"Apologies," he said smoothly, extending a hand to steady me. His voice sent shivers down my spine, and my heart pounded with recognition: Alpha Declan Anderson of the Silver Stone pack. Liam's father.
"Erica, isn’t it?" he asked as I looked around frantically for any sign of Liam, a cold sweat broke out across my brow. "Are you not joining the run, young one?" His piercing gaze bore into mine, and I struggled to find my words.
"Um, I-" Before I could stammer out an explanation, Becca appeared at my side, her presence radiating strength and protection.
"Erica's been through a lot lately," she interjected, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "She's emotionally tired and needs her rest."
"Ah, I see," Declan responded, a subtle hint of scepticism in his tone. "Well, my condolences for your loss. I hope you find the peace you need."
"Thank you, Alpha Anderson," Becca replied, her voice steady as we watched him walk away. I swallowed hard, hoping against hope that today would pass without any more unexpected encounters or revelations. The weight of my secret felt heavier than ever, but with a family like Imogen and Becca by my side, I knew I had to keep fighting, to keep surviving. For now, I could only focus on honouring Trenton's memory and praying that the shadows lurking just beyond our reach would remain at bay.
With a shaky breath, I excused myself from Becca's side and made my way upstairs to my room. The air felt heavy with tension and sorrow, but I couldn't afford to let my guard down. I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as I listened carefully for any footsteps or whispers in the hallway. Silence greeted me, offering a small reprieve from the chaos below. The encounter with Alpha Declan had left my nerves frayed, his presence an ominous reminder of the dangers that still lurked nearby. If Liam was here too... No, I couldn't risk bumping into him again. I needed to leave, to find some place safer for both me and my makeshift family. Determined, I grabbed a duffle bag from the closet and began to shove clothes inside, not bothering to fold them neatly. My thoughts raced with each passing second, weighing the risks and potential consequences of my sudden decision. It wasn't just about my safety; Imogen, Beck, and the others depended on me too. The stakes were higher than ever, and I couldn't afford to fail them.
My hands trembled slightly as I zipped up the duffle bag, my heart pounding in my chest like a caged animal desperate to escape. My ears strained for any hint of danger, but all I heard was the distant murmur of conversations from the wake downstairs. So focused on the task at hand, I failed to notice the sound of my door opening until it was too late. An angry growl reverberated through the room, making me jump and spin around, clutching the duffle bag protectively to my chest. My heart threatened to leap out of my throat as I found myself face to face with the source of my fear: Liam.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarled, his brown eyes blazing with fury. The air around us crackled with tension, threatening to suffocate me as I stared back at him, struggling to find the words to explain myself. All the while, the question loomed over us like a storm cloud, heavy and foreboding.
Chapter 11
Liam
Istoodattheback of the hall with my father, watching as people paid their last respects. My all black tailored suit felt uncomfortable and stiff, and the sweet scent of citrus teased me and my wolf. I saw as the beautiful sight of red hair came into view. I had purposely avoided looking for her since we came into the room. I knew that the moment I saw my beautiful mate that my thoughts would be consumed with only her.
My sister had found the location of Erica’s house from the phone. She had got all the information off of it just in time. An hour later the phone erased itself. Kaitlyn said she was impressed with the software and there was clearly someone who knew what they were doing in their pack. That made sense given that they had spent their whole lives as ghosts.I wanted to go straight over and get my mate but my father had forbidden me to do so. He said that we would need to approach things delicately, whatever the fuck that meant. This was why we came to the funeral. Just my father and me, so as not to draw too much attention to ourselves.
My body stiffened and my wolf urged me to go to my mate, but instead I watched as she hesitated before another man approached her. He was older, maybe my father’s age. Not that you could tell with werewolves. He laid a hand on Erica’s shoulder. I felt my wolf pace inside me.
“Mine,” he grunted. I never even realised I was growling until my father took my arm.
“Do I need to order you to leave?” he asked sternly. I shook my head quickly. I knew my father didn’t even want me to come with him today, but the thought of not being near my mate was ripping me apart inside.
“I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth. I could tell from the side eye he gave me that he wasn’t convinced.
My mate was standing at the front of the room now, with her hand on the casket. The waves of sadness coming from her hurt my heart, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and take away the pain. My father nudged me and I looked over to where he was looking. The man that had just been with Erica was now standing with a small blond girl with pixie like features. I recognised the girl from the image on Erica’s phone. Both of them were watching my father and I. My father nodded to the man and he made his way over to us.
“Alpha Anderson,” he said as he reached us and held out his hand. “What an honour to see you here.” My father shook his hand and smiled sadly.
“Beta Hayes,” he replied. “I am truly sorry for your loss. Trenton was a good friend. I am so sorry that I couldn’t get to him in time.” Beta Hayes nodded in response. My father turned and gestured to me.
“This is my son Liam,” he said, and I held out my hand to the man.
“Beta Hayes,” I said. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Please call me Marshall,” he said and shook my hand. “Will you both be joining us for the last run?”
“Yes, we would be honoured to,” my father said, nodding. “I would like to talk to you about the future of your pack, and how we can help.” Marshall visibly stiffened at my father’s request and I felt as he closed down his expression.
“Well, I am sure we can figure something out,” he said quickly, but then forced a fake smile on his face. “But for now I must see to my family.” He turned and walked off into the crowd before either of us could respond.
I turned to my father with a panic settling into my stomach.
“Dad,” I said, and he held up his hand.
“Give me some time.”
“We don’t have time,” I snapped. “You heard what Damon said. They are planning on disappearing again.” My wolf growled in my head and I wanted to join him.
“And if we act rashly, then they will disappear and so will their trust in us,” my father responded. I knew he was right, but I was terrified of my mate leaving me before I could convince her that she could rely on me.
