“What the fuck!” he exclaimed, and the Alpha grinned.
“Yeah,” he said proudly, like he had some shiny new toy. “Do your thing, but just her arm, nowhere else.”
“But it only works on… oh!” he said and looked back down at me again. He reached out towards me and both me and Liam growled. Damon threw Liam a concerned look.
“Sorry,” Liam said, and Damon shook his head. His hand touched my arm, and I growled again. Then I felt something. Like a cool sensation flowing into me, my eyes widened as I tried to struggle away.
“It’s okay baby,” Liam whispered. I could feel my whole body relax as the cooling whatever it was seemed to put out my anger, and I felt more calm. Damon took his hand away and then stepped back out of view and Liam slowly removed his hold on me.
“What the fuck was that?” I exclaimed, sitting up, and Damon chuckled and then winced and held his side. Liam watched me carefully.
“You alright?” he asked, and I scowled at him.
“No, I’m not alright,” I snapped. “I’m naked on the goddamn floor and I need to get home to my family.”
“Sorry baby,” he said, shaking his head, “I can’t let you leave.”
“Liam,” Damon said with a warning tone, “Let her go for now.” Liam glared at Damon and growled.
“But I can let you get dressed,” he said, turning back to me.
“Well, thank you,” I replied sarcastically, “And stop calling me baby.” Liam raised an eyebrow at me, clearly amused. I wanted to punch the smug look off his face but instead I hurried through the hallway and into the bathroom. Grabbing my clothes, I quickly pulled them on, every movement laced with urgency. I needed to get out of here as quickly as possible. I had seen my phone light up again as another call had come in. Something must be wrong for them to call me this much.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped back into the hallway to face them. Liam's predatory smile greeted me, while Damon leaned against the wall, wincing in pain from his injuries. My heart twisted at the sight of him, but my determination to escape remained steadfast.
"Baby, erm I mean Erica," Liam murmured, reaching out for me. He pulled me into his arms, and against my better judgement, I let him. The fated mate bond stirred within me, urging me to give in to the longing that threatened to consume me.
"Please," I whispered, pretending to submit, even as my mind raced with possible escape routes. "I need to go home."
"Stay," Liam insisted, locking his eyes on mine, the intensity of his gaze sending shivers down my spine. I knew what he wanted, for me to surrender myself to him completely, body and soul. But I couldn't do it. Not yet, not when there were so many unanswered questions.
"Okay," I murmured, feigning acquiescence, "but first…" I brought my knee up into his crotch with all the force I could muster, causing him to double over in pain. His grip on me loosened, and I seized my chance, wrenching myself free from his embrace. He yelped in pain and I pushed him over while he was clutching his jewels and glanced at Damon. He was laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face. He saw me look and raised his hands in surrender. Good, he knew what was good for him and would not stop me.
My legs carried me back home, driven by an urgency that clawed at my insides. As I burst through the front door, my lungs burned with exertion, but the sight that awaited me made me forget about the pain. Becca sat on the couch, her face streaked with tears, while Marshall stood beside her, his expression a mix of relief and grief. My heart clenched at the sight, dread settling heavy in my stomach.
"Erica…" Becca choked out, her voice raw with emotion. "Goddess I’m glad you're safe. I was worried about you, but… but…"
"Becca," I whispered, reaching out to comfort her as she dissolved into sobs once more. My gut told me that something terrible had happened, and I braced myself for the blow.
"Erica," Marshall said quietly, stepping forward. "It's Trenton. He's… he's gone."
"Wh-what do you mean?" I stammered, praying it wasn't true.
"Car accident," he replied, his voice barely audible. "They found him this morning." My knees buckled under the weight of the news, my world collapsing around me. The man who had been like a father to me, who had always protected me and my family, was gone.
Chapter 7
Liam
Myhearthammeredinmy chest as I searched the darkening, damp streets for any sign of my mate. My breaths came out in ragged puffs, and my frustration mounted with each passing second. She was out there somewhere, and it was my responsibility to find her.
"Erica!" I shouted once more, my voice echoing off the brick walls around me. "Please, just come back!" But there was no response, save for the distant howl of sirens and the steady patter of the rain. I gritted my teeth, my wolf's possessiveness clawing at my mind like a ravenous beast. The scent of her tantalising skin still lingered on my hands, and it took all my restraint not to shift and hunt her down. I slammed my fist against the brick wall, cursing under my breath. The pain that shot through my arm did nothing to dull the anguish in my heart. I glanced up and down the street again desperately, but there was no sign of her. Should I keep looking? But I had no idea which direction she had gone in.
With a growl of defeat, I made my way back to the apartment, my boots squelching in puddles as I went. When I stepped inside, the sight that greeted me was one of pain and despair. Damon sat hunched on the sofa, his face twisted with pain from the injuries I'd inflicted on him in my blind rage.Now that I wasn’t under the fog of a possessive jerk, I felt bad.
"Shit, man," I muttered, taking in the bruises and bloodied cuts that marred his usually handsome face. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier." Damon forced a weak smile, but his dark eyes held an unmistakable hurt.
“It’s fine,” he said, although I could tell from his tone that it wasn’t.
