CHAPTER 35
SHANE
“You can’t keep going like this, baby. You have to get out of that bed and eat something. It’s been two days.”
Lying in my bed, I glared at Marc over my shoulder. Every thought of food clenched my stomach, nausea unbearable. I felt so weak, the agonizing emptiness leaving me breathless. Still, I forced myself to eat, not for me, but for my baby. He needed to be healthy.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You’ve been saying that since that day, and still you eat eventually. So I’ll leave this here.” He shrugged, pulling the blanket back over me. “At least talk to him. He hasn’t stopped coming and calling.”
“No.” I snapped. “I don’t want to see him, or talk to him. Just leave me alone.”
“Damn it.” He cursed, exiting and slamming the door.
He left, and I sat up, forcing myself to eat before succumbing to my depression. Tears welled up, weakening me until sleep claimed me.
Startled awake, I looked around my dark room, but nothing was there. Something had to have woken me. Then I heard shouting from downstairs. Fueled by adrenaline, I stood, grabbing the wall. I reached the bottom of the hall, hearing Marc’s voice.
“Damn it, no, Gigit! She doesn’t want to see him. I know you have a duty to your mate, and I have one to my best friend. Please, baby, let’s not take sides here!”
“I can’t, Marc. A wolf paired with his mate is extremely protective and possessive. A wolf without her is uncontrolled chaos. The worst part is, this time he knows why, and her unwillingness for him to explain is tearing him apart. He will burn the entire city down if he has to get to her.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, a fit of uncontrollable laughter escaping me. Rolling out of the hallway into the light, I confronted the two men.
“That was a good joke.”
“Shane, honey, what’s wrong with you?” I stopped my hysterical laughter, challenging Gigit with my stare.
“Your dirty, traitorous mate is what’s wrong with me!” I yelled. “What did he want with me at that event?”
“Clearly, you’re not okay. I know Liam isn’t easy, but I’m sure there’s an explanation. Just… talk to him.”
“No…”
“He’s downstairs, waiting. In fact, he hasn’t left his car for two days.” Gigit pointed to the street.
“Don’t waste your time, Gigit, she doesn’t want to see him…”
“What?” I cut Marc off. I stumbled toward the window. Liam was there, his face illuminated by the streetlights. He looked gaunt, in the same clothes as last time. His eyes lit up seeing me. He rose from under the car hood, like a puppy seeing its mother, or loved one. I could almost see an imaginary tail wagging. My heart squeezed, I hurt. A tear traced a path down my cheek. My need to be with him grew, I could… sense him.
Why did I have to fall in love with you?
“You love me.” His voice whispered into my head. I shook my head.
“No. Don’t invade my mind.”
“Then open the door and let me in!” He yelled, not caring if neighbors heard him.
“No.” I said, remembering his incredible hearing.
“Ours never made sense. I’m just a human. Go back to your she-wolf, Ana.”
“By all the Norse gods! What are you talking about?”
“Goodbye…” My voice was so weak, even in my own mind.
As I turned away from the window, I saw Liam whirl and smash his fist through the driver’s side window. A loud crash echoed and I flinched, not staying to see Liam transform into his wolf form on the street.
“What was that?” The guys rushed to the window. I passed them, forgetting how weak I was.
Rushing to the apartment door, I dashed down the stairs. Out onto the street, I was met by a black wolf limping.
“Liam!” I called, approaching him. He lifted his head and saw me.
To my surprise, Liam bolted before I could cross the street. His massive snout bit into the front of my sweater, hoisting me into the air. I gasped, worried someone would see, call the police or animal control.
I know you can hear me. Bring me inside. But Liam growls at me; his nostrils brush my face, and his fangs suddenly seem thrilling. “Damn, control yourself, Shane.” When Liam is in this form, he becomes his other self, the wild beast I’m dealing with, so I have to try and calm him. “Come on, my love, let’s go home.” I try to make my voice sound soft as I stroke his furry face.
“What do you think you’re doing, Liam? Let the girl go, now!” A third voice joins in, and we both turn to see King Hassel strolling casually towards us, followed by that mysterious man behind him.
“No, it’s okay. We’re fine, please don’t come closer.” I tell them. I turn my attention back to Liam. “Come inside, sweetheart, just you and me.” His red eyes stare at me intensely, as if searching for something within me.
“Do you really want me?” That dark, deep voice isn’t Liam’s, but his beast’s. Hope in those words warms my soul. He’s seeking my approval.
“Yes, always. Now, how about you let me down and we get inside before someone sees you and…”
“No! You’re ashamed of me.” He growls furiously in my head. I tremble as he tries to turn in another direction.
“Liam! Lower Shane!” Damn, now Gigit is here too, and I don’t have to turn around to know Marc’s there as well. What a show.
“Hey, I’m not ashamed of you. Haven’t you seen how beautiful you are?” I try to regain his attention, but I also hear the others talking about containing Liam, that he’s lost his mind, that he’s a danger to the pack. (I can’t let that happen; my Liam is just as lost as I am.) Is this whole situation with Ana overblown? Am I truly worthy of him, despite being just a human? “Let’s go to my apartment, upstairs, to my room.”
“Together?”
“Yes.” I whisper, “Just lower me and let’s move quickly.”
But Liam doesn’t let go of me. Instead, he moves at an alarming speed and I can only think that with my weight and his fangs, my sweater will rip as we hurtle past the onlookers, into the building. He races up the stairs, and it seems like he’ll be too large to fit through the hallways. I thank God it’s night and no one is wandering around. Luckily, Marc left the door open, so we get in without a hitch.
“You can let go of me now.” This time he sets me on the ground. And, as I imagined, my sweater is in shreds. I don’t understand how I fell. “Oh, my sweet wolf, you owe me a new sweater.” He growls at me, showing his fangs as he approaches. I step back. “Follow me.” I lead him to my room, where his enormous size fills the space. I watch him move awkwardly as I lock the door. “You can go back to being Liam now.”
“But you said you wanted me.”
“And I do.” What am I supposed to do now?
“Let me see that… wounded paw.”
“It’s fine. We can heal much faster this way.”
“So you changed on purpose.” I swear he shrugs. “Since you’re not Liam… Well, yes, but no… you understand me.” I take off my sweater, undressing from the waist up. I go to the closet, take out another shirt, and as I’m putting it on, I feel a long, wet tongue caress my back and snake down one side, brushing a breast. I shiver, because that feels so good; his heat seeps into my cold skin. For a second, I let his tongue roam where it wants, my way of showing him I’m okay with any of his transformations and my problem goes beyond that. When I’m okay with so many licks, I pull away and put the shirt on. “Thank you for that, I enjoyed it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I think I just need time to get used to werewolves existing.”
“I won’t leave you. I won’t step away from your side, as they want me to.”
“Who are they?” The wolf’s head turns toward the closed door of my room and he growls.
“All those males want to separate you from me, but I won’t let them.” He says with determination, taking a defensive stance. Oh, crap, no. I can’t let him start a fight.
“Hey, big guy. Can you explain why you’re causing all this fuss when they clearly have their mate, who’s a she-wolf? Why are you messing with my life like this?” Liam turns his attention back to me, and that excites me.
“You are our only mate. There is no one else. You are ours, Shane. Forever.”
“And is that reciprocal? Because last time I checked, you…” I point at him while continuing to pace the room, and he sits on his back legs. “… had your tongue in another woman’s mouth.”
“No. That’s not the case. We don’t tolerate contact with other females except our mate.”
“Ah, but it’s safe to say that Ana’s was, though.”
“No!”
“Stop growling at me.” I confront him; he’s damn handsome. I think what captivated me (and this was why I didn’t want to see him) about him is knowing that underneath all that black fur, is the man I’ve fallen in love with and the father of my baby. Just looking at him, all my resolve fades.