The Beta's Young Warrior (Book 2 of Young Mate Series)

Chapter 31- Axel's POV

"Go away," Nila said when I knocked on the door about thirty minutes later with Harrison standing in the hallway. Her voice quivered, and my heart ached because I hated the fact that she was crying. "I don't know who it is, but I do not care and do not wish to see anyone, so please leave me the fuck alone."

I bit back a small sigh and moved a hand through my hair and across my face. "I can't do that, Nila," I said, my voice soft and gentle, praying that she would open the door. "We need to talk, Sweetheart, so can you open the door for me, please?"

"No," she said instantly. She sniffled some more and cleared her throat. "I do not want to talk to anyone, especially you, Axel. You are trying to steal me away from my family, and I do not like that at all."

I chuckled softly and shook my head. "I am not trying to steal you away from your family, Nila," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I want to protect you and your family, especially your sister."

Nila scoffed a laugh, and I had a feeling that she rolled her eyes. "By taking us away from here?" she asked, and I nodded in confirmation, even though I knew that she wouldn't be able to see me. "Why not take my parents away from here?"

I sighed again and rested my head on the door with a soft thunk, closing my eyes. "Because as I stated before, they do not want to leave here, Nila," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "As much as I hate leaving them here, I cannot force them to come with me."

Nila hesitated and got off the bed, and I could hear her starting to make her way to the door. "And Marley is fine with leaving our parents?" she asked at the door but not opening it. "Or are her feelings going to get ignored too?"

"She hasn't said if she was happy with it or not," I replied. "I am sure a part of her is upset that she is going to be leaving the only home she has known, but I hope that she is also excited."

'Say what you want,' Harrison said through our mindlink. 'It will be fine.'

I hesitated and set my jaw, not sure what he meant and hoped that he wasn't telling me to talk about me knowing about the Original Twelve and how Nila and her sister were a part of that group. 'Are you sure?'

'Do it,' he said. 'It will be safe.'

I bit back a small sigh and relented, nodding. 'Of course, Harrison,' I said before I cleared my throat. "I am sure that she is wondering if there will be other Original Twelve living in my pack," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Nila hesitated and placed her hand on the door, but she didn't open the door like I thought she would. "Is there anyone else there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I looked to where Harrison was standing and saw that he wasn't there, and I raised an eyebrow in question while the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention because I did not like the idea that he had left. 'Harrison?' I asked, surprised that he left me alone again.

'I am down with the parents again,' he said, and I knew that it was true, even though I was surprised that he left me alone when he didn't even want me to go to the bathroom by myself.

"I am alone, Nila," I said and nodded in confirmation. "Harrison was out here, but he is back with your parents."

Nila hesitated before she opened her door and gestured for me to come in, and I did what I was told to do and walked into her room. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, and I couldn't help but become concerned when I saw that she was crying. "Why did Harrison leave?" she asked and closed the door.

I shrugged and grimaced before I cleared my throat and shook my head. "I wish I knew, but I do not," I said. "Do you want to sit and get comfortable before we talk, Nila?" I gestured for her to sit on the couch that was in her room. "I can take the desk chair."

Nila hesitated before she shook her head. "We both can sit on the couch," she said. "It's not like we haven't been doing it."

I bit back a small chuckle and nodded before I made my way to the couch, and she followed me, still sniffling and wiping her hands across her face. "Would you like a hug?" I asked and looked at her, growing very concerned for her.

Nila hesitated before she shook her head. "I am good," she said and wiped her eyes while we continued to walk toward her couch. "Thank you, though."

I bit back a small snort and held back an eye roll. "I don't believe you, Nila," I said and sat down on the couch with her sitting across from me. I leaned back against the armrest and bit back a small sigh, moving a hand through my hair. "You are not ok."

Nila shrugged and grimaced, pressing her lips. She didn't say a word while she shifted in her seat, and a look of pain flashed through her eyes.

I bit back another sigh and moved my hand through my hair some more. "So, as I said before, I have ten of the original twelve living in my pack," I said. "You and Marley are the last two members that we need at our pack."

She pressed her lips into a thin line and slowly nodded. She furrowed her brows before she cocked her head and studied me. "How do you know about the Original Twelve?" she asked. "Are you a part of it and do not know about it?"

I bit back a small chuckle and shook my head, even though a part of me wondered if there was something else connecting me to them besides me being mates to a Nosac. "I am mated to Harrison's daughter," I said and leaned back in my seat, folding my arms across my chest, and her eyes grew wide and filled with shock.

"What?" she asked, her voice filled with shock, and I bit back a small laugh while I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, I am mated to Elizabeth," I said.

She furrowed her brows and cocked her head. "Isn't she like sixteen?" she asked, and I nodded in confirmation.

"And there is a twelve year gap between us," I said, nodding again. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "However, it's not the worst age gap between mates," I added. "I've heard that there was a hundred year age gap between two people before."

Her eyes grew wide, shocked, and I bit back a small laugh before I nodded in confirmation. "Seriously?" she asked, her voice high pitched, and I nodded again. "Who?"

I bit back another laugh and shook my head. "I am going to need to find the book again because I don't remember, but I know that it was like an Alpha or someone from royalty."

"Was it Harrison?" she asked with furrowed brows before she cocked her head and studied me, and I gave her a weird look, stopping a thought from entering my mind.

"No," I said and shook my head, "and he isn't royalty. He's a Warrior, a great warrior, especially since he is a member of the Original Twelve, but he is only a warrior, nonetheless."

Nila furrowed her brows and pressed her lips into a thin line. Confusion flashed through her eyes, but she didn't say a word while she looked at me with something in her eyes that I didn't understand but didn't like.

I furrowed my brows while I cocked my head and studied her. "What?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "Is there something being hidden from me?"

"I... don't know," she said and shrugged with a small grimace on her face. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat with furrowed brows. "I think so, but I do not know if I am able to... talk about it."

I bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded. "It's ok," I said soothingly. "I understand, and I won't push you for details."

She slowly nodded and pressed her lips into a thin line, furrowing her brows. "Why not?" she asked and cocked her head, studying me with a raised eyebrow. "Why won't you ask me for details on that. Aren't you curious?"

I bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded. "I am curious," I said. "However, I know that it isn't safe."

"For who?" she asked and furrowed her brows and cocked her head further to the side. "You?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

I nodded in confirmation. "And for the rest of the world," I replied before I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "And I don't want something bad to happen if I do pursue that knowledge, but one day, I know that I will have to do it soon."

I just hoped that it wouldn't happen soon...