CHAPTER 13: A GIFT
CHAPTER 13: A GIFT
Alana's POV
Axel’s building wasn’t much of a distance from the pack house but he’d insisted we drove there.
He helped me with the only bag I had which all but mortified me and soon, the three of us were settled in the car, heading for the main building.
Beta Tyler drove, while Axel latched on to my hand and held my gaze piercingly as though if he turned for a second, I would disappear. It sent electric shocks through me. Not painful but exhilarating little shocks.
He stared till I had to shut my eyes and look away, but he cupped my face in his hands and tilted my head to meet his gaze again. Damn!
“Where are we headed? The main building is just up ahead?” I asked Axel as Tyler took an unfamiliar turn.
“Just a little drive around the pack. Call it sightseeing.” His voice was low, thick, and rumbly.
The car drove to a halt around a corner where a food cart was.
“Hungry, Princess?”
The nicknames rolled off Axel’s tongue so sexily that they never failed to tingle my skin cells, all to my thighs.
I nodded.
The owner handed us three wrapped takeaways and Axel gave him a note and flicked his hand. — Keep the change —
“Thank you, Alpha,”
Axel responded with a half grunt and a nod before Tyler drove off.
“What’s with the nicknames? Princess. Dearest, and all that. You can easily call me by name.” I asked, happily accepting the plastic cup and wrapped food.
I guess the sight of the food was what triggered my stomach to grumble and that was when I realized I’d been hungry.
“You’re all of that to me and more.” He easily replied. “And I won't be stopping anytime soon.”
Flustered, I shifted my attention to the treat before me, unsurprised that I wouldn't know how it tasted.
“They’re croissants,” Axel said, seeing the lost look in my eyes as I unwrapped the food. “Tastes better with coffee. You’ll like them. Go ahead and try it.” He urged.
I happily did, and I did like them. No, love!
Only when we were inside the mansion did I find out that when I first came here, I failed to see how captivating and exotic the place was, thanks to my tiredness and the injuries I was nursing.
The stairs, walls, floors, doors, and every other thing in the mansion shone in the light. It was almost blinding.
The decors were beyond anything I had seen in the pack house or even in pictures. I couldn't describe it if I were to try. It was just magnificent.
Halfway up the stairs, a carbon copy of beta Tyler, but a tad bit younger ran into us and her eyes widened at the sight of Axel’s hand in mine.
“No way this is true.” She gaped. “Tell me this is who I think it is.”
I had no idea who the question was meant for. Thankfully, Axel assumed he was whom she directed the question.
“Coral, this is my mate and the new Luna, Alana Green,” Axel introduced. “Alana, this is…”
“Oh my goddess!” Her eyes glowed with…something.
“Hi,” was all I could utter.
“Luna,” she bowed. “You’re so beautiful. Oh gosh, I love your eyes, and your hair, it’s so pretty.”
As the hyperactive she-wolf rambled on, she dropped her training sword rather carelessly and started taking off the armor she put on, followed by her knee guard.
Tyler spoke. “Coral, what are you doing?” His brows pinched together.
“The Luna is here. I’m helping her settle in. What does it look like, you son of the devil?”
“You’re supposed to be at the training grounds.”
“Yes, but seeing as I’m already late and such important matters have come up, it only makes sense that I skip today's training and help. Doesn’t it?”
“No, it doesn’t,”
“Yes, it does,”
“No,”
“Yes,”
“No,”
“No,”
“Yes.”
“Aha! You said yes, so I’m staying.”
“Shit.” Tyler cursed.
I threw a confused glance at Axel who shook his head at me to leave them to their bickering.
“I’m staying.” She planted a fist on her hips.
“Fine, but you only get today off. And you’ll make up for it tomorrow. No arguments.”
“I’m glad we could come to a compromise, Beta,” she extended her hand.
Tyler grunted, obviously not liking the outcome, but he still took her hand in a handshake anyway.
“Goodbye,”
“Goodbye!” Tyler said.
The hyperactive girl, Coral, took my bag and hands from Axel, waved at them, and ushered me up the stairs, squeaking and leaving Axel and Tyler behind.
“Wow, such a beautiful relationship you have with your…brother?” I asked, smiling.
“Yes. Forget about them. It’s just us girls for the rest of the day.”
“Okay,” I said, already exasperated. I doubted if I’d be able to keep up with her.
“It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Coral, I’ll show you to your room and around the house.” She said in between giggles.
We were now in the hallway on the second floor, in front of a row of room doors. She stopped abruptly and turned slowly to face me.
“What’s the problem?” I asked at the sudden change in her expression.
“Um… I’m just confused. Seeing as you’re the Alpha’s mate, I don’t know if I’m to show you to his room or…”
“Ohh, I hadn’t thought about that too,” my shoulders dropped slowly. Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
It made sense that Axel and I would share a room since I’d already accepted the mate bond but I didn’t know how I felt about sharing the same room with him, or how he’d feel about sharing his personal space with me.
I didn't know much about him, but I already knew he liked his privacy.
“You can have a room close to mine if you’re not comfortable with staying in mine yet.” A deep, rumbly voice growled behind us. One I’d now recognize anytime any day. Axel.
I snapped my head behind me to see him stalking toward us, his broad chest blocking the rest of the room behind him.
“I, though, will be more than happy to share my room with you. But I wouldn’t want to rush you. There are plenty of other rooms for you. And you can move in with me when you want,” he added.
He dipped his head to my level and his slick, black hair breezed down his face, stealing the air from my lungs. With a soft smooch, he planted a peck on my cheek.
I simply nodded, flustered.
“You’re here,” Coral said, somewhat disappointed.
“Yes, I needed to talk to Alana real quick.”
“Okay, I’ll give you two some space.” She bowed and retreated to a room farther down, on the same floor.
“Is there a problem?”
“No, dearest.” He ran a hand through our hair. “I just wanted to talk to you about us announcing our bond to the pack. As Luna, you need to be introduced to the pack members so they’ll know you.”
It was happening. The whole spotlight thing I was dreading. “When is that supposed to happen?”
“As soon as possible. But, we will do it at a time of your choosing. Whenever it is convenient for you.”
Thankful that he was okay with letting me take things slowly, I heaved a sigh of relief. “Okay, no problem.”
He planted a kiss on my cheek and brushed his lips on mine. Just long enough for me to taste the spices from his parted lips. Again, I melted.
“I have a gift for you.” His eyes flickered.
“Already?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes,” he grunted. “When I turned eighteen, I thought I was going to find my mate immediately. I was thrilled, and I got you a gift, one for your birthday that year. I hoped to be the first person to give you a gift if your birthday hadn’t passed, that is.”
“When I didn’t find you, I wasn’t happy, but I kept the gift aside. The next year, I got an even better gift, and I made sure to get one every year until now.”
“No way.”
“Yes way, Alana.”
His words, and his actions, moved a part of my broken soul. We had only known each other for days and he had done more for me than anyone had in as long as I could remember. If this didn’t scream loyalty, I don’t know what did.
“Come with me.”
He opened the door to his room and led me inside. I knew it from the scent of fresh lemons lingering all over the place. My eyes darted to the bed where we slept together the first time I was here. An embarrassing blush crept up my cheek.
“Here,” he brought out a huge box from a wardrobe. It was wrapped up and tied with a ribbon. “I’ll leave you to open it, but I have to go now. Tyler and I have some business to attend to, so I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you…”
His lips brushed mine again before I could finish my sentence. This time, aggressively sucking, licking, and playing with my tongue. My hands subconsciously dug into his hair, squeezing and pulling as he expertly pleasured my entire body from just a kiss on the lips.
Axel’s arm snaked around my waist as he pulled me closer to himself, his bulge stabbing my gut, the scent of his need and mine percolating into the air.
Knock. Knock. Knock. On the door.
An annoyed growl from Axel and an embarrassed giggle from me was the response.