"Sophia, it's time for class," she said firmly, her voice brooking no argument.
"But I want to stay with Alpha King Liam and Mummy!" Sophia protested, her bottom lip quivering slightly.
"Go on, sweetheart," Audrey urged gently, her voice filled with affection. "You don't want to miss out on learning something new today, do you?" Sophia hesitated, glancing between Audrey and me with uncertainty. Finally, she sighed, relenting to her mother's wishes. "Alright," she agreed reluctantly. She scampered over to Audrey and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Bye, Mummy. Bye, Alpha King Liam!"
"Goodbye, Sophia," I called after her as she followed the stern woman out of the room, her tiny footsteps echoing down the hallway. A pang of longing tugged at my heart. It was moments like these that I wished for a family of my own, a few pups to call mine. I internally chuckled at the thought of telling Erica that, and then my heart hurt at the upset that I had caused her.
"Quite the little artist, isn't she?" Audrey remarked, peering over my shoulder at the drawing still clutched in my hand. "She's always had a knack for it."
"Definitely," I agreed, feeling a surge of protectiveness for the young girl. "She's something special, Audrey. You must be very proud."
“She’s your child?” Damon suddenly asked, like he had just come from a daydream.
“Yes, she is,” Audrey replied with a small smile
“How old is she?”
“She’s just turned five.” Audrey had a twinkle in her eye and she watched Damon expectantly.
“Her father?” He asked, his voice strained. I coughed, suddenly feeling a little hot and awkward. She raised her eyebrows, amused at my discomfort, before looking back at Damon.
“Not in the picture.” I watched between the two as the tension filled the air. But then Audrey nodded and turned to me, her blue eyes serious as they met mine.
"Liam, I want to take a look at the curse on you." She paused, taking a deep breath. "It'll require a heavy ritual, so we'll need to be well-rested beforehand."
"Of course," I agreed without hesitation, my voice firm and determined. I would do anything, face any peril, to rid myself of this curse that tormented me. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
"Good," she said, nodding solemnly. "I'll show you to a guest room where you can rest for the day."
As I followed Audrey through the old-fashioned yet inviting house, I couldn't help but notice Damon's eyes lingering on her. It was clear he still harboured feelings for his former flame, and from the soft smiles she sent his way, it seemed Audrey felt similarly. I knew they needed time together, and I couldn't begrudge them that. After all, love was a rare and precious thing in our world.
"Here you go," Audrey said, pushing open a wooden door to reveal a cosy bedroom bathed in warm sunlight. The walls were adorned with antique artwork, and a plush bed sat in the centre, piled high with pillows and blankets. "You should find everything you need here. Get some rest, Liam. We'll reconvene later."
"Thank you," I murmured, stepping into the room. As the door clicked shut behind me, I sank onto the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of the drive and the fight with the demon crash into me, and suddenly I was exhausted. My head had barely hit the pillow before my eyes closed and I was asleep.
Chapter 4
Damon
Theafternoonsunfilteredthrough the curtains, casting a warm glow on Audrey's naked back as we lay entwined in bed. I traced my fingers along her spine, feeling the goosebumps rise under my touch. We had spent the morning and much of the afternoon lost in each other, our bodies tangled together like vines.
"Tell me about Erica," Audrey said softly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us. I paused, running my hand up to her shoulder and tracing the outline of a tattoo there. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything," she replied, turning her head to look at me with those piercing blue eyes. "She's important to you, isn't she?" I let out a breath, thinking back to my time with Erica before she met Liam.
"Yeah," I admitted, not quite meeting her gaze. "We had something special... for a short while, anyway." Audrey tilted her head, her black hair spilling over the pillow.
"And are you still in love with her?" My chest tightened, but there was no sense in lying to Audrey, she could see right through me.
"Yes," I whispered. "Very much so."
"Describe her to me," Audrey insisted, her voice gentle but firm. It was clear that she wanted to understand this part of my past.
"Erica..." I began searching for the right words. "She's strong-willed, like a force of nature. Her green eyes are so vivid, they remind me of the forest after a storm. And her light red hair seems to catch fire in the sunlight." I paused, my mind filled with memories of Erica's smile, her laughter, the way she challenged me and brought out the best in me.
"But it's not just her appearance that captivates me. It's her resilience and determination to navigate life's adversities, despite the trauma she's faced." Audrey listened intently, her eyes never leaving mine.
"It sounds like you two had a deep connection," she said quietly.
