Liam’s POV
We got back home, and as soon as we stepped into the living room, Freja was pacing back and forth, her face tight with worry.
“I’ve been trying to reach you guys! What happened to her?!” she exclaimed, rushing toward us as we helped Freya settle onto the couch.
“What happened to you?” Freja asked again, her voice filled with concern.
“Got into a fight with Maya, and things got messy,” Freya muttered, brushing off the concern.
“What?! Maya dared to touch you?!” Freja’s eyes blazed with fury.
“I’m fine, Freja. Nothing serious happened,” Freya insisted, but Freja wasn’t convinced.
“Nothing?!” Freja said incredulously. “You’re limping, and you look like you’ve been through hell! How dare that woman lay a hand on you?!”
“I only fractured my ankle, and it’s already healing,” Freya said firmly, her tone silencing Freja’s protests. “There’s no need to worry. Just help me to my room, please.”
Freja clenched her fists. “Liam can take you upstairs. I need to go find that-”
“Liam will not help me!” Freya snapped, cutting Freja off. “You will!”
Freja blinked in surprise and then shot me a questioning look. “What’s going on between you two?”
“Freja,” Freya interjected, her voice softening. “Please. Just help me to my room.”
Freja hesitated for a moment before nodding. She gently helped Freya to her feet, and together they made their way upstairs.
I sank onto the couch, running a hand through my hair as a heavy sigh escaped my lips. I shouldn’t have told her.
What was I thinking?
I was a monster. She saw me for what I truly was, and now she hated me for it.
******
Steven’s POV
“Mom was right,” Luna whispered as she wrapped her arms tightly around me. “My guardian angel found me.”
For a moment, the world faded away, and it was just the two of us. Her embrace was warm, trembling with a mix of fear and relief.
Then, as if suddenly realizing what she had done, she let go and took a step back.
“I… I’m sorry,” she stammered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“You ran away from the hospital, and I found you,” I said calmly. “Then we got attacked, and I saved your life. You hid away, and I still found you. I get that all these events could make someone as weak as you lose their reasoning for a moment. That’s the only reason I’m letting you off this time. But next time, if you get all touchy with me, you won’t go unpunished.”
She nodded quickly, her face pale.
“It’s dark out here, and we don’t know how many of those men are still lurking,” I continued. “We’ll stay here tonight and head back in the morning.”
She nodded again, but her silence didn’t last long.
“You were looking for your mom when you were still Leon. Did you ever find her?”
“She found me,” I replied shortly, hoping to end the conversation there.
“I guess that’s why I didn’t see you again when I came back looking for you,” she murmured.
“Why did you lose all your memories back then? Did your mother ever tell you what happened?” she asked, her curiosity unrelenting.
I sighed. “Can you ever be silent?”
“I’m scared,” she admitted. “I need to keep talking to distract myself from the nightmare I just experienced.”
“Nightmare? What kind of nightmare did you have when all you did was run and hide?”
“I got an arrow shot at my face!” she exclaimed.
“And I caught the arrow and saved you,” I retorted. “Then I removed a heart, ripped off an arm, and snapped two necks to save you. Don’t you think you should be a little grateful?”
“You’re right,” she said softly. “You saved my life. Thank you.”
“I don’t need your thanks,” I replied gruffly. “What I need is silence for the rest of the night.”
“But… none of this is my fault,” she countered. “If you hadn’t forced me to marry you, I’d still be an ordinary human, and werewolves with bows and arrows wouldn’t be hunting me. Being related to you puts me in danger, so it’s your responsibility to keep me safe.”
I smirked. “You’re getting smarter.”
“I’m learning from you,” she shot back. “And I’m a fast learner.”
“Then listen, fast learner,” I said, leaning closer. “If you keep disturbing my peace, I won’t hesitate to knock you out and make you unconscious.”
“Come on, Steven,” she pleaded. “I’m still scared. I need to talk to keep the anxiety away.”
“You’re still scared, even when I’m right here?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” she said with a nervous laugh. “You’re the scariest creature of all.”
I chuckled. “Fair enough. But remember, this scary creature is your husband.”
“Through a forced marriage, remember?” she said pointedly.
“True,” I conceded. “But maybe we should stop being hostile toward each other. Destiny forced this marriage upon us. Since we can’t change it, shouldn’t we at least try to make it work?”
She hesitated, then nodded. “I think you’re right. Let’s try to live peacefully, respecting each other.”
“And maybe act like a real couple,” I teased, leaning closer.
“What… what are you doing?” she stammered, backing away.
“Doing what couples do,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Stop!” she shouted, and I leaned back with a smirk.
“If you’re not ready to act like a real couple, then stop rambling about being a team,” I said.
“Fine. I won’t say anything anymore,” she muttered, folding her arms.
The silence stretched between us, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures.
Then I felt her head lean against my shoulder.
Luna had fallen asleep.
“Even in sleep, you cause me discomfort,” I muttered, shifting away so her head bumped against the wall.
“Ouch!” she yelped, waking with a start.
“What happened?” she asked groggily, rubbing her head.
“Don’t ask me,” I said with a shrug. “Ask the wall you just hit.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “It’s never safe being alone with you,” she muttered under her breath.
And yet, despite her words, she didn’t move away.