“What are you doing?”she whispered.
“What do you think I’m doing?”
She pulled away, putting a safe space between them again.Her back hit the stone wall beside the window.“P-playing games.I know I deserve this—”
“Stop.”His voice cut clean through her spiral.“You keep saying you deserve punishment, but I’m not here to hurt you.I’m trying to tell you I care.”
“Why?”The word came out raw, torn from somewhere deep inside her.“Why would you want me?You know what my family is.The genetics, the rumors, the whispers—no one wants the bad seed of the Teague bloodline.”
Something fierce flickered in Liam.“Is that what you think?That I’d judge you based on gossip and fear?”
“Everyone else does.”Tears burned, but she blinked them back hard.“The boys at home made it clear—I’m good for a fling, maybe, but nothing serious.Who wants children that might not shift properly?Who wants to be tied to a family that everyone shuns?”
“I would.”His voice held such quiet certainty that her breath caught.“I want to have children with you.And if they inherited your father’s traits, I’d love them just as fiercely as I’ve come to love your brothers.”
“You don’t mean that.”Her voice was barely audible.
“I would’ve thought you’d trust me by now,” he said, and she heard the frustration building in him.“After everything we’ve been through together.After I stayed, after I helped your family, after I—” He stopped, running a hand through his dark hair.“But have it your way.”
The hurt in his voice raked through her like claws.She wanted to reach for him, to take back the doubt and fear, but the words stuck in her throat.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, heading for the door.
“Liam, wait—”
But he was gone, the door closing behind him with a quiet finality that somehow hurt more than if he’d slammed it.
Sienna sank onto the edge of the four-poster bed and buried her face in her hands, guilt and longing warring in her chest.He’d offered her everything—love, acceptance, a future—and she’d thrown it back in his face.
Deep down, in the place where old wounds lived, she still couldn’t believe she deserved it.
The next morning, Sienna woke alone in the four-poster bed, the space beside her cold and undisturbed.After their argument the night before, she hadn’t expected Liam to return, but the empty room still left her aching with disappointment.
She found him in the castle’s breakfast room with her family, looking like he’d slept poorly.His hair stuck up in untidy tufts, and dark circles shadowed his eyes, clear signs he’d likely spent the night on a library couch instead of a proper bed.
“Sleep well?”he asked as she joined them, his tone cool and distant.
“Fine, thank you.”The lie came easily, though from the look he gave her, she doubted he believed it any more than she believed his casual front.
Her family seemed oblivious to the tension between them, chattering excitedly about the castle and their comfortable night’s sleep.Mrs.Fraser bustled around them with her usual efficiency, but Sienna caught the housekeeper’s sharp glance between her and Liam, as if she sensed something amiss.
Angus appeared in the doorway with his usual impeccable timing.“Saber Mitchell is available for a video call this morning.”
An hour later, they assembled in Niall’s office, where the large table accommodated the entire family, plus their hosts.The video screen flickered to life, and Sienna’s stomach tightened.She didn’t know what to expect.
“Good morning, Saber.London,” Niall said, his voice steady.“This is the Teague family.”
Saber was tall, with black hair, broad shoulders, and striking green eyes that immediately locked on Liam—sharp, assessing, and faintly worried.
London, a curvy, brown-haired woman, clutched Saber’s arm.Her concern softened into a broad smile.“Liam!It’s so good to see you.We’ve been so worried.”
“Liam,” Saber said.“How are you?”
Sienna caught the flicker of emotion across Liam’s face, the slight glitter in his gaze as he murmured, “I’m okay.”He cleared his throat and ran through quick introductions, starting with her parents.
“Good morning, everyone,” Saber said, his warm smile now directed at the group.“I’ve brought some friends who wanted to meet you.This is Marcus, a wolf shifter, and his mate, Ria.”
Sienna’s breath caught as the camera panned to a woman with distinctive cat ears that didn’t quite fold back properly and hair streaked like a calico’s.Ria stood close to Marcus’s side, offering a tentative smile, but obviously uneasy in the spotlight.
