Captured by the wolf mate

CHAPTER 4

Iris reluctantly bit me, her venom numbing the pain as her teeth slid into my skin.

Axel growled, low and angrily, as she drank from me.

“I’m fine,” I told him, though I was getting a little light-headed.

Iris finally released me a minute later, and her coloring looked slightly better.

“You still taste awful,” she whispered to me, though she settled back down on her pillow.

I grinned. “Good. Sleep well. I’ll try to pick up a few new vamps tonight.” I flashed her a smile even as Axel roared at me.

“Careful with that thing,” she hissed at me.

I smirked. “That’s what she said.”

She grumbled at me as I grabbed a fistful of Axel’s hair and tugged lightly.

The door closed behind us, and I stepped into my room. It was exactly as I’d left it, with just my scratchy sheets and old, thrift-store quilt on the weird-smelling mattress. There was no other furniture in the room, but it was home.

Ish.

Homeish.

Could I think of something homier? Of course.

My mind flicked back to Axel’s house, and I had to push back against the wisp of yearning that swelled in my chest.

Mist Valley was home.

I needed to accept that.

My hair went up in a high ponytail, and I shoved a couple of bobby pins into the back part so the little thin strands didn’t end up plastered to my neck in the next ten minutes.

A glance at the clock had me swearing under my breath as I yanked a cleanish pair of shorts on, followed by a black tank top. My clothing supply was nearly nonexistent, but that was tomorrow’s problem.

I grabbed my can of pasta from a few hours earlier and shoved the last two bites into my mouth, hoping that could tide me over until halfway through my shift, when I’d get a free meal from the bar.

“No growling at anyone,” I warned Axel, as I headed out of the apartment.

My ponytail swayed behind me, and I noticed him watching it closely. “No biting, either.”

His eyes darkened suspiciously at that.

“No biting me or anyone else,” I clarified. “Save it until we’re back here, alone. Okay?”

His silence was not a satisfying answer, but it was the best I was going to get.

“Please, don’t screw this up for me. If I lose this job, I’m hosed,” I told the wolf honestly.

He huffed at me.

Also not a satisfying answer, but it was going to have to do.

I strode down the stairs, rubbing the wolf’s head as I went. He remained glued to my side, his fur brushing my bare leg as I walked.

Something told me I was going to regret not wearing clothes that covered a little more skin, but I ignored that something.

I legitimately didn’t have a single clothing option for that, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

“No biting,” I reminded the wolf, one last time.

His grumbly growl made me sigh.

It was probably a bad time to make a joke about keeping his teeth in his mouth, akin to keeping his d**k in his pants, so I stayed quiet.

I tugged the heavy door open and stepped into the bar-s***h nightclub. It wasn’t fancy, but it was huge and was the most popular place for nightlife in Mist Valley.

“What the hell is that?” The bartender demanded from across the room. He was a demon not much more powerful than me, but because he worked for tips, the bastard had a much higher quality of life than I did.

Axel gave a low growl in his direction.

I supposed that if I was attracted to extreme douchebags with red hair and a preference for p*****s, he would’ve been a threat to the buff, bronze god the wolf could transform into.

“A werewolf. We’re fated mates.” I patted Axel’s head in demonstration.

The bartender made a gagging noise.

I felt Axel’s body tense, and dropped to my knees, hugging the wolf tightly enough to trap him in place. “We’re adorable,” I called to the guy. “Shut up and focus on your booze if you don’t want your throat ripped out. Werewolves might not be popular, but they’ve got sharp teeth.”

He turned away, luckily, ignoring the hell out of me.

I remained on my knees, hugging the wolf until I was pretty sure that he wouldn’t murder the redheaded dude.

When I thought it was safe, I slowly released Axel.

He didn’t immediately attack anyone or anything, so I let out a relieved breath and stood up.

Crisis averted.

This was going to be a damn long night, though.

We didn’t see anyone else as we made our way through the building. Another breath of relief escaped me when I opened the door to my custodial closet and we stepped inside, away from the possibility of drama.

While I loaded the cart for the first tasks of my shift, I talked to the wolf.

“Look, I know you’re possessive, but you don’t need to worry about anyone here,” I told him. “None of them are interested in me. I might as well be dirt. Demons are one of the least popular types of mists, and I’m the least popular demon. No one spares me a second glance. When the bartender looked at me, he wasn’t seeing me. He was seeing you.”

The wolf grumbled at me in response, and I heaved a sigh.

This was getting us nowhere.

“If you attack anyone while I’m here, I’ll be homeless,” I told him bluntly.

His ears perked up at that.

I did not like the manner they did, either. That perkiness didn’t augur well for me.

“I can’t move to your house in Moon Ridge,” I added. “It’s not fireproof, and I can’t regulate my magic. I’d burn it down.”

He chuffed at me like he didn’t believe that.

I huffed back at him. “Seriously, Axel. This is my life, okay? I’ve worked extremely hard just to keep food on my damn table. If you attack anyone, this thing between us isn’t going to work out.”

In which case I’d probably need to give back his money.

Yikes.

Maybe I could convince him to let me keep half?