I swallowed the pills with a glass of water, then filled another glass for Liam. The kid had to be thirsty.
After giving myself a few minutes to collect my thoughts, I returned to my room, knocking softly before opening the door.
Liam hadn't moved from his perch on the edge of the bed, though his eyes had been darting around the room, taking inventory of everything. Those golden eyes snapped to me as I entered, alert and wary as ever.
"Brought you some water," I said, setting the glass on the nightstand within his reach but not crowding him. "Figured you might be thirsty."
He nodded once but didn't reach for the glass while I was watching. I settled back into my chair by the window, wincing as my head protested the movement.
"I should probably explain more about what being mates means," I said, keeping my voice gentle. "I know I threw that at you pretty suddenly."
Liam's posture remained tense, but his eyes held that hungry curiosity I'd noticed before. The kid had spent fifteen years with no one to answer his questions about what he was, why he could transform, what it all meant. If nothing else, I could give him that—information, understanding.
"Shifters have a... connection to fate, I guess you could say," I began. "Most of us believe that somewhere in the world, there's one perfect match for us. One person who complements us completely. Like puzzle pieces designed to fit together."
I watched his face for signs of comprehension or confusion, but his expression remained carefully blank.
"When we meet that person, our bodies recognize them before our minds do," I continued. "It's in their scent—something that calls to us on an instinctual level. That's what happened when you shifted back there in the kitchen. Your scent changed, and my bear recognized you immediately."
Liam tilted his head slightly, brow furrowed.
"Finding your mate is just the beginning, though," I said. "Fate might bring us together, but we still have to do the work of building a relationship. Getting to know each other. Building trust." I smiled slightly. "Some might say that's the hard part."
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Not everyone finds their mate. Some shifters go their whole lives without that connection. Others find their mates but something keeps them apart—distance, circumstance, death." I shook my head. "I'd started to think I might be one of the unlucky ones."
Liam pointed at himself, the question clear in his eyes.
"Yes," I confirmed softly. "You're my mate, Liam. And I'm yours."
He blinked rapidly, processing this information. His fingers twisted in the hem of his ragged shirt, a nervous gesture that made my heart ache. How long had it been since anyone had claimed him as their own in any way? Since he'd belonged somewhere, to someone?
"Being mates is... well, it's permanent," I explained. "Once the bond is formed, it can't be broken. That's why it's such a serious thing in shifter society. It's a lifetime commitment."
Liam's eyes widened slightly.
"But the bond isn't complete yet," I hurried to clarify. "Just finding each other is only the first step. The full bond forms when we... claim each other."
His brow furrowed again, confusion evident.
I took a deep breath. This was the delicate part. "Liam, do you understand what sex is? Intimacy between partners?"
To my relief, he nodded. At least I wouldn't have to fumble through that explanation.
"Good. Well, claiming happens during intimacy. It's a bite," I touched my shoulder where neck meets shoulder, "right here. When both mates bite each other during... during sex, it forms an unbreakable bond. We become connected on a level that's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it."
The change was immediate and dramatic. Liam's entire body went rigid, his eyes widening in unmistakable terror. Before I could say another word, he was off the bed in a blur of motion, darting past me toward the door.
"Liam, wait—" I called, but he was already gone, the door swinging wildly in his wake. I cursed and lunged to my feet, ignoring the explosion of pain in my skull. "Liam!"
I followed him through the kitchen, knocking over a chair in my haste. The back door slammed as I reached it, yanking it open in time to see his shadowy figure racing across the yard. Myheart pounded painfully as I gave chase, my longer legs eating up the distance between us.
But Liam moved like water, fluid and fast. By the time I reached Gearhead's garage, he'd vanished around the corner. I rounded it at full speed only to find... nothing.
Empty space where Liam should have been.
"Liam!" I called, scanning the darkness. How had he disappeared so quickly? "Please come back!"
I moved toward the bushes where I'd first spotted him months ago, where he'd hidden so often while watching our compound. Dropping to my hands and knees, I peered into the foliage, breathing deeply to catch his scent.
