Page 13 of Broken Souls

“Call me Axe. I'm rarely an alpha.” His eyes glaze over like he's thinking hard.

Okay, I'm even more confused than before. People don't even think I'm worthy to talk to them. But the alpha is letting me address him by his name, his nickname at that, totally disregarding the title.

I look at him. He's young, only being twenty-nine, but you can tell stress has aged him. He's got warm brown eyes, but they have glowing flecks in them; at least the way the sun is shining on them now makes it look like that. His skin is actually quite tanned despite the fact I've never seen him out in the sun. His body is incredibly muscular. He's definitely attractive, especially in a swimsuit model way.

I think there's more than meets the eye with him. When he was twenty-two, the accident happened which devastated the pack. He lost his mate in the blink of an eye. I was eleven when it happened. As a kid I remember the alpha and luna were always associating with the pack, hand in hand, happy.

But when she died, alpha Axel went ballistic. He went from an alpha everyone loved to an alpha everyone feared. He became untameable, violent, and acted out. He would hurt his own pack members without apparent reason. Everyone was in a frenzy being ruled by an unstable alpha.

The last time I saw him, I was fourteen. I was going for a walk. He stormed through the pack's lands in a frightening way. I watched him from afar and saw him brutally knock out a pack member. It was scary to see someone so unhinged. Alpha Axel's father, the previous alpha Manson along with the beta had to rip him off the pack member. A scene broke out between Axel and Manson. Not a lot of people saw it because the beta told everyone to go to their homes immediately. But that was the last anyone saw of Axel.

Since then, stories have been made up about where he disappeared to. That he lost himself and became deranged. The beta took over most of the alpha's responsibilities. I guess he's been hidden away in his house. I wonder what he was doing out in the forest when he found me. Remembering how he was makes me restless to be in the same room with him. But he's been kind. Maybe all these solitary years, he somehow healed himself.

“Okay... Axe,” I try out his nickname.

He shakes his head as if clearing his thoughts and looks back at me.

“I'm going to do some stuff. I'll be back as soon as I can. I want you to rest. Here's the remote.” Axe passes me the remote then picks up the tray and walks out of the room. I notice a full bottle of water on the bedside table. While he's gone, I take a few sips and rest while desperately pondering over the questions in my head.

Why did he save me?

Does he know who I am?

If he really were so black-hearted, what would make him do something nice for someone?

Why didn't he end my life when he found me, given most people wouldn't have tried to save me at that point?

Does he still have authority over the pack? Because that could help me out.

And the question I don't want to know the answer to, was this his mate's room?

Chapter Twelve

Axe really does get back as soon as he can. He's only gone a couple hours. When he comes back into the room, he has a bag in his hands.

“I've got some stuff for you.” He sits on the edge of the bed and pulls stuff out of the bag. “Here are some of my briefs and shirts for you to wear. You need loose clothing for your ribs. I got you the strongest set of painkillers available and cream for your bruises. It will help your skin recover.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, overwhelmed by his generosity. This is the most cared for I have ever felt. It's causing me to well up.

“I'll put the cream on for you. Why don't you put on some briefs to cover yourself first? I'll step outside.” Axe stands up.

“Wait.” I stop him. “I-I need to go to the bathroom,” I say, embarrassed.

“Oh, I'll help you walk.”

Axe comes over and carefully helps me out of bed. When I'm on my feet he puts his hand on my lower back to steady me while holding onto my forearm. As quick as going to the bathroom is, this task takes five times as long. As I stand near the toilet, he puts the briefs on the counter then closes the door behind him to give me privacy. I drop the robe and sit down on the toilet, doing what I have to then holding onto the wall to lift myself back up. I struggle to bend and put the briefs on, but I do.

“I'm done,” I tell him.

It'll hurt to grab the robe off the floor so I don't bother. He's already seen me in my underwear. The briefs are covering more than my underwear did. Besides, he lost his mate. I don't think he would ever look at another woman like that. Axe opens the door and his eyes land on my middle section and he winces.

“Elora, I expect an explanation when you have your strength back,” Axe says firmly.

He helps me back to bed and lays me down, keeping my body from bending too much. I see he put the painkillers on the bedside table and I'm assuming the clothes are in the bedside drawer. He grabs the cream and sits to the side of me. Even though I'm lying here with my breasts out, it's not awkward. It's nerve-wracking but he isn't making this awkward for me.

“This cream should be applied twice a day.” He squeezes some on his fingers then moves closer.

“Axe,” I shakily say, dreading him touching my ribs.