The Beta's Young Warrior (Book 2 of Young Mate Series)

Chapter 9- Lizzie's POV

Lisa entered the van and glanced between us when she felt the tension in the air between us. She frowned but didn't say a word while she clambered in and got ready to pick up the rest of her siblings, who were at a different school than her.

"Hello, Lisa," Axel said and looked through the rearview mirror to look at his daughter. He tried to smile at her, but it turned more into a grimace than a smile, earning a frown from the small child. "How was school?"

"Good..?" Lisa said, the question in her voice strong. She looked between us while Axel started to drive to the elementary school to pick up the other kids that made up Axel's little family. "What is it? What's going on? Why is there so much tension in the air?"

I bit back a scoff and rolled my eyes. I folded my arms across my chest and turned my back to mg mate. I didn't respond nor say a word to her like I would have if things were different, but I couldn't help but feel a bit bitter towards her, even though I knew that I had no reason to be.

My mate looked at me sadly before he looked at Lisa through the rearview mirror. "W-" He paused and sighed while he shook his head, changing what he was going to say. "I'll let you know when we get the others, ok?" he asked, and I couldn't help but feel a little hurt because he hadn't included me.

Lisa pressed her lips into a thin line but nodded. "Ok," she said. She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. "How was your day?" she asked instead, changing the subject.

"It was good," Axel replied and shrugged, ignoring the part that he wanted to say and letting it hang in the air.

It was good before I got into the car...

"What did you do while we were gone?"

"Work," Axel replied. "We had to write invitation cards. We still have a lot to do."

"What are the invitations for?" Lisa asked after she nodded. She cocked her head and studied her father, waiting for him to answer her.

"It's to invite other packs to Liz's inauguration as the Beta Female of our pack," Axel explained. His gaze was on the side of my head when he said that, but I didn't look at him or say a word that indicated I heard what he said.

My heart skipped a beat, and my stomach tumbled a little because of nerves and excitement for that time.

I knew that it was for my inauguration, and it made me nervous, especially since I was the next in line to the throne after we found everyone and the witch that was to free us from this curse that we had put on us a long time ago.

"Who is coming?" Lisa asked. There was a small bit of protectiveness in her voice, and I couldn't help but steal a small glance at my mate to see how'd he react to the protectiveness in her voice.

Axel's lip twitched a little into a small smile, and he looked at her through the rearview mirror before he turned his gaze back to the road. "Our allies," he replied. "We make sure that each person gets an individual written card from us." He shrugged. "It's tradition."

"Can they decline to come?" Lisa asked after she slowly nodded, and Axel nodded in confirmation with a small hum.

"There are times when people do decide to decline and come. Sometimes they send a small gift instead, other times they don't. It's up to them."

"What about people that you don't like? Do you send them a card?"

"If they are not a threat to me, my pack, and my family, then yes," Axel replied. "If they are, then I don't."

"And the pack that the person is in is fine with it?"

Axel shrugged and looked indifferent. "Sometimes they are, but there are times that they aren't. However, they have the same power to do it too, so it works out in the end."

"Have you not been invited to anyone's inauguration?"

"A few, especially with those that are not our allies," Axel replied. "However, most people respect Parker and me, so we have gone to the inaugurations. However, that mainly depends on the pack and what goes on there."

Silently I wondered if anyone from this pack wasn't invited to an inauguration of a Beta, Gamma, or Alpha or their mates.

"Your grandfather has not been invited to some of the inaugurations, Lisa," Axel said as if he read my mind. He stole a quick glance towards me before he looked at the road again.

"Why not?" Lisa asked, and I could hear the furrowed brows in her voice. "Why wasn't he allowed to go to the inaugurations?"

"Because he was disliked by many," Axel replied, and there was a hard edge in his voice. "I am sure that there are those that still don't like him, but I know that they won't do anything to him, nor do they invite him to stuff."

I wanted to reach out and grab his hand when he gripped the steering wheel tighter, but I stopped myself, reminding myself that I was mad at him for leaving when we had plans, even though I knew that it wasn't his fault and that my father had a reason for him to be missing from my life for only the weekend.

But that didn't stop the pain and fear...

Lisa looked at us when she caught our movement and frowned. "Papa, can you please tell me what is going on between you and M- Lizzie?" she asked, catching herself before she called me Mama or Mom or something of that nature. "I mean, it's not like you to not be holding hands or for Lizzie to have her back to you a-"

"You'll know the reason why when we get the others in the car," Axel said, interrupting his daughter. He looked at her through the rearview mirror, and I had a feeling that he had a small smile on his face and knew that it was forced. "I think that it'll be best for me to say it one time, don't you think?" He raised an eyebrow in question.

Lisa huffed and slouched back in her seat. She pouted, and I knew that she didn't like that option. "Fine," she grumbled with another huff. "But I hope you know that I don't like it."

Axel chuckled sadly and turned his attention back to the road. "I know, Lis," he said solemnly. "I know."