Captain Liam's Treacherous Mate

Furthering The Mate Bond

Maisie allowed Liam to guide her into the great hall for supper. The great hall was very different from the one she had been raised in. The great hall was for the Alpha and his personal uses. The rest of the clan was rarely allowed entrance unless there was a large gathering for a special occasion or for an announcement, which was not often.

Maisie was surprised to find three long wooden tables down the center of the hall. It seemed that everyone was welcome to dine in the great hall with their Alpha and Luna. Liam must have sensed Maisie's confusion because he made sure to elaborate. "My mother, her family, the MacGregor Clan, have large wooden tables running through the great hall. She made sure to do the same once she arrived at Douglas Castle," So his mother was from the MacGregor Clan. That made sense why they were involved in the feud with the previous Alpha of MacLeod Clan. Maisie nodded at Liam in understanding but kept her mouth shut. She had better not let on to anything more than she should.

Liam led Maisie over to the table that was placed in the middle. The Alpha took the seat that was at the head of the table. Liam sat on his right and his Luna sat on his left. Liam helped Maisie to be seated before settling himself down. Rowan gave Liam a questioning look and Liam nodded his head once in answer.

Maisie had heard that twins usually had an unspoken bond. She, of course, had never seen it in action, as twins were rare. Usually one or neither survived. Several maids stepped forward and placed large bowls on the wooden table in the center. It seemed this clan fed themselves. Again, much to Maisie's surprise, they were allowed to eat their fill. Clan Maclean, their food was rationed. They received just enough to nourish their bodies for whatever work they were doing. Nothing more. Maisie had always wondered about that. What if they had done more work that warranted more food? It had not mattered. They received the same amount.

Food was also used as punishment in the Maclean Clan. If someone did something wrong that day, their supper would be withheld from them. Maisie had only had to receive the punishment once or twice to understand how hard it was. Her body had felt weak for a few days following. She made sure that she had done what she was told after that as to not have the same thing befall her again.

"Are ye alright?" Liam asked her quietly. Maisie nodded her head in response.

"I am just used to a quieter supper hour." Maisie smiled at her mate. Liam returned the smile and then turned his attention to filling his plate. Whatever he took he then passed to Maisie to put upon her own plate. Was he not worried that she might look portly? Maisie's brows drew together. She took the bowl and put a small amount upon her plate and handed the bowl to the person sitting next to her. They thanked her and continued to pass the food along.

Liam handed Maisie three more bowls after that. Maisie did the same as the first and took small portions and then passed them on. After the food was passed around the table, Liam looked down at Maisie and her plate. He noticed how all of her food barely filled half of the plate. He looked up at her, but instead of Liam, Maisie was watching Rowan at the head of the table. Liam looked at his brother and wondered why he had been holding his mate's attention. Rowan took a bite of his food and continued his conversation with his wife. Liam looked back at Maisie, she had picked up her fork and began to eat as well. Had she waited for Rowan to begin eating before her? Liam knew that at one time that had been a custom but long since dead. He wondered if she had come from a clan that still believed in the idea that no one ate until the Alpha did. Liam made a mental note to ask her after supper.

Liam began to eat his own food. He had forgotten how much better the food tasted on land than on the sea. They ate what was available to them, which sometimes was not a lot. Liam glanced over at Maisie. She seemed to be enjoying the food as much as he was. A corner of his mouth tilted.

Maisie was enjoying the food immensely. Everything that she ate had much more flavor than she was used to. In no time at all she finished all of the food that she had put on her plate. She looked down the table at the bowls that sat in the center. Someone had obviously made sure to refill them while everyone ate. She wished that she could have more but was unsure how to ask.

"Rufus! Would ye be a good lad and pass the food back down this way?" Liam called to one of the men that sat in front of the food. Maisie's eyes widen as she turned back to look at Liam. He chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders. The young man began passing down the food towards the end fo the table once more. All three bowls got placed in front of Maisie.

"Go ahead. No one is going to stop ye from eating yer fill." Liam motioned toward the food. He noticed that Maisie's cheek began to grow red with embarrassment. Liam was unaccustomed to women who did not eat. Even at Clan Mackenzie, the women all ate until they were full. Liam needed to find out more about how his mate had lived before her journey to her uncle's.

Everyone had finished eating and was sitting around the wooden table conversing. Liam sat back and watched Maisie from the corner of his eyes. He could not help himself. She was the most beautiful thing in the room and after their heated kiss in the garden, all he could seem to think about was what it would feel like to have her underneath him. Liam quickly shook his head. His breeches became tighter. He could not seem to control himself when it came to her.

"Might I turn in for the evening?" Maisie asked quietly. Liam almost missed it because of the roaring laughter coming from the other side of the table. Liam nodded and stood up from the table. He held his hand out to Maisie, who took it without question. When she got to her feet she turned towards Rowan and bowed.

"Good evening, Alpha." Maisie stood in a bow position until Rowan cleared his throat and responded.

"Sleep well, Maisie." With that she stood and turned back to Liam and his outstretched arm. She laced her own through his and felt the slow tinging begin to run up her arm.

The sensation at first startled her, but the more she felt it the more she was surprised to find that she craved it. Much like Liam's kiss out in the garden. Was this normal? She did not know, as she had never even heard of fated mates before. Were they expected to marry? Maisie began to grow nervous. She needed to stick to her orders and try to get at the Alpha. Her sisters life depended on it.

Maisie seemed distracted, Liam noticed as he guided her back towards her room that she was currently occupying. Liam wished that he could turn her around and head towards his own. He had been around her enough to know that she was not going to just jump into bed with him. Not that he wanted that either, but the mate pull was a lot stronger than he gave it credit. He was unsure how his eldest sister had put it off for so long.

They finally arrived at the wooden door and would separate his mate from him. Maisie put herself across from him, "Thank you," she said quietly as she resumed looking at their feet. Liam took his hand to rest lightly under her chin. He gently tipped it up so that she was looking him in the eyes.

"Please do not downcast yer gaze when around me. Ye are my mate and therefore my equal," Liam said. Maisie looked at him, searching his gaze for the truth of his words. She was not sure how she felt, but she knew that he was being honest with her. It confused her even more.

"Why?" She breathed out.

"Why what?" The question caught him off guard.

"Why am I yer mate? I am a nobody. No rank, no title." Liam smiled slowly.

"I dunnae think it is something that is given based on yer rank, my dear," Liam could not help but push some of her hair behind her ear. His hand gently touched her cheek. The sparks began and Maisie closed her eyes in response.

"What do we do now?" She asked. Her eyes were still closed. Liam was unsure as well. He knew his mother's and father's story, as well as his sister's. Each were different in their own right.

"Well, first and foremost, would ye like to get to ken one another or would ye like to reject the bond?" Liam's heart ached at the thought of this beautiful woman rejecting him.

"Reject the bond?" Maisie's brows furrowed.

"Aye, ye can reject the bond and go back to yer normal life. Ye dunnae have to be mated to me." Liam elaborated. He waited for her to answer. Rejection was the furthest thing from his mind, but he was not sure how she was feeling. Maisie continued to look up at Liam. Reject him? Was it truly something that she wanted? Was what she wanted even relevant? She was on a mission from Alpha Kai. Her sister's life depended on it. Should she even dare to dream?

Maisie's head moved on its own accord. She shook her head no and Liam let out a large sigh of relief. "Good. I am not sure how I would have survived." Liam was jesting. Maisie knew that, but a small part of him seemed serious. Would a rejection actually kill someone? Maisie did not want to think about it any longer. She would get closer to Liam and in hopes, get closer to Alpha Rowan to fulfill her mission and save her sister.