3: Level With Me

HARPER

“Hey,” I whispered, peering into the dimly lit room. Axel was there, cradling a tiny bundle in his arms. I wasn’t sure if the baby he held was his firstborn or not.

They hadn’t chosen names yet, and Layla had been in labor for nearly twelve hours. Layla was asleep in the bed, so I kept my voice low. Axel turned to me and walked toward the door.

I’d been away, handling pack business and answering a ton of questions while Axel was preoccupied. It was the usual stuff I dealt with, just more intense this time. I didn’t mind, though.

The alpha and luna deserved to focus on the births. “Did they postpone it?” Axel asked. He’d informed Adis earlier that he wouldn’t be able to make it.

Adis had requested a delay anyway due to some issues he was facing. It seemed like someone might have tried to take Adis’ life. So, I didn’t need to leave yesterday.

But now, I had to. It was early morning again. Honestly, I wanted to check on them to ensure they were okay before I left.

That was the main reason I was here. Seeing Axel holding his daughter felt a bit odd, to be honest. She was so tiny in his arms, but she was making little noises, her eyes closed.

She seemed content. They had twin girls, and I could only imagine how Axel would be with them. Probably overprotective but completely smitten at the same time.

Just like their mother. I still remembered the day Layla had fainted at the hospital from overusing her talent. God, I thought Axel was going to lose it.

“Yeah. I just wanted to check in with you before I left. Is she okay?” I asked, referring to Layla.

“She’s exhausted. There was some bleeding earlier, but she’s okay now. We’re not leaving this hospital until she’s completely okay. We can stay here. I own this damn place, and she’s not going home until there’s no risk. Besides, I don’t want her to overexert herself. Stubborn woman,” Axel grumbled. I just raised an eyebrow.

“Whipped,” I remarked. Axel just gave me a look. I could see the humor in his eyes. Axel glanced down at his daughter and then back over to Layla, where his other daughter was sleeping near her bed.

“Maybe,” Axel admitted.

“You should watch your language,” I teased.

“Bite me. If my daughters curse like sailors, so be it. They’ll be less likely to attract some idiot I’ll have to kill.” I chuckled lightly.

Oh, he was in for it, and his daughters were going to be a handful, I could already see it. Here was his karma, wrapped in two tiny little bundles.

“I’m sure,” I said. “I was going to head out. I just wanted to make sure you two were okay and that you didn’t have any last minute instructions,” I told him.

He shrugged. “Not right now,” Axel said, glancing at the phone in my hand. He stared at it and then looked at me thoughtfully. Suddenly, I felt a knot in my stomach.

It was his contemplative expression. This was the look Axel got when he knew something I should have already told him. My intuition kicked in before he spoke.

~Grace didn’t~, I thought, feeling a surge of anger. She’d threatened to tell Axel, but I didn’t think she would tell him yet.

“Harper,” Axel began, stepping a little further into the hall. “Grace was talking to me earlier. I have to say I’m a little pissed off you wouldn’t tell me. You didn’t trust me with the knowledge that you might have found your true mate in a vampire. Why would you hide it?” Axel demanded.

Right then, I could have strangled Grace. I considered lying, playing dumb, but we knew each other too well. Why did Grace have to say something now? Damn her.

“It had nothing to do with trust. It was a complication we didn’t need. I was waiting to deal with it. It’s my damn business. What are you going to do exactly? Help me kidnap her?” I said sarcastically.

I could feel my anger bubbling just beneath the surface. I was usually good at keeping my composure, but this was a sensitive topic. Axel picked up on my mood immediately, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course, I would. Those blood-sucking creeps are twisted. She’d be better off kidnapped and here. I wouldn’t have cared if it complicated things before. You can’t ignore it, Harper. It’s going to blow up in your face.

“Look at how I was with Layla when we first met. You might have control now, but it won’t last. I’ll help you, but I need to know what kind of shit storm we could be facing before it happens. If something happens and I’m in the dark, how am I supposed to help?” Axel said, clearly irritated.

I was a bit taken aback that he seemed so casual about kidnapping a vampire. That was a bit extreme, but it calmed me down a bit, knowing he didn’t care if my true mate was a vampire.

I guess I was a little worried about that, but it seemed like he didn’t care. So that was a relief. I did care what Axel thought. Obviously, we were close.

“What if she doesn’t want to? Axel, she’s a vampire,” I whispered harshly. “They don’t like to mingle with us. We do business, but we know what they think of us. Did Grace tell you who?” I growled quietly.

Axel’s daughter stirred a bit but didn’t wake. “No, she said she’d let you tell me. She’s worried. She told me you haven’t been sleeping. I have noticed you’ve been more distracted lately. Now I know why. Who is it?” Axel demanded.

Then he added, “I would go, but I can’t. I need to stay here with Layla and the girls, but I need to know your head is on straight before I send you there.” That was a fair point.

“Sierra,” I whispered so quietly it was barely audible.

Axel looked at me and closed his eyes for a second. Then sighed. “Well, fuck, that is complicated, isn’t it. You’re going to keep your wits about you?” Axel demanded.

“More than you did,” I shot back.

He shrugged. “Fair. Are you planning on doing something after this is done?” Axel asked.

“Yes,” I admitted, not denying it.

“Are you going to actually talk to her?” Axel inquired.

“If I can, you know how they are with their females,” I stated.

“Have you spoken with those watching the Red Coven?” Axel asked.

“I didn’t want anyone to know about my interest in her. It would seem odd if I started asking about her,” I confessed.

We had a few vampires living among us, those who had grown tired of their covens and sought a different life. When it came to dealing with the covens, we often turned to our vampire residents for insights into their social structure and norms.

“I suppose that would be strange. But honestly, I don’t care. I’ll ask, I’ll find out. I know what you’re hiding, Harper. You’ve got a beast inside you, just like me. So if my beta is about to lose control and do something reckless, I’ll be there to pull him back. If you were planning to pursue her once the deals were settled, I need to know. Why didn’t you say anything?” Axel pressed.

I met his gaze but remained silent for a moment.

“Because you’re the impulsive one. I trust you, but I don’t trust you to stay out of my business. You and Grace have a knack for meddling in my personal affairs. Sometimes, I want to handle things on my own,” I explained.

He wasn’t my father, and even though I saw him as a brother, it was irritating to have people prying into my private life. I shouldn’t have to share if I didn’t want to.

“Maybe I am impulsive. But this time, Harper, you might need me and my impulsiveness. I have a feeling I might be the one to rein in your inner monster this time,” Axel said, a hint of dark humor in his eyes.

“Doubt it,” I retorted, and we locked eyes in a silent standoff.

“When this meeting is over and the agreement is reached, I want to know your next move. Impulsive or not, it won’t end well if things go south,” Axel warned.

It was somewhat comforting to know he had my back. He said it, I saw it in his eyes, and for a moment, I didn’t feel so alone.

“Just to be clear. If I showed up with a vampire, you wouldn’t question it? You wouldn’t send her back?” I asked, not because that was my plan, but to gauge his reaction.

“You didn’t send Layla back. You’ve never stopped me from doing what I needed to do. Give me some perspective, and I’ll do the same for you. Just make sure you’re not followed if you’re planning to kidnap a vampire. If they don’t know who’s got her, it’s better for us, right?” Axel suggested as the baby started to fuss.

“You’re kind of messed up, you know that?” I told him, but he just offered a small smile in response.

“Deep down, so are you. That’s why we get along,” Axel replied.

“Axel?” Layla’s sleepy voice called out.

“Hold on a second,” Axel responded, his voice softening.

He was smitten, that much was clear. I never thought I’d see the day, but it didn’t make him any less dangerous.

“Maybe I’ll be as lucky as you one day,” I mused.

The words slipped out before I could stop them, and Axel paused on his way back into the room. He glanced at me, then turned away. I heard him sigh as he left.

“You’re a good man, Harper. You’ve always been better than me. I think luck will favor you. You deserve to find your other half. I hope she comes around soon, for your sake,” Axel said before disappearing into the room.

I didn’t follow him. Instead, I let out a sigh and stood there for a moment.

At least I knew he was on my side if I decided to do something reckless. I shoved my phone into my pocket and prepared to leave the hospital, relieved to see that they were okay.

A few of us were about to depart, heading toward the Red Coven. I hoped they wouldn’t try any crazy shit. I wasn’t in the mood for a fight.

But I had my doubts. And once again, my thoughts drifted to my mate, who probably didn’t even know I existed. She probably wished I was dead.

Vampires who thought differently left their covens. At least I would get to see the woman who haunted my thoughts. There was that.