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

Chapter 33- Axel's POV

Nila cleared her throat and shifted in her seat, breaking the silence that had fallen on us. Her cheeks grew red, and she fiddled with the hem of her shirt, not looking at me. "So, when did you learn about the Original Twelve?" Nila asked, changing the subject and asking me hesitantly with her voice barely above a whisper as if she was afraid that I would be mad at her for asking me. "How old were you?"

"Seventeen," I replied and moved a hand across the back of my neck before I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, not phased nor caring about her asking when I learned about it. "I was seventeen when I learned about the Original Twelve and that I was mated to one of them."

"Elizabeth Farrows, right?" She looked at me before she looked down, her cheeks turning a different shade of red. "That's her name. Correct?"

I chuckled while I nodded, amused about her sheepish behavior. "Yes, that is her name, Nila," I confirmed with another small nod before a small smile appeared on my face when I thought about that day so long ago. "She was making cookies for her mom and made a huge mess in the kitchen."

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable in the seat again after sitting down for far too long. "I had gotten done with a twelve hour shift of border patrol, and I was exhausted. However, I heard this noise in the kitchen and went to inspect it, especially since my wolf said "mate.""

Nila furrowed her brows and slowly nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Were you surprised that Elizabeth was your mate?" she asked and looked at me, this time holding my gaze.

"Yes," I confirmed and nodded. "I was surprised that she was and that she was so young." I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck, sheepishly. "I was nervous about what Harrison would do when he found out that Elizabeth was my mate, but I wanted him to know."

"Was he the first person to know?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

I shook my head no and stayed silent.

"Who was, and why not?"

"Parker, my Alpha, was the first to know that Lizzie, that's what we normally call her instead of Elizabeth, was my mate. Harrison didn't know until it was later in the day because it was about two in the morning when I found out."

Nila's eyes grew wide, and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Two in the morning?" she asked with a high pitched voice, and I bit back a small laugh while I nodded. "What was Elizabeth doing at two in the morning?"

"Apparently to bake her mother some cookies," I said with another small laugh. "She wanted to bake some cookies for her mother because her mother hadn't been feeling well."

"Where was Harrison then?" she asked. "How did he not know that she was out of bed?"

"He was also patrolling the borders, but he had a shorter shift than me. He went to check on his mate and his child who was supposed to be sleeping in her bedroom, but he didn't find her there."

Nila furrowed her brows and slowly nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Was he mad when you told him that she was your mate?" she asked while she cocked her head and studied me, and I instantly shook my head because I knew that he wasn't mad when I told him that Liz was my mate.

I furrowed my brows and bit the inside of my lip while I looked down, not meeting her gaze while I thought about our conversation twelve years ago. "I think a part of him was relieved that I was her mate," I said finally while I looked at her, "especially since he knew how I worked and everything like that."

"By being the Beta?" she asked, and I nodded in confirmation.

"That and because we have worked with each other since I was fourteen going on fifty." I flashed her a small wink, and she rolled her eyes and scowled before I cleared my throat and grew serious. "He knew that I had a good head on my shoulders and knew that I would work hard at whatever I needed to do."

"Was he mad that he was the second person to know that you were her mate?" she asked and raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged and grimaced, pressing my lips into a thin line because I wasn't sure. "That, I am not so sure," I replied out loud, choosing my words carefully. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "Liz was, and still is, his baby girl and his first born child. He is very protective of her and of all of his children." I shrugged and grimaced. "Sometimes, I think he is more protective of her than her other siblings just because she was their first born."

She slowly nodded and pressed her lips into a thin line before she looked at her hands and furrowed her brows. "Who do the other members of the Original Twelve think of as their parent or parents?" she asked, changing the subject while she looked at me again.

"Me," I said. "They all think of me as their parent except for Cage because Cage is in his mid to late twenties." I shrugged and grimaced, my cheeks turning red. "And Liz because she is my mate."

"Unless she is calling you "D-""

My cheeks turned a darker shade of red while my wolf growled out in pleasure, and I raised my hand to silence her, and she closed her mouth with her lips curling upward. "Please do not finish that sentence, Nila," I said. "I do not want to think about it and what you mean."

Nila bit back a small smirk and folded her arms across her chest. She didn't say a word while she stared at me, and I could tell that she was amused at my reaction.

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, growing serious. "But, anyway, the children do call me "Papa" because for most of them, I am the only father figure that they know."

She furrowed her brows and bit the inside of her lip while she cocked her head and studied me. "And you won't be upset if I don't call you Papa?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I shook my head, biting back a small chuckle.

"I won't be," I said before I cleared my throat again. "I know that Colton and Sabrina are your parents and that you have considered them your parents since you lived with them for most of your life."

Nila furrowed her brows further and tucked her head closer to her chest while she stared at me with wide eyes. "And if they want to go to your pack..."

"Then you can go live with them," I said and nodded in confirmation. "You and your sister can."

"But what if Marley wants to stay with you?" she asked and cocked her head further. "I don't want to leave her by herself, but I don't want to live with you if my parents are there."

I bit back a small sigh and slowly nodded. "I know," I said before I cleared my throat and shifted further in my seat. "However, why don't we worry about that in the future. Ya?" I raised an eyebrow in question.

I cleared my throat and leaned closer toward her, putting my arms in my legs while I stared at her. "What I need to know is if you will come with me to my pack. Your sister will follow you wherever you go, and I know that she wants to go, so will you go?"

I paused and offered her a small smile while I dipped my head closer to my chest. "It is your decision, Nila," I said with a small shake of my head. "No one else's. Ok?"

She bit back a small sigh before her shoulders sank in defeat, and she slowly nodded. "Ok," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Ok?" I inquired, not getting my hopes up while I raised the eyebrow higher.

"I will go with you and Harrison back to your pack," she said and leaned back in her seat. "No matter how much I don't like being away from my mom and dad, I will go with you." She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips in annoyance. "And I will get my stupid high school diploma."

I bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded, biting back a small sigh of relief, my shoulders sagging with relief. "And it will only be until your parents decide if they want to come to my pack or not. You have my word."