Chapter 3 Something Between Us
1546 Words
Sarah discovered something unpleasant about Alpha Liam the following morning.
He was difficult to ignore.
She had spent most of breakfast trying.
It wasn't working.
She stood at the kitchen counter slicing bread while Tessa chattered beside her about the party.
“Did you see the way he looked at you?”
Sarah kept cutting.
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“I wasn't looking at him.”
“You were.”
“I wasn't.”
“You absolutely were.”
Sarah put the knife down.
“Tessa.”
“Yes?”
“Please stop talking.”
Tessa grinned.
“No.”
Sarah picked up the knife again.
“You're irritating.”
“You're blushing.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Sarah touched her cheek.
It wasn't warm.
Probably.
Tessa laughed.
“You like him.”
“I don't know him.”
“That didn't answer my question.”
Sarah opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Because she didn't have an answer.
She had known Liam for perhaps an hour.
Yet she'd thought about him half the night.
His eyes.
His laugh.
The way he'd stood beside her without touching her.
The way he'd looked at her when she'd said she was wolfless.
He hadn't looked disgusted.
He hadn't looked sorry for her.
He'd simply said he didn't care.
Sarah wasn't used to that.
People always cared.
They cared that she couldn't shift.
They cared that she embarrassed the pack.
They cared that she wasn't what an Alpha's mate was supposed to be.
Liam hadn't.
That unsettled her more than it should have.
“Sarah?”
She looked at Tessa.
“What?”
“You're doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Thinking about him.”
Sarah groaned.
“Go away.”
Tessa laughed and left.
Sarah stared down at the bread.
Then muttered to herself.
“This is ridiculous.”
“You talk to yourself?”
Sarah jumped.
She spun around.
Liam stood in the kitchen doorway.
Sarah stared at him.
He was wearing a simple dark T-shirt and jeans this morning.
Somehow, that made him more attractive.
The shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and his black hair was messier than it had been the night before.
His eyes looked lighter in the morning.
Sarah hated noticing.
“You scared me.”
His mouth curved.
“Sorry.”
“You don't look sorry.”
“I am.”
“You're smiling.”
“I can be sorry and amused.”
Sarah folded her arms.
“What are you doing here?”
“Looking for coffee.”
“The dining room has coffee.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
His eyes held hers.
“I wanted to see you.”
Sarah's heart skipped.
She immediately frowned.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
His honesty caught her off guard.
He walked toward the counter.
Sarah moved aside.
Liam reached for the coffee pot.
His hand brushed hers.
The contact lasted less than a second.
Still, something moved through Sarah.
Warmth.
A quiet pulse beneath her skin.
Liam froze.
His eyes dropped to their hands.
Then lifted to hers.
Neither spoke.
Sarah slowly pulled her hand away.
“Sorry.”
“Don't.”
His voice was quiet.
She looked at him.
“Don't what?”
“Apologize.”
Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten.
Liam poured himself coffee.
Sarah returned to her bread.
After a moment, he said, “Do you always work this much?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has to.”
“You're not the only person here.”
Sarah smiled without humour.
“Tell them that.”
Liam looked around the kitchen.
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Years.”
“And no one helps you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
Sarah shrugged.
“I'm used to it.”
Liam's expression hardened.
She noticed.
“You don't have to look angry.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
He looked at her.
“I'm trying not to be.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he took another sip of coffee.
Then said quietly,
“Because I don't like the way people treat you.”
Sarah stopped cutting.
She looked at him.
“You've known me for one night.”
“I've seen enough.”
She swallowed.
Nobody had ever said that before.
Not like that.
She looked away.
“You should be careful.”
“Why?”
“People will talk.”
Liam shrugged.
“Let them.”
Sarah laughed softly.
“You don't understand this pack.”
“No.”
He looked directly at her.
“But I'm starting to understand you.”
Her heart gave another irritating little flutter.
She turned back to the bread.
“You don't know me.”
“Then let me.”
Sarah looked at him.
He wasn't smiling now.
He wasn't teasing.
He meant it.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then footsteps sounded outside.
Sarah knew them immediately.
Rowan.
Liam's expression changed.
Sarah looked toward the doorway.
Rowan appeared.
His eyes went directly to Liam.
Then Sarah.
His jaw tightened.
“You're here early.”
Liam leaned against the counter.
“Couldn't sleep.”
Rowan's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
Liam smiled slightly.
“Coffee.”
Rowan didn't believe him.
Sarah could tell.
She didn't understand why.
Liam picked up his cup.
“I'll see you later, Sarah.”
Rowan's eyes followed him as he walked away.
Sarah watched him disappear.
Then she looked at Rowan.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're doing that again.”
“What?”
“Looking at me like I'm a problem.”
Rowan's face softened.
“You're not a problem.”
“Then what am I?”
He hesitated.
Sarah waited.
His eyes moved over her face.
There was something painfully familiar in the way he looked at her.
Something that made her chest ache.
“You know what you are to me.”
Sarah's voice was quieter.
“I know what you say I am.”
Rowan's jaw tightened.
“Sarah—”
“You won't reject me.”
“No.”
“You won't claim me.”
His eyes closed briefly.
“No.”
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because I can't.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is the only one I have.”
Sarah stared at him.
“You love me?”
Silence.
Her heart hurt before he even answered.
Rowan stepped closer.
“You know I do.”
She swallowed.
“Then why am I always the secret?”
His expression broke.
Just for a second.
And Sarah saw it.
Shame.
Fear.
Love.
All tangled together.
“Because you're not the problem,” he whispered.
“Then what is?”
“My courage.”
Sarah looked away.
That answer hurt more than she expected.
Because it was the first honest thing he'd ever said.
She turned back.
“I don't want your fear, Rowan.”
He flinched.
“I want someone who chooses me.”
Rowan said nothing.
Sarah walked past him.
She didn't see the tears gathering in his eyes.
She didn't see Liam standing at the far end of the corridor.
And she didn't know he'd heard every word.
That afternoon, Sarah went outside to hang laundry.
The sun was warm.
The grounds were quiet.
For the first time all day, she had a moment alone.
Until a shadow fell across the grass.
She looked up.
Liam.
He held two cups.
“Coffee?”
Sarah stared at him.
“You brought me coffee?”
“One of them is yours.”
“How do you know how I take it?”
“I asked Tessa.”
Sarah smiled despite herself.
“That's suspicious.”
“Probably.”
She took the cup.
Their fingers brushed again.
That warmth returned.
Stronger this time.
Sarah looked at him.
Liam looked at her.
Neither moved.
“Do you feel that?” he asked.
Sarah's heart pounded.
She nodded.
“Yes.”
His expression became thoughtful.
“I don't know what it is.”
“Neither do I.”
He looked down at his coffee.
Then back at her.
“I'm not going to pretend I understand it.”
Sarah waited.
“But I'm not afraid of it either.”
She studied him.
“You should be.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm trouble.”
Liam smiled.
“I noticed.”
Sarah laughed.
A real laugh.
It surprised both of them.
Liam stared at her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're staring again.”
“I like your laugh.”
Sarah looked away.
Her cheeks warmed.
Liam smiled.
And somewhere deep inside her, something she had spent eighteen years believing was missing stirred.
Not a wolf.
Not a voice.
Nothing she could name.
Just warmth.
And for the first time in a very long time, Sarah wondered if perhaps being different didn't mean being broken.
Maybe it simply meant she hadn't discovered what she was yet.
And Liam—
Liam had already decided he wanted to find out.
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