MISSY

I rushed home from the packhouse to pack a bag. Getting away from everything and hanging out with Lemon sounded perfect. I love my friends, but it was tough being around everyone when all I could think about was Maddox, and they were worried about me falling to pieces.

Sol was cleaning up in the kitchen when I got back. “Hey, where did you disappear to?” she asked.

“Lea called and asked me to come to the packhouse so they could tell me something,” I told her. I headed right to the steps to go upstairs.

“Okay?” she called, following me. “Want to expand on that a little?”

“My grandpa is dead,” I said, trying not to let the words bother me.

“Woah, woah, woah,” Sol said, barging into my room behind me. “You are just going to be like, ‘my grandpa is dead,’ and that is it? Missy, he is the former Alpha and your grandfather!”

I sighed. “Look, I am sad, but I just can’t handle any more of this s**t,” I told her. Her face fell, and I could see the pity in her eyes. “Lea said I could go to the inn and spend a couple of days with Lemon, so that is what I am going to do. I need to get away from the pack and take a breath.”

“I understand,” she said, frowning. I didn’t want her pity; I didn’t want anyone’s pity. I just wanted this all to stop and Maddox to come home. I wanted to get on with my life and not be worried about vampires trying to kill my mate or me.

I gave her a tight smile before digging into my closet to find my small overnight bag. I shoved some clothes inside and set it on the bed to find Sol coming back into the bedroom with my toiletries in her hands.

“Thanks,” I said.

“I am going to go home since you won’t be here. Just text me when you’re coming back, and I will come back over to stay,” she said. “I’ll get your homework too.”

“Thanks, Sol,” I told her. “I appreciate you being here and dealing with my moodiness.”

“Of course, Missy,” she said. “You have been like my best friend since coming to B***d Eclipse. You accepted all of us without question, so of course, I am going to stick by you with all this shitty stuff going on.”

I pulled her into a tight hug, and she laughed, hugging me back. “Alright,” she said, pulling away. “Go spend time with your aunt.”

–

Azeron drove me to the human town, dropping me at the inn. It was a little odd that he wasn’t with Lea, but I guess that’s why we also had Felix.

When I walked into the inn with my bag over my shoulder, Axel was leaning against the desk, smiling at Lemon. She must not have heard the bell because neither of them looked at me. There was a bit of pink on Lemon’s cheeks.

“Hey,” I said, walking up to the desk. I immediately felt relaxed and at home for the first time in weeks. Nothing at the inn had anything to do with vampires, wars, or stupid wolf bonds that make you lovesick.

“Oh, Missy!” Lemon exclaimed. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“That’s okay,” I said, looking at Axel sideways. “You two looked busy anyway.”

“No, we aren’t!” she said quickly. “Axel was just leaving.” I could hear how pointed her words were. Axel chuckled.

“You girls have fun,” he said, winking at Lemon. He stood to his full height and sauntered out the front door. Lemon watched him the whole time. When her face turned back to me, I gave her a questioning look.

“No!” she said. “Don’t even think it! He checks up around here more after that whole… thing…” she said, not using the word ‘vampire.’

“Okay,” I laughed. “Just let me know if I should stay in my room or anything tonight. Wouldn’t want to catch anyone walking around less than decent late at night.”

Lemon’s mouth dropped open. “Since when did you become so crude?”

I shrugged. “Just asking for a little warning,” I smiled.

“Maybe I should send you back to your mother,” she grumbled.

“You won’t do that,” I said confidently.

She pursed her lips. “Calling my bluff. I’m going to have to change my tactics,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Let me just get my stuff, and we can go back to my house.”

“Okay,” I mused, smiling triumphantly.

When Lemon had her bag, we left the inn and walked to her house. The nice thing about the town was you could walk basically everywhere. The pack was mostly the same, but it was a little bit bigger.

“So, do you have food in the fridge?” I asked, realizing I hadn’t eaten anything yet today. “And I don’t mean leftovers from the inn.”

“There is food!” she said. “And leftovers as well. I have been cooking more, actually.”

“Cooking for who? Axel?” I teased. Her face went pink, and I knew I was right. “You know it’s cool to date Axel or whatever,” I laughed.

“I thought you wolves only date before you turn 17 or whatever. Then you wait for your mate person,” she countered as we reached her front door.

I shrugged. “Usually,” I told her. “Some don’t find their mate, though. Miss Marci runs the packhouse kitchen, and she never found her mate. It’s a little sad, actually…” I trailed off thinking about it.

“So yea, Axel has a mate,” she reasoned. “I wouldn’t want to be in someone’s way of true love.”

I set my bag down on the couch and turned to her. “So you do like him?” I asked.

“I didn’t say that!” she almost shouted, which only made me laugh. “Why are we only talking about me? I am a boring adult. Let me hear the latest on the whole Maddox vs. Vlad debate. I haven’t seen you in forever!”Content rights belong to .

I swallowed and looked away from her. “Let’s make dinner; I’m starving,” I said, changing the subject. I headed to the kitchen and went right for the fridge.

“Oh, you have meat,” I said, searching through things. “There’s lettuce, tomatoes, cheese…. and some sour cream. We are so having tacos!”

Lemon gave me a curious look as she grabbed the open bottle of wine from the fridge door. “Since when did you learn to cook?”

“Since I moved out of the packhouse,” I said, shrugging. Lemon held up a finger before going over to the cabinet and getting a wine glass. She poured herself a generous portion and took a long sip.

“Okay, back that up. You moved out?” she asked. I sighed and started pulling food from the fridge.

“Yea, it’s kind of a long story, and there is a lot of wolfiness involved,” I told her.

“You let me finish this glass, and you can lay it all on me. Sounds like you need to talk about it,” she said.

“Are you sure? I know you mostly stay out this stuff.”

“Yea,” she said. “If you need to talk, I am here, even if I don’t understand every bit of it. I’ll just tell you when I am lost, deal?”

“Deal. Now, where is the frying pan?”

LEMON

Missy and I talked about everything that had happened between her, Maddox, and Vlad until well after dinner. I tried to be patient and let her talk, only asking questions when I wasn’t sure what she was referring to.

When I sent her to bed, I felt slightly overwhelmed. The poor girl had been through so many downright traumatizing things in the past couple of months, yet here she stood. Maddox’s safety and what would happen to Vlad were the biggest things that weighed on her heart.

I couldn’t get to sleep that night; my mind was continually trying to wrap itself around how different of a world Missy, Axel, Azalea, and everyone else lived in. I couldn’t help but feel inadequate in my own experiences. When I was her age, I was partying, getting too drunk, and forgetting how I got home. Missy lived with her wolf equivalent of a husband who was off playing detective.

I had been solely focused on what would happen if I let myself fall in love with Axel and his mate showed up. I was only worried about getting my heart broken. Now, new worries were invading my thoughts.

If I decided to be with Axel, what danger would I be in? Was he going to have to run off to fight in this war and never come back? Could I be dragged into this? What other dangers would follow if I was in a relationship with Axel?

When I dragged myself out of my room the next morning, Missy already had a pot of coffee made, thankfully. When we got to the inn, she volunteered to help in the kitchens. Axel wasn’t waiting outside to walk me to work, but I assumed that was because he was giving Missy and I space.

He came in slightly after breakfast to check in but couldn’t stay long. All day, my brain was kept coming back to all these questions and worries I had.

I was worried about Missy, but I trusted Lea and Liam to take care of her. They were great parents and never did anything that put the kids in danger, at least to my knowledge.

Axel came by again at lunch, and Missy gave me a suggestive look before excusing herself with her food. Axel laughed but brushed it off. We ate in my office, but I was largely quiet, still worried about everything.

“I need to take care of some things this afternoon, so I might not be back before you guys head home,” Axel said before he left. “Think you will be okay?”

“Yea,” I told him. “Were big girls, we’ll manage.”

“If you need anything, call. I will drop everything and come running,” he said, more serious this time. I gave him a tight smile that I knew didn’t reach my eyes. His eyes flashed with worry for a minute before he headed out the door.

I sat at my desk for a few minutes, just trying to get myself to focus. I could understand why humans primarily were ignorant of werewolves. Their lives were so different from ours and so much more complicated.

A knock on my door frame pulled me from my thoughts. “You okay?” Missy asked.

“Yea,” I said, pasting on a smile. “Let’s ditch work early. I’m thinking some pajamas, mani-pedis, and chick flicks with a big greasy pizza are in the forecast tonight.”

“Yes!” Missy said excitedly. “You are speaking my language!”

–

I was able to sleep that night but not very well. Missy and I headed to the inn the next morning, and once again, she was happy to keep herself busy with chores. Axel arrived shortly after she disappeared to the laundry room.

“Hey,” he said, smiling.

“Hi,” I replied.

“You look tired. Girl’s night last took long?” he joked.

“Something like that,” I said, biting my l*p. Axel’s face fell, and I averted my gaze, trying to busy myself.

“Lemon,” he said, trying to get my attention.

“Hmmm?” I said, not looking up. Axel came around the counter, grabbing my arm to turn me to face him. I let out a frustrated sigh.

“What’s going on? You were all excited to see Missy and have your girl time, but now you are distant and sad,” he said. His hand came up and slowly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“There is just a lot on my mind right now,” I told him.

“Will you tell me?” he asked. “Please?”

I looked at him, trying to weigh my options. I liked having Axel around, and I was afraid that my neuroticism might drive him away, or his answers to my questions would push me away. “It’s nothing,” I tried to lie.

“You’re lying. Your forehead wrinkles when you lie,” he said, poking the center of my forehead.

I had to give in. The questions were eating me alive. “If I acted on my feelings, if I were to open my heart to you, would I be in danger like Missy? Would I have to be worried about being kidnapped or those things coming back here to attack me?”

Axel’s face fell, and I could guess the answer to my question. My heart began to sink before he shook his head. “Missy is the daughter of an Alpha; she will probably always have a target on her back as long as Liam is Alpha simply because messing with her is a way to get to him. Can I promise you there would be no danger? No, I can’t do that. My world comes with many dangerous, scary things that most people in your world never have to deal with. But Lemon, if you were mine, I would protect you with every fiber of my being. I would go to the ends of the earth to keep you safe.”

“I’m scared, Axel,” I admitted.