"Get your hands off her," Liam snarled, fury pouring off him in waves.
"Stay out of this, Anderson," Grant spat back, not releasing his grip on me.
"Stay out of it?" Liam roared, and in an instant, he was barrelling toward us, slamming into Grant with enough force to knock both men flying and wrenching me free from his grasp.
As they crashed to the floor, I stumbled backward, gripping my throbbing wrist. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in ragged gasps. How had everything spiralled so far out of control?
"Enough!" I screamed, my voice filled with desperation. "Just stop it, both of you!" But they didn't seem to hear me, their bodies tangled together as they grappled, fists flying and snarls filling the air. I stood there, helpless and trapped in my own home, the weight of their violence pressing down on me like a vice. The sound of shattering glass filled the apartment as Liam and Grant continued their ferocious battle. They were like two wild animals, snarling and clawing at each other with a primal fury that sent chills down my spine. My heart raced in my chest, and I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I watched them tear apart the place I called home.
"Enough!" I shouted again, clenching my fists in frustration. This time, however, something was different. The word seemed to carry an electric charge, a force that resonated through the room and slammed into both of them like a tidal wave.
"STOP!" I commanded, my voice laced with power I had never felt before. And just like that, they froze, their bodies suddenly rigid and immobile.
Liam looked over at me, his eyes wide with surprise and something else, pride. Grant stared at me too, but his gaze held only awe and confusion.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the energy drain from my body as though I had been holding my breath for hours.
"Grant," I said, my voice shaking slightly, "I think you should go."
"Erica, I'm not leaving without you," he replied, his voice firm and resolute. His blue eyes bore into mine, pleading for understanding. Liam's growl reverberated through the room like a warning siren, making me shiver despite myself.
"This is the last straw, Grant," he snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. The door to my apartment swung open once more, and two burly guards entered, their expressions grim and resolute.
"Wh-what's going on?" I stammered, fear knotting my stomach as I glanced between Liam, Grant, and the guards. My heart pounded in my chest like a prisoner desperate for escape.
"Grant has not only gone AWOL on a mission," Liam began, his voice cold and authoritative, "but he has also now attempted to kidnap you, the future Luna of our pack." His eyes bored into mine, heavy with unspoken accusations. "These acts are an attempt at weakening the pack, Erica. They're punishable by death."
My breath caught in my throat, the words striking me like a physical blow. I could see my guilt and devastation reflected in Liam's eyes, and it hurt me to know he didn't want to cause me pain. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I was somehow responsible for this disaster.
"However," Liam continued, turning back to Grant with a steely glare, "since your service has been exemplary up until recently, I'm willing to show some leniency. Instead of death, you'll be exiled from the pack. Should you ever set foot in our territory again -" He paused, the threat hanging in the air like a guillotine blade poised to fall. "- it will be an instant death sentence."
Tears pricked my eyes, hot and bitter, as I stared at Grant. His face was a storm of emotions: anger, confusion, and worst of all, betrayal. I couldn't help but feel that this was all my fault, that I had somehow failed him. But the weight of Liam's gaze and the expectations of our pack held me in place, tethering me to a decision I wasn't sure I could live with.
Grant's eyes bore into mine, desperation and determination battling for dominance.
"Erica, Liam is keeping things from you, and you can't trust him," he said urgently. My heart raced as I tried to process his words, but the raw intensity of his gaze made it difficult to think clearly.
"Grant, stop," I whispered, my voice shaking with fear and confusion. But he refused to back down. Instead, he took a step closer, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"Erica, he'll get you killed," Grant insisted. "Come with me. I can protect you, like I was born to do." His voice cracked, the weight of his emotions threatening to shatter his composure. A growl erupted from Liam, and he pulled me in closer, wrapping a protective arm around me. I could feel the anger radiating off him, and for a moment, I thought he would strike Grant without warning. Instead, he raised his head and spoke in a booming voice that echoed through the room.
"I, Alpha Liam Anderson of the Silver Stone pack, banish you, Christian Grant. Never return or the punishment will be death."
"Christian?" The name slammed into me like a tidal wave, knocking the breath from my lungs. As the bond between Grant and the pack shattered, a scent I hadn't experienced in nearly twenty years permeated the air, the scent of loss, of home, and of a life long since buried beneath the weight of time and grief.
The realisation hit me like a bolt of lightning, electrifying my entire being. Suddenly, everything clicked into place, the pieces of the puzzle fitting together with terrifying clarity. How could I have been so blind? How could I have not recognised him? How could I have not realised why I had felt so comfortable around him? But it couldn’t be possible. He was dead. I had recurring nightmares about his death my whole life.
Christian.
Grant.
I knew him as Christian Grant Hughes. Alpha heir of the Moon Key pack.
Chapter 45
Liam
Istoodthere,watchingwith grim determination as the two guards gripped Grant's arms tightly, beginning to drag him away. The air was thick with tension and unspoken words. I had never really liked Grant, he always seemed standoffish, distant. But until Erica joined the pack, he had been an outstanding warrior, loyal and dedicated. Now, though, he had crossed the line. He tried to persuade Erica to leave with him, betraying the pack and, more importantly, me. I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in finally being able to block any sort of interaction between him and Erica. Part of me would have preferred to put him to death for his betrayal, but for some reason Erica had become attached to him and I couldn’t bear to upset her in such a way.
