Page 42 of His Temporary Alpha Mate
Axel was asked to wait so Blake could speak to him. There had been a lot of tension between them. Was Blake going to ask him to change and take the pack? It would make life much easier for the younger shifter. He had not long ago turned twenty-three. We’d celebrated his and Larken’s birthdays together since they were close together. For such a young age, there was so much on Blake’s shoulders.
Waiting for Axel to return to his office was torture. To get the spot I wanted, I needed to get an alpha gene beta onside. With how strained everything had been with Axel, barely seeing him because he was chained to the elf’s side, I wasn’t quite sure how he would take my offer.
I had to remind myself he would be getting something out of this, too. A potential heir, if he took me through my first heat. If we fell pregnant, he would have an equal claim to any baby we had. Would he want to co-parent, even just as friends, with me?
By the time he came back to the office, I was sweating buckets, about to have an anxiety attack. Chill, I needed to relax. This was just Axel.
“Everything okay?” He rounded his desk and took a seat.
“Um… there were a couple of calls while you were out. I filled some orders and pushed off emails for Dakota… nothing much.”
I couldn’t stop. I paced the room, straightening things I was sure I’d already moved in my growing panic.
“Are you excited about the testing starting again?”
Oh, my goddess, here it was, my opening. My head cocked as I thought about how I was going to do this.
“Yeah, I was thinking about taking part. I’ve wanted…”
“I’ve seen you with the babies. You’ll be a great omega,” he said kindly.
Stating the obvious there, I wanted to snark, but I was frozen with fear. How was I going to say this? I tried to go for a smile, but it slipped off my face before it even took hold.
“So, I, uh, well, the thing is…” I couldn’t stop moving.
“Spit it out, Dalton, please,” he snapped. “It’s been a long day. I need to finish up these reports and go home.” He shuffled the papers about, pretending he wasn’t completely focused on me. It was terrifying.
“A condition of the testing is a partner,” I said nervously.
“And? What’s the problem?”
“I was wondering ifyou’dbemypartner?’ The words ran together, I said them so quickly. My breaths wereso close together I was barely getting in any air. I had to brace myself on his desk so I didn’t pass out.
“What?” That tone… was he offended?
“Would you be my partner? The alpha to my omega?” It hurt to say the words so slowly. To hear the hope in them.
“I can’t.” His expression twisted, a brief flash of pity crossing his handsome features.
“Why not?” I had to back away. Flexing my fingers, I tried to swallow down my frustration. This was all going wrong. “We’d make a great couple! I’ve had a crush on you for the longest time. I know you’re with the elf, but—“
“That’s not why, and while I’m flattered, we couldn’t work.” He was so resolute.
I caught him playing with the wolf ring Teárlach had gotten him for Valentine’s Day. He’d talked about it for about a week after. It was designed to shift with him, thanks to magic.
My face flushed, first with shame for stooping so low as to ask someone who clearly never thought of me at all in that way. With embarrassment at being rejected. Then finally, with anger. Why? Wasn’t I good enough for him?
“Why, for goddess’ sake, wouldn’t we?” Fury had me pulling at my hair. The sting of pain grounding me. My raccoon tried his best to cool the flames of angerbefore I said anything I would regret later. “We’re friends, have fun together, I love your family—“
He sighed and sort of slumped. “Dalton, I’m an omega. Like you.”
Before I knew it, I was on the floor in a crumpled heap. “What?” I couldn’t get the words to register in my brain.
Axel came to my side so fast and wrapped his arms around me. “That’s what I was just telling Blake. So, while I’m flattered, we just aren’t compatible.”
The dam broke then. Tears fell freely, soaking my shirt. “What am I going to do? I… I hoped it would be you!”
“We’ll find you an alpha. Either a beta with the alpha gene, or an alpha who would be getting such a great catch with you.”
