Bexleigh and the Beast

Chapter 2

Bexleigh POV

I started my day with a bad attitude and a cup of coffee. After Jenson left I got a total of an hour of sleep. On one hand I wanted so bad to feel all the feelings we once had, on the other I was thrilled I was able to move on. He was a good guy, and despite my feelings I still harbor from the past I think we could probably both benefit from some closure.

I had to run into town to help with my first job and cover a few patients for an old friend today, instead of sitting around thinking about Jenson I texted her to figure out where to meet her to get report on the patients I would be visiting today. Daphne is one of Jules friends from before her and dad got married and was around a lot and Jules would go on weekend vacations with her no one else was allowed to go on. Dad always seemed fine with it. Apparently one of her family members was sick and they were trying to line up some sort of end of life care for them and she was the only one able to do it. It was easy to say yes to her though she was awesome, she basically bleed grace though.

I pulled up to the coffee shop she wanted to meet at today walked in and spotted her right away, this women was beautiful, she kind of looked like Jules a little with dark black hair and bright blue eyes, Jules eyes were some wild green color was the difference. Both of them were beautiful women.

Almost as quick as I found Daphne she stood up and I walked over to her, she outstretched her arms and brought me in for a hug. She had motherly hugs down to a science. "You look tired baby girl," she said grabbing me by my shoulders and pushing me away to examine me better.

"It was just a long night," I responded.

"Care to talk about it."

"Do I ever," I asked giving her a grin.

"No you'll figure it out you always do, but it may help to discuss it."

"I'm good, so how is your family member doing."

"Oh, Uncle Paul is doing okay he just is at his end of life and in our family we do things a little different with end of life care, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to take a few days off to help everyone learn."

"How's everyone taking it?"

"Peacefully, we all know these days come for all of us," she said so matter of factly, "and we are lucky he made it to old age it's a blessing."

It was hard to argue with that logic, but it made me think of my mom who was gone long before her time. "Anyway," shaking my head and taking a sip of the coffee she had ordered me. "What am I getting into today." "Just your typical patients, sort meds for the weekend, ask them the questions and you will be on your way," she said, "one of them has a dog," she added with an eye roll, "he is an ass hat." She never liked house dogs always overly excited about wild dogs though. Jules was too.

I chuckled at her response as she gave me the dirty details of the rest of the day, and we caught up about life. From the way she talked to the way she held her cup of coffee she was so graceful, it made me hyper-aware of every move. "I really appreciate you helping me out Bex. It means a lot to my family."

"I always got your back Daph," I said with a smile. "I better get going though, if you need anything else. Please give me a call I would be happy to help where I can."

"Of course you would because you are such a sweet girl."

We both slapped some money down on the table for tip and walked out of the cafe, laughing at her story about her and Jules when they were kids. We gave each other one more quick hug and walked to our separate vehicles. She gave a small wave before backing out of the parking space and onto the road. I checked my phone to see no missed calls and no messages, I was kind of glad Jenson didn't text me, I wasn't sure I was ready to tell him it wasn't going to work yet. And drove to my first patients house.

Daphne's POV

It was always so hard to give Bexleigh half truths, she was a beautiful girl inside in out. But I just couldn't let our secret out I am not sure how she would react knowing about werewolves, and if she knew her own step mom was one she would undoubtedly lose her mind. Also she wouldn't tell anyone she was losing her mind, she would just let it break her, or whatever adverse effect having a werewolf for a step mom might be. That by far was her worst trait. She made jokes to cover her pain and it made me sad. I had always had a connection to her, I remember the first time I met her I went to pick up Jules to take her home to let her wolf out and she walked right up to me and grabbed my pant leg and wouldn't let me go until I told her where I was taking her new friend. "just camping sweetie," I laughed at the memory. Then every time after that she asked to go until she started hanging out with that Jenson boy. He treated her well and she would have made a perfect wife for him. Shame he was to stupid to see how special she is. My wolf, Avena, said. Even Avena knows how special she is.

I pulled into the drive at the pack house and directed my car toward the pack hospital. I put my vehicle in park and walked inside Alpha Paul's room, I started checking the machines and writing down vitals. As his wife came in the room looking sullen. "Is today the day," Luna Alana asked grabbing my hand.

I don't know Luna everything has been a steady decrease, it just depends when he wants to give up."

"Please don't call me Luna I passed that title on many, many years ago. That title now belongs to my daughter in law."

"You will always be a Luna."

" And you will always be my Beta female she said releasing my hand and brushing my check with her fingers. We shared weak smiles with each other. As I continued to change his IV bag and shift his body, in attempt to make him more comfortable, his grandson, Axel came in. I looked up at him in hopes of giving him a smile to reassure him I was here in these sad time but he just stopped in the middle of the doorway and sniffed the air. I started looking around frantically trying to spot our future Luna, but there was no one else in the room, nor did I think there were any unmated females working today. His eyes scanned the room before walking over to me. "You were with her, I smell her on you" he said very quietly but also very matter of factly. I thought back to all the places I had been but the only person I had came in contact with was Bexleigh. Oh my goddess. Bexleigh. It was hard not to show any excitement over this she would be the perfect Luna! "She is human," he said half a statement half a question.

"She is Jules step daughter." Would he reject her because she is human? My eyes started to feel the pressure of tears behind them, but I just blinked them away quickly. Would she feel the mate bond? Would he break her heart if he rejected her without getting to know her?

"Bring her to me, now."

"I am afraid she is covering my patients at the home health so I can be here," do I reject a command from the Alpha? What will happen if I do? He won't hurt her right? He is gentle but I heard about Alphas killing their human mates to get a second chance mate that's a wolf.

"I need her as soon as possible." He looked at his grandpa lying in bed and then nodded his head at his grandma and walked away. I looked at Alana wondering what she was thinking knowing that when she processed it all she would say exactly how she was feeling. There was never any doubts with Alana and that is what made her such a perfect Luna.

"Tell me about this girl," Alana said.

"Well her name is Bexleigh Armstrong she is beautiful and kind. Passionate and driven. She is a truly lovely girl, she is a trauma nurse and working on getting her Paramedic. Her mother died when she was little, about 4 I think? After Jules mate died she met her dad, Anderson, and they just agreed to marry. She has a twin brother Braxton and a little sister Hannah. What else do you want to know?"

"Does she know of our kind?"

"I am almost certain she does not."

"If it comes to it would she make a good Luna?"

"I believe she would, do you think Axel will reject her?"

Alana looked past me in thought then her eyes got sad. "Paul would be the perfect person to talk to him about this. I was a human when he met me, he turned me, I guess not many people know that because no one really met me until I was already changed. I wanted it as soon as I knew. It was my destiny."

Would Bexleigh even want to be a wolf if he didn't reject her on the spot? "Oh, one more thing, there may be a human boy she's involved with. That may complicate things."

Alana rolled her eyes. "I doubt it. She will feel a connection to him almost immediately. She won't be able to explain it but she will just feel drawn to him."

I'm going to have to to call Jules and see if she will help with delivering an explanatiin to Bex.

Axel's POV

I have been looking high and low for my mate. I have crossed the country not understanding why I couldn't find her. Pack after pack I have looked for her. City after city and this girl was in the same place as me. I will love her, human or not, I want this girl. She smelled like a whole damn field full of wild flowers. I didn't even ask her name. "Stupid." My wolf Blaze said in my head. "Why didn't you ask about my mate."

"Were you expecting to find her today" I thought back to him. I rolled my eyes. He's such a d**k. I should go back and ask Daphne about her. I need to know more. I want to know it all. I need to know it all. Will she love me like I love her? Will the pack accept her? That's also a big deal. I will make them love her. What if she is a b***h, I can't make them love a b***h. The girl dad was trying to make me mate with, she was a b***h, her wolf was a b***h too, scroungy mutt if you ask me, my wolf interjected.

"Can you love her without a wolf,"

"I could love her with out a wolf, but you should talk to your Grandmother."

"Why," I asked him while kicking my feet up on my desk.

"Just ask her."

Wolves know everything and always talk in riddles couldn't he just tell me what I was getting into before I grilled my grandma about anything.

So instead I just mind linked grandma, hey grams when you get a minute can you come talk to me, I have a few things I want to ask you. Not even 5 seconds later the door cracked open with a small knock, knock noise, then opened the rest of the way. "I was already on my way up, when you messaged me I guess I have a few things to talk to you about," she seemed a little off but also her mate was on his death bed. Maybe I don't want a mate because if she is a human that means she will be like a glass cup in an earthquake. Blaze dropped his two sense in that's what we are for, i***t. We protect mate. Mate is ours we keep her safe.

"I was a human before your grandfather transformed me. We never told anyone because we mated basically the same day we met. She will feel an attraction to you it's not the same as you would feel for her but it's pretty strong. If you want Daphne volunteered to talk to her and we can inform her step mother of the situation to. We can help with the basics all we need I'd your go ahead."

"I need to see her. I want to match her face with that scent. I will decide after that the approach."

"Very well, Daphne said she texted her and asked for her help with your grandfather for an hour. They are going to assist Dr. Walker in attempting to wake him up. Just long enough to say goodbye, he is declining by the day, this might be the last window to try this."

Great she is going to have her first memory of me on one of my worst days. I guess that only leaves room for it to get better. How can you love someone and not even know what they look like?

Bexleigh POV

The GPS directed me left out of the last patients home and then and immediately right on some township road. According to the GPS it was only about a 20 minute drive. I did love the views though. Trees were budding grass was green flowers were starting to pop up on the sides of banks. This was my favorite time of year. Everything that was once brown and muddy was reforming into something beautiful. It helped that its was a particularly warm day, it will be snowing by next week I thought to myself. The black top turned into gravel and I was watching as the trees became thicker. I started asending up a hill I was basically driving on a moderately maintained ATV trail now. the GPS told me to turn again as the road ended, as I turned I noticed that the road was black top again. I drove up to a gate that had two or three grumpy looking men standing there. The biggest and meanest looking came up to the truck, "Name?"

"Bexleigh Armstrong," if this dude wanted to crush me with just his hands he certainly would be able to. His eyes started to go dark, "Um I am here to help a Daphne Collins with a patient," I said quickly. Dear Jesus please don't hurt me I thought leaning to the passenger side to give me a little more distance between him and myself.

"You can pass, just keep going strait to the big house there should be someone waiting for you to bring you to Daphne," he said then he walked away opening the big black gate. I drove through realizing I stopped breathing for a a minute. "Jesus take the wheel," I said under my breath. The view before me was breath taking at least 50 immaculate houses lined the road on each side all leading up to the most beautiful, also largest houses I have ever seen. It had a garden that lined the whole front of the house and a fountain that would be surrounded in flowers once they bloomed. I pulled up to the front door and pulled up the a little further. There was another giant man standing there, he didn't look quite as mean though. I could make this one laugh if I came up with a good joke the other one I feel would just murder me.

He came up to my truck door and opened it for me, "Bexleigh?"

"Yes."

"I'm Jack, Please come with me," atleast this one had some manners. I got out of the truck throwing the keys through the open window on the dash. "Big truck for such a little lady," he joked. I smiled, I knew this one wasn't as mean, but at the point I did realize I barely came to his chest.

"It is kinda big, but it serves its purpose." It was a big truck but it did literally whatever I needed it to do. Haul horses, done. Get somewhere fast, you bet. It was my dream truck. We walked around the giant home to a one story add on and he held the door open for me. "Thanks," I said as I walked in the door. This part looked like a tiny hospital very clean, very white and bright. I followed Jack past what looked like a nurses station with a few middle aged women doing work, they looked up at me then at each other knowingly, then nodded their heads with a smile. we walked down another hallway with a "Private" sign hanging above the door and he knocked twice. The door opened almost immediately, "Daphne," I felt immediate relief wash over me as I ran into her open arms for the second time today.

"Did that cheeky little puppy give you any issues?"

"He was cheeky, but he loved me from the moment I walked in. Mrs. Monte did say she expects you bright and early Tuesday, she doesn't like change."

"As expected," she scoffed. "Bexleigh this is Alana Ross, her husband Paul Ross he is the patient," she said motioning toward the bed, "Doctor Walker will be in shortly, and this," she said pointing over to a handsome man in the corner, "This is Axel Ross, he is their grandson," she said gesturing her head toward Paul and Alana. The room suddenly was full of silence. Axel didn't take his eyes off of me his large arms crossed over his chest tightly. He was so handsome! dark Blonde, styled hair ice blue eyes. Blue jeans and a shirt spread tightly accessed his well defined chest and abdomen. Large hands, s**t, large all of it. We held eye contact for what felt like 3 hours. When I heard Daphne clear her throat, I shook my head and looked at her blinking rapidly for a second. "Dr. Walker" she said pointing behind me when I turned around I noticed Jack left and another man had taken his place. I took one last look at the handsome man standing in the corner, his eyes were dark, dark, blue now. Almost black. Weird.

I turned around completely and held my hand out to the doctor, "Hello Dr. Wallace, my name is Bexleigh," he took my hand and shook it and covered it with his other hand, "nice to meet you Miss Bexleigh, here is a little of his report," he said handing me a piece of paper, Allergies and what not," I took the paper, "literally the bare minimum of what you need to know to help us out. We are going to halt his IV meds to try to bring him out of his coma and speak to his family one last time. We will let them in, 3 people at the time but Alana will not leave unless she wants to so 4 visitors only. We do not want to overwelm him. This man is very special to a lot of people Daphne will be in charge but if for some reason during this you need to take charge everyone who is coming in is informed your word is law. Any questions?"

"Just when are we going to do this?"

"In about and hour or so, give the family time to get here and you time to acquaint yourself with the patient." I nodded my head.

"Might I suggest everyone go get a drink some lunch and whatever you need as this may be your last chance to freshen up before we wake him," he said looking at the other three people in the room. Then he walked out the door. I turned around back to Daphne fighting the urge to stare at Axel even though I am pretty sure he was still staring at me.

"Alana, Axel, why don't you guys go get something to eat, I need to go over a few things with Bexleigh," I heard a small growl from the corner of the room and looked over to see a displeased Axel. "Just for a little bit honey, we will be back," Alana said."

I looked at Axel, he is so handsome I thought. s**t. Get it together Bexleigh Grace. I watched as Axel walked to the door. I wanted to chase him down. I wanted to touch him. He turned around at the door looking directly in my eyes, "I will be back very shortly." Then he wrapped his arm around his grandmother, pulled her close to his side and shut the door.

I suddenly felt my heart drop and the room drop about 10 degrees, come back I thought. Again, get it together Bexleigh. I turned around to Daphne who had a knowing smirk on her face. "Can I help clean him up? Give him a shave? Wash his face? Maybe if he has one he would be more comfortable in a shirt?"

"Um yeah I will get the supplies," Daphne said looking a little shocked by my request, followed by a big smile, "You are so caring dear, the family is going to love that. And you," she said with a wink and then walked out the door.

I walked over to the hospital bed, "hi Mr. Ross, my name is Bexleigh, me and Daphne are going to start getting you cleaned up then hopefully the doctor can wake you up to say hi to your family." I grabbed his hand, "You know I bet your wife will be so happy to hear your voice. She is so beautiful, I bet you picked the prettiest girl around. She loves you. Your grandson loves you too." I love him, wait Bex, stop it, I thought. "They are the only ones I met but I heard a lot of people are incredibly anxious to talk to you, I will be happy to meet you too!" Daphne walked back in with an armful of items. I grabbed the towels and a basin out of her hand. And walked into the bathroom to fill it up with warm water. I walked backnover to his bed and wiped his face and started shaking him.

"Bexleigh," Daphne said, "Thanks again for your help."

"Absolutely no problem," we worked in silence after that. We worked in near synchronization while taking care of him. When we were done he just looked like he was taking a nap. I was making notes on the paper the doctor gave me when all at once the door clicked and the heat that had left the room when Axel left, came back. The heat and it felt like a dozen butterflies were fluttering their wings in my chest. I just stared at the beautiful man in the doorway, he had a little hint of sand blonde facial hair that indicated he hasn't shaved his face in a few days, his lips rosy and plump, I want them on me, I thought as I bent down to get my pen I had dropped when the door opened, he also at the same time reached to pick it up putting his hand on mine. The feelings that flew through my whole body made me feel light headed. I stood up quickly forgetting the pen and just stared at him inches from me I was looking up into his blue eyes as he was looking down into mine. He put his arm around my waist with a deep animalistic growl in his chest, another growl I thought. I quickly forgot about that though because with the feelings I felt again through my whole body when he put his arm around my waist. I heard a throaty chuckle from behind me. Daphne. I quickly tried pulling myself back together. Shaking my head and moving to walk away, I wasn't going anywhere though, I looked back up to the arms that were restricting me watching his eyes turn to that dark color again, I was intrigued. How could this man make feel so pulled to him, we haven't even exchanged words yet. Another noise of someone clearing their throat however pulled both me and Axel out of our trance and he let go. No come back. When Axel moved I seen a man walk in seeping authority I could barely make eye contact. The woman who walk in beside him was so beautiful she had a a grin plasterd on her face as she looked between me and Axel. It was his parents, it had to be, the combined physical attributes from them equaled perfectly into this beautiful man standing now beside me. "Well hello, you must be Bexleigh, I've heard a lot about you today, I am Morgan and this guy beside me is my husband Asher. We are Axel's parents." I moved forward to shake their hands but Morgan pulled me into a hug. "We hug around here doll." When she released me after a few seconds I gauged her husband to see what he was going to do and his stern look suddenly turned into a smile as he also pulled me into a hug.

When he released me after a few seconds I took a step back and smiled, "nice to meet you guys!"

Morgan looked at her husband with a big smile and then back at me before saying, "No the pleasure is all mine!"

"Bexleigh if you want to grab a drink I am sure Axel can show you where to find something coffee's free, Daphne smiled then bent down to successfully pick my pen off the floor. Before I could actually agree to go Axel grabbed my hand and pulled me with him Daphne called out the door, "only about 10 minutes then we need her back!"

He shut the door I looked around across the sitting room down the hallway from the private room had about 20 people sitting

in the room I watched as the conversations slowly stopped and before I knew it those 20 eyes were staring at Axel and I felt my cheeks starting to warm up. "Don't worry they just wish they had a beautiful girl holding their hand too." His voice was enough to make me fling him against the wall and kiss him, everything about this man shown to be perfect. I should not feel like this. Am I rebounding? People don't feel this way for a rebounding. What is going on?