Word Count: 2062

~Alvera

After pacing back and forth in my room, I decide I need to see Venn.

Thankfully Axel's home isn't a large, sprawling mansion, so Venn's room is only a few steps down the hallway. I've waited until it's late, until I knew I could speak to my mate in private without risk of Able's overhearing.

He opens the door after a few knocks.

His hair is mussed and his eyes are tired. This tour has taken it out of him. He spends most of his time entertaining the wild ideas of Alpha's while trying to tame them.

"Can I come in?" I ask softly, glancing down the dim hallway.
 
"Of course." He steps back, holding the door open as I stroll past. "Everything okay?"

I take in his ruffled sheets and simple room. He's clearly been sleeping, but I need to get this off my chest before I can even consider following suit.

"I just had a very interesting conversation with Alpha Axel," I say, teetering back and forth on my feet.

"Oh yeah? What did you talk about?"

He turns, rubbing his hand through his hair. He seems so wary, so exhausted. My heart aches at the sight, knowing the Moon Goddess is probably haunting his nightmares, stealing his sleep as a way to feed him information.

I need to free him from this. As much as I want to blurt it out right now, I must bide my time. I must do this without attracting the Moon Goddess's attention.

"He has a theory on how to remove the bond Able has established with me," I say carefully, scratching below my ear.

His dark brows pulls together, immediately sceptical. "Alright. What did he say?"

I sit down on the edge of his bed. If I remain standing, my legs are going to shake and give out from under me.

"You're not going to like what he has in mind..." I mumble.

His eyes narrow. "Tell me."

I exhale, already sensing what his response is going to be. Considering how uncertain I am about what I want, I'm afraid he's going to convince me out of this before I've had time to decide what I want to do.

"He knows about you transitioning humans to werewolves, and believes that if I go through the same transition—"

"No." He says immediately, his expression darkening. "That will not be happening."

In inwardly groan. "Look, I'm not that sold on it either yet, but—"

"Yet?" He's looking at me as if I just said something grossly offensive.

I rub my face with my hand, frustration eating away at my patience. I know why he is pushing back on this, there are a lot of things I would be willing to do over being connected to Able until he decides to tell me how to break this bond.

"We should consider it, right?" I lift one shoulder meekly. "Especially if it's our only option."

"It's not a stable enough process for me to risk it," he says definitively, a storm gathering in his eyes at the thought alone.

"You risk it on other people every day," I remind him.

People have died from the process, and I know that if I were to go through that, I would be at risk. If Axel can be trusted, the process could get easier, but even still, I know there will always be a chance I could die.

And if the Moon Goddess has any control over it, then my death will be guaranteed.

"With volunteers." He folds his arms over his chest, his muscles flexing beneath his dark grey shirt. "Not my...not with my mate."

"It could be worth the risk. Axel said we need to kill Able, that he's too dangerous to be alive."

The thought of killing someone unnerves me, so maybe I'll leave that up to Venn. Otherwise some other form of punishment for what he's put us through will have to suffice.

"He told me the same thing, but he skipped the part of wanting to turn my mate into a werewolf," he growls.

"It could work."

He steps forward, looming over me. I swallow thickly as I look up at him.

Sometimes he frightens me. Sometimes.

"I'm not taking that risk with you," he murmurs softly, reaching down to brush his thumb along the line of my cheekbone. He admires me with a soft, thoughtful gaze that contrasts strikingly against irritated mood.

"Why not?" I whisper.

The subtle lines of his face tighten, something like pain tweaking his features.

"I won't lose you, Alvera. I won't," he breathes, his fingers continuing their path across my face, brushing the edges of my fringe back a little.

I shiver at the lightness of his touch. He's not trying to torment me, but he may as well be. As badly as I want to grab onto his hand and tug him closer, I have to restrain myself until this conversation is over.

"We can't let Able have a moment more of power." I take his hand, lowering it. "He could hurt me whenever he wants to. He can use me against you."

If Able is conspiring with other Alpha's, then he has a plan of his own. Considering he isn't controlled by the Moon Goddess, he could take power against her will without any repercussions.

"I'm still yet to have one completely successfully case of turning a human into a werewolf." He sits down on the bed next to me with a sigh. "Axel thinks he might have some knowledge, but I won't be able to trust it until I've seen it work many times."

"We don't have time for many tries," I say.

He turns his body to face me, not a single flicker of amusement on his face.

"Alvera, listen to me." He steels himself. "I would give Able all my power if it meant saving you. All of it."

I immediately shake my head. "Don't talk like that..."

I refuse to let him consider that an option. His pack needs him, and the consequence of having Able as Alpha could be devastating. The thought makes my own stomach pitch, and I'm a human. I could divorce myself from this situation entirely, but there are many werewolves who can't.

"It's true," he says quickly. "I love you. If anything risks your life, it must be avoided completely."

I stare at him blankly, his words taking a moment to sink in.

He frowns, immediately seeming to realise what he blurted out. "I mean that...you protect people you care about, right?"

I nod numbly. He just told me he loves me, and I can't think of any words to say that will suffice. I can't tell him I love him back...not yet. We've been getting to know each other more and more throughout this experience, but I'm not ready.

We'll come back to this...for now, I need to concentrate on the main topic of this conversation.

"I'm always in danger. I'm pretty sure some of your pack members want me dead," I say steadily, lifting one shoulder.

"They don't," he assures me. "Not now that it has been revealed that you are my mate."

I still get the feeling the werewolves in his pack will take a long time to warm to me, and I don't blame them. I would also be distrustful of a human, coming in and being their Alpha's mate and Chosen.

"Let's talk about this when we get home," I sigh tiredly, rubbing my eyes. Suddenly they are burning with the light from the lamp.

He stares at me for a long moment, but eventually nods.

"Very well." He smiles a little. "Can I just say, I enjoy hearing you call it home."

"It is home. I believe that now." A home that is very large, very deep into the forest and full of werewolves. Maybe Venn and I will move somewhere together...the thought is both daunting and exciting.

"Stay with me tonight," he murmurs. "I promise I'll keep my hands to myself."

I grin. I'm not sure I want him to keep his hands to himself, but we agreed to give it a real try, and I don't want to complicate matters. I'll be ready to commit once everything with my sister has been resolved.

But that doesn't mean I don't want to spend the night lying next to him.

"Okay. I would like that."

He quickly fixes the bed up for me before pulling the covers off. I clamber inside, letting the scent of him engulf me.

He settles in next to me. The weight of his body almost pulls me toward him, forcing me to grip the sheets tightly while I watch him lean over to turn the lamp off.

"How many stops to go?" I ask as darkness settles over the room.

"Not many. Just a few more and we will be home," he assures me quietly.

I sidle closer to him, lured in by his warmth. The crisp sheets have a cool tinge to them, so I'm greedy for his comfort.

"I'm looking forward to that." I turn on my side so I'm facing him, even though I can't see him through the darkness. "Although it's not as if our lives are going to get any more normal."

"They will eventually. I promise," he vows gently.

I adjust my pillow, my mind falling into dangerous territory. I shouldn't want to roll on top of him right now, but he's so tempting. Not being able to see him only fuels my imagination.

"How long until..." I drift off, afraid my words will only feed the hunger.

"Soon," he says tightly. "We should prepare."

Each time another month rolls around, my resolve weakens. Although he says my need for him on that day will get easier to handle with time, it doesn't feel that way. In fact, I worry that this time, it will be impossible to resist.

"I don't think being apart is going to make much of a difference. It didn't last time," I remind him, thinking about the desperate trek through the forest I made to get to him.

His voice seems to darken. "What would you prefer? It is entirely up to you."

"Maybe I should lock myself up with iron chains, or you could tranquilise me," I say behind a laugh, although there might be a truth to what I'm saying.

If I'm finding it hard to resist him now, it's only going to get more difficult.

"I'm afraid you're just going to have to bear it," he responds lightly, chuckling under his breath.

I shoot him a look, even though he can't see it. "Which is virtually impossible, by the way."

He turns on his side, the entire bed shifting. I can feel the heat of his breath, even feel the intensity of his stare without seeing it. It makes my heart race excitedly.

"I know, trust me." He sighs roughly. "Resisting you is almost an impossible task."

"You do an excellent job of it," I grumble.

Even though he is very respectful, I feel his gaze follow me everywhere I go. I see the way he makes space for me, even in important, serious moments. I see the desire in his gaze when he looks upon me, and feel it in the way he touches me, even if it's innocuous most of the time.

"There wasn't a day since you left town that I didn't think of everything I wanted to do to you," he admits warmly, the sultry tone of his voice making my skin tingle.

I groan, rolling onto my back, wondering if I should slap myself. "Talking about this is only going to make sleeping next to you all the more difficult."

"Alright, I'll stop." He laughs a little. "I'm just happy I get to wake up next to you."

I smile, as he pulls me in close to him, letting my head rest against his chest. "So am I Venn. So am I."

💛••💛

If you want to read ahead at any point, you can read this story 15 chapters ahead on INKITT and 10 chapters ahead on RADISH.

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The Night I Met The Alpha

~Midika 💜🐼