Mated To An Enemy

Axel couldn’t stop smiling as he entered the hospital. Making his way to her room, he couldn’t wait to lead her back out those doors to the start of their life together.

He took a deep breath as he rounded the corner just before her room.

“These results are very strange, Alice.”

Axel stopped mid-step at these words.

“I really think you should let me run a more in-depth test.”

It was Peter’s voice.

“I appreciate the concern, but that won’t be necessary,” Alice replied.

“I don’t think you understand,” Peter said. “These numbers, they don’t make sense, and your healing is almost completely–”

“It makes sense to me,” Alice cut him off. “I already know all about my healing. There is no need for further testing.”

“Alice, I just–”

“My wound has healed. You said so yourself.”

“Yes, but–”

“Then there is nothing else to talk about, right?” Alice said. “With me or anyone else.”

Axel heard Peter sigh.

“I won’t discuss your test results with anyone else if that is what you mean,” Peter replied. “But, I still think it would be in your best inter–”

“Thank you, Petey,” Alice interrupted. “Axel will be here soon. I need to finish getting ready.”

Peter sighed once more, and then the sound of footsteps led Axel to move further down the hall away from Alice’s room.

He stayed back for a few minutes, concerned about what he had heard. He wondered if he should ask Peter about it. But Alice didn’t want anyone to know. Axel knew better than anyone how much it would hurt her to take away her choices.

Axel sighed. He waited a few more minutes and then went to her room as though he had not heard anything.

***

“Wait… what is this place?” Alice asked as they entered the house.

Axel smiled as he looked back at her.

“This is our home,” he said.

“Our home?” she asked. Looking around at the large living room. “I thought you still lived with your family?”

“I did,” he said, closing the front door and moving to put his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “But after I found you again and lost you again, I needed something to keep my mind from roaming to those dark thoughts of never seeing you.

“So, my mother suggested that I prepare a home for us. A way to remind me that you would come home to me, eventually.”

Axel leaned forward and kissed her neck gently. Alice smiled and leaned back into him at his warm touch.

“Do you like it?” he whispered against her throat.

Alice let out a shaky sigh as the warmth of his breath tingled against her skin and seeped into her bones.

“I do,” she whispered.

Alice turned in his arms, looking up into his stormy hazel eyes already swirling with his dark desires. She smiled.

“Show me the bedroom….”

***

Axel’s back slammed into the door, shoving it open as their tongues battled for dominance in their passionate embrace.

Alice’s legs clung to his waist without needing his hands to support her, allowing them the freedom to tangle into her curls and press her firmly against him.

He carried her into the room. Then, placing his knee at the end of the bed to support their combined weight, he gently lowered her. Alice relaxed her legs around his waist.

Axel looked down at her below him with hunger. Alice smiled with equal fervor and sat up to kiss him once more.

His hands moved down over her shoulders and further to the hem of her shirt. He slipped his long thick fingers under and pulled up on the cloth barrier between them. They pulled away from each other long enough to remove the shirt.

Axel’s fingers made their way to her bra. Then, unhooking the back, he removed the restrictive binding, freeing her breasts.

He moved his body forward, forcing Alice back to lie on the bed. She stretched her arms over her head, and Axel lowered his mouth down her throat and chest until he found his goal.

Axel covered the rigid nub with his mouth, drawing small gasping breaths from her with every flick of his tongue. Her sounds filled him with want.

Teasing her only enough to make her squirm, he continued his journey down her body.

His mouth traced along the curve of her ribs, delicate kisses touching her flesh, each eliciting a soft sound from her lips that stirred the fire in him.

His hands moved down her sides, his thumbs pressing gently against her skin as he made his way to her hips, intent on removing the jeans that covered her soft flesh.

Axel pulled back from her, just enough for his eyes to take her in, to feast on her form’s beauty. But he was drawn to looking at the spot beside one of his thumbs. The stab wound was healed but scarring.

His eyes trailed over her stomach, seeing minor marks here and there. Then, up to her ribs, still more scars of varying sizes and ages.

“Axel?” Alice whispered with concern as she looked down to see the shift in his expression.

He moved his hand over her stomach, tracing the fine lines of the scars that seemed to litter her body.

How had he not noticed these before?

He wondered if the euphoria of finding each other had prevented him from seeing it, from understanding what he was seeing.

Alice licked her lips and turned away from him. It was too late to stop him from seeing it all, but she didn’t have to witness that expression on his face.

“Alice…” he whispered. “How… how are there so many scars….”

She closed her eyes and sucked her lips together.

“Only the deepest wounds should leave any trace behind… but these… there are so many….” Axel’s voice held a deep concern in it. “Is this what Peter was talking about?”

Axel raised his eyes to hers, the fear written plainly on his face.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I just overheard it. What was he concerned about, Alice? Is there something wrong?” he asked, trying to keep his heart and mind calm.

Alice swallowed and pulled away from him. She rolled onto her side, hiding from his penetrating gaze.

“Alice… wait, no, I didn’t mean anything by it…” he said, suddenly realizing that he might have hurt her feelings by focusing on her scars.

Alice stood up from the bed, not bothering with the bra but pulling her shirt back on as she moved to the small chair by the dresser.

She sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Alice… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything–”

“It’s ok,” she smiled.

Axel sighed, knowing it wasn’t.

“Please, come back to bed,” he whispered.

“Axel,” Alice began, “do you know that our bond is a miracle?”

Axel stood from the bed.

“Of course,” he whispered. “Alice, you and our bond are everything to me.”

“No, Axel… I mean, it is literally a miracle,” she replied with a soft laugh.

Axel moved closer, sitting down at the end of the bed to face her.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he said.

“You’ve never seen my wolf,” she began. “Almost no one has. But if they had, they would be surprised and confused. Because, unlike everyone else, my wolf is small. No bigger than the animal itself.”

Axel furrowed his brow. He didn’t understand her point.

“My super healing is slow, sometimes almost non-existent. My strength and agility are entirely trained, no more enhanced than that of a pup before they get their wolf.”

“I don’t understand….” Axel said.

“Our bond is a miracle,” Alice said, her voice shaking, though she kept a simple smile. “Because I never received the Goddess’ blessing. I don’t mean the way the outer packs talk about not being blessed. If they offer tribute and make an oath, the Goddess accepts. But for me… an oath does not exist. So no tribute will be taken.”

“What are you talking about?” Axel asked. “Every werewolf is touched by the Goddess.”

“Not me,” Alice smiled, a silent tear rolling down her cheek.

“Why not?” Axel asked, swallowing the mounting fear in his chest.

“Because,” Alice replied, licking her lips and looking into his eyes. “I was born human.”