Scarlett’s POV
I swallowed hard, waiting for him to explode. I braced myself for shattered glass, roared threats, or the violent flare of his Alpha aura that would bring the rest of the pack running to my door.
But the explosion never ca. Instead, the silence grew heavier, thicker, stretching out until it felt like a physical weight crushing the air right out of my lungs.
Liam didn’t move. He stood perfectly still in the center of my dimly lit room. His chest was heaving, his breath hitching painfully as he stared at . The golden glow of his inner wolf flared behind his dark eyes—not in fury, but in deep, agonizing sorrow. The beast inside him was mourning.
"A one-night thing," Liam repeated. His voice didn’t shake, but it was hollow, completely stripped of the warmth and affection he had showered with all evening. "While you were on the run... with a stranger."
Every single word felt like a dagger dipped in poison because I knew the truth. It wasn’t a stranger. It was his own blood.
"Liam, please," I whispered, tears finally stinging the corners of my eyes. The guilt was eating alive. Seeing him look so broken—so utterly defeated—was worse than seeing him angry. "I was gone for years. I thought you all hated . I thought the bond was a curse."
"I stayed pure for you, Scarlett," he choked out, the raw heartbreak finally cracking through his cold mask. He took a single, agonizing step backward, away from , away from the bed. "For five years, I didn’t let another woman touch . My wolf wouldn’t even allow to look at anyone else."
A tear slipped down my cheek, hot and heavy. "I’m sorry," I sobbed, gripping the navy fabric tighter against my chest. "I’m so sorry, Liam."
He closed his eyes, tilting his head back as he took a deep, shuddering breath. I could hear the low, painful whine of his inner wolf vibrating in his chest. The possessive Alpha instincts inside him were tearing him apart from the inside out—wanting to claim , wanting to erase the scent of another man, yet shattered by the knowledge that he wasn’t my first.
When he opened his eyes again, the golden light was gone, replaced by a dull, dead look that terrified more than anything else.
"Who was he?" Liam asked quietly.
My heart stopped. "I... I told you, it was just a random—"
"Do not lie to , Scarlett!" he suddenly roared, the sheer power of his Alpha voice rattling the glass windows of my room. The raw authority in his command made my legs tremble, but he instantly reined it in, clamping his jaw shut as if disgusted with himself for yelling at . He ran a frustrated, trembling hand through his dark hair, pacing a short line across the floor. "Tell his na."
If I said Leo’s na, or Leonard’s na, blood would stain the floors of this mansion before the sun rose. I had to stick to the lie. I had to protect the fragile peace, even if it ant breaking Liam’s heart a little more.
"I don’t know his na," I choked out, forcing the lie through my teeth. "It was in a crowded club. It was dark. I was weak, Liam. I just wanted to forget the prophecy, forget the pack, forget everything for just one night. Please, let it go."
Liam stopped pacing. He looked at for a long, agonizing mont, searching my face. He was incredibly smart, a master strategist, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. He knew sothing wasn’t right. He could sll the deep terror and guilt rolling off , but he attributed it to the sha of the act itself, not the identity of the man.
Finally, he let out a long, defeated sigh that sounded like a man giving up his last shred of hope.
"I can’t stay in this room right now," Liam murmured, his voice barely a whisper. He turned his back to , his broad shoulders slumped in a way I had never seen before. "Today was my day... but I need to leave."
He walked toward the door, his movents stiff and robotic. He paused with his hand on the doorknob, not turning around to look at .
"Good night."
With that, he opened the door and stepped out, closing it firmly behind him.
I collapsed onto the edge of the bed, pulled my knees to my chest, and took a deep, shaky breath to stop my hands from trembling.
I understood Liam’s pain. He had kept himself pure for , guarding his heart for a fated mate he wasn’t even sure was still alive. Now, I was back, but I carried the secrets of soone else’s touch. The guilt felt like a heavy weight pressing down on until I could barely breathe.
I couldn’t just sit alone with my terrifying thoughts. I got up, took a long, hot bath, and let the warm water wash away the tension of the night. Once I dried off, I slid into a simple, comfy night set—a loose black silk tank top and matching shorts.
But when I climbed into bed, I couldn’t sleep. I was way too worried about him. The sad, defeated look in Liam’s eyes before he walked out kept playing in my mind. He was carrying the weight of the whole pack, the prophecy, and now, a broken heart.
I couldn’t just leave him like that. Not after how sweet he had been to all night.
I stepped out into the dim, quiet hallway and shut my door softly. The whole pack house was fast asleep. The hallways were dark, lit only by the silver moonlight coming through the big windows. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and scented the air. His scent of cedarwood and winter frost was faint, but it led down the hall toward his room.
Following the sll, I stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. I hesitated for a second, my heart beating fast, before I knocked softly.
A few monts passed. Then, the door opened.
Liam stood there, and the sight of him made my heart skip a beat. He had taken off his fancy clothes and was only wearing loose, dark grey sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He was completely shirtless, showing off his broad chest and muscular body. The dark tattoos wrapping around his arms and shoulders moved slightly as he held the edge of the door. His dark hair was ssy, and his eyes still looked tired and sad.
He blinked, surprised to see standing there in my pajamas. "Scarlett?"
"Can I co in?" I asked softly, looking up at him.
Liam stared at for a long mont. Then his eyes softened, and he stepped aside to open the door wider. "Yes. Co in."
I walked past him into the dimly lit room. A single desk lamp was on, casting warm, golden shadows across the room. I turned around, my throat tight as I tried to find the words to talk about what happened.
"Liam, I wanted to talk about—"
"No, Scarlett, please," Liam interrupted gently, stopping before I could say more. He took a slow step toward , and his face completely changed. The cold, distant look from earlier was totally gone. Now, he just looked warm and caring. "I need to say sorry to you first."
I blinked, completely shocked. "What?"
"I am so sorry for the way I reacted back there," he said, his deep voice sounding very honest and sweet. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at . "I had no right to demand answers like that or to make you feel bad. You were on your own for five years, running for your life, thinking we had left you. You are an adult, Scarlett. You are free to live your life, and you don’t owe any explanations for what you had to do to survive."
My breath caught in my throat. He was being so incredibly sweet and understanding. It made the secret I was keeping feel twice as heavy. He was blaming himself for my guilt, dropping all his Alpha pride just to make feel better.
Looking at his beautiful chest, the fated mate bond roared to life inside , hotter and stronger than before. The pure love in his eyes completely took over my mind.
Without saying a word, I took a step forward. I reached up, put my hands on the back of his neck, and pulled him down to .
I kissed him deeply.
Liam gasped against my lips, freezing in shock for a split second before his instincts took over. He wrapped his huge arms around my waist and kissed back with a wild, burning passion, lifting right off my feet.
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