Over the next few days, I was given a tour of the small pack consisting of a handful of werewolves – half of what we had back home – and made to familiarize myself with the dos and don'ts of the pack. The basic rules that guided and then as a family. The pack may be small, but it seemed to be united, strong unlike the one which was ready to cast me for a crime I had no hand in.
And while I came to know more about the pack, my relationship with Liam grew stronger. I recognized that he was my mate.
"What do you think," he asked one evening as we bathed in the light of the moon. "About my small pack here?"
"Small." I commented. "As you said. But united. My pack was quick to throw me under when they thought I was rotten."
"You might not believe me. But I know about things like that."
I snorted. "Do you? It's hard to believe."
Liam shook his head. "Yeah, that's the problem with our kind. We believe what we want to and see things how we want to see it, not necessarily how it is. Isn't that how it was with your people? Nothing is hard to believe, we just don't want to believe it"
For a long time, I would remember those very words.
"Would you tell me?" Liam asked. "If I asked as a friend and not as a leader of a pack? What made your people throw you away like that?"
I suddenly got the image of me in the woods with Levine and Liam.
"I guess." I answered. "Do you really see me as a friend?"
Liam nodded. "It is true that our relationship has evolved. From mere acquaintances to friends."
I smiled. "Acquaintances."
"So?"
"I – I."
"It's fine. You don't have to do this now. Take your time."
I nodded. Although I liked the admit that Liam and his pack had done their best in bringing me back on my feet and making me feel as comfortable as possible as I stayed with their pack, it was still hard for me to think of the past few weeks without getting upset and feeling a knot grow in my chest.
"Look." Liam said, noticing the change in my mood. "You don't have to tell me anything. I hate to bring back any memory that makes you feel uncomfortable and I promise that as long as you're in this pack, keeping you safe and comfortable is a priority."
I smiled. Why did Liam remind me of my Father? "My pack." I began slowly. I kept my eyes on the ground as the images of my father fighting off those rogue werewolves on his own ran over my eyes.
"My pack thinks I killed my own father." I looked up at Liam but he was expressionless. His lips were drawn in a thin line and although his eyes bored into mine, I could not tell that they were thinking neither could I tell what they saw.
I could feel my heart beating in my chest and my mouth going dry as I began to recount to Liam the events which led to me ending up in his territory. He said nothing as I spoke and his face remained expressionless, but I could see his teeth clench and unclench once in a while and somehow, it gave me the strength to continue.
Once I finished my story, I felt a weight lift up my chest and although I still felt apprehensive over how Liam might respond, I felt a little free.
I did not expect Liam to understand me, in fact, I did not expect him to continue to allow me in his pack. My own people threw me away, what's to say of a man who barely knew me?
"You really have gone through a lot." Liam started. "I am sorry you have to go through that. It is proof that no one can be trusted."
"It is." I answered, sighing in relief. "I was devastated when I heard of my father's death, but nothing could have stopped the shock I felt at our beta's betrayal. He was like a brother to my father, an uncle to me and we respected him a lot."
"True that your beta was greedy and once he saw the opportunity to claim more power, he took it. I just wish that he had not put you in the middle of his power struggle and made you go through all that."
"I understand that I was a threat to him. If he was to become alpha, he needed to get rid of me." I explained. "My father always believed that women should be treated equally as men."
"He wanted to make you Alpha?"
I nodded. "I was the only child of my father."
Liam said nothing. He turned his gaze to the ground and we remained quiet. In silence which I was sure we both found soothing and comfortable. I thought of so many things and I knew Liam was thinking too.
It wasn't long before the day turned dark and Levine approached us. Once he was before us, he nodded a greeting at me and turned to address his alpha.
"Gaia is calling a gathering. Your presence is required." He said.
Without a word, Liam stood to his feet and began walking back towards the pack house. Levine followed and Liam, as if suddenly recalling that he had been sitting with someone, turned towards me.
"You should come too. You also need to hear this."
He turned again and continued towards the pack house.
"Sure." I answered. Slowly, I stood to my feet and followed behind the two men, wondering what it was they were going to announce at the gathering and why my presence was also needed as I was not a member of their pack. I thought of the last time I had been made to attend a gathering like this and the events that transpired during and after the gathering.
"This can't be good. I said to myself. But I will endure all that's thrown at me if only it'll give me the required strength to have my revenge…"
I knew I had to escape from there immediately but before I could gather my thoughts, I was being dragged by two of the guards who were following from behind.
I met Liam and it was as if he was now a different person from the guy I met a few minutes back. I didn't have the chance to find out what was happening as I met his gaze condescending. He looked at me with much disgust and anger.
At that moment, I knew what would follow. Pains of rejections once again as he struggled to let the words out of his mouth.
"I, Liam Liamswood, the alpha of this pack, reject you, Amelia Crescent as my mate and Luna of my Pack"
It was almost as if he was being controlled and I felt a heart-wrenching pain course through my veins and my heart shattered into pieces as I struggled to make my way out of the hall. My knees gave way to the pains and I found myself on the floor, struggling to breathe.
With heavy pants, I mustered the little strength I had left and staggered into the night, hearing only the night whispers of distant cries. I stumbled into a club to drown my sorrows at least for one night as that was all I could think of now. Doing all it takes to make this pain stop.
"I need your strongest alcohol right now", I gestured to the cute bartender.
"Sure lady, here you go", he said, handing over the cup which smelled so good at that moment.
"More please?", I said to the bartender, almost sounding cold.
"You've had enough already, miss", a calm but hoarse voice came in from the other side of the bar. I looked up immediately, and my eyes met with a handsome stranger who smelled even more better than the alcohol in my hands. I was intoxicated by his calm demeanor.
"Alexander", he said, letting out his hand.
"Nobody," I said, ignoring him.
"Alright, miss nobody. Why are you here drinking all by yourself?" he asked, trying to take the glass from my hand.
"You know what? Damn everyone! What do you say we have some crazy fun?" I asked him, dragging his tie getting him closer to me, clearly excited.
"Oh yeah, baby… Let's go", he said, placing his hands on my waist as I followed him sheepishly.
We made our way to a nearby inn and had the best night I've had in my entire life. Or so I thought.
The bright light woke me up as I looked around to see that I was alone in the room.
He was gone. Memories of the events of last night came rushing through my head as I gasped in realization.
"No!"