His Isolated Omega Luna

Chapter Nine

“Has anyone ever kissed you before?”

My eyes opened wide.

I hadn't expected that and hesitated just for a moment before biting at my lip and shaking my head again. Axel studied me from underneath the cover of his eyelashes before taking one last purposeful step.

The man was so so close to me that I could almost feel the warmth radiating from his body.

“Close your eyes.” Axel said softly. I had lost complete control of all my motor functions the moment Axel had moved in on me, and was just staring blankly at him.

“I can’t…” I whispered at last.

I couldn’t move at all, and even fulfilling such a simple request seemed impossible when Axel was looking at me like that.

“Cas, close your eyes.” Axel repeated, lifting one hand and gently brushing it down the side of my face. My eyelids fluttered shut under Axel’s palm.

***

Cassandra's mouth was slightly open and her head was tipped back, leaving the skin of her throat exposed. Axel had to fight with everything he had to stop himself from losing control completely and licking a thick wet stripe of desire all the way up to the line of her jaw. Axel took a moment to seal that image in his memory forever.

He didn’t think he had ever seen anything so beautiful, and yet so fragile, in his entire life.

Axel dipped his head and touched their mouths together for the first time with a pure and reverent kiss. He could feel something wonderful spread across his lips and make his whole body tingle like he was waking up from a long, deep sleep and going back out into the light again. It was so utterly consuming, everything else around him just seemed to fade completely out of existence for that one single moment in time.

When Axel pulled away, he saw that Cassandra still had the same blissful expression caressing her face. Her tongue slipped part way out of her mouth as she chased the taste of Axel on her lips, and her eyes slowly began to open.

They just stared at each other. Cassandra seemed to be lost in some hazy daydream, gazing at the curve of Axel’s mouth like she was trying to hold on to the memory of how it felt against her own too.

Axel was just about to say something else, when Cassandra suddenly seemed to be pulled from abstraction.

She reached up to grab Axel firmly around the jaw, launching her entire body forward and pushing another kiss against him. This one was frantic and desperate, and absolutely impossible to resist. Cassandra was humming into Axel's mouth and pawing at his shoulders like she never wanted to let him go.

Axel responded at once, forcing his long wet tongue deep between the line of Cassandra’s lips, and reaching down low to spread both hands across her back. Axel lifted her completely off the ground, and Cassandra let her legs slip seamlessly around Axel’s waist.

She was pushed back by the force on her mouth where they were still attached to each other. Cassandra felt her back thud against the wall behind her. Axel continued to drive his lower body against Cassandra with as much restraint as he could manage over the absolute deluge of sensations rushing through his veins.

Axel could feel an unquenchable fire curling inside him with each fresh inhalation of her scent and omega slick exuding from every pore. Cassandra tasted even better than he imagined, and he had imagined it a lot. All of his fantasies were nothing compared to the reality of letting himself drown in that sweet heady essence that was everything Axel had ever wanted.

As soon as Axel touched their lips together, something primal awakened in Cassandra and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She felt the hands move lower and Cassandra was lost to the possessive grope of them spreading across her ass while Axel rutted up against her. He didn’t even seem to have any conscious control over his response to Cassandra’s potential submission. It was in his nature to show how much he wanted to dominate every part of Cassandra and take her for his own.

Cassandra was more than prepared to let him. She didn’t think she ever wanted anything so badly in her life.

Cassandra was panting breathlessly when Axel reluctantly released her mouth and held her back just so she could look at him.

“God, you taste good.” Axel smiled at her, green eyes shining in the darkness. Axel was swaying Cassandra in his arms where he was holding her around the waist, dipping his head again to nuzzle his face against the soft skin of Cassandra’s throat.

The female never imagined she was secretly being marked with a unique alpha scent, and now everyone would know she was going to belong to Axel.

***

I blinked, slowly recovering from the irrepressible compulsion that caused me to respond so passionately to a single touch of Axel’s lips against my own.

“I’m so sorry, Axel. I don’t know what came over me.” I gasped in a stunned whisper.

Axel had taken all my breath away with the force of the desperate kiss he had pushed against me. My whole body was burning with a heat that seemed to come from deep inside me and there was no longer any fear.

Axel was breathing hard, refusing to let go of me completely. He moved one hand down not so discreetly to adjust himself as I pretended not to notice.

“You’ll get no complaints over here, Cas. Are you alright?” Axel asked, licking his lips and stroking his thumb in small circles over my stomach.

I could feel all the muscles tense where Axel touched me. I was almost certain Axel knew exactly what had come over me, but it seemed he didn’t dare to raise that issue after such a beautiful moment.

***

Axel could never have hoped Cassandra would be so responsive to his advances, and now he knew what the inside of her mouth tasted like, he didn’t think anything else would ever compare.

Cassandra nodded, a blush quickly spreading over her cheeks and down the curve of her neck.

***

I was still trying to understand how I had gone from being terrified of Axel, to wanting to let him lick me all over. The anxiety and restlessness no longer seemed to have any hold over me when we were together and that alone would have been enough, but I was still scared of letting myself need someone.

Wanting was one thing, but needing was much more dangerous and if I let that happen again, I knew I would be lost.

“I know I probably shouldn’t have just turned up like that, but I got to thinking I really needed to see you.” Axel said, when he leaned in again, the words vibrating across the small space between us.

There was no longer any doubt in my mind.

***

Cassandra was the one he had been looking for all his life.

He could still smell and taste her, and Axel was sure he could almost see an inner light in Cassandra that burned only for him. It always seemed to glow a little brighter when he held her.

Axel had no intention of freaking her out by giving Cassandra any details of what it was exactly that caused him to go into full-on stalking mode, but the reaction had been enough to convince her, and now nothing would persuade Axel otherwise. He had to have her.

“I don’t understand why you would want me.” Cassandra murmured quietly. It hadn’t really been said to elicit a reply, but Axel gently moved one hand up to touch the side of her face, and stroked the soft cheek with his palm. Axel dragged his thumb back to Cassandra's mouth to dip it just over the edge, running it seductively along the inside of her bottom lip.

“Cas. You’re f*****g beautiful.” Axel breathed against her skin. "Why wouldn't I want you?"

***

I could feel my body fighting to reach out and let Axel kiss me some more, but I resisted with everything I had. I didn’t think I would be able to stop Axel from doing anything he wanted to me, and I wasn't going to allow myself to be taken quite so easily.

Axel was handsome and confident. He could have anyone he wanted. I was struggling to accept he really meant that, but I whispered a broken thank you anyway.

A lifetime of denying myself such wanton pleasure had left a deep scar.

***

Axel sensed her unease and forced himself to back off a bit. The last thing he wanted was to scare Cassandra away now his claim was secured, even though Cassandra was still completely unaware of it.

It was shameful, but Axel couldn’t have stopped himself. He had been driven mad with desire as soon as all doubt had been cast aside when Cassandra’s body responded the way it did, unable to resist all the natural urges to please a potential mate.

Cassandra just needed time. Time and patience. All of which Axel was prepared to devote to her in abundance when he considered what the reward would be.

“I better let you get back in.” Axel said softly, rubbing both hands up and down Cassandra’s arms to stop her from shivering with the cold. He allowed himself one last inhalation of her scent before he dragged a lingering gaze along the length of Cassandra’s body and subconsciously sucked his tongue behind sharp teeth.

“Can I… see you again? Later, maybe?” Axel stammered awkwardly, running his fingers through his hair. He suddenly felt very insecure, painfully aware he sounded like he was fifteen again and asking for a first date.

Cassandra hesitated before giving him a shy nod, gaze faltering before she looked down at the ground again.

Axel didn’t feel the need to say anything else when he watched Cassandra lift up one hand in a weak farewell before she started to move away.

***

I had to edge back slowly and reach blindly behind me to open up the exit door again. The cold air had made it more than a little obvious the seat of my shorts was soaked through completely. I knew Axel was still watching me while I managed to ease my way back through the gap and made sure it was firmly closed behind me. Even with the suppressants, that kiss had turned me on so much, my scent was like an open invitation.

I might not have been quite so frightened of Axel anymore, but I was still absolutely petrified by the thought of being r***d and claimed by someone else.

***

Axel waited in the shadows for a few minutes longer. He couldn’t remove the smile that constantly pulled at his mouth now he realized all his hopes had not just been deluded optimism. Not only did he know for sure exactly what Cassandra was, but she had also returned his kiss and agreed to see him again.

***

Lucas only got out of bed to get a glass of water when he realized Axel wasn’t there. His bedroom door was swung wide open and the light was still on. He looked around at the sorry state of the apartment and shook his head. Lucas decided right there Axel should definitely have his own corner.

He sighed wearily and started to tidy away the empty beer cans and scrunched up chocolate wrappers, when his eye caught the cover of the book Axel had been reading so avidly earlier that evening. He didn’t think Axel had even kept it, let alone know where it was, but it had meant a lot to him once.

Lucas wandered over to the table and traced one finger over the familiar leather binding and examined the two embossed sigils pressed in to the front. One alpha, one omega, twisted together in perfect circles.

Axel had always believed in the lore of their kind, and had read that book from cover to cover at least twice. He never once questioned the authenticity of any of the sources and would happily bore Lucas rigid when they were younger about true mates and pair-bonds, and how an alpha would just sense when he had found the other part of his soul.

Lucas never had quite so much faith in it and only humored Axel before out of loyalty and the occasional threat of violence. He loved his brother very much, but underneath it all he was a hopeless romantic, and Lucas knew Axel would be lost completely if he was wrong about Cassandra.

The book had been left open. Axel had turned it face down so he didn’t lose his place. Lucas aimlessly picked it up and scanned the pages Axel had earmarked by turning over the top corner. Lucas already suspected his brother was convinced he had finally found what he was looking for in Cassandra, but didn’t think that was all there was to it. Axel had clearly been reading the chapter that detailed the subconscious responses of a true mate if the alpha presented their intentions, and now Lucas fully understood the reason for Axel’s unexpected absence.

It was a test. He wondered if Cassandra had passed.

He was about to turn the page, when he heard the distinctive sound of keys jangling in the lock. Lucas hastily replaced the book and pretended not to have noticed it while he continued to clear away the mess.

Axel looked surprised to see him still up, his eyes darting over to where he was sitting earlier. He seemed satisfied nothing had been touched and gave Lucas a cursory glance.

“Thought you were in bed.” Axel sniffed indifferently, tossing the keys on to the table. He knew what time it was, and Lucas must have been dying to ask him where he'd been, but he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction just yet.

There were a few moments of heavy silence while Lucas watched his brother try to squeeze by so he could deposit his wallet and cell phone on the counter. Axel was very close when he moved past him and Lucas caught a familiar hint of vanilla.

“Where have you been?” Lucas asked, as casually as he could. He absolutely knew Axel must have had some form of contact with Cassandra from his scent alone, but he was also flushed and seemed to have a permanent smile fixed to one side of his mouth. Lucas knew the answer before Axel admitted to it.

“I was with Cas.”

Lucas leaned his head towards him and inhaled again, eyeing Axel suspiciously. If he smelled of Cassandra, then he very much supposed Cassandra smelled of Axel, and to Lucas that could only mean one thing.

“You smell different. What did you do?” Lucas whispered slowly, a disturbing thought coming to him. His brother didn’t answer straight away and Lucas started to feel a dull ache of warning.

“Axel? Did you mark her?!”

Axel ran his tongue between his lips and hesitated when he looked away. He gave his brother an almost imperceptible nod.

Lucas exhaled a long breath. “You shouldn’t have done that... not without telling her.” Lucas was many things, but when it came to respect and equality, his steadfast morals were definitely right up there at the top of the list. “It’s not right.”

“She’s mine.” Axel said suddenly, and Lucas was alarmed by the way he used his status to make a point. He had never done that before.

Axel was one of those rare alphas who prized a female omega above all else, but that made him sound just like all the rest. Those Axel had always held in contempt for seeing them as worthless female bitches that were only good for one thing. They were rarely claimed for life.

“She’s also a human being!” Lucas had that look of crushing disappointment he only ever seemed to reserve for Axel. “You’re not like that…” He added quietly. “Don’t lose what you are just because you’re driven by the need to mate her.”

Axel was breathing heavily, trying to push away an inherent instinct to assert his right to take an omega without their consent. Lucas had a point. He had always despised anyone that couldn’t see someone like Cassandra for what she really was.

A beautiful and delicate lost paragon of perfection in a world that could never appreciate her.

Axel shook his head and blew his cheeks out while the desire to control slowly faded.

“You don’t understand,” Axel murmured sorrowfully. He couldn’t explain how it felt to have every waking thought consumed by the need to have Cassandra close to him after he had spent a lifetime searching. Every minute that passed without her seemed like forever. “I’m not gonna let anyone else touch her.”

“Axel…” Lucas sighed. “No one else would get the chance. She hates being touched. You’re the only one who could even get close. Don’t you think that means something?” Lucas asked, attempting to calm his brother down enough for him to start making decisions with his brain instead of his knot. “I really don’t think you need to be concerned about that.”

Axel finally met Lucas’s gaze.

“I need to take care of her. I want to take care of her.” He repeated.

Lucas thought there was something desperately tragic about the way Axel’s eyes seemed to glaze over when he thought about the possibility of never being able to have the only thing he had ever wanted. His heart went out to him, but Lucas couldn't ignore the fact he had shown little consideration for what Cassandra wanted.

He tried to bite back a sudden spark of anger. Axel had acted purely out of instinct, and it wasn’t something Lucas ever expected to see. He had always been so appreciative of the fact his brother was different.

“But I told you earlier she probably wants to hide it because she’s scared, and you just went straight after her anyway. You selfish bastard!”

“Come again?” Axel gaped at him in surprise.

“Did you even think about how you might have put her at risk?”

“What? No I haven’t.” Axel screwed up his nose to illustrate just how mortally offended he was by the suggestion he would ever do anything to jeopardize Cassandra’s safety. “If anything, she’s off limits now anyway because she smells of me.”

The proud smirk quickly faded when Axel saw the look of stunned abhorrence on his brother’s face.

“Axel, you stupid f**k!” Lucas forced out through his teeth. “That’s not going to protect her forever.”

Axel fell silent. He thought hard about what Lucas was saying. He hadn’t actually considered he might have stirred something in Cassandra that she had managed to subdue for years, and now she wouldn’t be able to hide. Axel dropped his head in his hands.

“I just. I didn’t… think. s**t!” He muttered something between his fingers where they were pressed against his mouth.

“Axel. If you really believe you want to claim her, then I'll support you all the way. Regardless of what other people might think.” He said quietly. Lucas never forgot the name calling and the looks of disgust that had accompanied Axel all the way through high school.

Lucas even helped him to scrape offensive words from the front of his gym locker in tenth grade, but Axel never pretended to be something he wasn’t and Lucas had always admired him for that.

Maybe he didn’t tell him often enough.

“But you need to man up and be honest with her, or you might risk losing her forever. Let Cassandra make that decision for herself.” Lucas rested one large hand on Axel’s shoulder. “And if you don’t tell her, I will.”