Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 39

Alexis watched as Micah began cutting out different shapes on paper bags in her bedroom. Aken had left her to go and speak with her father, Levi. She didn’t like the level of secrecy that was going on. Aken told her he would fill her in on everything later. At least the two of them were talking in some manner. She wanted them to end up getting along like the rest of her family. Hopefully, they would get there… eventually.

“Look!” Micah smiled and spread the bags out on Alexis’ bed. “We have his mad face, his happy face, his sad face, and here is his Squidward face.”

“I see you are having fun.” Alexis giggled as she watched an evil grin spread over Micah’s face.

“You know. If you say you made these he will definitely wear them.” Micah watched as Alexis’ mouth dropped open.

“I am not going to tell him that! I feel bad for him having to swallow his dignity like that.” Alexis looked at the brown bags on her bed with a frown.

“I guess that shows how much he loves you. Not even pride will stand in his way.” Micah gathered the bags together. It took him a while to calm down earlier after everything. He was working hard on keeping his focus on other things… like making paper bag faces for Aken.

“Is it hard for you… with Aken around?” Alexis had been curious how Micah felt about it. He always had instant access to her and soon this wouldn’t be the case.

“No. Actually, it is a relief. It is another strong protector for you. Just in case anything ever happens to me I know there is someone more powerful watching over you.” Micah watched as Alexis’ head snapped in his direction.

“Why would you say that?” Alexis watched a small smile play on his lips.

“I’m just saying is all. I doubt that a replacement guardian will be as strong as me if something ever happened. I don’t need to worry about that now.” Micah shrugged as he looked at Alexis. Her eyes were drilling into him as she studied him.

“Micah…” Alexis whispered out. “Don’t leave me… please.” She watched as his eyes widened in shock. “I don’t want another guardian. I don’t want you to take unnecessary risks. And I swear if you use that damn double-edged sword-”

“Lex.” Micah reached out to her and pulled her body into his. He held her and patted her head. “My job is to protect you. The reason for my existence is to take the sword in your place. I’m not planning to use anything or to go running to my death. But I wouldn’t hesitate to exchange my life for yours. Not just because I am your guardian, but because you are my family. I don’t have a purpose without you.”

“Don’t say such things. You do have a purpose. You have your own life too. If anything, because Aken is my mate you have even more freedom. I understand your job is to protect me but I’m also going to protect you. You aren’t just some expendable shield.” Alexis sighed and leaned her head up to look into his blue eyes. “I know you said no but just hear me out… Will you think about taking a mate?”

“No.” Micah shook his head and shrugged.

“Micah, don’t be like that.” Alexis furrowed her brows as he smiled at her.

“I don’t need a mate. Lex… I don’t need a mate to be happy. Besides, Uncle Tristan is right. Mates are a distraction. Look at Jason and Cody. If it was a matter between life or death… Let’s say this. Either Kelsie would die, or Rhea would die. You know how painful that decision would be?”

Alexis snorted and rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dumb Micah. Anyone could have those types of choices. Either Aiden dies or Lucy dies, and I have to pick one. Well, neither one of them is my mate and it would still be a devastating decision. And when would that type of scenario ever come up? That is a cop out and you know it.”

“Oh really? Tristan told me Cody was distracted during a battle before because of Kelsie. Then he put himself in a situation where he could no longer fight to protect Rhea. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t taken her as a mate.” Micah raised his brow at Alexis, who clicked her tongue at him.

“Bullsh.it, Micah. Because whether Kelsie was his mate or not, he would have gone to her aid. Just like you would go to Brian’s aid or Raine’s aid. If they were in danger, you would go to protect them. And Uncle Tristan would do the same things for his friends. It doesn’t have to be a mate.” Alexis didn’t like these made-up scenarios that probably would never happen. Besides, the logic in them wasn’t sound.

“Okay fine. What about the jealousy thing? You will always be my number one priority.” Micah watched as Alexis shook her head.

“Quit grasping at straws Micah. Kelsie and Jin don’t get jealous. And because they are guardians too they feel the same way. Uncle Tristan is not you. His decisions don’t have to be yours. I want you to be happy. All I am saying is just to think about it, okay? And know that I support you. Completely.” Alexis watched his eyes soften in defeat as a quiet chuckle left his lips.

“Well, as of now there are no prospects. There is no one that even makes me second guess my decision. I’m fairly happy but it will be better once Erebus is dead.” A darkness clouded over Micah’s eyes as his mind drifted to the one who touched his princess. And for a second everything went black.

Alexis watched as Micah’s eyes changed. His sweet blue eyes were gone and she was looking into two obsidian orbs. A strange suffocating energy poured out of him as the veins in his arms bulged from his skin. It looked like dark liquid was flowing through his veins as it traveled up his body. Even dark lines began to color his face. Alexis inhaled sharply, ‘Please, not again.’

“Micah? Micah don’t disappear on me. Remember you are the one in control!” Alexis reached out and grabbed onto his bulging arm. “You. Are. In. Control.” Her voice was concise and radiated with power. She glared into the dark orbs and began freezing the darkness traveling through his veins. “You can’t have him! He is mine.” Her icy voice growled out as she wrapped her energy around Micah.

Alexis felt her chest stinging in pain for Micah. All he did was casually mentioned Erebus’ name, and this happened. Which meant he had been struggling and in pain over what had happened to her. She didn’t even notice his pain and she could kick herself for this. He was always protecting her.

Alexis let her white warm light embrace Micah as she froze his body. She created a layer of ice over him to hold him captive. This is not the first time she had to do this. She encountered this side of Micah a long time ago. Back then she was terrified. She didn’t know what happened to her sweet Micah. She was accidentally injured by a young dragon during training and Micah just snapped. She managed to get him out of sight before anyone saw the change in him. She immediately went to work trying to calm him down. She began to think about the first time this had happened…

Alexis was relieved back then when his eyes returned to his normal blue color. And together they talked about what happened. They decided to keep it a secret because Alexis was afraid her parents would make Micah leave her again. Or worse make her choose a new guardian.

Alexis and Micah did some detailed researching, investigating, and experimenting after that. It took a while, but they were able to come to a very upsetting conclusion. That the dark elves had done something to him during the time they had him. She remembered how he felt. The energy felt evil but yet familiar. There was a darkness that tried to cover the rest of his body like it wanted to take it over. They still didn’t know much about it.

But the second time it happened Alexis was more prepared and really felt the energy. She felt the tainted energy and this time was able to recognize it. Trying to hide the truth from her family she talked to one of the ancient magic weavers. A being that was neither good nor evil. They were neutral and knew both sides of magic and understood the fairy and demon side. She asked her all about fairies and their types of magic. This way her real question wouldn’t seem suspicious.

Alexis asked the weaver if it was possible for a sprite to exist alive within another being. And if it was possible for it to become tainted. The answer she received was gut wrenching. The weaver explained that sprites have the same energy as a djinn. They can give something more power like one did for the Ocean’s Tear by becoming a living sacrifice. But if the sprite is evil, it will gradually eat away the purities of whatever it has leeched onto. What was light would become dark.

Alexis had hoped that as fairy royalty she could command the sprite. However, this didn’t appear to be the case. Fairy royalty could keep a sprite suppressed with their magic. But they were not able to command their existence. A corrupt sprite was more like a demon than a fairy at that point. The weaver told her not to worry about such things happening now. After the demon war, this sort of thing was extremely rare.

Alexis asked how you could separate a sprite if it ever happened again. Just in case. The magic weaver had shaken her head sadly and told her that it was a dark art. And that only the dark priestess Kali would know if there was a solution. But when they had encountered such a contaminated creature before the guardians would put it out of its misery.

After Alexis heard this, there was no way she was telling anyone about Micah. This was her deepest secret and greatest fear that she and Micah shared. Because she wouldn’t lose Micah. She wouldn’t risk what could happen if they found out about him. She was the strongest fairy princess and would use her magic to suppress the sprite inside of Micah…

Alexis stared into the dark eyes of Micah as she struggled to reign the darkness inside of him. Her warm light squeezed around Micah as she pushed it inside of him. Her ice solidified over his lower body holding him in place. She could see the blue beginning to peak through the darkness in his eyes. His dark veins had subsided, and he was returning to her Micah. All of her focus and concentration was on Micah as her hands moved to his temples sending bursts of light and cool into him. All the while she gently cooed to him as she brought him back to her.

Micah closed his eyes and when he opened them they were blue again. Alexis let out the breath she was holding and relaxed. “Micah, there you are.” She smiled as she retracted her ice from his lower body. “It was a bit stronger that time. But everything is okay now.” She watched as Micah’s wide eyes looked behind her. His face became tense as he kept his focus on something.

“What the hell was that?!” An angry voice boomed.