赤裸裸的滑稽故事

After checking in with Corrine and updating her on all the negotiations with Frostbite, Axel sent a message for Bell to meet him in his office.

His mother was busy with orders and requisitions. But, of course, it was essential to keep her updated. Still, she focused on preparing the supplies they needed to begin work on new armor and weapons.

Even Wyatt had jumped back into work. Now that he was no longer Alpha, he had joined back into the ranks of their warriors. He was working hard to practice his skills as a warrior rather than a leader.

Axel decided it would be best not to ask either of them about who Roman could be. He already suspected it was Bell’s mate. She had spent the past six years keeping his name a secret, it wasn’t Axel’s place to spread it around.

“You summoned, my liege,” Bell said with a deep bow as she entered the office.

“Shut the door behind you,” Axel chuckled. He got up from his desk and moved to sit on the couch.

After she closed the door, Axel gestured for her to take a seat, which she did.

“So, what’s up?” she asked.

“There are a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about,” he began. “Most of which, need to be kept between us.”

“Secrets? Gossip? Oh my!” Bell laughed and then nodded. “Of course, anything you tell me is in strict confidence.”

Axel smiled, enjoying her laughter.

As playful and childish as Bell had almost always been, she was never quite happy. There was always a shadow around her, keeping the light from touching her heart. But lately, her laughter was genuine, her smiles were brighter.

“What?” she asked.

“What?” he replied.

“You had a weird look on your face, and you were staring at me, what is it?” she asked._.

Axel smiled.

“I was just thinking how nice it is to see you smiling, to hear you laughing,” he answered truthfully. “You never used to do that.”

“Excuse me! I have always been the life of the party!” Bell objected.

“Not like this,” he smiled. “Not so genuinely happy.”

Bell could only smile in response.

“I guess I should thank Galen for that?” Axel asked.

Bell tilted her head and thought for a moment.

“Well, yes… and no,” she smiled. “You could thank Galen, he has definitely made me incredibly happy, but you could also thank your entire family, largely you.”

Axel reached out and took her hand.

“Our family,” he smiled.

Bell laughed.

“Yes, big brother.”

“That’s right, don’t you forget it.”

“How could I?” she laughed.

“Well, any part I played in bringing your smile back… I am glad,” Axel stated.

“This guy has also played a pretty big part in making me realize how happy I really am,” Bell said softly, placing her hand gently on the small bump of her stomach.

“How has it been for you?” Axel asked.

“It’s been alright,” she smiled. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that I am happy about growing this creature inside of me.”

“Yea…” Axel laughed. “Gotta say, I was surprised to hear the news, even more, surprised to see the genuine joy on your face about it.”

“Right?” she laughed. “It’s like the little parasite attached itself to my brain before it moved to the womb.”

Axel let out a loud laugh.

Bell sighed and rubbed her stomach once more.

“Four months seems like both a very long time and a very short time to wait for slash prepare for a baby.”

“Well, the wolf gets two months, the human gets nine… so four months is kind of the best of both worlds?” Axel laughed.

“I guess,” she sighed.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

Bell gave him a sad smile.

“I just wish Galen could be here more often,” she said. “We found out the sex of the baby yesterday. A video call… just didn’t feel as good as seeing his reaction in person.”

Axel squeezed her hand.

“Maybe you should consider his offer to come to Winter,” Axel suggested.

Bell shook her head.

“I know he means it. I know he loves me and our baby, but he loves Summer too. And with the war coming, he needs to be there to support and protect his people.”

“Do you honestly believe that he won’t be by your side when war comes?” Axel laughed.

“I know he won’t,” Bell smiled. “He will be where he is needed most, at the front. I made him promise.”

Axel let go of her hand and looked away.

“What’s wrong?” Bell asked.

“That’s a cruel thing to do,” he said.

“What?”

“Making him promise not to protect you,” he replied. “To ask him to be somewhere else, do something else when he knows you are in danger. It’s cruel.”

Bell didn’t respond at first, she just looked carefully at Axel. She took his hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

“We aren’t talking about me and Galen, are we?” she asked gently.

“We are,” he sighed, “just… not only you.”

“What happened?” she asked.

Axel took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how much he should tell her. How much would be necessary for her to understand?

“Hey…” she whispered, squeezing his hand once again. “You know all my secrets. You have helped me carry the weight of my wounded soul. Let me do the same for you.”

He took a deep breath. He wanted to tell her everything, and so he did.

***

“Wow…” Bell whispered almost an hour later, once she had heard the entire story of Axel and Alice, with a few details left out, and a lot more summarized into ‘completed the bond together’.

Axel sat quietly, waiting for her to tell him that he couldn’t trust Alice, that she was a spy, that she was lying, etcetera.

“That poor girl,” she said.

Axel looked up at her.

“She loses her life over and over again…” Bell whispered, she let out a shuddering breath as the tears fell. “She finally finds you and then gives you up so you can save Ashleigh?”

Axel grabbed a box of tissue and handed it to her. She wiped her eyes and then blew her nose.

“I just…” Bell struggled to speak, letting out soft sobs.

Axel rubbed her back gently and tried to comfort her.

After a few minutes, she calmed down and got her thoughts in order.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “It’s the hormones… I mean, it’s a horrible story, I can’t begin to imagine how she has survived all of that. The treatments alone… maintaining her sanity… oh. I just…”

Bell paused, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her emotions. Then she looked at Axel.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Pregnancy is rough on the emotions, I get it.”

“No,” she said, taking his hands. “I’m sorry, about what you have been going through.”

Axel swallowed and looked away.

“We’ll find a way,” he said softly.

Bell nodded.

“I’m sure you will.”

“Bell,” Axel said. “I really do think you should consider Galen’s offer to come to Winter.”

Bell furrowed her brow.

“I already told you–”

“Bell,” Axel interrupted and then swallowed before looking into her eyes and sighing as he spoke. “Who is Roman?”