Page 33 of Malek

And lots, and lots of sex.

But they hadn’t really gone further afield, simply enjoyed getting to know each other. Everything Malek found out about Axel made him only want to know more, and the more he knew, the more he loved the man he was going to spend his life with.

Axel told him about losing his dad when he turned sixteen, in a car crash, and how the family still hadn’t really recovered.

He talked about his uni days, and how he decided to become a teacher, mostly because he wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do, and a teaching job seemed like a safe option.

He told Malek about how if he’d been braver, he would have loved to be a baker. He’d fallen in love with baking during food tech in high school and was heartbroken when the course had been cancelled before he’d finished.

Apparently, it hadn’t stopped his mate, because Axel was a great cook, and Malek and his brothers had been able to eat some wonderful homemade meals.

Not that they didn’t eat homemade food, but usually when their dad was home. Their alpha father was more the chef in their family, and when he was gone, they usually got takeaway from the resort restaurant.

But nothing beat a proper home-cooked meal.

He knew that Axel loved to read—a lot—and Malek almost spent thousands buying his mate books on Amazon, until he realised he’d better wait until he saw what Axel owned before he did.

He wanted to give Axel the world, but his mate didn’t ask for much. He was quite content sitting at home watching Sky + movies, and snuggling together on their couch.

The one thing though that had come through above everything was the love Axel had for his siblings. His mate had three brothers, same as he did. What were the odds? And he knew they were close.

Axel had shown Malek their group chat a couple of times, or Malek caught his mate laughing at something his brothers sent.

Malek was worried, because he knew that even though Axel got along with Malek’s siblings, he still missed his own, and hated to think of what would happen if the day came when they were no longer around.

Malek glanced at his mate and saw him taking in the countryside as they drove to the nearest town to visit a pharmacy. All he wanted to do was give Axel the world, but Malek was worried this wasn’t something he could give.

Malek stopped thinking about all that. He took Axel's hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed their joined hands.

Axel looked his way and grinned. Malek couldn't believe it could better, but it could if Axel was actually pregnant.

* * *

Malek parkedin the town centre and walked around to open the door for Axel. They walked hand in hand to the nearest Boots, and searched out the pregnancy aisle. Without speaking they both picked like four boxes each of the pregnancy test, and then looked at each other and laughed.

“Think they’ll ask who it’s for?” Axel asked.

“Why should they, we could be getting them for a sister, or something. Anyway it’s none of their business.”

They walked to the counter, but saw there was a self-checkout service and detoured that way instead. Axel had just begun scanning the items when his phone rang.

He paused, as he pulled it out of his pocket, “I’ll just put this on silent,” but then Axel saw who was calling. “It’s my mum.”

“Get it. I’ll finish this up”

Axel nodded and moved towards the exit of the store, but didn’t go outside, which Malek’s wolf approved of. Even though their small Cumbrian town didn’t get much crime, his wolf still didn’t want their mate out of sight, especially when they weren’t safe in their home, or their forest.

Malek finished up quickly and paid. When he walked up to Axel, his mate looked him in the eye, “How do you feel about a trip to Manchie. My mum wants to meet the bloke that’s got her boy playing country bumpkin.” Axel lifted his arms up, laughter in his eyes. “Her words not mine.”

“Can’t wait, but before that, let’s go find out if we’re having a baby,” Axel whispered, rising up on his tiptoes, before placing a kiss on Malek’s lips.

Eighteen

Axel

The stick said PREGNANT, all the sticks said pregnant, or had two pink lines. Unless… well, there was no unless... Axel was pregnant, and Jesus Christ… Wow.

He was terrified, and excited, and speechless and…Wow.