Four
995 Words
As I lay in bed, striving to remain motionless to preserve the integrity of the bandages on my back, I reflected on the events that had transpired. Piper had diligently tended to my wounds, assuring me they would heal in time, but I couldn't shake the anticipation of the dramatic scars they would inevitably leave behind.
Resting my head in my hands, I let out a heavy sigh. My parents' silence weighed heavily on me; their absence from my room spoke volumes. I could hear their voices downstairs, engaged in heated argument, but I couldn't discern the words exchanged.
Yet, a part of me knew I didn't want to hear their conversation. Their prolonged silence indicated they had likely left to seek counsel from Michael.
Turning my attention to the window, I found solace in the brilliance of the moon, its radiant glow infusing my room with a mesmerizing luminosity, as if a myriad of glow worms had taken residence within.
Seventeen hours had passed since Liam's departure, yet a yearning for him persisted deep within me, conflicting with the rational thoughts in my mind.
I longed for an explanation from him, knowing that I wouldn't find solace until I understood his actions.
Running a hand through my chestnut hair, I contemplated tying it up into a ponytail, but the pain deterred me from moving.
Suddenly, the sound of my door being pushed open jolted me upright. My chocolate brown eyes met Liam's glowing hazel gaze, and I found myself transfixed, almost frozen in place.
As he approached, his eyes seemed to hold a magnetic pull over me, drawing me in like prey, yet I resisted, sighing in disappointment, unwilling to be ensnared by his gaze any longer.
"Liam, what are you doing here?" I asked, pushing more of my hair back behind my ears, flicking it away.
Liam scrutinised me, his eyes traveling down my figure before returning to meet mine, eventually resting on the bandages peeking out from beneath my pajama top.
His eyes transitioned from hazel to a smoky grey before he closed them, inhaling deeply. When he reopened them, they had reverted to their usual color.
He reached over to my dresser, retrieving something and then handing it to me, ensuring there was no contact between our fingertips. "Here," he said.
Looking down, I found one of my hair ties in my hand.
Liam offered a sad smile. "It seemed like it was bothering you."
I nodded in thanks as I gathered all my hair onto the top of my head and secured it with the hair tie.
"Are you going to tell me why you're here?" I pressed, repeating my question.
"Emily, I promised I would come back for you," Liam reiterated. I shook my head, frowning in confusion. "How did you get in?"
"Michael granted me entry to your territory, and your door was unlocked; your parents are absent," he explained.
"They're not pleased, Liam," I added, noting their discontent.
Liam's expression hardened, his mouth forming a tight line as he looked down, almost as if he were ashamed. "I'm not proud of myself, Emily."
The way he spoke my name sent a shiver down my spine, but I suppressed the sensation. "Why? Just explain to me, Liam. That tradition is archaic. It's appalling, and you're well aware of how other packs view it. Why resurrect it? For what purpose? Power? Control? You know no pack can refuse to participate. That's why it was abandoned long ago. Why cast yourself as the villain?" Liam clenched his fists, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"Because I am the bad guy, Emily," Liam repeated, his tone resigned. I rolled my eyes, finding the excuse unsatisfactory.
"No! I want a genuine answer. Why? Why couldn't you just find a Luna like everyone else? Or wait for your mate?!"
"I've been waiting, Emily! I'm twenty-five years old and unmated. I need an heir before it's too late. I can't lead the pack in old age when I'm weaker; I need someone to succeed me to keep the pack strong. It's how packs operate!"
"No, Liam, it's how you operate," I snapped, shaking my head in disbelief.
"You have to understand, I was doing this for the future of my pack," Liam explained, his body trembling with emotion, a primal urge to shift evident in his restraint.
"What if you had mated with someone else and then found me!?" I exclaimed.
"Of course I would have left her!"
"No, because I wouldn't want someone who would mate with someone else. I wouldn't want you," I retorted firmly, sensing Liam's displeasure at my words.
"I didn't choose anyone else, did I? And you can talk, saying you wouldn't want me if I had mated with someone else, but you volunteered for The Dark Night, Emily! You didn't know if I was your mate or not, but you were willing to become a Luna of a pack you'd never met!"
My eyes widened, my mouth falling open in shock. "You really don't get it, do you? Liam, I didn't volunteer. Nobody from my pack did, so I was chosen at random by your Beta. I was forced into this, against my own will!"
Liam stared at me, squinting his eyes trying to comprehend what I had just said. I could feel the anger radiating off of him, and he stepped back, breathing heavily. Suddenly, he swung his fist and landed a punch at the wall, causing a large hole to appear.
"I'm going to kill him."
I shook my head, defeated. "Why Liam? Why kill him for something you did; for something you decided? You knew the rules. You knew what happened if nobody volunteered, and now just because I turned out to be your mate it's someone else's fault?"
“I_”
"No, Liam," I interrupted him, my voice firm. "You did this to yourself, you did this to me, and you did this to us."
- Writer
