Chapter Eight
He felt the twinge in his chest as he sat in Bjorn’s rooms, taking the verbal berating from his old friend and the man who was a father to him.
“Enough with this human,” Hegel spat. They refused to say Melody’s name, as though even that was beneath them. Aksel’s blood was at a slow boil. “Your duties are with us. With Thala. It was what your mother wanted and it is what I’ve always wanted. Do not throw away your clan’s safety and future over some piece of ass that’s caught your attention. This is not the Aksel, the alpha, that I know.”
The word stung. Aksel had been born an alpha in the middle of a vampire civil war in the north. His mother was their rule and united with Hegel’s army. Eventually, Aksel would return to the north, marry Thala to unite the houses, and rule in his mother’s stead.
“I know who I am and what I’ve been through to get here today,” he bit out, probably a little more bitterly than he meant to.
That had been the plan. What had really happened was Aksel found he couldn’t stand his mother. Or most of the vampires in the north, Hegel and his family withstanding. He left and met a young Malakai Arkos and fought alongside him through the Order’s many wars and was comfortable in the Isles. Some afternoons when he was alone and away from the constant bickering, he dreamed about a life where he was free to love who he wanted and to live how he wanted. To have a life with someone like Melody.
And now, centuries later, his past had caught up with him.
“She is an ant,” Bjorn said. “A nothing.”
Aksel squashed the instant desire to put his fist through Bjorn’s face for saying such a thing. Something deep inside him roared to life at the insult of Melody.
And besides, that wasn’t true. But Aksel didn’t feel like enlightening them on her Terzi legacy.
That was her own story and so far, Melody hadn’t exactly embraced her vampire side. Let others think she was a weak-willed human if they liked. He’d made that mistake once and nearly gotten his balls kneed through the top of his head.
“Our families made a promise, Aksel,” Thala spoke now. “We owe it to our brethren to strengthen the north with two powerful dynasties. The northern families would have a chance to take more power from the Order…”
Aksel eyed Thala at that last part. Take more power from the Order? Just what was she talking about?
Hegel spoke over Thala, stopping her.
“Our people deserved to be recognized, Aksel,” he said, more gently this time. “It was your mother’s greatest wish that you would lead us to our birthright. To a place of power and strength. Do not waste it on lustful urges with a nobody.”
Bjorn grunted in agreement. It seemed all he was good for.
“What I’ve done and with whom has never been your concern, nor will it ever be,” he grumbled. Hegel sighed.
Thala came to sit on the arm of Aksel’s chair and draped an arm over his shoulder. She smelled like jasmine and honey. Floral. Feminine. Almost too much. The cloying smell of her perfume made his skin crawl and he stood quickly to walk to the other side of the room, crossing his arms and pretending to study some of the ancient artwork on the walls.
“Let me put it to you in a way that we are all clear,” Hegel said as he looked at Aksel. His voice was harder. The lines in his face sharper. How had Aksel missed the drastic change in his mentor? “You are honor bound to Thala and we will not break the contract for any reason. Should you choose to dishonor yourself and our family, we will look to the Order for recompense and judgment. Think carefully about your actions over the next few days. Breaking a covenant would have dire consequences for both you and the human."
He’d felt the storm brewing since his former family stepped foot on the island and there it was. At least the stakes were clear now. Good. Aksel liked to know where he stood in battle.
He opened his mouth to reply but stopped. The pull in his chest was back and this time, no tamping on his part would deny it. Nearly half-crazy with irritation and anxiety, Aksel made a quick excuse instead and left.
She was gone.
Not just out for the afternoon or somewhere on the beach amusing herself with shells like she normally did, Melody was gone.
Ember was distraught, more so than usual and Kai soothed her the best she could. He gave Aksel a pointed look, telling Aksel to follow him.
“She’s gone,” Kai said.
Aksel nodded. He knew that already. The tug he felt earlier became an all-consuming gnawing in the very center of him that had him running in circles through the compound looking for Melody.
“Do you need me to find her?” Aksel asked.
Kai hesitated. Why? Why wouldn’t Aksel find her?
"I can send one of the others. Logan is on the island and is good at tracking," Kai said quietly, looking at his shoes. "You have other complications to deal with."
He meant Thala and what chasing after Melody would mean. Kai was doing his best to be diplomatic.
“Shit.” Kai cursed vehemently, surprising Aksel. “I can’t do this to you.”
Kai was in the middle of some sort of internal war and Aksel was witness to it.
“What is it?”
Kai gave Aksel a long, steady look before speaking.
“I promised my wife that I would not say anything,” he said. “But if it were me, you bet your ass I would expect you to tell me.”
Aksel frowned. What was he talking about?
“Tell you what, Kai?”
Kai took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. Meanwhile, Aksel felt like he was coming out of his skin while his closest friend took his time getting to the point already.
“Melody is pregnant.”
Aksel was immobile. Time froze. Was that what was so different about her? There was a new smell to her, and a new softness he’d noticed. And the sleeping and the illness. The fuller breasts he’d noticed a few weeks ago. It made sense. But the father—who was the child’s father? Could it be—
“It’s yours, Aksel,” Kai said unsteadily. “The child is yours. I know you’re in the middle of your own personal war right now sorting out an upcoming marriage that has serious implications. But I wouldn’t have been able to look you in the eye if I’d kept that from you.”
The air left his lungs and his legs wobbled beneath him. He took a steadying breath and simply nodded. He hardened his face into his formidable pre-battle glare and spun on his heel to the door.
“Where are you going?” Kai called after him.
“To bring back what’s mine.”