Page 24 of Axes & Nos

“No, I don’t want kids soon. Eventually yes, but we’re both very young no need to rush. I honestly don’t know how much it will hurt or won’t hurt. Alia didn’t seem in pain after Chase claimed her, and her claiming mark healed very quickly. Yours would too, once your tiger took over. Shifting might hurt the first time though; your body wasn’t born to take an animal so it will be foreign to it. It might rebel against the tiger. I won’t do it until you’re ready. I promise.” The need to reassure her is strong. I want her to want me to claim her, I don’t want her afraid of being claimed. She looks like she’s mulling it over trying to decide right this second, but she needs to really think about it. This can’t be a spur of the moment decision on her part.

“For now, let’s take this one day at a time. When you’re ready you can tell me. Until then we live life together as a couple getting to know each other. We spend time together, wedate, and when the time is right you can tell me your decision. Whether you decide to be changed or not makes no difference to me, I am still yours and you are still mine.” I put conviction behind my words as my tiger whines inside my head demanding I take it back.

She’s our mate, we must claim her!We won’t force her to become one of us. If she wants to stay human, we must respect that decision.Fine, but I don’t have to like it!You cannot like it all you want but if you want her to be happy you will deal with her decision no matter what it is. He huffs in frustration, but he doesn’t argue back. He knows as well as I do that her happiness is more important than our own.

“Alright, I can do that. We spend time together and date.” She nods in agreement, her smile softening as she looks up at me. A more perfect woman there is not in this world for me. Fate got it right on the money when it came to picking out my mate.

“Now, off to the shower with you while I run outside and grab my spare clothes.” I turn her facing toward the bathroom, giving her ass a smack causing her to jump and scurry away. Watching her ass bounce as she scampers away almost tempts me to follow her, ignoring my need for clothes. Growling, I reluctantly make my way out to my truck. Grabbing my clothes I hurry back inside to the bathroom so I can join Myra in the shower.

If I thought being around Myra before we had sex was hard, after having sex with her was even harder, showering with her harder still. Having her wet body next to mine was a temptation not even the devil would wish on anyone. Helping her wash her hair and body was a trial of epic proportions. Only my need to see her happily settled with a proper bed and her lists being completed kept my hands from roaming too much. I’m not saying my hands didn’t wander, just that I kept them under control.

After a brief argument over who’s truck we would take into town, we decided hers would be best for carrying a bed frame and mattress back. Okay, she decided and I gave in, what can I say I like seeing her happy. Anytime I can make her smile makes me smile. It’s a win-win scenario if you ask me.

Walking through downtown shopping for her bed frame and mattress with her hand in mine makes my tiger purr with pleasure. Her hand in mine, my hand on her back guiding her into each shop, or her hand in the crook of my arm all feel as though we’ve been doing it for years instead of it being the first time. It’s so natural that I don’t know how I lived before this day. Every day before feels empty by comparison.

When she finds the perfect bed frame propped against the wall all the in the back of a dusty old antique shop I’m not surprised when she releases a happy squeal. Clapping her hands in excitement she starts trying to pull the pieces out from against the wall with no success. When she looks over at me with a pout I grin back at her.

“Alright my love, go talk to the lady at the front. I’ll try to determine if all the pieces are here. It doesn’t need screws; it's set up to be hammered into place. As long as all the pieces are here, we can load it up.” I turn her toward the front, giving her ass a little tap and she squeaks in pleasure.

“Alright, but don’t hurt yourself trying to carry it all. I’ll be back to help.” She retorts as she sashays her ass toward the front of the store. I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face knowing she’s mine. One day I hope she will agree to become my mate fully, until then I will bask in the glory that is my mate.

My ears perk up at the sound of the front door dinging followed by the murmur of voices. I continue to pull out all the pieces of the bed frame until I have them all lined up against the wall ready to be taken outside. It’s only then that I realize that the murmur of voices has stopped and Myra has been gone forseveral minutes. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and before I even think about it my feet are moving toward the front of the store.

She’s in danger. I can feel it, move your ass. Let me out!My tiger growls out as I pick up speed.

Just before I reach the front of the shop, I smell it, or I should say him, Nolan Riggs. The motherfucking former alpha of the wolf pack that attacked us trying to take over the territory. When I round the corner of an aisle, I can see him, and he has Myra in his grips. His hand is over her mouth and she’s looking at me with fear in her eyes.

I’m going to kill him; I’m going to slice open his belly and devour his fucking entrails.Agreed! I seethed thinking about all the ways I’m planning to kill this fucker, but first I have to get Myra away from him.

“Hello, hello Dax, isn’t it?” He taunts as Myra squirms against his hold, screaming against his hand. I’m going to take every single finger from that fucking hand for touching my mate.

“Hello Nolan.” I greet him through gritted teeth trying to maintain my composure. It must not work because Nolan glares at me disapprovingly.

“That’s no way to greet an old friend, is it? Myra, tell him that’s no way to greet an old friend.” Nolan taunts her, squeezing her against his body. She screams against his hand squirming against his hold again. He’s too strong for her, if she was a tiger already, she wouldn’t be so easy to hold.

“Let her go Nolan, she’s an innocent woman.” I ask as nicely, stifling a growl from my tiger. He wants out, but until Myra is safely away from Nolan’s grasp, I can’t let that happen.

“It has nothing to do with being innocent or not innocent. She’s yours isn’t she, your mate? I can smell you on her.” He taunts, running his nose against her neck breathing in her scent. My feet move forward, my tiger pushing me to get closer.Nolan grins right at me, showing me his sharpened teeth before running his teeth along her neck. Myra squeals against his palm, her eyes pleading for me to help. He wouldn’t. It’s against all of our laws to change a human without them being your mate. But the crazed look in his eyes tells me he would and my heart drops into my stomach.

“Nolan, you know the laws. You know what will happen if you do what you’re thinking about doing. It won’t just be your pack and Chase’s ambush after you, it will be the entire shifter race. There will be nowhere for you to hide.” I’m stalling, trying to think of a way to get her out of his grasp and to safety.

My eyes dart around the space looking for any advantage I might be able to find to get Myra out of his grasp and to safety. That’s when I notice the pair of feet sticking out from behind the counter. There’s no movement, but I’m hoping that doesn’t mean the store clerk is dead. Nolan notices me looking and chuckles. The fucker was sick, and he has the most precious thing in my whole world in his grasp.

“Fuck the laws, fuck my brothers pack, and fuck your brother’s ambush. None of you can touch me, I’m untouchable. I was born to rule and then my little brother came along ruining it all. Now he’s ruling my pack while I’m living on the run. I’m going to rebuild my pack though, fill it full of loyal wolves. Then I will destroy you all!” He roars and his teeth elongate even more.

“Nolan please. Kill me instead. I won’t even change to defend myself.” I beg my hands out pleading with him not to do what he’s planning to do. Tears flow freely from Myra’s eyes as I mouth ‘I’m sorry’ to her. This is my fault; she’ll never be able to forgive me for what Nolan’s about to do.

“Please. Please...oh my god you sound like such a fucking pussy right now.” Nolan mocks me with a sneer.

“Nolan, this won’t end the way you think it will. If you hurt her, I will kill you. There will be no where you can hide that I won’t find you until I end you.” I vow with a growl.

“Yeah, but I’ll have your mate with me for protection. She’ll be my wolf, I will be her alpha, there is nothing you can do about it.” He taunts me again. Before I can say anything in return I watch in horror as he sinks his teeth in Myra’s neck. Myra’s eyes go wide with fear and pain as tears flow from her eyes.

“Myra!” I scream out as Nolan throws her away from him to the ground laughing. Skidding across the floor I pull her against my body.

“Myra. Myra, baby talk to me?” Tears stain her cheeks, as I try to get her to look at me. Her eyes are rolled back, and her skin is hot to the touch. Nolan is looming over us with a triumphant smile on his face.

Lifting her face to mine I kiss her gently first one cheek then the other, trying to bring her back to me. Placing a soft kiss against her lips I jerk back when I hear the growl coming from her chest. My heart breaks knowing that the beast inside isn’t from me, but from the sick fuck standing over us like he’s won the fucking day.