Chapter 12
SHANE
-No… -my voice breaks; each word sounds empty, almost forgotten-. It can’t be true.
-It is true -he insists. His tone is firm, but there’s also a hint of sweetness that resonates within me. He moves closer, and I feel his warmth, that warmth that has always brought me comfort. I look into his eyes, and it’s as if the world around us fades away. It’s just him and me.
Liam sits at the edge of the bed, letting his hands glide softly over my exposed legs. His touch is electric; it sends tingles that challenge my attempts to pull away. And yet, a part of me feels captivated. I don’t want to allow it. I have to remember that a line has been crossed, that this is a reality that is impossible to accept. However, my body disagrees with my mind.
-Listen to me -he says, his voice almost a whisper-. All wolves feel this call, this… need to connect with their mate, but you don’t have to feel afraid. I’m here, by your side. I don’t want to hurt you.
Fear. Is that the right word? I don’t know if I can categorize it that way. I’m fascinated by the duality of his being. How is it possible to love someone who is both human and beast? The confusion intensifies.
-Let me go. Please, Liam. I need to think. All of this is… chaos.
His expression darkens, and I can see the internal struggle in his eyes, a mix of desperation and longing.
-I can’t let you go. Not after this. I need you. You are my mate, and that means something in this world.
My heart races, and my mind fights against the idea that floats in the air. His mate. His partner. What does that mean? The stories I’ve read about werewolves and their pairings have always been tinged with romance, with destiny. But here, in cold reality, I feel trapped between two worlds.
I dare to speak again, with a thread of voice laden with disbelief.
-What are you saying? That this is forever?
Liam leans forward; his deep eyes shine with intensity. His hands frame my face and force me to look at him, and in that moment, the outside world fades away.
-I promise that I will protect you, that I will be by your side at all times. But first, you need to understand. You need to accept who I am, and what that means for us.
-Who are you? -how is it possible that I want to distance myself from him with the same intensity that I desire to be by his side?
-I am the Alpha of the Chicago pack, which means that in my world, I am the one who rules Chicago.
-Are there more like you? But what a silly question; of course, there are more -I respond to myself.
-My father was the previous Alpha, but due to his current condition, the king gave me his place. Of course, others might try to take my position, but this does not just depend on a simple choice of letters, but on the strongest, smartest, and swiftest. What pack would follow a weak leader? And that brings me to you.
-To me, why?
-Because you make me weak. You are my weakness, one that I gladly accept.
-I didn’t ask to be anything.
-Neither did I, little wolf. But from the moment you stumbled upon me, my wolf, one of the oldest breeds, knew before I did.
I remain silent, trying to process all the information he is giving me. My eyes stay on his face, attempting to engrave his image in my memory. At this moment, I try to recall all those times the signs were there: the growls, the bites, the significant physical traits that should have given me a hint of something, and yet I ignored it. Now, here, naked before him and wrapped in this situation that seems unreal, I can’t help but think that despite everything, I love him. I know it sounds so crazy and absurd, but it’s true: I love him.
-Liam, I… need time. I need time to think all of this through. Please, let me go. -His gaze darkens, and something dark passes through his eyes.
-I can’t, Shane. We’re in the heat.
-What does that mean?
-It means it’s our mating season. It’s the time of heat, when my inner wolf awakens more strongly. During this time, our instincts become more intense and our need to connect with others becomes more pressing. It’s as if a powerful force drives us to seek a mate, to feel attraction more intensely. This instinct is rooted in our nature, and I can’t ignore it.
-And…?
-And now that you are my mate, the intensity is even greater. The connection between us is palpable, almost electric. The desire to have you close is so strong that it hurts when you’re not by my side. It’s as if my wolf cries out for your presence, for the warmth of your body and the echo of your laughter. Every moment away from you feels like an eternity, as if a part of me is missing. The need to be with you is not just an impulse; it has become a vital necessity that I cannot disguise. Being away from you on a normal day is already bad, but being away from you in this season would drive me mad to the point of leading me to death.
-No. -I grasp his hands that have remained on my face all this time-. Don’t say that, Liam. It’s not funny. -From what he was saying, his love sounds like something much more intense than mine.
-What do you think I’m doing in this cabin? -I shake my head to let him know that I don’t know-. Because I’m out of control without you, to the point of becoming a danger to my pack and to humans. So they decided to bring me here.
-And now?
-Now I am complete. If I let you go, or you let me go, I would go mad, which would lead me to death. -Tears roll down my cheeks; I feel so sentimental that I can’t help but pull my face from his grip and hug him tightly, pressing my face to his chest.
-No, don’t say that, please. Never again.
-Will you accept me? -His arms wrap around me. Will I?
-Let’s go through this “heat” together, with the only condition that you don’t transform and fuck me like you have. I’ve had enough wolf for a while. -I don’t give him an answer because I don’t even know it myself.