Only

*NOT EDITED*

Run away with Axel? What will we do? Where will we live? There is no way that Axel would be okay with living in the Mystic Pack. He is an Alpha here, his pride won't let him live in another pack as a normal wolf, especially if this pack is not as strong as Blood Venom. He won't be able to take orders from others, not when he has alpha blood.

But what choice did we have? It might be worse for Axel if he stays here and has to be under the direct orders of another Alpha. After all, Blood Venom will need a new Alpha after Axel gives up his position. He would go absolutely insane if another man was sitting in his office, ordering his members around—ordering him around.

But what was the other option? Would we live as rogues? I don't know if I am ready for that either. Rogue life is very difficult and unsafe, and werewolves are social beings. We need to be around other people, or we might go crazy. Crazier than I already am. I didn't realize I was taking too long to answer him, until I felt Axel's hands drop mine. I quickly looked up at him, trying to bounce my thoughts off him.

But before I had a chance to say a word to ask Axel all my questions, the doors to his office barged open and inside walked Jace with a scowl.

"Neither of you is going anywhere, you will stay here, and we will figure this out together," he said while plopping himself rather ungracefully on a couch in Axel's office, then he continued, "Ah! Finally a comfortable couch to rest on."

I was surprised to see him there, but not as surprised at how bad he smelled. I guess being in imprisoned for a week without taking a shower does that to a werewolf.

When Axel saw Jace plopping himself on the couch, he stood behind the couch, lifted it, and caused Jace's body to fall off the couch with a thud on the floor. If Axel and I weren't having such a heavy conversation previously, I would have laughed at the image of a full grown man falling off a couch, but somehow I couldn't laugh.

"Ow!" Jace exclaimed as he massaged his head. "What the hell was that for?" He asked, frowning at Ax like a five-year-old who didn't get his way.

"You reek, I don't want you ruining my couch. And next time, don't eavesdrop on my conversations, especially with my mate," Axel nonchalantly explained.

"Whatever, I was expecting a warm welcome. Is this how you greet someone who had just had the worst week ever, spending it in the cold, torturous cells?" Jace asked, obviously exaggerating a little.

"Motherfucker, Emily was bringing you home-cooked meals, blankets, water, and anything you wanted all day. I wouldn't say you had a rough time in the cells. If anything, you had less responsibilities down there than you do here. I'm sure you like the change of pace." Axel rolled his eyes at his friend.

"How did you get out of the cells anyway?" I asked, making my presence known.

"Mason got me out. He is Beta after all. Unlike Mr. Useless over here." Jace explained, sounding proud that Mason was willing to go against the Council to get him out. I was surprised that him calling Axel useless didn't ellicit a reaction. His wolf wouldn't have allowed the disrespect. But, there was nothing out of Axel.

"I see, well I'm glad you're okay," I sincerely told him, trying to gauge how he feels about me. Last I checked, Jace didn't really like me, but he did kill a person who wronged me. So, I wasn't sure what to make of that. He did it for his Alpha, the sane part of my brain responded.

"Why didn't you get me out of the cells. I mean, you had the power to do that. Just in case you forgot, you're Alpha. Can you please start acting like it again?" Jace accused him, and although I could hear some hurt in his voice, it sounded like he was more complaining than anything. "You suck now, you used to be cool."

"I didn't want to hear your bitching and nagging all day. I needed some peace and quiet alone," Axel answered, as he walked towards his office chair. However, before Axel made it all the way around his desk, passing Jace, Jace hit the back of his head with a tissue box that was on the office desk. When Axel felt the impact, he immediately turned around picked up the tissue box that fell on the floor, and chucked it back full force at Jace's head.

I couldn't help but let out a giggle at what was happening in front of me. I am facing the biggest decision of my life and the boys were throwing tissue boxes at each other. It's almost like they were toddlers in men's bodies. At this point, I couldn't control my laughs, and little by little, my laughs started getting louder, as I clutched my stomach. Even though I was squinting due to how hard I was laughing, I could see the boys look at me with bewilderment, trying to figure out what was going on in my head. This is great, when I am not crying uncontrollably, I'm laughing uncontrollably. Well, laughing is better that crying, so I wasn't going to shit on this new development completely.

I wasn't sure when Mason and Tyler came back into the office, but they probably walked in to find out what the commotion was about. Regardless, I was soon surrounded by four guys who were completely clueless about dealing with woman laughing hysterically.

"Are you alright?" Mason asked me. I could hear the slight concern in his voice, and for a second it felt like I had my friend back. I nodded my head as my laughs died down and looked up at Axel, who had placed a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't tell what was going on in his mind, after all this was the first time where he ever showed any form of emotion towards me in public. Well, except for when he carried my unconscious body during the ball through the crowd.

"We couldn't help but overhear a portion of the conversation you two were having," Tyler addressed us. With that, Axel let go of me, and went back to making his way to sit on his chair while he motioned for us to sit on the seats around his desk. Before Jace could sit, however, Axel said, "Jace, you smell like shit. Go take a shower then come back. We will fill you in on what you miss."

"No, I want to be a part of this. Surely, I can't possibly smell too bad. Calista, you're a girl. How bad do I smell right now?" Jace asked me.

"Umm, I am a little uncomfortable with this question," I said. I didn't want to be rude, but I think he really needs a shower.

"Fine. Sheesh you all suck," Jace whined as he left the room. Jace was such a weird person. If somebody were to look at how Jace acts and talks, they wouldn't think that he killed someone just about a week ago.

"We need to figure out what we have to do about the Alpha position, the Council, Jace, Callista, and you running your pack to hell," Tyler started saying.

"Well, I wouldn't say I ran Blood Venom to hell," Axel retaliated.

"Well, you didn't exactly protect Blood Venom interests when you gave up so much of our land to help find Callista," Mason jabbed back at him. I also couldn't help but feel like the jab was directed at me. I get it, though. Mason is a good guy and he feels like if I hadn't run away none of this would have happened. He would still be with his mate, and Blood Venom would be better off.

Just when Axel was about to respond, we heard a knock on the large mahogany door. It didn't seem like Axel was expecting this, because he looked around the room at the guys to see if they invited someone to come. When none of them knew who could be at the door. Axel was about to tell whoever it was to come in. However, Mason interjected and pointed at me.

"You sure you want the news to spread that she is here?" he asked.

"Umm, the two guards from earlier know that I am here," I quickly said, making sure that they know that the news could already be out.

"We told them not to tell anyone," Mason said.

"I see," Axel said, "I guess it might be best if the news about you being here doesn't the reach the ears of the Council for right now," he said, as he headed to the door and opened it and headed outside, leaving slightly ajar.

"William," Axel greeted the man on the other side of the door. With that, I felt my heart pounding through my chest. We were all anxious to hear the conversation that is about to transpire between the two.

"Your Beta got your Gamma out of the cells." William sounded angry.

"Yes, I heard," Axel said nonchalantly.

"You know the deal. He stays a part of the pack if he serves his time in the cells. He killed a Council member!"

"You're right, I am extremely ashamed of him for only killing Darren. And we agree, for that he must be jailed." Axel responded, trying to anger William even more.

"W-What do you mean, Alpha? You must be intoxicated right now. Do you hear what you are saying?" William said, almost with a stutter.

"Well he had the opportunity to get rid of all of you, and only got rid of Darren. You can see how disappointed I was when I found out. But you know, I could fix his mistake." I could picture the smug look on Axel's face as he said this to William. But would he actually do it? Would Axel kill the Council members? I looked around the room to see if any of the boys would try to do some damage control, but none of them even moved a muscle.

"Alpha Axel, that's enough. Your threat will be reported to the Council," William told him.

"Ooh, I am so scared!" Axel exaggerated his response and then laughed.

"You should be!" William answered back. I couldn't help but smile at that, as he is obviously spiraling.

"Will, please don't act like the Council has real power when it comes down to everything. Your power is a formality, mine runs through my blood. I could order you to drink some wolfsbane right now, and your wolf wouldn't be able to resist it. Actually that's a wonderful idea, I think I have some in my desk drawer."

"The Council's power is in the Blood Venom Constitution and Alpha or not, the Council has the right to take you down if we see you are unfit. As is evident by your intoxication, your depletion of Blood Venom resources, and your threat to the Council, you are unfit to be Alpha. Hence, Alpha Axel, by order of the Council you are officially challenged to your position. The challenge will happen a week from today. Hopefully by then the loss of your mate gets to your head completely and you have trouble even shifting into your wolf. Get ready Axel, Blood Venom is no longer yours," William declared.