The Mark of a Beta

forty- two

Sorry I've been a bit absent. Things have been a bit hectic and I'm finding less and less time to write. But, here's another chapter for you all!

The rest of the day passes by in a blur filled with presents, food, and attention. I've never seen so many teddy bears and flowers all in one room before! I guess I'm more popular than I thought! It seems that every single member of the Dark Wood pack has visited and brought a gift with them to wish me well in my recovery.

Or maybe Axel threatened them to bring gifts.

Either way, I'm happy with all the love and attention. My favorite part of my day is when Axel continues cuddling with me even when people enter the room. He was never this touchy around other people, whether it be slight embarrassment or his tough, emotionless reputation he needed to uphold. Now, it's like he doesn't give a shit anymore.

If one good thing came from our bond almost being severed, it's that.

There is something that I haven't brought up with Axel yet, and it has been weighing on me all day. I know that if I bring it up, Axel will stop being touchy and clingy and will instead be detached and growly.

The subject is Brenden.

Just thinking of him makes me sick to my stomach, furious and ready to murder him myself. It's one thing for Brenden to attack me, but to go after my mate? That is unacceptable. The way that Brenden hurt me, he also ended up inadvertently hurting the love of my life, and that is where I draw the fucking line.

So, even though I hate to ruin the slight peace and tranquility of the space, I turn over in the hospital bed and lightly squeeze Axel's bicep to get his attention. Yep, it's still hard as a rock, like another part of him that I'm desperately trying to ignore. Axel raises an eyebrow at me.

"If I bring something up, do you promise not to leave?"

Axel studies my features, then nods.

"What happened to Brenden?"

Like I expected, Axel's eyes dilate and he releases a deep growl that I know the other doctors and nurses can hear down the hall. His hand tightens around my hip. I follow the movement, noticing not for the first time that he isn't wearing his rings that I am so fond of. I wonder what happened to them when he force-shifted?

As if Axel can feel my worry from him, which he most likely can now that our bond has healed more, he slides his palm up and down my waist to relax me. "You don't need to worry about him."

"Yes, I do," I explain to him gently. Even if I'm out of danger, which I assume I am because I know Axel, Brenden is still my business. I deserve to know what happened to him and where he is.

"No. You don't."

"Why are you fighting me on this? He hurt us. Both of us. I deserve answers on where the fuck he is or if he's gone already!"

"You see?" Axel says, sitting up more so he's hovering over me slightly. "You said 'if he's gone already.' You can't even say it: if he's dead already. If I ripped him apart. If I slowly poisoned him with silver. If I drained him of every last drop of blood. If I-"

"Stop trying to intimidate me!" I say, shoving at him slightly. He barely even moves. "Yeah, I want to know if he's fucking dead." Axel is beginning to get on my nerves with the way he's avoiding answering me.

"Why can't you just accept that I have him taken care of?" He runs a hand through his perfectly groomed hair, displaying his unease.

"Because I want to see him," I say, taking a stab at the idea that Brenden isn't dead. Since Axel didn't leave my side in the five days of my coma and hasn't left my side except to take the fastest shower known to man, I can conclude that Brenden is most likely in the cells. I doubt Axel let anyone near his prisoner, and he wouldn't have been this relaxed if Brenden wasn't in Dark Wood custody.