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"Nah, it's fine, Lupha," I snicker, climbing the stairs.
"Pardon?" I giggle to myself.
"Luna is fine. If that's what they want to call me."
"Why do I feel like I'm missing some inside joke?" Axton mumbles behind me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It is late by the time we return to the packhouse, just like Axton predicted. News of a possible strigoi has caused citywide panic. Families requesting to leave the city, and others wanting to hunt it down. But exactly how do you catch a ghost when it could be anyone, people accusing their neighbors, their friends, their rivals? It was utter chaos, and I could tell Axton didn’t know how to cope with this added stress.
“I need to shower,” Axton mumbles. After helping me get the boys tucked into their crib, I watch him move toward the bathroom, locking himself in, and I sigh.
It makes me wonder how my father is coping with the chaos in our pack. While Axton is showering, I check in with my mother, video-calling her to ensure everything is okay back home.
She took the news of Alisha’s parents and Tieriny pretty hard, as expected. “When are you coming home?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, unless you need me back there now?” I tell her, and she shakes her head. “No, it won’t change anything. I really thought they left when the others did. And Tieriny…”
“I’m sorry, mom,” I tell her, chewing my lip, and I hear Luke call out to her. She looks away from the screen for a second.
“I need to go. I will see you tomorrow night. Give the boys a kiss for me.”
“Love you.” I hang up the phone just as Axton comes out with his towel around his waist. Tension rolls off him in waves as he wanders into the walk-in closet and returns a few minutes later with some boxer shorts on.
“Couch or bed?” Axton asks me, and my brows furrow.
“The bed, but I forgot your poncho,” I tell him, and he half smiles.
“Damn it, we can build a pillow barrier then,” he chuckles, climbing into bed. I yawn before quickly ducking into the bathroom to change, having showered quickly before we left. Coming out, Axton is watching the news, a deep frown on his face.
“One of Osiris’s journalists accused me of being the strigoi,” he laughs, shaking his head, and I look at the news anchor who is reporting knowing exactly whose pack she is a part of. I move toward the bed and tug the blankets back. Climbing into the bed beside him, I take the remote and shut the TV off.
“I expect to wake up with my blood still in my veins,” I tell him, and he chuckles.
“No promises,” he laughs before he tenses when I move, putting my head on his chest and arm across his waist.
“Ah…. Elena? You’re voluntarily touching me?” he asks.
“Shut up. It’s the bond!”
“Sure it is.” He rolls, flipping me on my side and snuggling into my back as he slides his arm beneath my head.
“I was comfortable.”
“Yeah, I don’t want a repeat of last night. These are my favorite boxers!” He laughs, and I elbow him. Axton grunts, tugging me closer, his warm breath sweeping my neck as he presses closer.
“Stop fighting the bond.” He purrs behind me.
“Stop being an asshole, and I’ll think about it.” I chuckle.
“Deal. But I need to ask a favor first?” Axton says, making me look at him over my shoulder, and he sits up, rolling me onto my back. A line creases between his eyes, and a frown settles on his face before he sighs.
“You don’t want to merge packs or lose your packs,” he says, then glances away.
“You already know that. What do you want?” I ask him, slightly confused about where he is taking this conversation, and he looks back down at me.
“You heard my pack tonight. We are outmatched severely right now. Osiris wanted your father’s pack because it’s the second largest. You have an army behind you if you’d use it. That is why Osiris went after you. He knows the power you hold once you take over. At the restaurant, he was talking about challenging you for your title, saying if we had control of your pack, we could better prepare the city.”
