LEMON

I opened the freezer and snagged out my pint of double chocolate chunk ice cream. I always have one for rough days. These past couple of days had turned in that direction.

I tossed the lid on the counter and sunk my spoon into the soft, velvety goodness. I stood at the counter, shoving spoonful after spoonful of ice cream into my mouth, trying not to think about Axel and Missy. I was failing miserably.

I moved over to the fridge, standing in the open door with my ice cream. How could a 17-year-old handle this so much better than me? How was she coping when I couldn’t even decide if I was ready to consider dating Axel?

I inspected the contents of my fridge, but nothing was catching my attention. Axel caught my attention; Axel was catching my attention a lot recently. How could I not notice him? The way his shoulders shook when his laugh filled his chest. The way his eyes seemed to sparkle when he caught me looking at him. The rough strength of his hands.

I brought my spoon down into the ice cream cartoon only to find it empty. Damn. I grabbed my unopened bottle of wine from the fridge and tossed the ice cream carton out. I got myself a glass and poured a generous amount.

It wasn’t all about how Axel was catching my attention, though. It was also about all the potential harm in my future. Not just emotional harm, either. I now realised physical harm was also a possibility.

How was I supposed to know what was the right move here? Even if I could call my mom for advice, she couldn’t help me. She was a part of the blissfully unaware population of normal humans that had nothing to do with vampires or their daughters.

I stared into the purple-red liquid, wishing it would just tell me what to do. I considered calling Lea; after all, she could relate to this struggle after being with us for so long. I felt guilty calling her with my trivial relationship problems when she was dealing with their vampire problem, Liam’s father dying, and all the kids.

I set my wine glass on the counter and ran my hands down my face. When had I become this girl? When did I become the girl whose whole life centered around a guy?

I was not this girl. I was not the girl that let herself be plagued by indecision. I cleaned up my act and fixed my life. I made myself into a level-headed, intelligent woman who now manages an entire inn. I found solutions; I didn’t wallow over problems.

An idea hit me; I could solve this logically. I ran to my bedroom and into my closet. In the corner tucked behind my coats was a dry erase board. It was perfect. I pulled it out of the closet and carried it back to the kitchen before searching for some markers.

I refilled my glass and took a long swig. Pros and Cons. I needed to put it all down on paper, and then I could clearly see the decision in front of me. I wouldn’t go to bed tonight until I could make a decision, I promised myself.

The first few things on both sides were easy.

Cons: axel has a mate somewhere, werewolves = danger

Pros: safety, loyalty, he likes me

From there, things got trickier. Vampires were a definite con in this equation. I shuddered every time I thought about those guys who attacked me at the inn. It felt shallow, but Axel’s looks had to go in the pro category as well; it wasn’t fair to leave it out when I never got tired of looking at him.

After two glasses of wine, I knew I needed to add some food into this equation, or things would go south in this little exercise. I decided on pancakes, because why not? I moved around the kitchen, mixing up a batter and frying them up.

As I worked, I continued to work on my pro and con list. When my pancakes were done, I pulled up a stool next to the counter and sat down with my stack. I slowly munched as I stared down at my list. The argument was clear in front of me.

One column was entirely what ifs? It was all possibilities that could or could not happen. The other column was all established facts. They were things I already knew I could count on when it came to Axel.

But could I really accept it?

AXEL

I pumped my legs as fast as they would go, constantly searching as I went. I decided some extra patrols might help burn off some of this pent-up energy inside. Lemon’s words just kept playing in my mind on repeat.

“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?”

“I’m scared, Axel.”

My wolf was ambivalent to my plight. He liked Lemon but was still on board to wait for our mate. I couldn’t stand to live my life any longer waiting for a she-wolf who may never come. I wanted to be happy, and Lemon made me happy.

Every time I walked into the inn now, her attention snapped to the front door. I knew it was happening even when it wasn’t me coming inside. She would get the slightest smile on her lips like her day just got brighter. I wanted to keep making her days brighter.

When she wasn’t wrapped up in her head, she was the best company. We could talk or just silently exist together. It was easy.

She was the most adorable force of nature, too. She wasn’t petite or fragile-looking but still extraordinarily feminine. Her legs went on for miles, and that midnight black hair always shined. Whether dressed all business or completely casual, she came across as nothing but an independent, confident woman.

I would’ve given anything to pull her soft body flush to mine and show her exactly how much I cared about her. It was so hard to resist just kissing her every time I got close.

“If I acted on my feelings, if I were to open my heart to you, would I be in danger like Missy?”

She had feelings for me. She all but admitted it. She also had legitimate concerns about what being together could mean. I couldn’t promise her she would never be in danger; that was just how our world worked.

I pushed myself even harder, making my body go faster. The full moon was out tonight, and a few new wolves in the woods were shifting for the first time. Their howls could be heard through the trees.

“Would I have to be worried about being kidnapped or those things coming back here to attack me?”

“I’m scared, Axel.”

I didn’t want her to be scared of being with me. I wanted the opposite of that. I wanted to be the place she felt the safest. What could I do to eliminate those risks, though?

“Leave the pack,” my wolf mused sarcastically.

That wasn’t an option, and he knew it. I couldn’t leave B***d Eclipse. I liked my position, and I actually enjoyed being out here with the town. I doubted Lemon would want to move away from here; she grew up in this town and had a good job.

I made my fourth pass around the perimeter. My body was started to feel fatigued, but my mind wasn’t stopping. I slowed myself and made my way back to my house. It sat right on the edge of the thickest part of the forest, giving me easy access to cover to shift.

I didn’t bother to get dressed as I shifted back. I gathered up my clothes and headed for the backdoor. When I got inside, everything was dark. I flipped on the light and looked around. Compared to Lemon’s place, mine was bare. There wasn’t much in the way of decorations and all the colors were pretty cold and neutral. I never felt the need to decorate or make it more homely until recently.

I went down the hall and tossed my clothes in the hamper before ducking into the bathroom. I turned the shower all the way up and stepped right in.

“I’m scared, Axel.”

It played over and over in my head as the hot water pounded my exhausted muscles. How could I make her feel safe? She seemed so much better since the vampires attacked her. Just being around every spare minute had seemed to have done the trick. She didn’t smell scared anymore so this was a different kind of fear.

I needed to show her that I would protect her, physically and otherwise. I had to figure out how to either take that fear out of her heart or give her a reason to see past it. But how exactly did I do that?

“If I acted on my feelings, if I were to open my heart to you…”

I wanted more than anything for her to act, for her to open her heart. I couldn’t imagine that a mate bond could trump the way I was feeling for Lemon. The day I got her call, when I walked into the inn and saw those vampires about to hurt her, she became the center of everything. She became the sun that my world revolved around.

I didn’t realize the water was running cold until I turned my face right into the artic stream. I jumped back, reaching for the nozzle. When the water was off, I climbed out and grabbed a towel to dry myself.

I stepped out into the hall and looked towards my dark living room. Lemon’s house felt warm; she was warm. She drew me in with that warmth, and now I was addicted. Instead of picturing her in my living room, the image that came to mind was us together in hers. I could almost feel her cuddled up next to me on the couch, a blanket over us both, watching a movie.

With a heavy sigh, I headed to the bedroom to put on some clothes before bed. For now, all I could do was stay the course. Show her I would always be there. Maybe I could wear here down. Maybe, over time, it would just happen without either of us knowing. I could wait, but I couldn’t wait forever.

AZALEA

When Felix and I got back to the packhouse, Lily was hovering downstairs. “Everything alright?” I asked here.

“Yea,” she said. “Can we talk?”Belongs to - All rights reserved.

I gave her a small smile and nodded. We went into the lounge and sat down on the couches. Felix hung near the door, giving us a little space.

“Lea,” she started. “I owe you an apology. I’ve been acting like a b***h, and it isn’t fair to you. I shouldn’t have demanded you try to fix Damien and put that burden on you. I am so sorry.” She reached forward and grabbed my hand. “I can not tell you how much I appreciate you for trying so hard to get him back. I was losing hope, honestly. I wanted to tell you to stop even if it killed me. You didn’t, though, and you got him back. It’s the best gift you have ever given me, and I will forever be grateful for it.”

“Lily, you don’t need to apologize. I knew you weren’t acting out of a place of malice,” I told her. “I really wish I could fix it, and I am so sorry that I can’t. I feel awful that he got hurt helping Liam save me.”

Lily shook her head. “Damien would do anything to help both of you. So would I. That’s the risk we take in our positions.”

I pulled her into a tight hug. “I would never have given up until I found a way to wake him up,” I told her. She pulled away with a sad smile.

“I know,” she said. Her shoulders fell a bit. “I am really worried about him and Cage.”

“We will find an answer. We have to,” I reassured her. She just shook her head.

“We both know our chances are slim. I know he says he wouldn’t do anything, but my wolf said Cage is in really bad shape. I don’t know what I would do if something happened after we spent so long trying to get him up,” she admitted.

I squeezed her hand. “I don’t think he will. I think we just need to find a way to keep Cage connected with us. Have you gone with him to shift?”

She shook her head. “It probably sounds selfish, but I am just so scared of seeing him snap,” she told me.

“Maybe if you let Cage and your wolf spend some time together, it will keep him grounded enough not to slip away,” I suggested.

“Maybe,” she sighed. I could tell how heavy this was weighing on her.

“This isn’t the end of the world,” I promised her. “We are all in this together, and we won’t stop until we find answers.”

“Lea, you are too good for all of us,” she forced out a laugh. She wiped away the unshed tears in her eyes before continuing. “So there is something else you should know.”

“What?” I asked, worry immediately coming over me.

“Lacey needs a baby shower,” she said, smiling again.

“We can do a baby shower!” I told her, mirroring her smile.