Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 50

Alexis was in the depths of confusion. She couldn’t explain the waves of tingling pleasure nor the vague familiarity of his embrace. The sensual and electrifying way his tongue caressed hers was making her feel unsteady. Her body instinctively leaned into him which deepened the k**s. In this moment everything was right. This was where she was supposed to be. Right here in Aken’s arms.

Alexis’ body was responding to Aken automatically. A small m**n escaped from her mouth as she became delirious with his greedy k**s. Her fingers dug into him as she demanded more. What was she doing? Her head started to hurt as it pulsated angrily. It was like something was trying to break out. And when the warm light swirled through her dark aura she panicked. An obsidian wall of ice sprang up from the ground dividing her body away from Aken. She quickly used this moment to wrap herself in a cloud of black smoke and vanished.

“So close.” Aken clenched his teeth together as he prepared to follow her. Right before he went to chase after her the sound of crying wails filled the air. The high screeches began heading in their direction rapidly.

“What are you waiting for? Go after her?!” Micah coughed out as he winced in pain.

Aken looked at Micah. He was in no shape to fight or even escape the incoming droves of shrieks. He would go after Alexis, but first Micah needed help. Besides, how could he face Alexis if he left Micah wounded and alone out here? She would never forgive him. He knew how much this bear meant to her. Truth be told the bear was growing on him too. Micah’s devotion to Alexis was beyond admirable. He was someone he could trust with Alexis.

“What are you doing?!” Micah growled as Aken knelt beside him.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to get our princess back. But you need to be taken care of first. Man, she really got you good.” Aken teased as he wrapped an arm around Micah’s shoulder.

Micah snorted, “Look who’s talking.”

“What this? Just a flesh wound. That right there is deep. Honestly, it needs a healer. Yep! That is where I will take you.” Aken answered the thought that sprung into his mind.

“I’ll heal on my own.” Micah protested as the wails from the shrieks got closer. “Just get Alexis.” The idea that his princess was confused and all alone was shattering him. He wanted to be by her side but if he couldn’t at least Aken could.

“I’m going to. I almost had her.” Aken chuckled as he teleported Micah quickly before he could continue to object.

Micah and Aken looked up at the startled faces surrounding them. Aken had planned to get them to Elysium which he did. Right in the middle of a group of people on an outside patio. He eased Micah down to the ground and his eyes immediately found a set of familiar blue eyes.

“Aken! What happened?!” Levi yelled as him and Rhea knelt down next to Micah. He was looking over the wound that was slowly healing on the bear. He quickly assessed the damage and was relieved to see it wasn’t life-threatening. Still… how did he get such a deep wound…

Aken surveyed the area in front of him. It wasn’t quite what he was expecting. He moved his supporting arm as another woman came next to them. Her blonde hair swirled in the breeze as she knelt beside Micah. He remembered seeing her before during the demon war.

“What happened?” Rhea asked biting her bottom l*p. The wound was deep, but Micah wasn’t in mortal danger. She was asking what she was afraid of… she was asking who was the one who wounded Micah.

“Are you alright? Where is Alexis?” Levi asked looking at the gash on Aken’s chest. It was unsettling. If Alexis was the one who wounded them both… Aken was the one they were depending on to save her. Would they really have to seal her?

“Alexis sends her love.” Aken chuckled as he motioned over at his wound and Micah’s. “I almost had her. She was so close.” He turned his attention to Micah and nodded his head. “Alright, Micah. I’m going to get our princess… you stay here and get healed up.”

“I’m coming with you,” Levi said firmly and Aken shook his head.

“You should probably stay here and keep the rest of the family safe.” Aken shrugged.

“There is no need. Erebus can’t enter Elysium now. The living barrier chooses who it allows to enter. And it is even more powerful now that… now that my grandparents have added their energies to it.” Rhea said quietly.

Aken nodded his head thoughtfully at this. “In either case, you still aren’t coming with me.” He looked into Levi’s blue eyes. “I’m bringing your daughter and my mate back no matter what. But in order to reach her, you may not like what I have to do.” Aken’s green eyes then narrowed at Levi. “It’s not like I am going to hurt her or weaken her down by attacking her.”

“That is my daughter. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“That is my daughter. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“And you won’t. Ever. Because she is mine…” Aken then glanced over at Rhea and all the people standing around. He noticed Lucy who he had rescued from Erebus. She was heavy with child and was standing next to a couple of men and a young child. “You said Erebus can’t get inside this barrier?”

“No, he can’t.” The woman with blonde hair said as she held her healing hands on Micah.

Aken watched as another familiar face came into view. It was the man he had gifted as his summon. The man he was connected to… for now. “So then… it’s safe for me to mark my mate and connect my summoning abilities to Alexis.”

“Force your mark on her?” Lucy finally spoke up not liking what she was hearing.

“Alexis would have gladly let Aken mark her before…” Rhea spoke up defending Aken.

Aken shook his head and chuckled. “I am not saying that. The worst thing I can force on her is my affection. Maybe kissing her. I’ll do what I have to do to bring her back. But I think I can reach her without marking her.”

“Aken, we haven’t been formally introduced. I am Lilly the Fairy Queen. You are Alexis’ soul mate. That means when you mark her your soul will connect with hers. In that moment you will have a chance to remove the glass. It would be safer than the dream world. And it may be your only chance to reach Alexis so keep that in mind… Alexis has the power to remove the glass on her own. As the fairy princess, something like this is within her power, she just has to discover it. But because she has lost herself you may need to take things farther than you want.”

Aken nodded his head. “I understand what you are saying. Don’t worry. I’m going to get Alexis back…” He turned his attention back to Micah. “Just rest my friend.”

Micah snorted and smiled. “You act like I am on my death bed. Look at me? I’m fine.”

Aken looked at Micah closer and he was right. The wound was completely healed. Even with fairy magic… a wound that deep wouldn’t have healed that quickly. Micah rose to his feet and looked at Aken expectantly.

“Stay here Micah. If she runs again I will be able to chase her faster this way.”

“I wasn’t going to ask to come. I know you are just dying to put your arms around me again so I am not giving a lecher like you the chance.” Micah smiled and watched as a grin spread on Aken’s face. “It seems like part of her still recognizes you. She no longer sees Erebus when she looks at you. But maybe it is because she doesn’t fear him. She doesn’t see anything different. So her heart may not desire you or she doesn’t have any fears. My point to this is, be mindful of it when you bring Alexis back.”

Aken nodded his head. “Thank you, Micah,— Thank you for staying by her side.”

“Aken I—” Levi started to say but Aken winked at him with a slight smirk and vanished. A low chuckle left Levi’s throat as he shook his head. “He is lucky he is Alexis’ mate…”

__

Alexis was just focused on escaping Aken and those feelings that she wasn’t sure where she now was. Aken was trying to manipulate her mind by using the mate pull. She wasn’t going to be tricked. She looked around her environment. She listened to the sound of water hitting the shore as the wind swirled bringing a salty smell with it.

She was standing in a valley of dark ferns that traveled up both sides of the hills. Behind her was the ocean playing with the shoreline. And in front of her led to a dark cavernous area.

Alexis looked down at her hands and closed her eyes. She wasn’t dumb, she knew there was something wrong with her. Her memories weren’t clear. Things she should remember were suddenly fuzzy. But what wasn’t fuzzy was the stomach turning pain she was feeling when she thought about Micah and Aken. Her heart hurt as she thought about the injuries she inflicted on them. And she was angry with herself for hurting them which confused her more. She lifted her hand up to hold her throbbing head.

“Well, aren’t you a peculiar one…”

Alexis heard an old raspy woman’s voice from her side. She looked to see someone staring at her through the thick ferns. The woman had long gray straggly hair with dull lifeless looking skin. The woman’s eyes were completely white with no color at all. A strange power came from her, but it wasn’t one that Alexis recognized.

“Ahh, you have the new Nembrant glass in your eye. I can see the glow in your eye.”

Nembrant glass… why did that sound familiar but also foreign to Alexis.

“I have glass in my eye?” Alexis watched as a crooked grin formed on the old woman’s face.

“Wow. You don’t remember it? Interesting… good to know. What about your master’s voice? Do you hear their commands?”

“Master’s voice?” Alexis scoffed. “I don’t have a master, nor do I hear any voice.”

The old woman clicked her tongue and furrowed her brows. “It’s because you are too strong. I’m sure if it was in any other creature’s eye it would have worked. Maybe if we use more dark power next time.” The old woman rambled to herself as she stared into space.

“Who are you?” Alexis turned to face the old woman fully. The old woman stopped talking to redirect her gaze to Alexis.

“That is a loaded question.” The old woman shrugged. “You can call me Meryl. And what is your name?”

“Xi.”

“Alexis.”

A deep voice said from the direction of the sea. Alexis spun around to see a man with neatly pulled back white hair. His eyes were glued to her and seemed to be expecting something from her. She felt her body tighten in anger as she looked at Erebus. A deep rooted hatred that she couldn’t quite explain. She launched a barrage of black icy daggers at him. He flashed out of the way looking at her curiously.

“Why are you angry with me? I’ve come to claim you. Don’t you feel the need to submit to me?” Erebus asked glancing over at Meryl.

Alexis continued to unleash her fury of icy spikes at Erebus. She felt her head throbbing as liquid iron flowed in her brain. She felt like she was being tortured and had to stop to hold her head from the agony.

“WITCH! What is the meaning of this? Why is she attacking me?” Erebus snarled. He was furious

Meryl’s lips curled up in a sinister smile and she shrugged. “I don’t know. Xi, why do you attack him?”

“Quit playing games witch! Or I will—”

“You’ll what? You won’t do anything to me. Because you need something from me. And you have something I want. I’m only helping you for a mutual exchange. I’ll get you what you want and in exchange, you will release my granddaughter’s soul!”

Erebus pointed over at Alexis as he watched her gripping her head and stumbling backwards. “Why isn’t it working like it is supposed to?!”

“You put the glass in a demi-god, you i***t. You just gave her a demonic power boost. But curiously it has affected her memories. But she feels no devotion or loyalty to you. It looks like she has a deep-rooted hatred for you.” Meryl sneered at Erebus.

“Fix it,” Erebus said between clenched teeth.

“I’m going to have to start over with a new source and try to make adjustments.” Meryl turned and gave Erebus a cold stone stare. “Why do you want her under your command? What exactly are you wanting to command her to do—” She blinked at Erebus with her white eyes. “Pathetic…” She clicked her tongue in disgust. “I see you are at the point of having to force women—”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion on the topic.” Erebus snapped and Meryl cackled. “You damn witch—” From the corner of his eye he watched as a black blur rushed towards him. He moved just enough that the shard grazed his front piercing the top layer of his skin. “Alexis!”

“It’s Xi!”

“I see… so my treasure wants to play, does she? Well then… let’s play.” A dark chuckle escaped Erebus’s lips as he formed an obsidian electric ball in his hand. “I think you need to take a little nap until we can get this all sorted out.”

“I think you need an eternal nap.” Alexis pushed back the pain in her head as she composed herself. She raised her chin at the man defiantly as she prepared to fight against him.

“Tell me… why are you fighting me? Do you even know?” Erebus watched as Alexis blinked and pursed her lips together. Inwardly he smiled. “Don’t you see this is all a trick, my treasure? They poisoned your mind to keep us apart.”

Alexis scoffed. “i***t. I can hear. I just heard you talking. ‘Why isn’t it working?” She clicked her tongue and rolled her dark eyes.

“I was talking about an antidote I was having prepared for you.” Erebus tried to manipulate her mind but the next second the ice barrage spiraled at him again. He flashed through the air and gritted his teeth. “Yeah… I think you need that nap.”

“I’ve got things to do,” Meryl said as she disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Erebus formed another energy ball, not unlike the ones he had that killed the fairy royalty earlier. “I’m sorry my gem. I never wanted to hurt you, but you aren’t thinking clearly. Don’t worry. I’ll make it all better.”

Alexis watched as the black spiraling ball came crashing towards her. She couldn’t dodge it. She threw up a thick ice wall that shattered instantly. She closed her eyes and braced for impact. She felt a strong arm wrap around her protectively as a loud explosion was heard.