My Baby Daddy Isn't Human-Chapter 229: Axel’s Next Move

Axel stood in front of Raelynn’s apartment building, his jaw clenched as he stared up at the darkened windows. The air smelled of rain, damp concrete, and the faint scent of cigarette smoke lingering from the nearby alley. He had been here before—more than once—but today, the place felt different. Emptier.

Raelynn was gone.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. This was the last place she lived before she vanished. He had checked all her usual spots, called her phone more times than he cared to admit, but there was nothing. Just silence. Axel wasn’t a man who panicked easily, but something about this situation sat wrong with him, like a jagged knife twisting in his gut.

His fingers twitched at his side. His instincts told him she was in trouble. His fingers twitched at his side, his mind pulling him toward a single, uncomfortable thought.

What if she’s with Elion?

Axel’s stomach dropped at the idea. Elion. That name alone had always made his skin crawl.

The sound of a door creaking open pulled him from his thoughts. He turned his head slightly as a woman stepped out from the neighboring apartment, tightening the belt of her robe as she squinted at him.

Axel took a step back, his hands slipping into the pockets of his jacket as he glanced over at the woman who’d just stepped out. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, with tired eyes and messy hair, as if she’d just rolled out of bed.

"You looking for the woman who lived here?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Axel tilted his head, masking his interest with a polite smile. "Yeah. You know anything about her?"

He already knew the answer. Hell, if he were being honest with himself, Axel was probably grasping at straws here. She’d been living here, sure, but that didn’t mean the woman in front of him knew a damn thing about where Raelynn was. She probably didn’t even know much about her beyond the fact that Raelynn was another face in the building.

The woman sighed, rubbing her arms. "She hasn’t been here in a long time. One day, she just disappeared. No notice, no moving boxes—just gone." She shrugged. "Figured she ran off with some guy. Pretty thing like her, it was bound to happen."

Axel’s jaw ticked. He had his suspicions about where she was, but hearing it confirmed still made his blood run cold.

"Right," he murmured, forcing his voice to stay neutral. "Thanks."

The woman’s gaze softened a little as she studied him. There was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes now. Maybe she’d picked up on something in his voice, or maybe it was just the way he stood there, slightly stiff, eyes far too focused on the empty apartment door behind her. Whatever the reason, she didn’t seem ready to let him go just yet.

"So," she started, looking him over slowly, "if you’re not her boyfriend... or husband, then what exactly are you? Her... brother, maybe?"

Axel raised an eyebrow, taken aback for a second. He’d expected a lot of things from the woman, but not that. It took him a moment to gather himself. He managed a small, awkward smile and shook his head.

"No, no, not her brother," he said, his voice a little lighter than he felt. "Just a friend."

The woman studied him for a beat, her brow furrowing as if she was trying to piece something together. "Just a friend?" she repeated, her tone a little skeptical.

The woman gave him a quick nod, her brows furrowing like she wanted to ask more questions, but she thought better of it and headed back inside. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Axel alone again.

His fingers tightened into fists. Elion.

Axel stood in the hallway for a moment. His mind was already racing ahead, calculating the next move, but his feet carried him without thinking. Before he knew it, he was back in front of Raelynn’s door.

The apartment was locked, but that wasn’t a problem. Axel knew his way around doors—he wasn’t exactly above breaking and entering when it came to finding someone who mattered to him.

With one quick movement, Axel had the door open. He didn’t even break a sweat as he slipped inside, the faint creak of the door barely audible. He stood there for a moment, taking in the space.

Raelynn’s apartment hadn’t changed much. It was still cozy, still had that warm, lived-in feeling from when she’d been here. But now, it felt... off. The air was thick, stale. There were no signs of life. No sounds. Nothing.

Axel’s eyes scanned the room as he stepped deeper into the apartment, his boots making little noise against the floor. He walked into the living room, looking around as if something might jump out at him.

Nothing.

The place felt so empty now.

He didn’t know why he was here again. He’d been inside before, tried to find any trace of her being related to Elion in some kind of way, but there had been nothing. The place had been as quiet as a tomb the last time he came here. So why was he back? Why was he standing here again, when he knew that there was probably nothing to find?

He couldn’t even explain it to himself. Maybe it was because it had been the last place she’d lived before disappearing. Maybe it was because he was still hoping for some little clue that would lead him to her. Or maybe it was just that he needed to feel her presence again.

Axel took a deep breath and walked further into the living room, his eyes landing on the coffee table. There, right in front of him, was a picture of Raelynn. It was one of those shots where she was laughing, the kind of picture that caught her at her most natural. It was an old one, probably taken during one of those nights when she had nothing to do but spend hours talking over beers.

The sight of her smile hit him hard, harder than he expected. He stood there for a moment, staring at the photo, the ache in his chest only growing stronger.

He was supposed to be looking for clues. But instead, here he was, staring at a damn picture.

Axel ran a hand through his hair and sat down on the couch, his eyes still locked on the picture. He didn’t know why he was here again. He didn’t know why he was torturing himself by coming into this empty space.

It wasn’t like there was going to be some breakthrough moment. It wasn’t like a clue would suddenly appear out of thin air and change everything.

Axel closed his eyes for a second, just letting the memories flood him.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked around the apartment again. He stood up, running his hand over the back of the couch, and shook his head. This was pointless.

He took one last look around, lingering on the picture of Raelynn on the coffee table, and then walked toward the door.

Axel exhaled sharply and turned on his heel, heading back toward his car parked a short distance away. His boots crunched against the gravel as he moved, the unease in his chest only growing. If Raelynn was really with Elion, that meant—

His thoughts were interrupted when the hairs on the back of his neck rose. A presence. Someone was watching him.

Axel’s steps slowed as he reached the parking lot. He scanned the dimly lit area, his sharp eyes sweeping over the rows of vehicles. Then, near the far end, just beyond the reach of the flickering streetlamp, he spotted it—a shadow shifting against the wall.

He pretended not to notice, adjusting his coat as if he were merely reaching for his keys. His fingers wrapped around the handle of the hidden blade inside his pocket.

With a sudden movement, he turned sharply, eyes locking onto the spot where the figure had been—but it was gone. His brows furrowed as he scanned the alleyway, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, releasing a slow exhale. Whoever it was, they were fast. Too fast.

His grip on his weapon tightened. He wasn’t dealing with an ordinary stalker.

Axel took a step forward, eyes narrowing as he studied the surrounding buildings. Whoever had been watching him had vanished into the night, but one thing was certain—he wasn’t alone in his search for Raelynn.

And that meant he had to move faster.

He straightened his jacket and made his way to his car, his expression dark and unreadable. He had wasted enough time searching blindly. Now, he needed to act.

His fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror. His own golden eyes burned with a quiet, dangerous intensity.

Elion had Raelynn. He was sure of it now.

And if Axel had to tear through every secret the man was hiding, he would.

No matter the cost.ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm