Chapter 10

Axel

The not-so-surprise-surprise party was in full swing. It wasn't something big, just our group, Benjamin and a few of his friends. Music played and drinks flowed. I had been watching her the whole night but kept my distance. I wanted to go to her since I got here. Because the moment I entered the house, my blood and body clean from the Belladonna, the truth hit me like a freight train.

Just like I always knew, Spencer was my Mate. My one and true Mate.

The one I've been robbed of. I kept my distance because if I were to come too close, I would fuck and mark her right here on the table in front of everyone. Her scent was driving me insane. But I couldn't do anything before I fixed everything with Marianne and then there was the question if she would ever forgive me.

She didn't seem to have the same reaction as me or maybe she was just better at hiding it. She was laughing at a story Miles was telling her. I just watched her from a safe distance, enjoying seeing her again. The doorbell rang and I saw Deacon walk to the door. A minute later, he came back in looking a little pale. I straightened at the sight. Dread filled me when his sad eyes flickered to me before resting on Spencer.

"Uhm, Spence. There is someone at the door for you. He says he's your fiancé."

My heart dropped and I took a step back. Spencer didn't move, her eyes flickered to me before the so-called fiancé appeared behind Deacon. He had black hair and brown eyes, he was broad for a human. I could smell the humanity on him the moment he stepped inside. He smiled.

"Here is my girl." He swept in and wrapped her in his arms before dipping her, slanting his lips over her. "Happy birthday, love."

"Wh-" Spencer still looked shocked to see him. "Gavin, what are you doing here?"

"You didn't think I would let you spend your birthday alone, did you?"

"She is not alone," Idris said, looking pointedly around the room.

My brother appeared next to me, clutching my shoulder. I don't like him. There is something off about him.

"I think she would rather spend it with her fiancé than people she has barely seen in five years." He sneered. Idris growled and Deacon grasped his hand before he launched himself at the human. He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, kissing it softly. That's when I saw the engagement ring. How have I missed that rock on her finger?

Spencer?

She was shaking her head. I don't know if it was her trying to get me out of her head or trying to clear her thoughts on the man before her. She looked down at her hand, her thumb and index finger on the ring. Was she taking it off? But suddenly, the man was on the ground, my father's wolf Duke towering over him.

Dad? I rushed forward. Hold him. I said to Idris and Deacon. They rushed over to the pair and pinned Spencer's fiancé's arms on the ground. My father would never attack without a reason. He slowly eased off him before changing back. Spencer slid on the ground, kneeling next to my father.

"I was attacked, and you go to him?!" Gavin roared. She ignored him and turned to the former Alpha.

"Andrew, what's wrong?"

He bared his teeth at the man on the floor. "He's a nephew of Eveline." He growled. No! They did it to her too? I turned to Spencer wide-eyed. "Did he give you that ring?"

"I - He said – he said it was a family heirloom."

"Take it off."

"No!" The man cried out. "Spencer, love. I'm your fiancé, you know me."

She hesitated her fingers on the ring. "He's human." She argued weakly.

"Eveline's sister had a son whose wolf never transformed." He growled. "They planned it all to keep you two apart. It wasn't just Axel, they poisoned you too."

"Poisoned?!" Benjamin shouted in shock.

She glanced at Gavin, her eyes turned cold and dangerous. She slipped off the ring, grabbed a head bust from the table behind my father and smashed it. Green smoke came from the ring and a squashed Belladonna berry lay between the shards.

"Get him the fuck out of here." I barked. I ran over to Spencer. I fell on my knees in front of her as Idris and Deacon pulled the ex-fiancé to his feet. I cupped her cheeks, searching her eyes for any sign of the poison. "Are you okay?"

"I-" She breathed in, her eyes fluttered. Her heart was pounding so fast that it sounded dangerous. I breathe in her scent, her wolf, everything that makes Spencer.

"Mate." Astrix and I couldn't help but growl loud and domineering, so everyone could hear. "My true Mate." I leaned my head against hers. "Spencer, baby, I never stopped loving you."

Tears filled her eyes as she grabbed my shirt in my hands.

"Mate." She said with a shaky voice, she leaned up and kissed me.

I pulled her flush against me as I deepened the kiss. Fuck! This kiss was everything. I felt it zing through my entire body. By the Lycaon, I had missed her. I had the woman I love back in my arms, my true love, my Mate. I didn't know I was crying until we pulled back and she wiped away the tears on my cheek.

"I love you too."

I didn't care if we had an audience, I just broke down and started sobbing. She cradled my head in the crook of her neck, stroking my hair slowly.

After I pulled myself together, we went back to the house. We left most of the windows still open, but I wasn't worried about the scent anymore. Not when all of my senses were filled with jasmine and vanilla. My fingers were intertwined with Spencer's as I guided us up the stairs. But when I went to push the door open, she took a step back.

"I don't know if I can." She whispered.

I stepped closer to her and cupped her cheek. "She never stepped a foot in my room. I didn't want her in here. We had separate bedrooms since the start." She closed her eyes, giving a single nod. I kissed her forehead before I opened the door. I handed her one of my shirts as I took a set of pyjamas for myself. We changed in silence. I took her hand softly in mine and eased into the bed. We lay down on our sides, facing each other. I breathed in her heavenly scent. I needed to touch her, I reached over and traced my fingers on the side of her face, and my hand trembled.

"I've missed you every day."

My eyes followed the movement as her throat bobbed. "Then why didn't you call me?"

I wrapped my hand around her neck, pressing my head against hers. "I wanted to, believe me, I wanted to. I stared at your name on my phone almost every day. But every time I wanted to, roses and cinnamon filled my senses and all I could think about was Marianne." I took in a shuddering breath. "When I found out you weren't coming for your birthday, I booked a ticket to London." She sucked in a breath. "I was at the airport before Eveline and Marianne stopped me."

She grasped my shirt. "This is all my fault."

"No, Spence." I brushed my nose against her cheek.

She rolled out of my grasp and stood up. I jumped out of bed and went over to her. "If I hadn't left, I would have known you were my Mate on my birthday. I would have known something was wrong!"

I turned her around, taking her face in my hands. "It wasn't your fault. I practically pushed you on that plane. The only ones that are to blame are Eveline, Marianne and Gavin." I brushed my nose against hers. "We have lost enough time, baby. I don't want to lose more by misplaced guilt. I want you in my life, Spence. All day, every day."

"I want that too." She whispered, her lips barely an inch from mine. "But maybe we should talk about the last five years."

"About Gavin?"

"Among other things." She took a step back, taking my hand, and she brought me back to the bed. She intertwined our fingers. "I loved you with my whole heart and soul, Ax. I was in a dark place after I left."

"You don't need to explain anything to me." Astrix was growling inside of me, like a jealous beast.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded, lifting our joined hands to my lips. "As long as I can call you mine from now till forever." My heart stopped as she dropped my hand before standing up. But instead of walking out, she straddled my lap and growled.

"Mine!" One hand ran through my hair as she leaned down and kissed me. I gripped her waist, pulling her as close as humanly possible. Astrix howled inside my head in glee. He wanted to claim and mark her right then and there, but that wasn't possible, not yet.

It took everything in me to pull away, I cupped her cheek. "We can't... not yet." I nuzzled her neck. "Tomorrow after I rejected Marianne and dissolved the marriage, I am all yours."

"I know." She breathed in my scent, and she grinned. "How hard is it for you to wait?"

I laughed loudly, my heart so full at the fact that I had her in my arms. "It's nearly killing me, baby. You always drove me insane when we were younger and now-" I took in a deep breath of vanilla and jasmine. "It's ten times worse."

She licked her lips before leaning down, sucking a love mark on my neck. Her hand caressed my hard cock in my pants. "Are you sure I can't help you relieve some of this tension?"

I growled, my fingers digging into her waist. "You are evil." She laughed, her breasts brushing against my chest, making me lightheaded. "But no, tomorrow before I claim you, I'm going to make you scream my name. Over and over again until your voice is hoarse." I said hoarsely. Just thinking about it made my cock even harder. The scent of both of our arousals hit us hard, we clenched our fists trying to hold back from tearing the clothes of one another.

She climbed off my lap, placing a sweet kiss on my lips. "I can't wait." She walked away.

"Where are you going?" I asked frantically.

She looked over her shoulder with a sensual smile. "The shower. I need a cold one." Fuck, my cock throbbed in my pants from her voice and those words. "You can join me if you can contain yourself." She said before she slipped inside my bathroom.

She knew I wasn't going to be able to control myself when I would see her naked, her breasts soaped up and droplets running down her sex. I groaned at the thought alone. She was irresistible when we were seventeen and now... I needed to put my focus on something else, needed to get the sexual tension out of me, or else I wouldn't be able to control myself when she got back.

Idris? I called my beta through the mind link.

Yeah.

Did you finish making the annulment contract?

Sure did. I'll bring it to your office in the morning.

Great, can you make up another contract.... a wedding contract? Astrix howled in my head in pure delight. I knew Idris was grinning on the other side of the mind-link.

It would be my honour, Alpha.

I broke off the mind-link and I could still hear the shower running. I opened the drawer of my nightstand. I reached in and clicked the secret compartment open. I took out the small ring box. A vintage opal diamond engagement ring rested inside. It was my mother's and Spencer was the only one I've ever thought about giving it to. It never even crossed my mind to give it to Marianne. When I heard the water stop running, I quickly put the box back and crawled into bed, I shrugged off my shirt and started scrolling through my phone. Ignoring the texts Marianne had sent me.

My pants became tight again when Spencer came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but my shirt. It barely covered her bum. Damn, she was beautiful.