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    “Axel!” I cried as I flew forward. He caught me, going down on his knees with me in his arms. “Oh, God! Axel!”


    “My rose,” he whispered, kissing my hair repeatedly, his voice shaking. “My sweet rose.”


    I sobbed into his arms, my face buried in his chest, my body shaking as I repeated, “Axel!”


    He was here, holding me in his arms in his human form, and even though there wasn’t any window here, I knew the moon was still out.


    I did it. We did it. We were tethered.


    I pulled away from his chest and cupped his face, blinking my tears away so I could see clearly.


    His hair was glued to his face, said face was wet with tears, his eyes soft as he leaned down and kissed my tears, his naked body shaking.


    “Rosette,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “My sweetheart. I don’t know what to say.”


    I kissed his face, his cheeks, his nose, his eyes. I kissed everywhere and just held him.


    “Don’t say anything,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “You’re here with me. That’s all that matters.”


    He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight, but I winced when he pressed my wound. He went still, pulling away, and his eyes found the wound that was still bleeding. They went wide, his hands shaking as they reached for my hand and held it gently.


    “I did this,” he whispered.


    “The beast did this, Axel. Not you.”


    He shook his head. “We’re one and the same.”


    “Look at me.” It took some time but he finally managed to peel his eyes away from the wound and looked at me, his eyes filled with guilt and pain. I cupped the side of his face, caressing his cheekbone with my thumb. “Be here with me. This wound doesn’t matter. This moment between us is all that does.”


    He watched me, his eyes moving. He reached out slowly and cupped my face, and I leaned into his touch, rubbing my cheek on his palm. “You’re my tether.”


    I smiled softly. “I am.”


    “My lover and my tether. What else could I ever ask for?”


    He kissed me, gently and slowly and I melted into his kiss. His mouth trembled against mine, but he still kissed me, his chest heaving heavily beneath my hand.


    He broke the kiss and hugged me, cing his chin on top of my head.


    9:15 Mon, Sep 15 <b>J </b>


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    “Hey,” he said softly, and I knew he was talking to his brothers.


    “You have a tether,” Kade whispered, his voice sounding choked.


    “I do.” Axel responded, rubbing his face on my hair and my hands tightened around him.


    “Let’s go for a run, little bro,” Kross said, his voice light. “The moon’s still out.”


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    Axel was silent for a while, but then he pulled away, holding my shoulders and looking at me. He was…. smiling. So big and wide, that I couldn’t help but smile back.


    “Go on a run with me,” he said, his voice sounding breathless.


    I blinked at him. “Right now?”


    He nodded. “Right now. But first, let’s take care of your wound.”


    <b>*** </b>


    AXEL


    My paws pounded into the earth as I ran, digging up dirt and vibrating. My brothers ran on each of my sides, howling as we moved. Rosette was on my back, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as she held me like her life depended on it.


    She was scared, but the thrill she was getting was greater than the fear.


    This was the first time since I shifted that I could run under the moon with my brothers. Ever since I shifted, I <b>was </b>always in a cage or chained up. I’ve never been able to coexist with the beast.


    For so long I thought the beast and I were enemies, locked in an endless war, but now I realized… he was quiet. Not gone, just<b>… </b>content.


    Because of her; this beautiful woman was gripping my neck so hard it felt like she was going to strangle me.


    She had given me her love, but now she’s also given me something greater. A gift I never could have dared ask for.


    I thought my love for her could never grow higher than it already was, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Right now my love for her was overflowing at the very top, aching for relief.


    I needed that relief now before my chest would explode from the storm of emotions.


    I slowed, my paws skidding slightly on the damp earth as I came to a stop in a clearing where the moon spilled silver light across the ground. My brothers kept running. They understood I needed this, and they were giving me privacy.


    Rosette slid off my back carefully, her legs shaking, her hands still clinging to me until her feet were on the ground. She looked up to me, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining brighter than the moon above. Shining bright with love, love… for me.


    9:15 Mon, Sep 15


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    She patted my neck and my wolf purred, leaning in and licking her face.


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    “Ew,” she said, but she wasughing, the sound going straight to my heart and storing itself among the others.


    I shifted back suddenly and she gasped, stepping back, her wide.


    <b>eyes </b>


    “Whoa,” she eximed, her eyes wide. “I think that’s going to take some time getting used to.”


    I grinned, stepping in and wrapping my arms around her waist, the night air chilled against my naked flesh. “You’ll get used to it.”


    “<i>I </i>will.”


    “I have never been able to shift that easily,” <b>I </b>whispered, my eyes hot on hers, my voice breaking. “Never.”


    She smiled softly, tenderly. “Well, now you can.”


    “I don’t deserve you, Rosette. I don’t deserve your love.”


    She wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing herself to me. “And why don’t you, Axel?” She didn’t let me answer before she continued. “You deserve it all, and I’ll keep telling you until it sticks. Shut that voice up in your head telling you otherwise<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    The storm in my chest could no longer be contained. With a shuddering breath, I kissed her, harder, desperate.


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