Chapter Forty-Two
Dash takes me back to Axe's house the next day in the afternoon. He even walks me inside to make sure Axe is in a stable state for me to be alone with him. Axe is lying in bed, awake, but just lying there. No tv on. Does he feel remorse?
“Elora's here,” Dash informs him.
“I see her, Dash. You can leave. I let my wolf kill him so I'm not in a vicious state.” Axe sits up and pats the spot next to him.
“Okay, mind link me if you need anything.” Dash turns to the door.
“Wait,” Axe calls. “I told Reeve's parents and they're angry that there was no trial.”
“There's no trial for something like that,” Dash says angrily.
“I know. Tell the soldiers to be on alert.”
“You think they're going to try something?” Dash frowns.
“I killed their son, so probably.” Axe runs his hand through his hair.
“I'll get the soldiers to keep an eye on them.” Dash leaves.
I go over and crawl onto the bed. When Axe grabs my hand I'm comfortable to move closer to him and rest my head on his chest.
“It sickens me. The crimes that have happened right under my nose,” Axe says sadly.
“You don't have to feel guilty. Axe, you were going through the most grief anyone has ever had to after the accident.
No one blames you for not being there. You have to look at the bright side, the abuse might have already happened but you put a stop to it.
You didn't just save me. You saved another girl from being hurt again.” I assert my words, making him look at me.
“Why do you think so highly of me?” His eyes are clouded with negativity.
“Why did you save me that night, Axe?” I ask the question I've been wondering since I met him.
“When I saw you on the ground, my heart stopped. It was like the accident all over again. All I could smell was blood. She was lying there motionless, just like you were. I couldn't have it happen again,” Axe tells me.
“I can't imagine the pain you've suffered.”
I have been through physical pain, but what Axe has gone through, I can't imagine the willpower he had to possess to come this far.
“You're my painkiller, Elora, and I will consume you till the day I die.” Axe stares intently into my eyes.
“I love you, Axe,” I confess. He needs to know how much he means to me. “You don't have to say it back. I know it's hard for you because you'll never love me the way you loved your mate but I just want you to know I'm not going anywhere.”
“Elora.” Tears well up in his eyes. “You are my salvation. I think that expresses a greater meaning than I love you.”
“I saved you?”
“More than you know.” His tears fall. Seeing him cry is incredibly painful to see. But each tear that falls from his eyes grips me, each tear stronger than the last; filling me with so much emotion, I almost can't bear it.
After our revelations, we lie in each other's embrace. Nothing else has to be spoken. I think we both realise in that moment that we would die for each other. We are each other's second chance. Each other's lifeline. Each other's angels.
***
It's Monday, so back to school. It will be interesting to see what the school is like now, given six people won't be there, Ember, Hannah, Mitchell, Kieryn, Reeve and Joel.
I walk into the school and hear gossip straight away.
The wolves obviously know where some of the students have disappeared to, but the humans are making up their own theories as to why six people have “dropped out” of school. Amelia meets me at my locker.
“Girly, how the hell are you going to graduate with all your absences?” she questions.
“Don't worry, I think you'll be happy to know I've finally got my personal life sorted,” I tell her, and she smiles.
“Congratulations, I knew you could pull it off on your own,” she praises.
I just nod since I can't mention Axe or the pack to her.
“You're not the only one who was absent. Those three losers haven't been to school in days.”
“Oh yeah?”
I have to act like I don't know. Sometimes I think it would be great for Amelia to know that I'm a werewolf but then I think rationally. She already has a hard life and to haunt her with a mystical world would only be more stress on her. Sometimes secrets are best.
“Yeah, my guess is their weird love triangle fell apart and one of them is probably dead,” Amelia says simply. I stare at her with amusement and she just shrugs her shoulders, making me laugh.
“How's your sugar daddy?” I ask.
“Greatest idea I've ever had.” She grins.
“Good for you.” I chuckle.
The bell rings and we go to class. I overhear a human conversation about how they're glad the three monstrosities aren't here.
It makes sense. They even bullied the humans here.
Soon lunchtime comes and I make my way to the canteen to buy some food.
While I'm trying to get some coins out of my bag I bump into someone. I look up and see Jenna.
“Oh, hi Elora,” Jenna hesitates.
“Hi.”
“I, umm, can I ask when your birthday was? I didn't know that you were Joel's mate.”
“It was long before you broke up with him,” I say.
“Oh, sorry. Is the alpha going to keep Joel locked up for the rest of his life?” Jenna asks.
“Probably.” I shrug and she frowns. “Why?”
“Do you really think he deserves a life sentence? I mean he didn't actually hurt anyone like the other people on trial. Shouldn't Joel at least get a chance to defend himself?”
“No, he didn't hurt anyone. He just ripped my heart in two.” I roll my eyes. “Listen, I have no say in Joel's sentence. He challenged the alpha, so I doubt Axe will ever get over that. Besides, you have a mate. Why do you care?”
“I still care about him. He's a good guy,” Jenna says.
“I don't make the rules. If you have a problem, go to Axe.” I walk past her and head to the canteen.
But now her words have me thinking. Is his solitary punishment too extreme?
I didn't choose it. Even though Axe cares about me, I wouldn't dare push my place with him.
Despite how important I am to him, he's still above me.
I am not pissing off an alpha just to try to make things better for my former mate.