Liam’s POV
The air inside the Full Moon Packhouse felt cold and familiar as we returned from India, but it didn’t feel like the ho I once loved anymore; instead, it felt like a prison decorated with expensive wallpaper.
As we stepped out of the cars, the staff lined up in silence, bowing with polite smiles that made my skin crawl.
My father, Sir Lennox, stood at the top of the grand stairs with a proud look on his face as if he had actually achieved sothing great, but I didn’t even give him the satisfaction of a glance.
I walked right past him as if he were a ghost, my heavy boots echoing loudly against the stone floor, and I could hear Leo and Leon following close behind in the sa cold silence.
I marched straight to my wing of the house and stepped into my bedroom, slamming the door so hard that the very walls seed to shake before I sat on the edge of my bed to stare at nothing.
This was my reality now—a life where I held a title that ant nothing, carried a fake bond that felt like a curse, and lived with a heart that had finally turned into stone.
The silence didn’t last long because I soon heard the sharp click of the door opening, and even without looking up, I knew exactly who it was. The thick, cloying scent of Camilla’s perfu filled the room until my stomach turned, and a wave of pure, unfiltered rage rushed through my veins.
"Get out," I said, my voice coming out as a low, angry vibration that was strong enough to make the window glass rattle in its fras.
"Liam, honey, the staff is watching us," Camilla said, trying to make her voice sound soft and sweet even though we both knew it was a lie. She took a small step toward and continued, "We should at least try to pretend to be happy for the hocoming dinner tonight."
I stood up slowly, using my height to tower over her until she was forced to tilt her head back just to look in the eyes, and I let my Alpha gaze glow a fierce, predatory gold. "Never co into my room unless I say so. Better yet, don’t even breathe the sa air as . You are not welco here."
Camilla flinched at my tone, but she tried to stand her ground like she actually had a right to be there. "But we are husband and wife now, Liam, and since the bond is sealed, we are supposed to share this life together."
"We are husband and wife in na only," I spat back at her, feeling the disgust rise in my throat. "To , you are nothing but a stranger I was forced to marry against my will."
"So you don’t want an heir?" she asked, her voice suddenly turning sharp and an as the mask of the sweet bride began to slip. "The pack expects us to provide the next generation of Alphas, and you know as well as I do that it is your duty."
I let out a dark, twisted laugh that sounded hollow even to my ears. "An heir with you? I would honestly rather hire a complete stranger to carry my child than ever lay a single finger on you, and I would rather my entire bloodline end forever than let a child of mine carry your DNA."
Camilla’s face turned pale as she stared at in shock. "What is it, Liam? What have I done that is so incredibly wrong?"
I stepped into her personal space until our faces were only inches apart, watching the fear grow in her pupils and enjoying the fact that she was finally realizing who she was dealing with.
"You really don’t know? Then let remind you that you drugged , you took advantage of when I couldn’t think for myself, and you blackmailed my entire pack just to force to stand at that altar while I was dying inside. You stole my life, Camilla, so did you honestly think a gold ring and a ceremony would make forget any of that?"
"But I helped you!" she cried out, her voice finally cracking under the pressure. "I played along with the fake marking and used the Moon-Lily ink to fool the High Priest and our fathers, so I am the one keeping your secret!"
"You didn’t do a single thing to help ," I growled, grabbing the door handle and throwing it open so hard it hit the wall. "You did it all to get a crown, so now get out of my sight before I forget I’m supposed to be your husband and show you exactly what kind of monster you’ve actually married."
She stared at for one last second while trembling with terror, then she turned and ran out of the room as fast as she could. I slamd the door behind her and locked it.
I sat back down on the edge of my bed, burying my face in my hands while the silence of the room tried to swallow whole. My skin still felt dirty from being in the sa room as Camilla, and the anger was still humming in my chest like a trapped hornet.
When another knock sounded at the door, I opened my mouth to yell at whoever was brave enough to bother , but I stopped when a familiar, sweet scent hit .
It was my sister, Lana.
"Co in," I said, my voice softening just a little.
The door opened, and Lana walked in, practically glowing with a happiness that I hadn’t felt in a long ti. Months ago, she had finally t her mate—an Alpha from a powerful pack in Germany—and she had been living there with him ever since. She and Lyra hadn’t even attended our wedding, and honestly, I was glad they stayed away from that circus.
I stood up and pulled her into a tight hug, holding onto the only piece of my real family that didn’t feel tainted.
"How are you doing, Liam?" she asked softly, pulling back to look at my face.
"Terrible," I admitted, and for once, I didn’t try to hide the pain in my eyes.
She looked hurt for , her smile fading slightly as she took in the dark circles under my eyes and the tension in my shoulders. "When did you get back?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yesterday," she said, and then she held up her hand, showing a beautiful ring sparkling on her engagent finger. "Ryan asked to marry him."
A genuine smile touched my lips—the first real one I had felt in two long years. "Lucky bastard," I muttered, making her scoff and roll her eyes.
"He’s eager for the marriage to happen soon, so I ca to tell you all in person," she explained, her excitent returning.
I nodded slowly, my protective brother instincts finally waking up from their slumber. "That’s great, Lana, but we still have to et him properly. He needs to be vetted."
She rolled her eyes again. "Oh, stop it. Don’t make things hard for him. You n shouldn’t try to scare him just because you can."
"He has to be scared, Lana," I said firmly, my voice turning serious. "You are the sister of the Alphas of the Full Moon Pack and the daughter of the Luciano bloodline. He needs to understand that he can never lay a hand on you, raise his voice at you, or cause you to cry—unless they are tears of joy. I know he is your mate, but so mates can be horrible."
I went silent after that, the image of Scarlett’s crying face flashing through my mind. I had been that kind of mate. I had let my mother’s death turn into a monster toward the only woman who ever truly loved .
Lana stepped forward and hugged again, squeezing tight. "Thank you, Liam. I know you’re just looking out for ."
She pulled away but kept her gaze locked onto mine, her expression suddenly turning guilty and strange. "I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive ," she whispered.
I frowned, looking at her with total confusion. "Forgive you? Forgive you for what? What did you do, Lana?"
She didn’t say a word. She didn’t explain. She just leaned in, kissed my cheek gently, and walked out of the room, leaving standing there with a new, nagging sense of dread growing in my heart.
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