The Mark of a Beta

sixteen

Not in love with this chapter, but I wanted to get something out for you guys. I just haven't felt very motivated to write, but hopefully later this week I'll find some inspo and get some more Cooper and Axel for you :)

Axel's POV

After an abnormally difficult and grating day, I had planned to talk to Grayson about the pack business I had missed from my time away, eat, talk to Cooper, prepare for the start of my week, and go to sleep.

Somehow, this well-constructed schedule did not occur the way I wished it did.

The main reason for this occurrence was the fact that I was covered in glitter. It didn't matter that I showered when I reached Cooper's house. The moment I sat in my car again and the air automatically turned on, any spare glitter began blowing in my face. The glitter would never come out of my clothes, either.

All through my two-hour car ride I had to reconstruct the rest of my day. I would have to shower again before I spoke to Grayson, then I would learn of all the pack business I had missed, and my schedule could resume.

That did not happen either.

The moment I stepped out of my car, which I would have to get someone to clean up because I certainly did not have the time to remove each infuriating sparkle myself, Grayson and the pack warriors came to greet me and welcome me back to Dark Wood territory. They were all very amused by my current state.

I'm not quite sure if it was the fact that I was forced to leave my mate behind in an unknown territory, his own strange feelings that were clouding my mind, or my utter lack of control over this situation, but the first warrior to make a joke at my expense had their heart nearly ripped out.

He should have known not to laugh at me.

My claws had dug deep into his chest, and I could feel the beating of his delicate heart around my fingertips. One twist of my wrist and he would be dead.

Grayson managed to remove my hand from the warrior's chest and get him medical attention. He will be fine. He now knows not to disrespect his Beta.

I know that Grayson was disappointed by my lack of control. So am I. I'm not usually so out of control. I am the epitome of control and focus. Cooper has made me weak.

Grayson seems to understand the shift in my mood. Maybe he is aware that Cooper's quick introduction into my life has altered my current state of mind, and now that I'm away from him, I can't think properly.

There are these new feelings of grief and sadness clouding my mind. They feel like a weight on my heart, almost suffocating. I have never felt such emotions, and this fact alone leads me to believe that they are not, in fact, my emotions- they are Cooper's that I can feel through our half-formed bond. Is this normal? I felt extremely angry and frustrated that I was forced to leave Cooper, but Cooper's reaction seems a bit extreme. I had to pull over to the side of the road while I was on my way back to Dark Wood territory to make sure he wasn't having a mental breakdown of some sort.

I know that he isn't physically injured. I would be able to feel it through the half-formed bond we share. However, I can't get a full read on his emotional state. I know he's upset, and yes, it is hard to be apart from him, but I've never felt anything like what he is feeling. These are entirely new sensations for me.

Is this what the rest of the world feels?

I once again curse the two fucked up people who claimed to be my parents. I blame them for my lack of emotional connection with the world. They forced me to-