Liam’s POV
“What did she say?” I asked my brother, still struggling to process what had just happened.
I had woken up minutes ago, groggy and disoriented, only to realize that Lia was gone. Panic had seized me instantly, and I had shaken Logan awake before my mind could fully catch up. Even if I wasn’t completely alert, my wolf was. And he had been telling me that she’d been gone for a while-long enough for her scent to have nearly faded from the sheets.
“I have no idea what she said, but I’m pretty sure that was the point,” Logan replied dryly.
None of that mattered, though. It was painfully obvious where she had been. I couldn’t even decide what pissed me off more-the fact that she had gone to train when she damn well knew we didn’t want her to or that she had done it while wearing next to nothing.
Our pack warriors were a bunch of horny wolves. The thought of them ogling her, drooling over what was mine, had my wolf seeing red. Before I could even register what I was doing, I was already out of bed, pounding on the bathroom door.
“Angel! Open the door. Now.” My voice cut through the sound of the running shower. “We need to talk.”
No response.
I growled, knocking harder, the sharp rap of my fist echoing through the room. When she still didn’t answer, I turned back to Logan, looking for backup.
He, however, was utterly useless-just sitting up against the headboard, arms crossed, a smug smirk plastered across his face.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snapped. “Aren’t you even the least bit worried that one of those bastards touched her? Why aren’t you over here helping me get her out?”
“Oh, she’ll come out eventually.” His smirk widened. “And when she does, we’ll find out whether we need to be burying a body today. In the meantime, I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show.”
“What show?” I asked, thoroughly confused.
Logan chuckled, his shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter. “The one we’re about to get when she finally steps out. She was in such a hurry to get away from us that she didn’t grab any clean clothes.”
That certainly caught my attention.
I rolled my eyes at him, but I couldn’t ignore the flicker of anticipation at the thought of her walking out in nothing but a towel-or better yet, nothing at all.
Still, my concern outweighed my excitement. The guys she had been training with could be rough, and she wasn’t just any warrior. She was our mate. Our Luna. And none of them knew that yet. I didn’t trust them to have kept their hands to themselves.
“What the hell was Nikolai thinking, letting her train without running it by us first?” I growled. My fists clenched at my sides. “I’m going to kick his ass when I see him.”
“For once, I agree with you,” Logan muttered, finally looking serious. “He should’ve known better.”
I resumed pacing outside the bathroom, my agitation growing with each passing second.
Minutes later, the water shut off. A beat of silence followed-then a sharp string of curses.
She had realized her predicament.
Logan chuckled beside me, rubbing his hands together like a man about to be thoroughly entertained. But his amusement was just an act. Because the second the door cracked open, he was right beside me, his entire demeanor shifting.
“Baby girl, did any of those bastards hurt you?” His voice was sharp with concern as he spun her around, scanning for any sign of injury.
I was already reaching for her, my hands gliding over her arms and shoulders, searching for any hidden wounds. Rationally, I knew her wolf could heal anything minor, but the idea of her in pain-even for a second-had my chest tightening.
“Would you two stop it?!” she snapped, yanking the towel tighter around herself as it threatened to slip. “I’m fine. I can handle myself. I told you-I train with warriors all the time at home.”
“That’s not the same,” I shot back. “Your pack’s warriors know exactly who you are-the Beta’s daughter. Ours don’t. And they’re all highly trained fighters. They don’t hold back.”
The second the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake.
Her eyes flashed. “Excuse me?”
I barely had time to react before she shoved me-hard.
“Are you saying Crystal Moon warriors aren’t as skilled?” She shoved me again, her fury igniting like a wildfire. “Or do you just think they go easy on me because I’m a weak little girl who can’t handle a real fight?”
She lunged at me, ready to shove me a third time, but Logan was faster. He grabbed her from behind, locking his arms around her and pulling her flush against him.
“Now, now, baby girl,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear. “You’re letting your temper get the best of you again.”
She stiffened in his hold, but after a breath, her body sagged slightly, her wolf slowly retreating.
Logan smirked. “Shockingly, the usually articulate twin is struggling to explain himself properly.”
I shot him a glare, but he ignored me.
“What he’s trying to say,” Logan continued smoothly, “is that we couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you. Even the best fighters get hurt sometimes. And the thought of you being in pain, even for a second, is unbearable to us.”
I exhaled, nodding in agreement. “That’s all I meant, Angel. I was just worried about you.”
Her expression softened. “I’m sorry I pushed you. My wolf got a little worked up at the idea of her mate calling her weak. I shouldn’t have let her take over.”
Logan finally released her, though he kept his arms loosely around her waist, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around both of them and pulling her into my chest. I rested my chin on the top of her head, inhaling deeply. The scent of her filled my lungs, calming the storm inside me. I didn’t even care that her wet curls stuck to my face.
She was here. She was safe.
That was all that mattered.
When I finally pulled away, I took a step back, drinking her in. She was breathtaking-her peaches-and-cream complexion flushed from the heat of the shower, damp curls clinging to her face, with rivulets of water trailing down her chest. My eyes followed one of the droplets as it slid between her breasts before vanishing beneath the towel that barely held its place above her nipples. A primal part of me hoped I’d get to see her like this every day for the rest of our lives.
I wasn’t the only one affected. Logan stood beside me, his gaze darkening with barely contained desire.
Lia cleared her throat, snapping us both out of our trance.
“Um, Liam and I have some pack business to take care of today. Will you be okay on your own for a while?” Logan asked, his voice steady, though his eyes still lingered on her.
“Of course! I have plenty to keep me occupied. I brought some work I’ve been neglecting, and I’d love to catch up on my reading. I was also hoping Gwen might be willing to share some of her baking expertise with me today,” she said with an easy smile. “Go take care of your pack!”
She was incredible. Strong, independent, understanding-everything we could have asked for in a Luna.
“Thanks, Angel,” I murmured. Then, hesitating only slightly, I asked, “We were hoping to take you out tonight after work. Would that be okay?”
Her eyes flickered with curiosity. “Sure. What did you have in mind?”
“Dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant, then maybe drinks and dancing. There’s a new club in town we thought we could check out. Meet in the common room at seven?” Logan suggested.
She smiled. “Sounds fun. See you then.”
Even as we turned to leave, Logan hesitated, reluctant to part from her. I tugged on his arm, and though he followed me out the door, I could tell his mind was still on her.
The moment we stepped into the dining hall, Nikolai stiffened. He barely gave us a chance to sit before stalking over, his expression unreadable.
Logan and I growled in unison, our wolves bristling with barely restrained anger.
“What the fuck, Nikolai?” Logan barked.
“They could’ve hurt her!” I ground out, my jaw tight. Ghost, my wolf, was practically clawing his way forward, desperate to put our Gamma in his place.
Nikolai, to his credit, didn’t back down, though he clearly sensed our wolves’ agitation. His tone remained light.
“You know I’d never let that happen,” he said. “Not that she needed my protection. Every single warrior I paired her with ended up on his ass. Eventually, I had Aziel step in to teach her new moves-if only to give the guys a break.”
Logan and I exchanged stunned looks.
“They were going easy on her, right?” I asked, still trying to process what he was saying.
Nikolai chuckled. “Not a chance. You know our warriors better than that. None of those guys would risk looking weak in front of a woman. And besides”-his voice lowered slightly-“I know she’s your mate. It’s not like I can boss our Luna around. I didn’t exactly have a choice.”
Logan stiffened. “How did you-?”
Nikolai rolled his eyes. “Come on, man. It wasn’t exactly hard to figure out. You never bring women here. And even if you did, they definitely wouldn’t still be here the next morning-let alone the next three mornings.”
Logan just grunted, clearly annoyed that our secret hadn’t lasted longer.
“Next time, mind-link one of us. We’ll handle it,” I ordered, still tense.
Nikolai’s laughter was downright mocking now. “Oh, I definitely will. That’s something I’d love to see. In fact, I dare you to try telling that woman what to do. I’d bet good money that you’d be the next one flat on your ass.”
Still chuckling to himself, he turned back to his breakfast.
Logan stomped off toward the buffet, but my appetite was long gone. Instead, I headed straight for my office, my thoughts a chaotic mess.
Ghost huffed in my head, bristling at the mere suggestion that our mate could best us in a fight.
I wasn’t so sure.
More than anything, though, the thought of ever being on opposite sides of a fight with Lia made me sick to my stomach.