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

Chapter 22- Axel's POV

"Hmmmm," Nila's mom said before she cleared her throat, and we looked at her. She looked at the way that Terrence had left before she cleared her throat and looked at us, smiling, even though it didn't reach her eyes. "Now," she said and cleared her throat a third time. "Are you two ready to see where you are staying?" she asked while she raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes," Harrison said and nodded in confirmation. "We are."

"Come," she said and gestured for us to follow her. She started to walk that way and toward the bedroom, and we did what we were told to do, with Nila following behind us. "I am Sabrina, by the way," she said. "It is nice to meet you both."

"It is nice to meet you too, Sabrina," Harrison said. He cleared his throat and stood taller. "As stated before, I am Harrison, and this is my Beta Male, Axel." He gestured to me, and Sabrina looked at me and smiled, and I offered her a small smile while I dipped my head closer to my chest in greeting.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Beta Axel," she said while she bowed her head in respect. "I hope that you enjoy your stay here."

I bit back a small smile but didn't say a word, even though I had a feeling that Harrison would be fine with me talking to her.

She cleared her throat and shifted the popcorn bowl slightly in her hands, looking very nervous for some reason. "Do you have any kids?" she asked while she raised an eyebrow in question before she looked at the way we were going.

"Yes," I said while I nodded in confirmation. "I have a few of them. They are all adopted, but I treat them like my own."

"How old is the youngest?" Nila asked while she raised an eyebrow in question.

"She's one," I said while I looked at her. 'Her name is Paige."

"And the oldest?"

"She is eleven," I replied. "She's almost twelve, but not quite there yet. Her name is Annalisa."

"Marley is thirteen," Nila said. "That's my sister's name." She hesitated before she shrugged and grimaced. "Well, she is not my biological sister, but she is still my sister."

I bit back a small chuckle while I slowly nodded. "That's a pretty name," I said, and she shrugged and grimaced again.

"She is named after a dumb dog," she grumbled and rolled her eyes. "I do not know the reason why, but all I know is that she was named after a dumb dog."

"Nila Rose!" Sabrina exclaimed, and I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing, amused. She looked at her and scowled while she narrowed her eyes, her cheeks red. "Apologize, now."

"But, Mo-om," she said with a small whine in her voice, and her mother rolled her eyes while she scowled. She slouched her shoulders forward and leaned her head back, frowning. "It's the truth. She was named after a dumb dog."

I cleared my throat to hide a chuckle and looked at Nila. "Are you talking about the book called Marley and Me?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question.

She grimaced before she slowly nodded. "Yes," she said and shifted the bags in her hands. "That's exactly the book I am talking about."

"It's a good book," I said and nodded. "The movie was ok. It wasn't one of my favorites." I shrugged and grimaced.

Nila pressed her lips into a thin line before she slowly nodded. "We do have it if you want to watch it with us," Nila said. "Or something else if that doesn't suit your fancy." She looked at Harrison before she looked at me, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going on through her head.

"We can watch it if you want," I said. "I don't mind watching it again."

"Then we can watch it later," Sabrina said while she stopped and opened the door to a bedroom in which my future father-in-law and I would be residing in for the time being. "Why don't you two get settled in and then come join us for the rest of the movie? Nila and I will make more popcorn for you two."

"Thank you," Harrison said. He looked at Nila. "I can take those bags from you, Nila," he said while he held out his hands for him to take them from her. "We don't want you to lose any more popcorn time." He winked teasingly at her, and Nila bit back a small smile while she handed him the bags.

"Thank you," she said before she looked at Sabrina. "Can I have the popcorn back, please?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow in question, and her mother handed her the popcorn bowl without a word. "Sweet," she said and started to munch on it, again, and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from chuckling. "Thanks," she said with her mouth full of the food. "This is good."

Sabrina shook her head at her daughter before she cleared her throat and looked at us. "We'll be in the living room when you two are ready to join us," she said while she dipped her head closer to her chest. "If you need anything from us, then please yell for us, and one of us will come to help with whatever you need."

"We will," Harrison said, and he nodded. "Thank you."

And with that, Sabrina smiled before she and her daughter left and went back to the living room, leaving both Harrison and I alone to watch them go.

Harrison cleared his throat, and I looked at him. He was staring at me with a hard look on his face, and I couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved about this powerful male hiding in plain sight as a warrior.

"Yes?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question. "What is it?"

Harrison shook his head and bit back a tight smile. "Nothing," he said before he gestured toward the bedroom. "Go ahead, and go into the room. I will follow you in. I'm taking the bed by the window again like last time. Ok?"

I held back an eye roll before I slowly nodded. "Of course," I said and walked into the room with him following right behind, protecting my back just as much as I would protect him.