"Please," she begged, tears streaming down her face. "Liam, help me."
"Save her?" Jasper laughed coldly. "You really think you can save her? It's no use."
"Let her go!" I snarled, my body trembling with barely contained rage. The shadows of my past mistakes clawed at the edges of my mind, but right now, all that mattered was saving Erica.
"Very well." With a wicked grin, Jasper swiped out with one clawed hand, slitting Erica's throat in a single, brutal motion.
"NO!" My scream tore through the air as I raced towards them, managing to catch Erica just as she fell. I cradled her limp form in my arms, the life slowly draining from her once-vibrant green eyes. My vision blurred with hot, angry tears as I whispered her name, desperate for some sign that she was still with me.
"Tell me, Liam," Jasper's voice oozed darkness from behind me. "What will you feel when you find the body of your fated mate?"
"YOU MONSTER!" I roared, turning to attack him with every ounce of strength I had left. But before I could land a blow, the world around me shattered, and I woke up gasping in my cell.
"Erica," I whispered, my voice hoarse and ragged. It had been a dream, a nightmare, but the fear and pain were all too real. My heart ached with the desperate need to save her, to make up for my mistakes.
"Erica," I whispered again, as if saying her name would somehow bring her back to me. But the cold, unforgiving bars of my cell were an ever-present reminder of the harsh reality: she was still out there, somewhere, in danger. And I had never felt so powerless.
The adrenaline from the nightmare slowly ebbed away, but the fear and pain still gnawed at me. I had to get to Erica, my mate. The bars of the cell seemed to mock me, reminding me of my powerlessness. My breaths came in shallow gasps as I tried to calm myself, but my heart hammered relentlessly against my chest.
"Erica," I whispered once more, like a prayer for her safety. A subtle shift caught my attention, and I realised I wasn't alone. A shadow sat outside the bars, silent and motionless. I recognised the scent immediately, it was my father. It had been five days since I'd been trapped in this cell, and this was the first time he'd come to see me. Now that I was somewhat calmer, the guilt of beating him up washed over me like an icy wave.
"Dad," I said hesitantly, not knowing what else to say or how to apologise for my actions.
He stood up and stepped forward into the light, his bruised face a testament to my brutal attack. I flinched involuntarily as I saw him wince with every movement. For a werewolf to still be so badly injured after five days, I must have hurt him pretty badly.
"Look at you," he muttered, his voice strained by pain. "You're a mess."
"Look, Dad-" My voice cracked as I tried to find the words. "I'm sorry. I had no right to... I mean, I attacked you and-"
"Stop," my father held up a hand, silencing me. His eyes were filled with understanding, even as his bruised face was a painful reminder of my actions.
"Son," he said softly, "I don't need an apology. I understand why you did what you did. You were angry, afraid, and desperate for Erica." He sighed, resting his hands on the bars of my cell. "If it were your mother, or Kaitlyn, or even myself in danger, I have no doubt I would've reacted the same way."
"Really?" I whispered, struggling to keep my emotions in check.
"Really," he confirmed.
"And Liam, I want you to know, I'm doing everything I can to bring Erica back. I won't rest until she's safe." His gaze met mine, and I saw the burden he carried; the responsibility and the guilt. "If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive myself, either."
"Let me help with the plans, Dad," I pleaded, desperation seeping into my voice. "I can't just sit here and do nothing while she's out there."
"Are you less angry now?" he asked cautiously, searching my eyes for any hint of the rage that had consumed me earlier.
"No," I admitted, clenching my fists at the thought of Jasper Blackwood laying a hand on Erica. "But I'm calmer. I need to stop letting the rage control me if I want any chance of getting her back." My father studied me for a moment longer before nodding in agreement.
"Alright, Liam. Follow me," he said as he unlocked the door to my cell, its metallic clang echoing through the room. "Let's go rescue your mate."
Chapter 18
Liam
Thegravelcrunchedbeneathour feet as my father and I walked towards the pack house. It hung heavy in the air, the silence between us like a shroud of fog. We had shared so much pain recently, but despite it all, there was something settled about the quiet, not quite comfortable, but an understanding. As we approached, I couldn't help but notice how lifeless the atmosphere around the pack house seemed. The once vibrant community now echoed with a dull, suffocating emptiness. A gnawing sensation twisted within me, a feeling that Erica wasn't just the key to breaking my curse, she was vital to the survival of the entire pack. Her absence was like a gaping wound, and I knew deep down that I needed to get her back, not just for myself, but for everyone.
"Everything's too quiet," I muttered, glancing at my father. His eyes were clouded with worry, and I could see the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"Erica," he said softly, his voice barely audible above the wind rustling through the trees. "She's important to all of us, son." A growl rumbled up from my chest, anger and fear battling for control.
"I know," I snapped, though not at him. My frustration was directed toward the ones responsible for taking her from me, from us.
