<b>Chapter </b>80


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    “Touch his heart,” Kross continued, his jaw clenched. He didn’t want me to do this, I could tell, but it was for Axel. “Your will has to reach him through that bond. But if he turns-”


    “He won’t,” I whispered, already turning towards him.


    “Be careful. Rose,” Kade said, his voice gentle. “Axel would never forgive himself if he hurt you.”


    I nodded without facing him, taking a deep breath. I stood still and just faced Axel, telling myself over and over again that he wouldn’t hurt me.


    Then I took a step towards him. As soon as I did, Axel’s head snapped in my direction. He growled, snarling at me as those eyes watched me. The look in them was wild and feral, yet underneath… there was pain.


    I felt his pain like it was mine. I felt it burn through to me.


    Axel snapped his jaw at me as I stepped closer, and I flinched back, my heart hammering against my ribcage. I stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. I needed courage if I was going to do this.


    “Axel,” I called softly, taking a slow step towards him. He paused briefly, his head tilted for a second as he blinked at me, but that onlysted for a second before he went back to snapping and trying to reach for me with his ws and teeth. “Axel, I know you can hear me. You can recognize my voice. It’s Rosette. It’s me, Axel.”


    I took another slow step and his thrashing just increased, but I didn’t stop.


    “I know I shouldn’t be here, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to know what you were, and now that I do… honestly, I don’t know how I feel yet. I think my brain is pushing back the realization so I can deal with this. I’m sure it’ll hit meter, but at least you’ll be there to exin everything to me. I wouldn’t have to do it alone.”


    I took two steps and I was <i>close </i>to him. This time, when he reached for me again, he got me.


    Just a single one of his ws passed through my arm, slicing it open and drawing blood.


    “Rosette!” the brothers shouted, already moving towards me, but I turned to them, shaking my head.


    “It’s okay,” I said with a small smile. “I’m okay. It’s just a small scratch, I’ll be okay.”


    It wasn’t a small scratch; it was furiously bleeding, and shed from my shoulder down to my elbow. The brothers stayed back, their jaws clenched and I turned back to Axel.


    He had stopped moving, going still as he looked at the wound and back to me, and I saw more of Axel in those eyes.


    “It’s okay,” I said to him. “It wasn’t your fault.”


    I took a step towards him and he took one back, whining. I covered the wound with my hand to stop the bleeding, but that was useless considering how long it was.


    <b>9:15 </b>Mon<b>, </b>Sep 15 ..


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    He continued stepping back while I stepped forward until he hit the wall and there was nowhere to run.


    “See<b>?</b><b>” </b>I said softly, stopping in front of him and looking up so I could continue to look into those eyes, and the more I looked, the more his soul became less confusing for me. “Even in this state, you can acknowledge that you’ve hurt me. That means you’re still there. You’re on the edge, so listen, Axel.”


    I took another step until I was touching his soft fur with my bloodied hand. I stroked his big arm, and he still didn’t move, just watched me. I hugged him as best as I could, my eyes suddenly burning.


    “I can finally understand your soul,” I cried, rubbing my face on his fur and he whined, finally shifting. “I can finally understand it, Axel, and I see so much love. So much that it’s overwhelming, and I love it so much. How was I so stupid not to understand it?”


    I pulled away from the hug, cing my hand on his chest where I could feel his heartbeat, and looking up at his eyes that looked more human with every passing second.


    “You don’t need to fight alone anymore,” I whispered, my tears silently dropping. “You don’t need to be in so much pain anymore. You need an anchor, right? Let me be it. Let me be your anchor and so much more.”


    I stroked the fur beneath his chest, still looking into his eyes. Axel leaned in slowly, very slowly, his tongueing out and licking the tears off my face, just like the human Axel kisses my tears away. That only made me cry harder, a sob bursting out of me and Axel whined, licking the tears as they fell.


    “Come back to me,” I cried, hugging him again. “Use me as a bridge ande back. You don’t need to fight the beast anymore. You both can now coexist peacefully. Because you have me now, Axel. Let me be your tether.”


    “I choose you,” I whispered, hugging him tighter and willing every ounce of love I had into that hug. “Man or beast, I choose you.”


    He roared, his big body shaking, but I still didn’t let go of him. His chest shuddered beneath my hand and I felt his heartbeat pick up. It became a mess, racing faster than what was considered normal.


    The chains rattled once more, but this time not from rage. His entire body shook, and the floor shook with him. His shaking stopped, and in the trembling silence that followed, I felt it–like a thread of fire twining from his heart into mine, burning, binding.


    A tether.


    I could feel him… feel his emotions, both beast and man, and it was… a damn mess. But that filled me with relief so great, my knees gave out and I crashed to the floor.


    “You did it,” Kade whispered, but all I could do was nod.


    I heard something snap, and a low groan, and when I raised my head again, I no longer saw the beast, but the man. A sob burst out of me as I lunged into his arms.


    …


    9:15 Mon, Sep 15 ..