16. Distant

Leaving behind Axel to find out his fate felt wrong, yet my conscience would not let me stay. I had no right to that information, since I was still hiding something very important from Axel.

Time and time again, I had tried to say the words. To tell Axel something that could tear us apart. Then I would falter. Guilt ate at me daily because of it.

So, I let him have his own secret. When he finally joined me to prepare for the celebration the pack decided to have, I didn’t ask him, not because I didn’t want to know, but because he should tell me when he was ready to.

It was clear the information weighed heavily on his mind. I could almost feel the turmoil of his alter through whatever bond we had forged in our time together. ívarr did not believe it to be a soul-bond. He thought the shifters were incapable of forming one because they already shared their soul with their animal, not from being lesser in any way. My friend had developed a deep appreciation for shifters and their ability to form a community, something we elves lacked. We lived too long to stay as connected as they did.

Shifters in high spirits filled the lawn behind the mansion where Axel and I lived. They did not know the full reason for the party, but were prepared to celebrate, nonetheless.

I lingered near Axel, letting him have his space and time with his twin. His family surrounded him, none pushing him for answers despite their curiosity. Without discussing it, it seemed we had all come to the same decision; to let Axel come to us when he was ready.

Someone had to have explained the situation to Blake. He and Kade smiled brightly at all the pack and gathered elves, anticipation lighting their eyes.

Though I would have liked to speak to Hakeem, I saw he was busy with the alpha, Asher. He brought his mate to him so they could discuss the news. I could only imagine the relief they shared, knowing they were only the first this would happen to, not some aberration.

The crowd hushed as Blake took his place at the front and explained the first part of why he had gathered them together: the partnership with the demon, Toth. There were the usual rumbles of descent, which Axel silenced with a glower. Then, Blake reminded them of how badly shifters were discriminated against in the past. They still were in some places.

Anticipation grew between those in the know as Blake explained there was more, and allowed Hiroshi to take over the explanation.

The silence grew to almost deafening levels as Hiroshi outlined what I already knew. Hearing it a second time did not lessen the impact. There had to be a reason their goddess had done this at the same time as ours had taken our fertility away. Why had they done this?

Hiroshi made his explanation short, then answered questions. He and Blake reassured people they would not demand the betas change if they were not ready. Many looked curious, far more than those who were scared.

I was the one put in charge of the line telling the betas their potential new designation with a confidentiality spell to hide the result for others. It was an honor to tell them and see wonder on their faces. Each and every shifter was happy with the result, like they had chosen it for themselves.

By the time all the betas had been informed, there was a party atmosphere in the air. Only Axel seemed uncomfortable. I wanted to go to him, reassure him, though I was not sure I would be welcome. Instead, I gave him the space he needed. Likely, too much of it.

As the weeks passed and the testing began, the demons found their place, Axel grew distant. He was still loving. We spent time together, there was just a guardedness that had not been there before.

I felt I deserved it for my deception. My guilt prevented me from just asking, while I knew Axel wanted me to ask. He wasn’t ready to tell me. He wanted me to take control like I did in other aspects of our relationship. Axel wanted me to show I cared by demanding the truth from him.

It confounded his brother that I didn’t know. As I explained, the truth was only Axel’s to share when he was ready. As his Alpha, Blake could have ordered Axel to tell, but out of respect for him, he did not force it, either.

Shifters confused me. I would have expected them to be pleased about the possibility of more alphas and omegas in the world, but when the world discovered the cause of the beta sickness, the attacks on Sweetwater escalated. It got so bad the testing had to stop.

Blake had enough to contend with, but he also felt responsible for his pack mates and took Hakeem’s advice over the situation with Asher and Roan. They were stuck in Abrocaelum and, unfortunately; it opened their omegas up to an attack. They were stolen from their home and taken to the former betrothed of Hiroshi.

Omegas would continue to surprise me, though, really, with this pack, nothing should. They continually did the impossible. Hiroshi demonstrated great strength, going beyond what most shifters could do in order to get free and save his alpha’s life. Then, beyond all odds, he and Tate ended up being fated. Tate and Asher were fated. Betas could have fated mates.

Rather than improve things between me and Axel, the news appeared to break something in him. He became more withdrawn, coming to bed later at night, so even the intimacy we had once shared, suffered. He was nearing his breaking point.

I only hoped he knew I would be there to pick up the pieces.

Cutting ties with the council had been a surprise move from the Alpha Pair. While I understood their reasoning, it had left the elves in a precarious situation. The council had funded our presence with the pack. I was just grateful they had given ívarr, as our supposed leader, a warning of what was to come, so we could discuss our plans.

Axel had stood close to me during the conversation with Blake. Perhaps he thought we were going to leave the pack. He had underestimated us. None of the elves in Sweetwater even considered leaving the pack to join the council. We saw the council for who they were: power hungry alphas unwilling to accept change. Yes, there were outliers, however, they were few and far between.

My lover relaxed when I took his hand, assuring him we were staying. Since the revelation of the beta gene, my mother and parliament had relaxed. They understood now that greater powers were at work, we just had to be patient, to help the shifters through this, then our reward would be granted.

By the time the babies were born, the family was mostly healed from their traumatic experiences. Roan had lost the use of his arm, but had gained a brother in Asher, and his father was back in his life. His father had gone one step further, by virtually adopting Asher and Tate as his sons.

They were proof, as if we needed it, that Sweetwater was favored by their goddess when she gave Roan and Hiroshi an alpha female daughter. She tied the family tightly together by each twin having a different father.

ívarr had been beside himself to see Tate laying his egg and he talked of nothing but the egg for the weeks Tate was roosting. Then they went and made matters worse by allowing him to witness the birth of Hiroshi’s twins! My friend had been insufferable after.

The party to celebrate the three new lives mirrored the one where the beta gene was unveiled so much it left goosebumps over my flesh. This time I wasn’t sure just being around Axel was going to be enough. My love was hurting. His pain was etched so clearly in how he held his lean body I could almost feel it myself.

“Dear one,” I whispered, coming up behind him and wrapping myself around him once the blessing on the babies was finished. “Later, you will tell me what you have been hiding.” Axel shuddered, pushing back a sob. “It’s time for us to unburden ourselves. Let me ease your worries.”

“What if you can’t?”

“Then let me share the burden.”

Together we left the party after we had given our gifts and congratulations.

I felt the wall between me and Axel crumbling with each step we took to our new hut. It was a mini home, free of the mansion and the many bad memories there.

Axel had told me many stories, good and bad, of his time growing up in the mansion. It was a relief to escape those ghosts to a space untainted by anyone else. It was a temporary home. We hadn’t discussed it, but Axel had plans to build something better for us next to his brother and Roan’s family.

We entered, and I ensured the door was locked, then activated silencing wards. “Do you want to relax first? Perhaps have a bath?”

He shook his head. “No.” The silence went on for so long, I feared he would not speak. “Teárlach… I can’t… when I tell you this… it could end us.”

“Nothing in this life could do that, dear one. You are my heart. Please,” I implored him, reaching out a hand, “just tell me.”

Stepping close, Axel allowed me to wrap my arms around him. I felt him sob against my chest. “I’ve wanted this my whole life! I’m just scared.”

“Of what?”

“That you’ll see me differently.”

“After these months together, the happiest of my life, nothing could do that. I just need to know so I can fix things to make you happier.”

My words made him cry harder. “You can’t fix it. I’m an omega, T.”

The words clicked and suddenly everything made sense. Of course Axel was an omega. He loved babies, treasured other omegas because it was what he wanted to be.

He wasn’t finished. “That means I need an alpha if I want to have a baby. Not you, my elf. Some strange alpha!” Axel’s silver-blue eyes met mine, his fury clear. “Then I better not hope I’m stuck with him because how can I love anyone like I do you?”

I cupped his cheek. “There’s a way around this. We have time to find the solution.”

His anger faltered. “You… what?” He grasped my hand. “You do understand I don’t want to squander this gift. I want a baby, T. One you can’t give me. That means an alpha will have to—“

“No. It means you can be inseminated during a heat once they figure out how to unlock your omega side. You will not mate with an alpha and it will be donor sperm. In all the ways that matter, I will be the baby’s father.”

“But—“

“No, Axel. I will make it happen for you. I’ll find a way to give you everything you’ve dreamed of,” I vowed with all the power I had.

Another shiver escaped him. Desire. I felt it coming from him.

“What about a knot? I’ll need one for when I go into heat.”

A smirk quirked my lips. He was thinking of us long term and that fire between us was back. I hadn’t lost him. “I have ways. How about I show you?”

Our mouths met in an explosive kiss. Before I could catch up with what was happening, I was naked, Axel under me, also nude.

He was grinning. The weeks of pain between us fell away. “Are you going to be my alpha, T?” he teased.

“Yes. Now I’m going to open you up so you’ll take my cock. Then I’ll stretch you on my knot.”

Taking the oil from the drawer, I kissed my way down Axel’s body, avoiding his leaking cock. Each of us was too keyed up for prolonged foreplay since we had not been intimate in a while, our rift keeping us apart.

I licked over his hole, enjoying the musky taste of him. He cried out as I repeated the motion until he softened under my tongue. More licking, sucking and some nips had Axel writhing under me.

Slicking my fingers, I made quick work of stretching him as I sucked on his balls and ran my tongue over the length of him. I paid particular attention to the crown, enjoying the flavor of his precome.

Unable to wait any longer, I slicked myself, slung Axel’s legs around my hips and entered him in one smooth thrust.

He was so hot and tight inside. I could only imagine how he would feel as an omega, slick leaking from him as I fucked him. I couldn’t wait to unlock that side of him, to make his every dream come true.

I pumped my hips fast and hard, the pleasure already reaching a fever pitch.

Axel reached for me. My motions slowed as I covered his body with my own. He clung to me as we moved together, chasing our peak.

His emotions were mine. We were linked, body and soul, regardless of what anyone else said. Being so deeply connected to him ratcheted up the feelings of pleasure as we made love.

This was reconnection, a reaffirmation of our love and bond. Axel was mine. I was his. Nothing, not my princehood or his omega traits could tear us apart. I would give him everything he wanted just to make him happy.

“Close,” he panted in my ear, his fingers digging in almost painfully to my shoulders.

Knowing I needed to demonstrate I could be his alpha, I whispered a spell, more of an intention, sending the magic to my cock. The base swelled, forming a knot, just like a shifter alpha, tying us together.

He gasped as I stretched him almost to the point of pain.

I rocked inside him as we both came.

His tears were no surprise. “I didn’t know,” he gasped.

“Knots can be made with magic. Everything else we can figure out.”

Axel clasped my face, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You won’t mind that the baby won’t be yours?”

“They will be mine because they will be yours. Everything of mine is yours just as all of you is mine.”

“T—“

“No, we have been given a gift. Before we would have had to adopt a shifter child. This way you can use a donor. We can have an elf child with a surrogate…” I was getting carried away with myself. Creating a fantasy life.

“It’s a beautiful dream,” Axel said wistfully, almost as if he was seeing the same mental picture as me.

“I will make it a reality. I swear it. You will have a child, I promise.”