Axel's POV

Weeks have passed and I've not been able to get her off my mind. Or my tongue. Her scent was everywhere. She clouded my fucking mind every night and during the day, there were glimpses of pink everywhere. Something to remind me that she would never stop plaguing my mind no matter what.

I tried to steer clear of the maid quarters or anything that could make me “accidentally bump into her”. Even though deep down I wanted to see her again, the way she had run from me when she realized what we had done weirdly plagued me.

She must have thought I took advantage of her in her drunken state. Which I didn't deny, because I did take advantage of her heat and drunken state.

The glass of wine in my hand clattered to the ground and I let out a frustrated sigh as it shattered across the room. I couldn't help but notice that even the bottle of wine somehow had a tinge of pink at the bottom too. How nice.

“You seem distracted, Axel,” Jake muttered and I glanced up to see him staring down at me with a smirk. He was so nosy sometimes that I wanted to remove his ears so he would change.

“I'm fine.”

“You haven't been fine since you took Thallyne with you that night. I haven't seen her too since that night. What happened between you two?” He asked, an enthusiastic expression on his face and I scoffed in annoyance.

“Are you going to get a maid to clean this up or should I make you do it yourself? Or you want me to stab you with one of these glass shards?” I muttered coldly and his smile faltered at once, replaced with a disappointed look.

“Should I call for Thallyne—”

“For fuck's sake, Jake—”

“I'm just trying to look out for you, boss. You were able to mind-link me after so many years. You told me your wolf awoke because of her. Doesn't that mean there's some kind of connection between both of you?” He questioned as he started to pick up the shards of glass on the floor, and I tsked in annoyance.

“There's no connection, Jake. It was all probably a coincidence.” I replied with a sigh and he snorted in amusement.

“Yeah, we both know you don't believe that. Could it be— What if she's your mate?” Jake questioned with wide eyes and I suddenly slammed my palm on the table in anger.

“I don't have a mate, Jake. Clean the damn room and keep your nose out of my business.” I growled in frustration and he flinched but then shot me a smile that had me rolling my eyes in annoyance.

“I'm your beta. Where would I keep my nose if not in your business?”

“You're fucking impossible,” I muttered as I got up and walked out of the study, heading for the one place I should be avoiding. His words weren't wrong, and I knew it; I was just trying to deceive myself.

My dormant wolf awoke because of her and somewhere along the week, I shifted. Something I haven't been able to do for years ever since my childhood sweetheart, my first mate, left me. I couldn't help but wonder if Jake might be right about her being my mate.

I had to see her again. I had to talk to her, to know if she was doing okay. I wanted her and I couldn't deny that. I wanted to taste her again. To feel her tremble against my tongue and fingers. To those heavenly moans that demanded that she be worshipped.

I wanted to be the one who took her innocence away. I wanted to claim her, mark her as mine and mine alone. The thought of someone else taking her filled me with a rage that I couldn't explain. I wanted to make sure the only name she could remember was mine.

But I had to keep all those desires and fantasies on a leash.

I spotted a maid walking past me and the moment I stopped her, her eyes widened in fear. Everyone looked at me like that. They were scared I would kill them. I didn't hate the rumors that painted me as a killer; at least, it made them respect me.

Some even claimed they had evidence that I killed Drary's mother. But she was the one who turned me into the man I am today. Cold, distant, ruthless.

“Send Thallyne to my room immediately,” I ordered and she bowed in fear and scurried away like I held a knife. Tch.

I returned to my room, my body vibrating just at the thought of seeing her again. For someone who preferred the color black, I was getting a little too addicted to pink these days and it was all her fault. What the hell was she doing to me?

Minutes passed, and the door finally opened, slowly at first, like she was being careful.

“Come in, Pink,” I muttered gruffly and the moment she stepped in, my breath hitched. My room was pitch black, but her presence sent color bursting through the room, and the way the sun shone directly on her from the window made her look even more ethereal.

Until I noticed how pale she looked.

I was about to speak when she suddenly got on her knees and I froze in confusion.

“I know that night, I forced myself on you.” She started and I rubbed my forehead in frustration. It wasn't her fault. “And I still wanna say I'm sorry for that—”

“Stop apologizing for what wasn't your fault.”

“But it was my fault. I got drunk and couldn't control myself. What I did was extremely shameful, and I admit that, so I plead with you not to kill me.” She muttered hurriedly and my brows raised in confusion as realization suddenly dawned on me.

“If I were gonna kill you, I would have done it that very night. You couldn't control your first heat, and I was there to help. Why would I kill you for that?” I questioned and she raised her head to look at me, guilt evident in her expression.

“You might kill me for this instead.”

“What?”

“I'm pregnant, Alpha Axel. Whatever we did that night, has brought about pregnancy.” She murmured softly and a soft laugh escaped my lips as I registered her words in my head.

“How can you be pregnant? That's impossible.” I started, a chuckle erupting from my lips and she looked at me in confusion.

“But—”

“You know what? Stand up first.” I said as I moved to her side and helped her up. “We didn't sleep together that night, Pink. Trust me.”

“But— I've been experiencing symptoms of pregnancy. I'm dizzy all the time, I throw up whatever I eat and my wolf is so weak even when we do nothing. I get tired easily. Aren't those signs of pregnancy?” She questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion and I was confused too.

That night, when she told me she wanted me to fuck her, she passed out right after, and I had put her to bed. Nothing happened right after that so how could she be pregnant?

“Did you sleep with someone else?”

“No! I didn't! I swear.” She answered hurriedly and suddenly wobbled like she was about to fall as she held her head gently.

“You okay? Come let's sit first.” I guided her to the bed but the moment she tried to sit, she slumped and fell right into my arms.

“Pink? Thallyne!”

She wasn't responding.