Chapter 8 – Ajax

• Alexander walked through the doors and into the crowded school hallway, flanked by Logan, Carmine and Andromeda’s brothers, Peter, and Michael. As they entered the school, he couldn't help but notice the excited atmosphere, and he knew it was because of his presence. Being the future Alpha King, he was used to receiving attention and respect wherever he went. Dean Hawthorne asked him to come to the school as soon as he could because he had an urgent matter to discuss and didn’t want to burden the king.
• Amid the cheers and claps, his mind couldn't help but drift to Andromeda, the one person who should have been by his side during this momentous return to Calir Prep. He felt her anxious energy even before he caught sight of her, and his heart sank at the realization of her distress. He desperately wanted to reach out to her, to offer comfort and reassurance, but something held him back. Especially after what Linus said, he wasn’t ready to face her. He didn’t know how.
• ‘Mate!’ His wolf Ajax exclaimed.
• ‘I know. But I’m not ready.’ Alexander responded.
• ‘Doesn’t matter if you’re ready. Our mate is hurt and it’s because of you!’ Ajax growled.
• ‘I know that!’ He internally screamed. ‘I’m not an idiot, I can feel her pain.’
• ‘You are an idiot Alex and if we lose our mate because of your selfishness and stupidity, you will deal with me.’ Ajax growled before retreating.
• He tried connecting with his wolf again, but he knew it was a lost cause. Ajax has been angry with him since he stopped talking to Andromeda and rarely wants to talk to him. Yet another relationship he has to fix now that he is home.
• Soon a familiar scent approached him quickly, and he knew exactly who it was.
• Alexander smiled warmly, embracing his sister. “There is my Faye-vorite sister. I missed you!”
• “Oh, how I missed you, brother!” She exclaimed as she got lost in his jacket, smothered in his embrace. “You look so handsome!”
• He loved his siblings dearly, but he couldn't ignore the ache in his heart caused by the distance that had grown between him and Andromeda. He had thought it was for the best, to protect her from the burden of their destiny, but now he wondered if he had made a mistake. Alexander had both dreamed and dreaded this moment when he would see her again. And then there she was.
• As they walked down the hall, he felt Andromeda's gaze on him, and it took all his self-control not to turn and look at her. He knew she deserved answers, but he couldn't find the right words to explain why he had been distant and aloof, even to her. Ajax howled and tried to push forward, trying desperately to reach her but Alexander was stronger.
• Verona and Kallie walked with them, and he noticed their snickering and the way they seemed to enjoy Andromeda's discomfort. He met them briefly once when they came to a dorm party at the Alpha School. He didn’t know either of them very well, but Logan and Carmine didn’t have any trouble getting them in bed if memory serves right. He assumed they were there for them, not him. It bothered him to see them treat his fated mate with such disrespect, but he couldn't intervene without revealing their bond. He vowed to deal with them both later.
• As they passed Andromeda, their eyes briefly met, his inner wolf whimpering at the sight of her, he felt a pang of guilt and sorrow. Looking away quickly, he kept walking towards the dean’s office. He wanted to reach out to her, to take her in his arms and tell her how sorry he was for shutting her out. But he couldn’t. Deep down, he knew he couldn't keep avoiding Andromeda forever. He had always believed in destiny and fate, but now he questioned if he was strong enough to embrace it.
• Alexander has known that Andromeda was his fated mate since he was twelve years old, and Andromeda was eight. It was the day that he got his lycan, Ajax.
• (Alexander’s Memory)
• It was another fun filled day of adventure at the palace with Alexander, Peter, and Michael. They spent most of the day building forts, playing at the river, and sparring. Mostly trying to avoid the girls, Andromeda, and Faye. Andromeda always wanted to be one of the boys and Faye was just being Faye.
• After an afternoon of sword fighting with sticks they found in the forest, they decided to play one last game of hide-and-seek and include Andromeda since they felt bad for ignoring her all day. The sun was already set, and the moon appeared in the clear night sky. The air was crisp and there was a small breeze, first signs that summer was coming to an end.
• After deciding Peter was going to be the seeker, Alexander, Faye, Michael, and Andromeda ran into the forest and hid. Palace patrols smiled at the kids as they picked their hiding spots and begged them not to pay attention to them. Of course, they acted like no one was there, and went along with their business.
• Alexander had the perfect hiding spot. Behind one of the larger bushes next to the riverbank. He crouched down and waited patiently for Peter to count to twenty. As the moonlight cast its glow across the forest and the river, Alexander felt a surge of power coursing through his veins suddenly. Frightened of what it could it be, he stood up and was about to run to the castle when he felt sharp pains in his bones. That’s when he knew this night was special. It marked the moment he would finally shift into his lycan form, becoming one with the wolf within him. Excitement and apprehension mingled within him, his heart pounding in his chest as he felt the first tingling sensation of transformation. The ground beneath his feet trembled as his bones shifted and broke, forcing him to drop to his knees, bracing himself for the inevitable change.
• Wincing in pain, he fell to the ground with a rush of emotions flooding him as he felt his body contort and reshape. A mix of exhilaration, awe, and a hint of fear washed over him. It was the moment he waited for, the connection to his wolf. The moonlight seemed to glow brighter as it bathed him in a silvery glow, and his senses heightened. He could hear the whispers of the night, the rustle of leaves, and the distant howls of other lycans. He could hear the scurrying of the forest animals as they ran away from him.
• With a final surge of energy, Alexander's transformation was complete. He stood tall, now a magnificent lycan, his fur a jet-black like his hair, and his eyes a piercing shade of ocean blue. He felt a newfound sense of freedom and power coursing through him, as if he had tapped into a well of untapped potential. Alexander’s lycan, now known as Ajax, let out a triumphant howl, celebrating his new form and embracing his transformation. He felt a deep connection to his kingdom and to the werewolf realm, knowing that he was now a part of something much larger than himself.
• ‘Wow, that was painful!’ Alexander said to himself.
• ‘Your first shift is always the one that hurts the most. It’ll get easier.’
• ‘Who said that?’ Alexander exclaimed.
• ‘I did silly. My name is Ajax’ the lycan responded.
• ‘You can talk?’
• ‘Only to you. We are going to be together for a long time Alex.’
• As he stood in the moonlight, taking in all the different sights and smells, he caught one particular scent that he could not ignore. It was a faint scent of jasmine and strawberries. Never in his life had he smelled something so beautiful. Eager to find out where the scent was coming from, he stood on his hind legs and quickly turned around. Before he could track the scent down, he caught a glimpse of a gorgeous pair of emerald green eyes, brimming with tears and full of fear. Right away, he felt a rush of sadness fall over him.
• ‘Mate’ Ajax said to Alexander.
• ‘Wait, what? Ajax, that is Andromeda!’ Alexander said from within him. ‘She’s scared. Don’t scare my friend. What do you mean mate?’
• ‘She’s our mate. My mate fears me.’ Ajax said with an inner voice of sadness.
• ‘Ajax, she’s too young to be our mate. How do you know?’
• ‘She’s a special one. I can sense her wolf.’
• ‘We can’t tell her yet. She’s too young. We have to wait.’
• ‘I will wait forever for her.’
• Ajax slowly moved closer to Andromeda, trying hard not to scare her any more than she was. When he crouched down to her, she let out a small scream and hid her face in her hands, crying out of fear. Ajax laid down and put his head on his paws and let out a small whimper. Andromeda slowly put her hands down and saw the large lycan on the ground at her level, with his large eyes full of sorrow. A small tear escaped a corner of his eye. Andromeda slowly crawled over to him and reached out to touch him. She reached touched his head and Ajax closed his eyes and purred softly. Andromeda giggled and said, “What a handsome wolf you are.” He opened his eyes and looked at her, with love and admiration. She gently kissed his nose and rubbed his head some more.
• “Andromeda! Alexander! C’mon the game is over. Come out already. I give up!” Peter shouted some distance away. Andromeda and Ajax looked up quickly at the voice and then back to each other.
• “I have to go now. That’s my brother.” She said as she stood. Ajax stayed on the ground and looked up to her. She looked like an angel standing there with the moonlight cascading down her chestnut hair. “Go play. Tell Alexander good night and I hope we can play again tomorrow.” She kissed his head and ran off towards her brother’s voice.
• ‘Mate likes us, Alex.’ Ajax stated proudly.
• Alexander was at a loss with everything that happened this night. He retreated backwards, consumed by his thoughts, letting Ajax run free.
• As the night wore on, he explored his new abilities, running with newfound speed and agility through the forest. A sense of freedom washed over him, and he knew that this transformation marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life — one filled with adventure, challenges, and the responsibility of being an Alpha. But he also found his mate. Someone he would have never guessed. And he couldn’t be happier with the moon goddess at that moment.