Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 12

Rhea watched Lee fly in through the large opening made for dragons with Alexis. Lee had told her he sensed something odd and went out to check it. Rhea had gone to check on her daughter who wasn’t in her room. She was just about to head downstairs to look for her when she saw Lee coming back with her.

“What happened? Is everything alright?” Rhea ran up to them as they shifted back into their human forms. She could see the mental strain on Lee’s face. His eyes looked darker, and his jaw was clenched.

“NO!” Lee bellowed with a growl in his voice. His hands trembled slightly as he was trying to contain the emotions inside of him.

“Mom, I am fine. I’m great. He was here. I met Aken. He came for me and he told me he loved me.” Alexis was almost giddy on the inside she didn’t even care that Erebus knew about her at this moment. Not only did she get to see Aken but she was in his arms. She felt his heat and smelled his scent. The mate bond came crashing through and she felt the amazing connection. And… he said he loved her. She still planned to give him a piece of her mind. But right now she just wanted to be happy. She had been dreaming of meeting Aken. He was everything she imagined him to be. No, he was more than she ever imagined.

“Aken was here because Erebus was here! He knows about her. Erebus knows about her! He was here Rhea! Alexis, did he touch you? I want answers. What did he say to you?” Lee couldn’t help the raging emotions he was feeling. Rhea stepped forward and he felt her small hand land on his arm as her body pressed into his. She was trying to help calm him down which he was thankful for because he was ready to go on a rampage. He could have lost his baby girl when he was so close by.

“Daddy please calm down. Look at me. There isn’t a scratch on me.” Alexis held her arms out to prove that point. “He doesn’t want to kill me anymore. He has decided he wants me by his side instead…” She listened to the low murderous growl that came from her father’s throat.

Lee’s eyes flickered as his nostrils flared. The despicable deity wanted HIS daughter?! Who the hell did that damn psycho think he was? He wanted to kill Erebus himself, but he didn’t want to risk leaving Alexis. He would let Aken handle it. That deity had experience with things like this. And even though he hated to admit it Aken edged him out in strength.

“This feels like a case of deja vu. Why is there always someone after the fairy princess?” Rhea’s lips curved downwards as she let out an irritated sigh.

“There were also these weird creatures that I think were the voidless that Lucy was talking about. I’m not sure what that means but we should probably keep our guard up. I’m sure Erebus brought them as a decoy?”

“Alexis, he didn’t hurt you at all?” Rhea asked in a low soothing voice.

“No, he grabbed onto me. But even his touch wasn’t rough. I didn’t feel like he ever intended to harm me. Then Aken showed up and knocked Erebus away from me. He came and protected me…” Her lips tugged upwards slightly as she remembered the tingles and the feeling of seeing her mate. But then she remembered what Erebus promised if she chose Aken.

“Erebus threatened to kill my family if I take Aken as my mate. Even though I hate it I need to continue to pretend to be Brian’s mate. This is what Aken suggested too.” Alexis looked back and forth at her parents as she tried to figure out what they were thinking. Her mother did this once too. She had to pretend to be Titus’ mate. Maybe history really did repeat itself.

“We will have to discuss this with Titus and Brian of course. But I think it will take more than that to convince Erebus. How does he even know who you are?” Lee’s brows scrunched up as he steadied his breath. He was angry. He wasn’t there for his daughter when she needed him. If Aken had not been there it may have gone very differently. He was indebted to him.

“I don’t know. He didn’t say. But Aken mentioned he was working with an original demon.”

“Of course he is…” Lee growled closing his eyes. He had fought against an original demon before, Mephisto. They were not easy to defeat and were on par with a deity’s powers. It seemed Erebus didn’t care what lines he crossed in order to make Aken’s life a living hell.

Micah walked up from the downstairs and his eyes immediately darted to Alexis.

“What happened?” Micah stomped over to Alexis the exhaustion he was feeling vanished. And he was in full protection mode.

Alexis started slowly from the start. Filling him in on everything that had happened. She watched as his eyebrow began to twitch with his throbbing vein at the mention of Erebus. His chest was rising and falling erratically. His face was tense with a clenched jaw and pursed lips. To say he was angry was an understatement.

“So now what?” Micah turned and looked at Levi the veins in his biceps bulged angrily as he clenched his hands in a ball.

“Aken is going after Erebus. For now, we let him and stay here to watch over Alexis.” Lee listened to the disapproving growl from Micah.

“Aken has been hunting Erebus all this time. Who knows how long this will take.” Micah shook his head and clenched his fingers tighter. He turned his head sharply to look at Alexis. “You are sleeping with me from now on.”

“Micah-” Alexis started to object but her mother immediately agreed with Micah.

“I think that is a good idea. We know Erebus is unhinged. He may risk coming for you during the night. We will bring in another bed for Micah and he can share the room with you.” Rhea watched her daughter roll her eyes not happy with this plan.

“First thing tomorrow I’ll have a discussion with Titus. I know he will be a bit disappointed about not having a mate for Brian, but we will keep searching for a solution. I’m sure we can replace someone suitable that can endure his heat.” Rhea intertwined her fingers with Lee and smiled up at him. “We have a lot of resources we can still tap into.”

“Or we can try to hunt down Shiva and see if she will show herself.” Alexis snorted while her parent’s glared at her.

“One thing at a time. You are under full lockdown until Erebus is taken care of. Then we will worry about how to help Brian.” Lee set his blue eyes on her staring a hole through her. “Understand?”

“What does full lockdown mean? I need to understand the prison rules.” Alexis snorted.

“Why so you can break them?” Micah quipped back at her with an eye roll.

“Alexis this is serious. We are just trying to protect you. This isn’t forever. For now, you aren’t to go anywhere without someone with you. You should have Micah, Cody, or me with you at all times. Titus and Brian will work too.” Lee felt Rhea nudge him gently letting him know she would take over from here.

“Why don’t you get the extra bed and put it in Alexis’ room. Micah, go and gather the things you will need. Lex, come with me.” Rhea nodded her head over towards her bedroom and walked towards it. She could hear the quiet steps from her daughter behind her. She knew what it was like to be overprotected. It was smothering. But now as a mother, she realized how necessary it was. She wanted to take a private moment with Alexis and talk to her about everything. She sat down on a light blue sofa in her bedroom and patted the cushion next to it for her daughter to sit.

Alexis smiled and laid down on the sofa and placed her head on her mother’s lap. Her mother reached down playing with her hair. It was something she used to do all the time when she was a child. Especially during their deep conversations.

“So how was it? What was it like meeting Aken?” Rhea asked as her lips twitched upwards.

“Amazing. I still have so much to say to him. But I could finally feel him. I could see myself in his eyes. There was so much tenderness there when he looked at me. And when he told me he loved me…” Alexis reached up and touched her chest. “My whole body felt it. In his eyes and touch. I worry about him going after Erebus alone though. Especially if he is working with an original demon.”

“Aken is very powerful and smart. Don’t worry about him. He will be fine. Lex, there are some things you will need to really discuss with him at some point. One is you being the fairy princess and what that should mean for him. It isn’t a role he has to take upon himself. If he doesn’t want to he doesn’t have to be the fairy king. But he can still be your mate and by your side. Just keep that in mind. Your father said Aken has always been spirited. And being tied down to a role may not be his thing. But you should be understanding of this. Being the future queen is your burden after all.”

“Well, you are immortal so it can stay your burden right?” Alexis and her mother laughed.

“It isn’t something I want to be in charge of forever. My mother will need a break soon and I will also. But your father and I can hold that position for a while. Maybe enough time for you to tame your mate down some.”

“You got to know dad for several years before you two became mates. I barely know Aken. I only know what I have been told. But when I saw him, I felt like I was seeing my long lost best friend. It was like I knew him.” Alexis tilted her head up to look at her mother’s smiling eyes.

“I didn’t know your father was my mate until my wolf finally emerged. But I fell in love with him. However, the love that I felt was only amplified with the mate bond. Your Grandpa Tyler and Grandma Lilly had never met before. The bond connected them together, but it took time for them to fall in love. My point is, Aken doesn’t love you because of the mate bond. It may be what connected you but it doesn’t create love. That is separate. He loves you because… he loves you.”

“He has been watching me all this time, hasn’t he? He probably knows so much about me. I feel like I need to play catch up.” Alexis shook her head and pushed herself up. “It was all a waste. Erebus found out who I was anyways. Ugh, he is such a moron.”

Rhea laughed. “He was trying to protect you. Your father also had to distance himself from me once he marked me. Which ended up being in vain. And your momma had to step in and save the day.” She grinned and rolled her shoulders back.

Rhea laughed. “He was trying to protect you. Your father also had to distance himself from me once he marked me. Which ended up being in vain. And your momma had to step in and save the day.” She grinned and rolled her shoulders back.

“I bet dad loved that. You are lucky he was contained, or you would have been locked away.”

“He is lucky I didn’t just sit around and wait, or he would still be locked up.” Rhea snorted and the two of them laughed. “Baby girl. Listen, I know it is hard but let’s keep you safe. Aken will be able to be with you sooner than you think. It will get annoying. Trust me I know. You will have so many protectors and absolutely no privacy. But try to tolerate it for now. Like your father said it won’t be for long and then Aken will come for you. I wonder how overprotective he will be over you?” She grinned as she looked down at her daughter.

“Aken owes me. He stayed away from me for too long. He is lucky I waited for him.” A crooked smile spread over Alexis’ lips. “Not that I wanted anyone else though. It was always him. I dreamed of him when I didn’t even know him. My soul called out to him.” She looked up at her mother with a small frown. “I’ll try my best. But I am not weak. I don’t like being treated like I am. I am not made for the dark.”

“That is where you are wrong. You were made for the dark.” Rhea smiled. “Just like the moon. You are the light that gives hope to the darkness.”

Alexis giggled and shook her head. “That’s just a nice thing to tell the moon who can’t be seen when the sun is up. I don’t want to be the moon or the sun. I just want to be free to bask in both of their lights.”

“You will be.” Rhea reached out and took her daughter’s hands. “I’m going to say this because I know how I was at your age. Stay with your guardian. Let Micah protect you. Stay with Brian let him shield you. They both adore you so take their protection for now. Keep yourself safe, please.”

“I understand. But… I mean let me say something. Aken is going about this all wrong. Erebus is after me, right? Am I not the bait? Wouldn’t it be better to lure Erebus out using me, under our terms? He made it clear he doesn’t want to hurt me.” Alexis searched her mother’s eyes. She could see there was a level of understanding there that she could never get from her father.

“I understand your point. And I would be thinking the same thing. However…” Rhea let out an airy chuckle and shook her head in defeat. “You are going to need two deities to agree with you. And I am telling you right now that isn’t going to happen.”

Alexis smiled and nodded her head as the door opened. They both turned their heads in the direction of the door to see Lee walking in.

“Everything is all set up.” Lee walked over towards that couch and let out a small sigh. He reached his hand out helped his daughter to her feet and pulled her into his arms. “I just love you so much, baby girl. I know you won’t be happy with the extra protection but don’t be upset with me.”

“I know daddy. I love you too. I understand it but I am not going to like it.” Alexis felt her father’s arms tighten around her giving her a tight squeeze. “Alright well, I am exhausted so I’m going to go to bed.”

“Yes, I should be fast asleep right now.” Rhea winked at Alexis as she stood up. “Good night. Sweet dreams and I hope Micah doesn’t snore.” She teased as her daughter giggled walking out of their room.

“I’m worried. She is too much like you. She didn’t get my level head.” Lee frowned and felt an elbow jab into his stomach.

“She is a fighter. Because she is so much like me, I have faith in her.”

“It’s going to be a challenge to keep her safe. I hope Aken replaces Erebus soon. But I am concerned. If Erebus is indeed working with an original demon, it probably means he plans to turn. He can become an original demon too.”

“What? How?” Rhea gasped as Lee’s arms came around her.

“Demons and deities are each a different side of the same coin. We each chose a side. This means Erebus is turning his back on the deities. The sooner he is killed the better.” He sighed as h*p lips tugged downwards. “It would be safer to take you and Alexis to Elysium.”

Rhea giggled and trailed her fingers up his chest. “Are you trying to lock me up too? I think we have been over this topic enough to know exactly how it will end.”

“Mmmm I usually love how it ends. And lookie here we are already in the bedroom.” Lee reached out grabbing the bottom hem of her shirt as his lips crashed down on hers. They were still awake so they might as well make the most of this situation. He lifted her up, her legs wrapping around him, as he carried her to their bed. No matter how much time had passed between them he could never get enough of her. And he knew he never would.