sounded miles away. Axel nodded and slammed the trunk closed.
We walked towards the hospital and the doctor or should I say Axel's supernatural sister, went to go treat my family.
We all sat down on a bench in the waiting room. We said nothing as we took in the chaotic emergency room. Patients were being treated for wolf bites and broken bones along with the regular ailments. The emergency rooms door never closed. People just kept pouring in. The more time passed the worse the injuries got.
If these attacks were happening all over Florida, I'm sure most emergency rooms looked like this.
Axel turned my hand palm facing the sky in his lap and started drawing O's on my skin. The sensation made me relax almost immediately. After five minutes of this, I finally worked up the courage to talk to him.
As much as I wanted to deny the fact of werewolves and any supernatural creatures, I had literally saw Kyle transform in a huge wolf, right before my eyes. Although, I could have been hallucinating. They say that when the mind is very stressed out anything can happen, and I was very stressed out at that park. The only issue with that solution was that everyone else saw Kyle transform too. Not to mention that there were people around us transforming as well. I sucked my teeth just thinking about it. I needed answers.
I looked up at him and before I could say a word. He spoke.
"Not here. Let's go to the cafe." I nodded my head at his suggestion. I got up and looked towards Becca and Izzie on the other side of the bench.
"It's okay, Go ahead." Izzie said shooing me with her hands. Becca nodded in agreement.
I turned and let Axel lead me to the cafeteria . He went up to one of the vending machines and got us both a coffee. It's seemed like he has definitely been here before.
The cafeteria was very predictable. White, sterile and bland. We sat down at one of the round tables, closest to the door. The kitchen was close, but there were still small groups of people huddled around tables
The cafeteria was much less crowded than the emergency room.
I sipped my coffee for a few minutes trying to word my questions correctly in my mind, before I spoke them out loud. Axel patiently waited, sipping his own drink. My thoughts raced and after a minute decided that to say what's comes to mind.
"What's a mate?" I blurted out. Out of all the questions I could have asked that was the one that wouldn't leave my mind. He had called me that when we had first met, and then again when he introduced himself to my dad. Axel just chuckled at my outburst.
"Why don't we just start from the beginning?" I nodded in agreement.
"I am what you would call a Lycan or a werewolf. We really don't have a preference in name."His voice was calm, even, like a parent telling his child a bedtime story. "There are many stories about us, but few are actually true."
"So what is true?"
"Well, a werewolf bite will not turn a human into a werewolf. You have to be born a werewolf" I almost sighed with relief. "Two, silver does hurt us werewolfs. Three, I can change into a werewolf whenever I want, not just under the full moon."
He finally said it. That he could change into a werewolf. I felt as if I couldn't breath. Fucking anxiety. Axel noticed the change in my breathing and grabbed my hand gently making o's again. It calmed me down instantly. I hated him for being able to control me like this. He wasn't even fully human.
"Werewolves have been around for a very long time. Our origin story is one that has been told so many times that it's basically a fable at this point. No one knows the real truth."
"Werewolves have packs or a group of wolves that live together. I am the soon to be Alpha of the Black Moon pack. It's located in Florida, and it's kinda close to here. It's very lush and has its own community. Many packs choose to live seperate from society. Only leaving their safe spaces when necessary." His looked to me to make sure that I was keeping up.
"Pack lands are protected by a magic barrier, so no one uninvited can get in. In a pack there are different rankings for a wolf. There is the Alpha, which is the top and the Luna, his mate. The Alpha runs the pack with the help of his Luna who is hand picked by the goddess."
"goddess?" I interrupted not even listening to whole thing. There's only one God that I go by. I felt myself slowly pulling away from him, but he wouldn't give me my hand back.
"Yes Goddess, she is not the all encompassing God that you know. Think little picture rather than big picture." I tried to wrap my brain around what he was saying but it was all just confusing me. Why was I even trying to understand him? He wasn't even human.
"Like Zeus and Hercules?" I supplied trying to make sense of it all.
"Sort of, but actually real." His smirk slipping back into place. He moved his chair closer to mine and breathed in deep. Our legs touched as he spoke next.
"The God and my goddess, are in two different leagues." His hands started to run up and down my arms and I nearly turned into a puddle.Damn him.
"Your God, being the end all be all, and mine being a very powerful spirit for werewolves. Some say she was born, others say that she was created. Either way, in her earthly life she became a witch. She was very powerful and eventually created the first werewolf. Her spirit still lingers on this earth and she uses her magic for the good of weres. That's a shortened version." I nodded my head. It made much more sense now, but magic?
"I don't know if I feel comfortable with this talk of magic and witches. Why worship a witch?."
"Not all magic is bad, Ashlynn. There is magic all around us, you just have to be attuned to it. Some are better than others at it, for example some humans use sage and crystals to cure themselves right? That's a bit of magic right there. Also worship is a strong word. More like call upon for help. She is like a mother to us wolves."
Axel's hand started to work it's way to my neck and I was beginning to have a hard time paying attention.
"Understand?" My eyes were closed as he talked, his hands working a certain magic of their own. I craned my neck so that he could massage a certain spot. He laughed and did so without missing a beat. I am way too easy to please.
I opened my eyes again and removed his hand. "Okay so there are witches and werewolves. Anything else I should know?" I titled my head towards him.
"Yeah, let me get back to my explanation. There are rankings in a pack. Alpha and Luna. Then Beta, Delta, and Gamma."
"Why Greek names?" I interrupted again.
"Why does it matter?" His voice light with laughter. I shrugged my shoulders.
"So as I was saying. After Gamma are the regular wolves, and after them comes the omegas."
I nodded my head. "So your an Alpha?"
"Yes, I am" That would explain his cool level head during the attacks. He was born to lead.
"Wait why are you Alpha and not your older sister?"
"Because the Alpha gene only passes to one off-spring. This eliminates the sibling rivalry for the position."
"How-"
"You know at birth if you have it, there is a special aura around you. You may have felt mine at the park. To others it feels like strength and power, but it's really just your energy or essence in a more physical form. It will attract some and repeal others." He cut off my sentence with ease.
"Although I'll admit, I've never felt my own Alpha power like I did at the park. It's never been that strong before. I could literally mold it around myself and others. Even my Dad can't do that. Alpha power is never that.... tangible." He looked down at his hands as if a beam of light was going to magically appear. He looked up and smiled.
"Anyways, as a werewolf, we have a mate. A person who is sort of like our other half. We recognize them firstly by smell. For example, when I first met you. You smelled like the most amazing thing ever. It drives me wild and calms me down at the same time. Everyone's mate has a different smell though."
I stiffened up at the mention of mate, but at his description of my smell how could a girl not feel complimented?
"Okay, but what do I really smell like to you?"
He smirked and sighed. "Okay, you smell like vanilla, coconut oil and papaya. Very warm and tropical."
I felt warmth spread through my at the description and a gently smile made it's way across my face.
He laughed at my response.
"You smell good too." I said wanting to compliment him as well. "Like black ice! My favorite car air freshener and maybe mixed with a little grass after rain smell." I smiled shyly at him, completely forgetting my earlier hate.
I paused. Is this what's it like to have a mate? Never being able to be truly mad at the person?
"Uhhh, thanks.."he trailed off, laughing slightly.
"So anyways, I'm your mate. How else do you know this to be true?" I said, not fully accepting it, but there was no denying that we had something between us.
"Well you've asked about this in the past, but the tingles you feel when I touch you are another sign.The fact that you can't stay mad at me and don't cower under my power is another. There's also the fact that you always want to be near me too." He said the last part a little too smugly.
I rolled my eyes.
"Anyways," I said redirecting the conversation. "What's up with the attacks then? If you have your safe spaces and you have your own running governments. Why attack us?" He took a deep breath as if he was waiting for this question.
"There are some wolves who think that we shouldn't have safe spaces. Who feel that we should have as much control over the world as the humans. They are not satisfied with our land and want more. More land, More control, and less humans."
I tensed up as his words sunk in. Less humans?
I was about to ask more, but a voice interrupted me.
"Is there a Axel here?" Axel shot straight up like a bullet.
The nurse looked him over, clearly liking what she saw. My mood started to sour. Where the hell was his shirt at? Axel and I may be in a better place not but I still have so many questions. Like why he didn't stop the attack at Disney.
"The two patients who you brought in are doing fine now. One has just began to wake up. Would you like for me to lead you to them?" Okay, this nurse was doing the most. She could have just told us the room numbers and left, I crossed my arms with a huff.
"You can lead us to them thank you." Axel replied. He reached down and grabbed my hand for the nurse to see. My smile nearly split my face in two. Why am I like this? I wanted to roll my eyes at myself.
She looked for a second then nodded. "This way."
She turned around and we followed behind her.