Selling Myself To The Alpha
Chapter 73

Axel

POV

I sigh heavily as I watch Wyatt's blood stain a perfectly good carpet. Dammit, I should have thought this through. Now I must replace the carpet. I should have done it outside in the woods or on the bathroom tiles. Liana is going to be so mad at me, I exhale deeply. But I am not sorry and will do it again.

I pick up my phone and order a cleaning crew and a new carpet before I grab my jacket and leave the office.

"Juliana," I stand in front of her desk. "Nobody in or out my office, including you. Expect the cleaning crew that will arrive soon."

"Certainly, sir," she nods. "And I'll remind them to move the body through the back."

"That's why you're irreplaceable," I smile, and she slightly blushes.

My heart is light and free as I walk to the elevator. This mess is finally behind us. All that is left, is to kick Angela to the side and confess to Liana. The latter is going to be more complicated; I know.

**

"Why are you out of bed?" I ask concerned when I walk into Liana's room.

"Doctor's orders," she smiles as she turns away from the window to face me. "I must start moving. Michelle said I can go home tomorrow."

"Aren't you still in pain?" I walk towards her.

"A little," she shrugs. "But I have awesome painkillers."

"But..."

"I'm not running a marathon, Axel," she winches slightly before she walks back to bed. "But I want to go home, and she won't discharge me if I don't start moving." "Okay," I wipe tiredly over my face. Who am I to argue with a doctor?

"You look terrible," Liana's voice is soft and soothing. "Is everything okay?"

"We should talk," I sigh and sit next to her on the bed.

"This sounds ominous," she laughs nervously but quickly stops and looks at me with fear. "My parents, are they okay? Did something happen to them?"

"No, no," I say quickly as I take her hands into mine. "Nothing like that. It's about Wilson."

"Oh, good," she sighs relieved. "What about him?"

"You were right," I say softly as I look at her. "It was all Wyatt. He was angry because you rejected him and wanted revenge. He did invest in Wilson's business and Leon did owe him money. But it was Wyatt's idea to involve Nina. He blamed her for helping you. But he wasn't part of Leon's death. That was Wilson. Wilson had his own agenda and Leon was simply collateral damage."

"Wow, okay," she murmurs after a moment. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well," I take a deep breath. "Everybody that participated in Wilson's plan will be arrested and sentenced to jail. Including the men that killed Leon."

"Good," she nods.

"Liana, Wyatt is dead," I say softly and her head jerks up. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop myself after he confessed."

"You... you killed him?" Her voice is hoarse, and her hands start shaking.

"Yes," I admit and do not move when she pulls her hands away from mine. "He confessed that he wanted to kidnap you and make you pay. His words, not mine."

Liana does not say a word as she stands up and walks to the window. The silence is deafening as I watch her stare absentmindedly out of the window.

Liana POV

My ears are ringing, and my heart is racing as I process the information. I am not angry, sad or disappointed, I am stupefied.

I was going to marry that bastard! A cruel, evil and manipulative bastard. If I did not walk in on him and Gwen that night... I shudder despite the warmth of the room. For fuck's sake, I cried over him. Gwen did me a humongous favour when she took him from me. "What about Gwen and their son?" I turn to Axel.

"They're at home, I guess," he replies stunned by my reaction and I do not blame him.

After the lecture I gave him about killing people he would have expected me to be mad. And three days ago, I might have been. But things have changed ... I have changed. I understand now what Axel meant when he said he would kill for me. Wyatt would not have stopped coming for me if Axel did not kill him.

"We should send them flowers," I say as I sit down in the chair. "We should help them during their time of grieve, they're still part of the pack."

"You're not mad?" Axel frowns as he walks to me.

"Of course, I'm mad," I look up at him. "But not at you, at Wyatt. If I married him, I would've been a neglected and battered wife by now. Gwen saved me from the biggest mistake of my life. She needs our support."

"Okay," he kneels in front of me. "I will help them as much as I can."

"Thank you," I caress his cheek and he turns his head to plant a kiss on my palm.

"So, you're not even a little upset that I killed him?" Axel asks cautiously as he stands up and pulls me to my feet.

"No," I throw my arms around his neck. "It's like you said, there's mercy in death. Wyatt wasn't going to show me mercy and his hate for me would've escalated over time. This could've been so much worse. You did what you had to."

"You never cease to surprise me," he chuckles before he leans over and gently kisses me.

"But there's one more thing," he murmurs when he pulls away and my stomach dives. Really? Is all this, not enough?

"I have a confession," he clears his throat and looks nervous. "You're my mate."

"What?" I frown. "I don't understand."

"I didn't know when we met in the bar," he explains. "You were still mated to Wyatt then. But I knew you were my mate when I saw you in the parking lot."

"And you didn't say anything?" I gape at him flabbergasted. All this time he knew. Days, weeks and months were wasted because he did not tell me.

"I couldn't," he pushes his fingers through his hair. "You're a human and don't feel the mate bond like we do. You still had a broken heart after Wyatt, and I had to give you time to get over him. You said it yourself; you would've rejected me then."

"I'm so angry at you right now," I admit. "And I'm not allowed to be, because you're right. I would've rejected you then. But I have been in love with you for months now. And to ask why you haven't told me at a later stage would be redundant because how could you have known? But Axel, how long were you planning on keeping this to yourself? If I haven't told you I love you, you wouldn't have told me now."

"I don't know and I'm scared Liana," he looks at me pleadingly. "After what Wyatt has done to you, I was afraid that you would reject me. Your opinions are so vastly different from mine. I didn't want to risk losing you and played it safe. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner and I'm sorry if you feel betrayed. And as I'm saying this, I'm scared shitless that you might reject me now."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" I ask confused. "You know I love you, why would I reject you?"

"Because accepting me as your mate, is a lifetime commitment," he sighs and slumps down in a chair. "It's bigger than I love you. It's more than a feeling. If you accept me, there's no amicable separation. It's either death or excruciating pain. There's no easy way out."

Speechless I look at him and the anguish in his eyes breaks my heart. This really has been eating at him. Memories of conversations and happenings flush through my mind and I cringe inside. I have been crying and missing sleep because I was hopelessly in love, but Axel ... I marked him. A rejection for him would be much worse than a broken heart for me.

"Nina told me how to reject a wolf," I say, and his eyes turn dark with agony.

"But how do I accept my mate?" I ask as I sit on his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. "Because I don't want to mess it up."

"You need to be sure," he looks at me hesitantly. "There's no turning back."

"Are you trying to convince me to reject you?" I raise my eyebrows.

"No," he says quickly as his arms go around my waist. "But you should know what you're getting yourself into."

"Okay," I nod and inhale deeply. "Just one more thing, I'm a human and you're the alpha. How's that going to work? Aren't there rules against it? Are you going to lose your position?"

"No, I won't," he chuckles. "Nothing changes. You'll be part of the pack and will be treated like any other she-wolf. You won't be the first human Luna and you won't be the last."

"I love you, Axel," I kiss him softly. "And I want to accept you. Just tell me how to do it."

"I'm going to mark you," he gently touches my neck. "The same way you marked me."

"Okay, I'm ready," I announce and curve my neck sideways to allow him access.

"I'm not doing it now," he laughs before he kisses me. "Not like this."

"Why?" I pout. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Not even close," he kisses my neck and I shiver in delight.

"It's a very arousing experience," he murmurs against my skin. "And you're out of commission. We can do it when you're healed."

"This sucks," I complain.

"Only a little," he chuckles and looks at me. "You know you're my mate and I know you're not going to reject me. It's good enough for now and it gives us something to look forward to."

I trace his face as I ponder if I should tell him about the baby. I want to tell him so badly. It is hell keeping it to myself. But the need to surprise him wins my urge to blurt it out.

"I love you," I smile before I kiss him.