CHAPTER 5
LIAM
Night had fallen over the city, and the silence at the company was only interrupted by the distant echoes of conversations and activities of the pack. From his office, Liam had been reviewing reports and solving problems that seemed to multiply every time he tried to take a breath. In his world, everything needed order and control, and at that moment, everything felt out of his reach with some asshole fucking with and killing his pack, and now attacking one of his warehouses.
He had promised Shane that he would accompany her to the clinic, but the pressure of the pack hadn’t allowed him to leave. The murmurs of tension within the pack had grown with this new intruder fucking with their territory, and his responsibility as leader demanded his attention. There were things he couldn’t share with her, problems he didn’t fully understand yet, but that kept him up at night.
When he finally managed to tear himself away from his work, the clock struck three in the morning. It was late, and his heart sank at the thought of Shane, the date she had, and how he had failed to be by her side at such a crucial moment. He felt eloquent and strong in front of others, but in front of his little wolf, the feeling of impotence overwhelmed him.
As he arrived at the attic, he found the dim light emanating from the lamp in the living room. The image of Shane sleeping peacefully hit him with a wave of emotions. Her relaxed and serene face made him feel a mix of guilt and love. It was a striking contrast to the battle he had fought in his mind and in his professional life. Liliana was sitting in another armchair, glaring at Liam as he entered, she raised her index finger and asked him to be quiet as she stood up and grabbed her purse. She passed by his side without looking at him, annoyed with him.
“I know you’re the alpha and your pack needs you, but she does too. When I arrived here, her eyes were red, and it doesn’t take a genius to know she had been crying.”
“You know what’s going on with the pack, Lia. My pack needs me…” he whispered.
“She does too. Gigit could have taken care of it.”
“Lia!” he growled low. She lowered her head, her wolf leading her to respect her Alpha.
“I’m out of here.” she said through her teeth. “I’ll be in the apartment downstairs.”
“Thanks for taking care of her, I know it’s not your responsibility.” she nodded her head.
“It’s not, and yet, something about her makes me want to protect her and obey her… it’s strange.” she whispered before leaving. Liam turned his gaze back to Shane.
He approached silently, trying not to wake her up. The sight of her reminded him of what really mattered: his family. The idea of becoming a father filled him with a sense of purpose, even if, at that moment, he had no idea how to handle it. The vision of a future with his little pup terrified and excited him at the same time. But without Shane by his side, he felt lost.
As he watched her, he remembered the conversation they had on the phone before her appointment with the doctor. Liam’s absence had become the shadow of her happiness, and he knew it. His own problems shouldn’t have interfered with their relationship, but it had been more difficult than he had anticipated. He couldn’t leave the pack to fend for itself, no matter how much he wanted to.
He sat on the edge of the couch, watching how the gentle movement of her breathing calmed him down. He wished he had been there with her, wished he had shared the news of her first check-up, of what it meant for both of them. The idea of being a father had made him reflect on his own childhood, and how he wanted his little one to have the same.
The text message she had left him kept repeating in his head.
Shane: [Liam, I need to talk to you. I have something important to tell you.]
A knot had formed in his stomach. Anxiety grew in his chest like a resonant echo. There was something about her message that made him feel it wasn’t just a trivial conversation. Unable to bear it anymore, he put his hands under her, lifting her in a bridal style to take her to the bedroom. She began to move and woke up.
“Liam?” she asked sleepily.
Liam smiled sideways.
“Who else could it be? I’d kill anyone who touches you.”
“Silly,” she whispered, snuggling back into his arms, resting her face on his chest as he climbed the stairs. What she didn’t know was that he was being very serious; he would kill anyone who tried to touch her.
When they arrived at the main bedroom they shared, Liam carefully deposited her on the bed.
“Go back to sleep. I’ll take a quick shower and be right back.” Liam gave her a kiss on the forehead before leaving her in the room. He quickly undressed and showered. When he came out, he found Shane in bed, propped up against the headboard.
“Why aren’t you sleeping, little wolf?” he whispered, almost as if she could hear him. He wondered if she had been waiting for him or if she had simply lost sleep.
“It’s just that…” her gaze didn’t connect with his. Liam approached the bed, adjusting the towel around his hips, his already hardened cock at the sight of her.
“What happens? I’m here, ready to listen.”
“You didn’t show up,” she replied, and he knew exactly what she was referring to.
“I’m sorry, little wolf. There were more problems than I imagined. Things got a bit complicated with the pack. Forgive me. I promise that next time I’ll be present.”
“What happened? It must have been something big for you to miss it.” She looked at him with her big, expressive eyes.
“There was an attack on one of the warehouses; it’s someone who’s trying to fuck with us. But it’s not something you need to worry about. However, I had to be present and solve what had happened, since the pack was a bit agitated.”