“Yesterday changesnothing!”
“You’re going to be a father, Liam. Don’t you want to be there for yourkid?”
His eyebrows hugged closer to his eyes. “You know what the odds of shifter babies making it to the end of the first trimester in a human womb? Fifteen percent. But even if it were a hundred percent, it wouldn’t change anything. I still want to destroy that woman, so you had no right to make this call without consulting me! I’m not interested in atreaty.”
I crossed my arms. “She said noanyway.”
His chest heaved. “Good.”
“You couldlose.”
“I could alsowin.”
A beat of silence echoed like an ominous drumroll between us. I was angry about his reaction. I glanced at Lucas, wishing he’d weigh in and tell Liam he was being a stubborn ass, but Lucas was too busy sulking and glaring at the weightrack.
“There are more important things in life than winning or losing,Liam.”
“Not for an Alpha. Besides, I already have a family, Ness. The pack is my family. And I need to protect them.” His voice had quieted. “You all think I’m doing this to prove something. I’m not. Sure, I could’ve taken that treaty, but once Cassandra gets replaced or dies, her successor would’ve challenged us. We’d only be pushing back the inevitable. I’m young now and in way better shape than she is; Julian was old and slow.” His breathing deepened, his chest growing calmer with each passingminute.
Even though I was disappointed, a part of me also understood hisreasoning.
“Did you learn anything interesting atleast?”
Sighing, I let my arms fall back along my sides. “She can readlips.”
“She can read lips?” Lucas asked, finally popping out of hisdaze.
“Yeah. Her sister was mute. So start watching what you say aroundher.”
Liam dragged his fingers through his sweat-matted hair. “We don’t need to watch what we say around her, because the next time we see her will be at the duel. Am I making myselfclear?”
“Crystal,” I said a tad frostily because I sensed that was directed only at me. “I also learned she took an extremely high dose of Sillin when she was younger to cure herself of toxic waste poisoning. Which might mean traces of Sillin remain in her body.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “So maybe taking tiny doses of the stuff is pointless. Maybe I should take a huge dose and see what itdoes.”
Liam went as still as the punching bag behindhim.
“Morgan can still shift, so it wouldn’t impair Ness’s magic completely,” Lucassaid.
For a moment, I wondered if we’d be dueling Morgan if Liam and I had still been together. But then I wondered why I was even contemplating this and shook myhead.
“I’ll speak to Greg to see what a high dose would be,” he finallysaid.
As he took out his cell phone, a twinge of panic crept up my spine . . . What if it irreparably impaired my werewolf gene? What if that was the reason she was often bedridden and healed slower? I swallowed back my panic, reminding myself that Morgan had still risen to the top of shifterhierarchy.
Liam disconnected the call I’d heard no word of. “He’s going to figure out the dosage based on your weight and age, then phone you this afternoon to administer it intravenously.” He flipped his phone over and over in his hand, shadows devouring his eyes. “Even though I want you to consult me in the future, it was goodwork.”
“Thank you.” I nibbled on my bottom lip. “Can I leavenow?”
“You canleave.”
I started to go, but before reaching the door, I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Are you happy at least? AboutTamara?”
Although his lips didn’t move, inside my head I heard,I didn’t want a kid, and I didn’t wantTamara.
Pain carved his forehead. I hoped it was the shock of the news and the worry of the first trimester that was to blame. Perhaps he’d never love Tamara, but I hoped he’d grow to want and love hischild.
I hoped he’d be the man his father neverwas.
30
