Taming Her Beastly Mate

After being shown her room, Bella and Micah returned and looked over the tense situation in front of them. “Aaannnnnd we came out too soon. Hey, I like my squid deep-fried and battered just so you know.” He chuckled lightly and then swallowed and looked over at Bella. “Tough crowd.”

“There is plenty of room here. We can even have a separate living quarter prepared. I don’t see any reason why you need to leave.” Titus knitted his brows together and pursed his lips.

“Indeed. As much as you change your mind on things maybe you should give things more than a day before you decide on something like that.” There was a low lethal threat in Levi’s voice that wasn’t missed by anyone in the room. But Aken took hold of his stare confidently and gripped Alexis tighter.

“Everything I have done has been for her protection. I’m not ever changing my mind. She is mine.” He looked down at Alexis and smiled. “And I am hers.”

“You don’t have to decide on anything right now. And of course, that decision is for the two of you to make.” Rhea quickly decided to speak up knowing how possessive the males were in her life. She felt Lee’s body tense and she gently nudged him with her elbow. She knew he didn’t like this news. It was bad enough Alexis belonged to someone else now but it was even worse to know she would be leaving them. However, there was nothing strange about this. She left her family at Alexis’ age. And Lucy and Destiny had already left their parents as well. This was part of finding your mate in life.

Levi looked at Aken as his gaze gave a threatening promise.

Aken looked at Levi’s serious eyes and couldn’t help the small smirk that spread over his lips. He wanted to laugh. Seriously? Did the wet muppie think he was going to live in the room next door? He wasn’t sure if these walls would be soundproof enough for how he wanted to spend their time. Plus, if they stayed locked away for days how would he really feel about it. Every time they slept in late everyone would know why. When he brought ice cream and chocolate syrup to the room, they would know he was having fairy a la mode.

There was also the selfish part of Aken that didn’t want to share her for a while. He wanted it to be just them. Sure, Micah and Terra would be there too but they weren’t the type to pull Alexis away from him. The dragon kingdom was too busy of a place. There was always something going on like the party right now.

But this was only what he was thinking. If Alexis wanted to stay, then he would oblige her. Her opinion was the only one that mattered. Aken looked down at his beautiful mate. She was looking at her parents as she leaned deeper into his side.

“Whatever we decide it won’t be until after Erebus is taken care of. And at this rate…” Alexis looked up at Aken and smirked, “We won’t ever be leaving.”

Aken chuckled and shook his head. “Are you taking a jab at my skills?”

Micah snorted. “If she isn’t I will.” He shrugged his shoulders as Aken turned his head to look at him. “I’m not pointing fingers… okay actually I am. You still haven’t caught him. Who knows if you will be able to catch him at this rate.”

“I’ll catch him. And when I do, I’m going to make him pay.” Aken frowned slightly. “I am sorry that his grudge against me ended up involving you and your family.”

Alexis looked up at Aken as her lips parted slightly. “Do you think we blame you? No one in my family blames you.”

“She is right. Erebus isn’t your fault, Aken.” Levi gave Aken a slight smile showing him he didn’t bear him any hard feelings. And he didn’t. Erebus has all but separated himself from the other deities. It was now a massive headhunt for him. Erebus would either be imprisoned by the council, or he would be killed. It just depended on who caught him first.

Brian looked over at Bella and motioned for her to come over to him. He watched as she walked cautiously past everyone until she reached his side. “Dad. Mom. This is Bella, my mate.” He smiled as he looked down at his mate’s grey eyes that looked up at his parents.

“Nice to meet you. I don’t feel the mate pull so I just wanted to make sure you knew that.” Bella’s voice was timid as she glanced at the king and queen nervously.

Lila reached her hand out to take Bella’s into hers. “It’s okay my dear. I met my mate, Titus here so many times. We saw each other at least once a year. And it wasn’t until I was twenty that I recognized him as my mate. Just because you don’t feel the mate pull now doesn’t mean anything.”

“Really? You never felt the attraction to your mate?” Bella asked innocently and Micah snorted in laughter. She looked up to see the small wince on Brian’s face and her eyes widened in shock at the realization of what she had said.

“Oh gosh… I don’t mean that. I meant I didn’t feel the pull. I don’t mean… It’s not that I’m not attracted to you. You are very good looking-” Bella stopped as her face heated up. She quickly looked down at the floor and bit her bottom l*p. She was completely embarrassed. She felt a warm hand brush under her chin and tilted her gaze up to meet with hazel eyes. Under his loving stare, she felt herself blushing even more if that was possible.

“It’s okay Bella. I know what you meant. I haven’t said it to you yet, but I find you incredibly beautiful.” Brian smiled down at her innocent face as her lips pursed together. Her silver hair only made the crimson stains on her cheek look darker. Before he even felt the mate pull he found he attractive. But now with it she was irresistible to him. And her innocence made his beast stir in overprotectiveness.

“Goodness Brian!” Lila reached out and pulled Bella in her side. “You’re embarrassing her. Yes, sweetheart. I used to fight with Titus or ignore him. All that changed once my dragon claimed him as my mate.”

“How about we have a small dinner together, the four of us? So that we can all get to know each other better.” Titus looked over as Lila nodded her head in agreement. Titus looked up and smirked slightly. “Besides it looks like the rest of the family has finally emerged, so you’ll need your own family bonding time.” Titus nodded his head at Cody and Kelsie who emerged from their bedroom. He chuckled and motioned for his family to follow him down the stairs. It was clear from Cody’s tussled hair that he was having a late snack.

“So… what did we miss.” Cody tried to walk in unaffected. His gaze landed on Aken and he raised his brow at him. “So… I see your mate has finally shown himself.”

“Uncle Cody… officially…this is my Aken.” Alexis smiled biting her bottom l*p. She felt Aken’s fingers squeeze into her lightly.

“Hmmm Aken, huh?” Cody studied the man and then looked over at Levi. “It’s kind of funny, isn’t it?”

“What is funny?” Levi asked knitting his brows together.

“Well Rhea has a water deity; I have a kelpie and the Kraken is also associated with water.” Cody shrugged his shoulders. “Seems like more than a coincidence don’t you think? All this waterpower in a dragon fire kingdom.”

Levi looked at Cody in shock and then his eyes raised up to Aken. Both men had their brows furrowed as they mulled over what Cody had said. Alexis had ice powers too.

“That seems like more than a coincidence…” Micah snorted and walked over to plop on the couch. “Though it doesn’t make sense unless the whole world is going to burn or something…” He turned his head and studied Alexis. “Does it? Is that what you saw?”

“Saw what? Lex?” Rhea turned her gaze to her daughter. “Did you have a premonition?

“Yeah…” Alexis whispered out as the chilling images flashed through her mind. The man with the red eye now terrified her on a level she couldn’t understand. But as his face flipped through her mind her body shuddered. She felt Aken adjust her body deeper into his as his arms came around her holding her protectively.

“How far in the future have you seen?” Rhea asked as Alexis turned her head to look at her mother. “Far?” She hesitated for a moment. “Did the world look like it was in ruins?” She watched her daughter’s eyes widen as she slowly nodded her head. “So, you have seen him too?”

“You’ve also seen him? The man with the red eye!” Alexis watched her mother nod her head.

“We all have. I have as well as Lucy and my mother and grandmother. There are different versions and variations from what we can tell. But we don’t know yet if they are different times or just different perspectives of the same time. But we have all seen this.” Rhea looked at her daughter’s troubled blue eyes.

Lila reached her hand out to take Bella’s into hers. “It’s okay my dear. I met my mate, Titus here so many times. We saw each other at least once a year. And it wasn’t until I was twenty that I recognized him as my mate. Just because you don’t feel the mate pull now doesn’t mean anything.”

“But for something like that to happen…” Alexis whispered out as she chewed on her bottom l*p nervously.

“A war the gods can not fight in. And if this vision comes to pass Elysium would have been sealed.” Rhea watched as Alexis shook her head.

“But not everyone went into the seal. I saw sword wielders like Raine. And I saw a lycan. Did we all just leave them to their fate? Because I would never-” Alexis started but her mother swiftly interrupted her.

“You would. Because staying here would cause you pain. It would cause me pain. Our mates wouldn’t be able to stand by seeing us hurting like that. In order to protect them, we would enter Elysium.” Rhea smiled at her daughter. “We don’t know anything about this future other than our visions. But this future isn’t going to be our fight.”

Alexis leaned into Aken and turned her head into his chest. She felt his soothing motions on her back as she inhaled his scent. Her mother was right. As much as she would want to stay and fight, she would need to protect Aken. If it was a problem for him to get involved, she would have to remove him from the situation. And his next words proved that this is what she had to do.

“Lex, don’t think about it.” Aken cooed down to her. “I’ll do whatever it is you want me to. You know I don’t give a damn about the deity council.”

“No,” Alexis whispered into his chest. “I won’t risk losing you. You already made me wait so long for you. I’m not going without you now.” She tilted her head up and gave him a soft smile followed by a yawn.

“You are tired. You haven’t slept since you left.” Aken reached down and brushed his thumb over her cheek. He then looked back up at her family. “Family pow wow will have to wait. Alexis needs to rest.”

“Aken I’m-”

“Going to sleep,” Aken smirked at her and raised his brows at her with a crooked smile.

“Alexis, go and get some rest. We can all talk afterwards.” Rhea motioned with her head for her daughter to go. “Your mate is right.”

Alexis smiled in appreciation and walked with Aken to her room. Micah didn’t have to accompany her since Aken was by her side. He finally had some time off of babysitting duty. The moment she shut her door she wrapped her arms around Aken’s neck bringing his lips down into hers. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and he m****d into her as his hands traveled down her sides. She put pressure into him as she backed him up towards her bed. Suddenly he pulled back and chuckled shaking his head.

“I don’t think so my little siren. Not this time. Rest first.” Aken listened to her whine in protest, and he leaned his head down to her ear. “Sleep first and then I’ll pleasure every inch of your body until you squirm from the overstimulation… And then I’ll send you over the edge again.”

Alexis smiled up at him and traced her finger up his chest. “Is that a promise?”

“I promise.” Aken leaned his head down and brushed his lips over hers gently. He then lifted her body up bridal style and carried her the few steps to the bed. He laid her down gently and then scooted in beside her curling her body into his. “Sleep well, my love. I am not going anywhere.”

Alexis turned her head, so it was laying on his chest. She closed her eyes as she listened to the gentle rhythm of his heart that slowly lulled her to sleep.

Alexis knitted her brows together as her heart began to race. Her breathing picked up and her beasts stirred in agitation. Something was wrong. She opened her eyes to a dark room that was not her own. She looked out in confusion and focused on a flash of light in the distance. There, standing under a cruel false moonlight, was a figure. She gripped her fingers together her knuckles turning white as a heavy pressure of dread came over her.

“Hello, Alexis.”