In Reach?

The next day

Liam’s POV

My mind has been running wild with everything Mira told me yesterday. But I couldn’t keep her locked up like that. My wolf and I couldn’t handle the thought of it. I’m losing her, doesn’t matter how much I try to keep her locked up next to me. I’m losing her, and she’s convinced of it.

That’s why I went back down last night to get her out. She was asleep, but woke up when I picked her up. She was so weak, she just looked up at me with a questioning expression, but wasn’t bothered enough to say anything.

I carried her back up to our room. I needed to hold her in my arms that night. If I’m going to lose her, if she hates me to the point of never wanting to speak to me again, I want to remember what it feels like to have her in my arms.

I slowly helped her to undress while I had the bath running. She couldn’t even move anymore, she looked like a zombie just lying there on the bed half asleep. I could see the red bruising on her wrists from the silver chains. They really weakened her and it seems she wasn’t even bothered to fight off its effects.

I undressed myself before I carried her to the bathroom. I got into the tub behind her to support her weak body. She didn’t react in any way when I started washing her. But from her hooded eyes I knew that she was tired, exhausted. When I got her out, I just dressed her in a bathrobe and laid her down onto the bed. I got in the bed, next to her and pulled her into my arms. We just laid there for a while, when she surprised me when she broke the silence.

“I already know how all this ends.” She says in a whisper against my chest. “Selene showed me.”

I start patting her hair behind her head.

“The war will happen. So many people will die. You’ll be so angry, even at me. And I think you,….”

I look down as I tuck her hair behind her ear. I notice the tears in her eyes she doesn’t dare let fall.

“I think you will try to kill me.” Her voice practically breaks.

I can’t help but pull her tighter to me. Why would I ever want to do something like that. This woman can sin before my eyes, but I will never try to kill her.

“I would never do something like that.”

“You must let me go. There is no point keeping me here, especially when you don’t trust me.” Her words caught me off guard making me just look at her.

Do I really not trust her? The woman I chose to be my mate?

“What makes you think I don’t trust you?”

I feel the breath of her heavy sigh against my chest. “Tell me then. What did you do to her? What did you do to Dahlia that has made her so spiteful?” She looks up into my eyes, with a curious and teary set of her own.

“What makes you think that I did anything to her? She is the one that killed my m-,….my first mate.”

“And now she is planning a whole war against wolves just to get back at you. These are the actions of a woman hurt. What did you do to her Liam?”

What does she mean? I always thought Dahlia was just crazy. What could I have done to hurt her? The only pain I’ve put her through was when I tortured her for killing Emily. But that was justified.

“What did you promise her?”

“What?” Her question confusing me again.

She brings her hand up and gently rests it on my cheek. “The worst way to hurt a woman is to break a promise you made to her.” She says in a softer whisper, like it hurts her to say it.

But this has me thinking now. Dahlia’s actions never made sense to me. She always seems so angry at me, but I never knew why. But I see Mira’s eyes still staring into my soul, waiting for an answer. But I don’t know the answer. I never thought about it before.

It hurts more when a man forgets his promise.

I know she probably didn’t want me to hear that, but even she seems hurt. Like she’s sympathetic for Dahlia and disappointed in me for it.

I rest my hand on hers on my face, afraid she’ll try to pull away from me again. Everything she’s saying makes sense. Maybe I’ve been approaching this the wrong way. Maybe all this can be sorted out if I just figure out the actual reasons behind Dahlia’s actions.

“I never thought of it like that. But,…….but I will try to figure it out.” Does she even understand the role she is playing in my life right now, as both my mate and as my Luna? “Thank you, for being here, for me. Even if you don’t want to be.”

She looks back down into my chest.

But I do.

“Chetco” I hear her whisper again. “Mira Chetco. That’s my real name.” I feel her snuggling into me, probably telling me she wants to sleep now.

I just hold her tightly against me. I love the feel of her breath against my skin, and having her scent around me. And I think I know why she told me this. She wants to show me that she trusts me, even though she thinks I don’t trust her. I should trust her though. In this mate bond, it’s not just her that’s mine, I am hers too. I should show her that I trust her too.

That’s why this morning I left her in the room, still sound asleep, and happy that I actually woke up with her in my arms this time. I shouldn’t lock her up like a criminal for things I don’t fully understand or know of. Besides, tying her down won’t keep her here with me. I want her to trust me more, I want her to choose me too. I want her to call me hers as well.

Mira’s POV

I woke up this morning in that soft bed covered in his scent. It makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy that I slept in his arms, but sad at realizing that our conversation last night did in fact happen.

The fact that he’s not in the room has me wondering, - is he going to let me go now? But why does the thought hurt me? I know I keep trying to get away from him, but just the thought of leaving him hurts me. I don’t know if I’ll actually be able to do it when the time comes.

Because I already know, I know that I love him. I want to be his, and I want him to be mine. But I know that will never be. He can’t be mine. He belongs to everyone here. He always seems to pick his pack over me. I would prefer him to not pick at all. This is worse than being second best to the man you love. The man Selene guided me to, the man I’m supposed to love wholeheartedly doesn’t seem to be able to give me the same in return. But I guess it’s as the saying goes, -better to have loved and lost, than to not have loved at all.

But that’s total bullshit! I would prefer to not have loved at all. Who wants to hurt and be in pain, just to say that you’ve lived? I would rather choose a pain-free life and be invisible if I have to be, to avoid ever experiencing such pain. But it’s too late to regret any of it now. Liam is and will always be a part of my life, of my soul, of me. I know that I would have loved him even if we met under different circumstances. I know he’s my ’forever’, my fated mate.

I get up to freshen up and to put on some fresh clothes. I don’t know what is to happen now. Can I leave the room?

But I go and sit on the couch by the window, looking out at the woods. It’s so huge, normal people will easily get lost in it. And I know that Liam is in there somewhere. I can feel it. It’s like my body is pulling towards him, and when I close my eyes, it’s like I can sense in which direction he actually is. I never knew the bond between mates was this strong.

That’s when I hear a knock on the door. Looking at it I see Charlotte poking her head through.

“I was wondering if you were hungry. I didn’t see you come down for breakfast.”

“I didn’t realize I was allowed to.”

She looks a bit sad at my words as she walks into the room and towards me.

“I know everything seems a bit crazy right now. But Liam is doing everything he can to sort this out. He’ll keep you safe.” I look at her, noticing that for once she doesn’t seem so confident in her words. And looking at her I can see her fidgeting with her hands, like she knows something, like she’s worried about something.

“You don’t have to lie to me. He has other things he needs to sort out.” I look back out the window. “He is where he needs to be, out there, to help his pack.”

“How do you know he’s out there? Last I saw him he was in his office talking with Mason.”

“I just know. I can feel it.”

Now there’s silence in the room.

She puts her hand on my knee getting my attention back to her.

“Come down to the kitchen and I’ll make you something. I know you must be hungry. They didn’t feed you much in,-…….in the cells.”

There is no point in arguing. I am hungry. I huff as I get up and walk out with her following behind me.

Liam’s POV

I was walking with Mason in the woods so he could show me the terrain he was talking about for his war tactic. If there is anything Mason is better at than fighting, it is fighting strategies. He knows how to incorporate one’s forces with their terrain for a definite win.

He really knows what he’s doing, and with this we may just be prepared soon enough for a future attack.

Alpha!

I hear Liz through the mind link, sounding concerned.

Yes Liz

There are a three people here at the property gate on the northern sector. The one man says he wants to speak with the Alpha directly.

What?

Did he say what this was about?

No. He refuses to say anything else, other than he won’t leave until he sees you.

Okay. I’ll be there soon, I’m close by in any case.

Yes Alpha.

I turn to Mason. “It seems I have to go now. But we will continue this later.” He nods and I make my way to the gate in a slight jog.

Who could this be?

But when I get closer, I see them, and I can sense an unease from my wolf looking at the man in front. There is a man and a woman on either side of him, like his personal entourage. When I stop in front of them, I realize why. My wolf can sense it, like any Alpha would be able to, -the impending danger that comes with an aura such as this.

“What is it that you want, hunter?”

He just smiles and walks closer to me as well. “I think you and I have some talking to do. Can we talk about this privately?”

“I do not negotiate with hunters. If you knew me you would know that.”

“But maybe we can get to an agreement, where we both can get something we want out of this.”

I knew it. They want something. But what? It’s not like they can offer me anything I would want anyways.

“I’ll ask you again. What do you really want?”

But suddenly two wolves come jumping out of nowhere and running our way.

“Rogues!” I hear Liz shouting as she’s readying to attack.

As the one comes to jump me, I throw it against one of the trees near me. I turn to the hunter ready to attack.

“Is this what you were planning? To distract me so you can attack me?”

But even he looks confused now. “I have nothing to do with this. Why would I work with rogues any ways? I just came to talk to you, and that is what I intend to do.”

But more rogues are approaching around us and they’re even attacking these hunters in front of us. Maybe they don’t know anything about this. Maybe they’re just caught up in the ‘wrong place, wrong time’. But with the number of rogues, this is definitely an attack.

Rogue attack on northern border! I shout through the link so all patrols and warriors are aware to come and help us.

I’m surprised when these hunters start helping us as well. But I won’t keep my eye off them. Their presence here is suspicious none the less.

My members are already here to help, but so many rogues are pushing through. Why so many rogues on one point? They’re charging head-on and they’re pushing through. They’re pushing past me. I can see them running onwards, towards,…….the pack-house.

Oh no. This can’t be happening. There is no way that they should even know about her.

Realization hits me at the possibility of this being what I think it is. This isn’t just a random rogue attack. They’re not after me, they’re after Mira.

I turn and run after the few that got through our defense forces. I need to get to them; I need to stop them. I can see Noah and Theo on my flanks running behind me. They must have figured it out too.

I’m trying to mind-link her, to mind-link anyone at the house, but it’s no use. I’m too far away. I shift into my black wolf to gain pace, to get to her faster. I need to get to her.

Some of the rogues seem to notice us and stop to attack us, to slow us down. They’re too strategic with their actions. This is definitely planned.

Noah and Theo are still fighting other rogues, but I know they can hold their own. I need to get to the house. I need to get to Mira. I run again. But when I finally see the house, I see the front door open. They’re already here. Shit!

I swiftly shift back into human form as I run into the house. “Mira!”

No answer. I don’t see anyone either.

“Char! Aubr-.” I stop when I see a limp body on the kitchen floor behind the counter.

I run to it, and see Aubrey lying there. She’s breathing but has a bruise on her head. They must have knocked her out. I hear someone coming in from behind me.

“Shit! Aubrey.” Noah crouches next to me and picks her up. “Where are the others.”

I stand up ready to make my way to the stairs. “I don’t know.”

But just as I run past the backdoor, I stop as I hear someone call me. “Liam!”

Char is running to me from outside. “Liam. You have to go. They have her. They took her.” She shouts as she points behind her.

“What do you mean Char?” I rush towards her outside.

“They took her into the woods. I don’t know which way they went. They hit me and I lost consciousness for a bit.” She says as she holds her bloody forehead.

“They could be anywhere right now.” I hear Theo speak behind me, with just as much concern as I’m feeling right now.

They took her. Mira is still weak. How will she fight them off?

“And all our patrols are on the other end of the border.” I hear Noah’s voice. “We can try to split up.”

But even I know splitting up won’t work. They may have more forces to fight us off, to hold us back. Having to do that single-handedly will just mean they’ll have more time to get away with her. I clench my jaw as I give a deep growl. There is no time to waste. Every second counts. But which way?

“Liam, wait.” I look at Char again. “There may be a way for you to find her.”

“What do you mean?” I’m asking desperately right now.

“All you need to do is to close off your mind. Stop thinking and just let your body direct you. It will take you to her.”

I furrow my brows not understanding what she means.

“There is no time to explain it now. But I think that Mira,.....I think she may be your second chance mate, that she’s your fated mate. All you need to do is just let your body guide you. But you have to go now. Before it’s too late.” She pushes me towards the woods.

I don’t know what all this then means, But she’s right. There is no time to waste. I have to do as she says. I have to try. I walk into the woods, and I close my eyes, trying to shut the rest of the world around me off. I’m just thinking of her, of Mira.

And I feel it. I feel something in my chest pulling me. I always just figured it was my longing for her. But maybe I should just follow it. So I do. I don’t know where I’m running to, but I follow this pull. I know it’s Mira, I just know. And I can hear behind me that the others are following me too.

Not long after, I hear them. I hear people in the woods. I hear Mira. I run faster.

When I catch sight of them, I see about five men, and Mira is trying to fight them off on her own. This is making my wolf anxious, especially because these men are all half naked and seem to be getting rough with her. She’s tumbling on the ground with one of them, when I run and tackle the closest one. Noah and Theo take on another two.

Everyone is aware of our presence now. I need to get to her. But this asshole I tackled decides to shift into his wolf and is charging at me. I don’t have time for this. I grab him around his neck tackling him to floor again. He’s thrashing in my hold and trying to bite at me. But I grab his jaws and start pulling it wider, knowing that with a little more force I can break it and perhaps even kill him.

Crack! I let his limp body fall off me and I’m off to the next idiot trying to stop me from getting to Mira. I can see her. She’s holding her own against the other man. Theo’s training sessions must have gone well. But I see red when I see him slap her across the face as he’s pinning her to the ground.

Gggrrhh! I push past the oncoming rogue, knowing that Theo running behind me will handle him. I make my way straight for that asshole who dared to lay a hand on her. I pull him off of her and throw his body against a tree. He looks shocked, but he’s getting up and my wolf is still very pissed. I can feel my wolf trying to push through to snap at this guy. But I want him. My body is heaving and I can feel my claws pushing through. This man might just get a taste of me and my wolf at once, and I like seeing the fear he now has in his eyes as I stalk towards him.

But he’s too weak. He lost this fight the moment he hesitated. I pin him against the tree by his throat. I know he’s trying to shift, but he can’t. Not with me holding him so tightly, not when he’s too afraid to focus. I didn’t even realize how angry I was when I just heard his neck snap. I let his limp body fall to the ground.

When I turn around I see Mira getting up from the ground. She looks scared and relieved at the same time. Just as she takes a step towards me, she stops at the scream in the wind.

“Mira!” We both look to the side and see a man running desperately towards us, towards her. And it’s not just any man, it’s the hunter from before, the one that wanted to 'negotiate'.

That’s when I see her running to him as well. She’s running to him, and she looks just as desperate.

She runs into his arms and he swings her in his tight hold because of the force of their running. She’s holding onto him for dear life, and I can see him holding her just as tight as he kisses her temple, with a look of relief on his face.

They know each other.

I can’t stand this and my wolf is just as pissed. Seeing my mate in the arms of another. I’m walking towards them ready to break up this so-called reunion. But I stop in my tracks when she speaks.

“You came Alex. I knew you’d come.”

Gggrrhhhh! She pulls from his hold when she hears me. But she’s standing in front of him like she wants to protect him from me, holding his hand.

But this Alex guy is trying to side-step her as he stands in front of her now, trying to shield her from,…..me.

“Alpha. This is what I wanted to talk to you about. I came to get her.” Alex nods his head towards Mira.

But Mira looks oddly surprised by what he says.

“Alex? You,….you know what he is?”

He sighs. “Yes I do. But it seems there is a lot of stuff we all need to discuss by the looks of things.” He looks at her and brushes her hair over her shoulder looking at the mark on her neck, my mark.

He looks back at me with a questioning look and I already know that I have questions for him as well. I see his other two acquaintances are making their way to us as well.

“Follow me.”

He nods and pulls Mira along holding her hand. Ggrh! But he just seems to smirk at my growl.

I can see Noah and Theo looking confused at us, but I just nods towards the pack-house, so they know where we’re headed.

I don’t know what is happening. My mate is walking hand-in-hand with another man, behind me. This is the man she turned to, that she trusts, to get away, from me. And yet Char just told me that she is my fated mate. What will come from this talk?