Mated To An Enemy

Axel stayed by her side for the two stays she slept.

Corrine was working with the other leaders to ensure that all of Winter’s needs were being met and that their allies were also safeguarded. She sent a report every few hours. He would take a look, respond to anything that needed his input and then immediately return to Alice.

He didn’t understand all that Alice and Peter had explained to him about the process of finding the cure. But he knew that she had suffered a great deal to be able to provide it.

They said it had to do with her genetics being primarily human, which somehow made her immune to the effects of the virus. But, the virus itself could be triggered by introducing another wolf’s blood or genetic material.

Peter had given her his blood to activate the virus and then overwhelmed it with iron.

Iron.

They should have suspected long ago that the wolves had a connection to the fae. The only weakness they still knew about from the ancient wars was a vulnerability to iron.

According to what he remembered of Peter’s words, overwhelming the virus allowed him to isolate it, and with a few experiments that Axel did not want the details about, he was able to find what Holden had boasted about.

The cure.

A way to teach the virus to attack itself instead of the host.

Peter could extract what he needed from Alice’s body; from there, he made whatever changes he needed to so that they could quickly give it to Myka.

Axel didn’t know what that meant. He didn’t care either. Myka was a nice guy, and he was precious to Alice. He wanted him to get better, but based on the mutations Myka was already showing, it seemed clear that any hope of a family for Axel and Alice was lost in saving him.

Axel could not lose her too.

He held her hand, pressing his forehead against it. He listened to the soft sounds of her heart and lungs. Reassurance that she was still with him.

The sound of the door opening slowly perked his ears. Axel didn’t want to move, but the scent in the air surprised him.

“Careful,� he heard Peter whisper.

Axel sat up slowly and lifted his gaze to the door. He saw Peter, his back, holding the door as he and the other person entered the room.

“I’m fine,� came a weak voice.

He was leaning heavily on Peter. His blue hair had lost most of its sheen and bounce while bedridden. Now there was even a soft green in it.

“You are not fine; you just woke up. You shouldn’t even be up right now.�

Myka took a deep breath and looked at his lover. Showing him his sincere wish through his eyes.

“Peter,� Myka sighed, “I need to see her.�

Peter paused, letting out an exasperated breath.

“I brought you all the way here already. It’s not like I was going to refuse to let you go the last few feet,� Peter huffed.

Myka smiled as they moved together into the room.

Axel watched them approach, but he didn’t get up or say a word. His feelings, at the moment, were complicated.

He was relieved to see that the cure had clearly worked on Myka, but glancing down at Alice, dulled the relief he felt.

Peter had done the right thing, and at her insistence. Axel knew better than anyone that there was no stopping her once she set her mind to something. But Axel struggled to look at Peter, knowing the pain that had flowed through her body, the closeness that she had felt to death.

Neither of them had predicted this sleep that she seemed to be trapped in.

“There has been no change,� Axel said gruffly in Peter’s direction.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it,� Peter said, “but that’s a good thing.�

Axel scoffed.

“Her numbers are great; she has almost healed completely from the iron exposure. That’s much quicker than we expected based on her previous health issues.�

“That’s because she has his wolf still,� Axel commented, tilting his chin toward Myka.

Peter furrowed his brow and then looked between Alice and Myka.

“How do you know?� he asked. “We assumed that once Myka was cured, their wolves would just... switch.�

Axel sniffed the air. The sweet chocolate danced through his nostrils, sending a painful jolt to his heart.

“He smells like her,� he said quietly.

Peter looked at Myka, he took a light whiff, but all he could smell was the same peppermint and honey scent that Myka always had.

“What do you mean? He smells the same as always.�

“I don’t,� Myka said softly. Looking at Peter with a smile. “It’s why I asked about her right away. I could smell her so strongly, as though she were beside me, but I didn’t see her. Then you told me she had been here for two days. So I knew I needed to see her.�

Myka moved closer to the bed, looking down at Alice’s sleeping face.

“Is she really, ok?� he asked.

“We won’t know for sure until she wakes up,� Peter replied honestly, “but I have no reason to believe otherwise.�

Myka sighed.

“What happened?� he asked, looking at Axel. “Peter told me she saved me, but he skipped over the details. So what did she do to end up like this? And why didn't you stop her?�

Myka growled at the end of his words.

Axel clenched his jaw and took a slow deep breath.

“Myka!� Peter hissed. “Don’t. Axel has nothing to do with what happened. Alice made her choice; she knew what she was risking.�

“For the record,� Axel growled. “I was opposed.�

Peter looked at Axel with surprise.

“Don’t get me wrong, Peter, I wanted him to get better. But Alice... has already given more than enough to save him.�

Peter swallowed and looked away.

“What does that mean?� Myka asked.

“Myka, we should get you back to bed,� Peter said quietly, trying to lead him back out of the room.

“No,� Myka said, looking at Axel again. “What did you mean by that?�

Axel took a long inhale and closed his eyes. He hadn’t meant to say anything. He knew Alice wanted to be the one to explain to Myka what she had done to keep him alive.

“Alpha Axel,� Myka called. “What did you mean when you said that Alice has already given more than enough to save me?�

“He’s... just,� came a soft, weak voice from the bed. “Pouting.�

“Alice!� Axel shouted, jumping from his chair and moving to her. “Alice, you’re awake!�

“Hard to sleep... with so many voices... talking about you...� she whispered, a slow, tired smile spreading over her lips.

Axel laughed and kissed her. A gentle peck, followed by three more.

“Ok, ok, Romeo, let the doctor through, please,� Peter called, pushing Axel back to check on Alice.

Once he was satisfied that all of her functions were normal and there was no cause for alarm, Peter stepped out of the way to allow Axel back to her side.

Myka allowed himself to be led away as he saw the relief and joy on Axel’s face. It was like the expression that Peter had when Myka had woken up.

Knowing that she was ok, it was enough for now. Peter took Myka back to his room and helped him to bed before he left to run a few tests on Alice.

About an hour later, Peter returned with a big smile.

“How’s Alice? Can I go see her?� Myka asked.

Peter laughed.

“The two of you....� he sighed.

Peter turned to the door and waved his arm. A moment later, a bed was wheeled into the room, with Alice on top.

“Hey, Roomie,� she smiled.

“What?� Myka asked with a laugh.

“Peter and I realized that the two of you, regardless of your own health needs, will continue to try and rush out of bed to check on each other,� Axel stated with a soft growl in Alice’s direction. "So, for tonight only, you will share this room.�

Axel stepped forward. He leaned down to Alice, kissing her forehead.

“I’m not far,� he whispered. “If you need me, just send word, and I will come immediately.�

Alice nodded.

​ “Thank you for understanding,â€� she smiled.

“As long as you understand that after this, I am in charge of your life-or-death decisions,� Axel grumbled.

Alice laughed.

“Actually, I think I am retiring from the ‘save and sacrifice’ business altogether,� she said.

“That seems like an excellent plan,� Axel smiled, kissing her softly. “Remember, I will come running. Just send word.�

“Ok,� she whispered.

Axel gave her one last kiss before he pulled away and reluctantly left the room.

With a similar goodbye from Peter, Myka began to feel nervous about what Alice wanted to talk about.

“So...� Myka said. “Guessing I need to sit down for this?�

Alice smiled.

“Myka, before I tell you anything, I want you to know that I did what I wanted to do, and I don’t regret it.�

Myka felt a heaviness in his stomach and a lump in his throat.

“This isn’t going to be good, is it?� he asked.

“It’s... life,� Alice sighed.

They talked through the events of the week Myka had been infected. Alice told him about the mutations, the virus, the cure, and eventually the Priestess.

Myka was devastated to learn about the cost of prolonging his life.

Alice did her best to reassure him that she had made a choice and that he had no part in the blame.

They both cried, they both laughed, and in the end, they were both exhausted. Then, finally, they fell asleep, agreeing to talk more in the morning.

Myka and Alice had long drifted into their dreams as an old woman stood at the end of their beds, looking down at them with a warm smile.

She whispered words in an ancient language, and her hands glowed with a soft green light. Then, in their beds, Myka and Alice gasped as their energies were righted, and their wolves returned to their rightful place.

Talis stepped forward between them. First, she looked carefully at Myka. The last of her line. She reached out, touching her hand gently to his cheek. A soft smile formed on his lips.

“I hope you will lead a life of freedom and joy,� she whispered. “But most of all, I hope you will not let the darkness of the past hold you back from the light that surrounds you now.�

She pulled her hand away and kissed him before turning her attention to Alice. Talis reached for Alice’s cheek but stopped short of touching her.

“The lotus has its roots firmly in the mud and muck,� she whispered. “Every night, it is pulled down into the cold dark waters, yet, every morning, it blooms, fresh and clean. That is you, Alice, the last bloom of Spring.�

Talis moved her hand above Alice’s body, a soft green glow passing between them.

“Life was unkind to you, dear girl,� Talis whispered as the glow brightened. “And now, you are owed that kindness.�

Talis smiled as the light grew blinding.

Alice woke with a sharp pain low in her abdomen. She looked around the room, and she saw a sparkling green mist all around her fading away.

Her eyes were drawn downwards to a confusing sight. She furrowed her brows as she recognized a lotus sitting on her lap.

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