Chapter Seventy-Seven
The meeting that Axe has called is starting. I'm on the stage with Cash. Axe got me a chair to sit down on. Eyes keep glancing at Cash and me. I wonder what they're thinking.
“Thank you everyone for coming. I'm sure you've all noticed that three prisoners are attending this meeting,” Axe speaks loudly.
Ember, Mitchell and Hannah are wearing handcuffs, standing to the side, surrounded by guards. Ember and Mitchell can't take their eyes off each other. Hannah's just standing there looking annoyed. Joel isn't here, which surprises me.
“Ember and Mitchell, you have served a quarter of your sentence.
Everyone, I'm letting them go due to new circumstances.
You two are mates so I'm giving you the chance to be together, just not on my land.
You still deserve punishment so you're both rogues now and can't step foot on my land again, understood?” Axe speaks.
“Yes, Alpha.” Mitchell nods.
Ember looks surprised and a little scared when Axe says they're now rogues. But then she looks to Mitchell and smiles.
“Thank you, Elora,” she murmurs, surprising me. I just nod to acknowledge it.
“Now, Hannah, I thought about making you go rogue too. But if one of the men in this pack is your mate, you can stay. You'll be on good behaviour, though,” Axe says.
Hannah looks out at the audience. But there are so many scents in here, she'd be having a hard time trying to pinpoint if her mate is present.
“Joel will be going rogue soon. There are some issues with him to deal with first. Soldiers, escort Mitchell and Ember off my territory.
They can say goodbye to their families first. Take Hannah around to each man of age so she can try to find her mate.
To end this meeting with great news, Elora and I have had our baby.
His name is Cash. I would appreciate it if anyone in this pack needs anything in the upcoming months, go to Dash as I'm busy with my family. Everyone dismissed.”
Axe comes over to me and I stand up. He wraps his arm around my waist as we walk off stage.
Everyone shuffles around to leave the building.
Axe and I walk home, people greeting us respectfully on the way.
When we get home, I put Cash in the cot and then go downstairs.
Axe is in the kitchen making a sandwich.
“What are the issues with Joel?” I ask.
“Joel can't leave the land at the moment. He's in medical.”
“What? Why?” I frown.
“He's been trying to find ways to kill himself,” Axe says quietly.
“Oh.” I look down.
“It's not your fault, Elora.” Axe comes over and grabs my hands.
“It is,” I whisper.
“I don't want to start another fight... but he's not in medical because he tried to kill himself,” Axe reveals.
“What?” I frown.
“When I got word he was trying to kill himself, it pissed me off because I want him to suffer. So I broke his hands so he couldn't hurt himself.”
“When did you do that?”
“Well... when his hands would heal, I would break them again to keep him helpless.”
“Axe.” I sigh. “There is something wrong with you.”
“Elora…”
“Don't even start. I'm going for a run.”
I go outside and shift into my wolf. I'm getting used to Axe's violence.
But I don't want to tolerate it. I don't know what I have to say to get through to him.
He needs to get a hold on his paranoia. I push that out of my mind and focus on my wolf.
It feels so good to run as my wolf, feeling the breeze brush through my fur.
I run to my mum's house to see her. Axe will probably get annoyed that Dash didn't take me to her house since it's off territory.
I want some time away from Axe. Now that we have a baby, I can't stand the drama anymore.
So it's best I have some distance instead of yelling in front of Cash.
“Elora, how are you?” Mum smiles when she answers the door.
“Fine.”
We walk into the living room after she's offered me a drink.
“Creed ran into those pack members you said were made rogues earlier,” she says.
Lucky I mentioned it to her so they were prepared for running into wolves.
“Oh, did anything happen?” I ask.
“Creed said they looked like they were shitting themselves. I guess they've never seen a rogue before.” She chuckles.
“What did Creed do?”
“He messed with them a bit; growling which scared them off in the other direction.” She bites her lip as if to prevent her laughter.
“Where is he now?”
“In the shower,” she says, and it's just now I hear the shower. “How's my grandson doing?”
“He's good. How can a couple fight when they have children?” I ask curiously.
“Are you fighting?” Her eyes soften.
“No, because I don't want to do it in front of Cash.”
“If you need to talk to Axe, do it while someone is babysitting Cash,” Mum advises.
“I feel something has changed since I became a mum. Drama, violence, bullshit. I just don't want to deal with it anymore.”
“You're growing up. You're realising the only important thing in your life is your son so you're not going to tolerate any shit anymore.”
“When you had me, did something change inside you?” I wonder aloud.
“Before I had you, I only worried about myself and what I wanted.
I looked into your eyes the moment you were in my arms and I never wanted to let you go.
But then I looked around the cave I was in and realised the dangerous situation we were in and I knew I had to be selfless.
I had to put what I wanted aside. I think that's when my maturity kicked in.”
“I never knew this type of emotion was real. I would kill for Cash. I would give my life for his.” I zone out as I think of my son.
“You're an amazing mum.” She gives my hand a squeeze. “Much better than I ever was,” she mutters.
“You would have been an amazing mum too if my dad had grown the balls to protect you.”
***
When I get back home Axe is sitting on the couch holding Cash. I don't say anything. I walk upstairs and have a shower. When I go back down to the kitchen I can feel Axe staring at me.
“I'm sorry, Elora,” he says quietly.
“If you were, you'd stop doing stupid shit,” I say, then take my food upstairs.
Later on Axe comes into the room and puts Cash in the cot. He sits on the bed and sighs.
“I’m sorry for the violence but I'm not sorry for the reasons why I do it,” he murmurs.
“I'm yours. How many times do I have to say that before you stop acting out because of it?” A tear rolls down my cheek because I'm sick of the same fight.
“Honey.” Axe reaches for me and wipes my cheek. “I don't want you to be upset. I will try to be better.”
“Okay. I'm going to sleep,” I say, and he nods.
I roll on my side facing the cot and Axe gets in behind me. He doesn't touch me and he doesn't say anything. It stays quiet for hours even though we're both awake.