Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Liam and I drove for an hour to the airport in comfortable silence. It gave me plenty of time to calm my anxiety. Not only had I escaped from Liam and Ethan, but I had left Aly behind. A part of me desperately hoped she would forgive me, but I wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t. After all, she had done nothing but support me, and still, I had left.

Liam and Ethan seemed to understand my reasons for leaving, although the pain still resonated deep within their minds. I hoped Aly would understand too. It was a meeting I was anticipating and dreading.

I hadn’t thought much about Axel and how he would feel about my departure, nor did I care. I had done everything completely wrong. From using me for my future position to breaking the news that I wasn’t human. From the beginning, he had never been a father figure in my life. He never wanted to see me, only the werewolf version of me, the version where I would step up and take control of his pack. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t go back to that, to being controlled and used.

“I have a condition if I’m going to come back,” I cleared my throat.

Liam’s head turned, his eyes searching mine. I had his full attention, which I would have appreciated if it wasn’t for the fact that he was driving on the interstate. The intense gaze in his eyes made my stomach flutter. I had never before captured someone’s complete attention, rendering everything else useless.

“Just say it,” Liam nodded, his eyes returning to the road for a second. I could feel a slight pang of concern bouncing around in his head. He worried that he wouldn’t be able to fulfill my condition, that he would turn around and take me back to Sara and John. He would, I knew that. If I asked, he would turn around and take me back.

“I’m not going to live with Axel,” I shook my head. “Or with Lia, or Dub. I won’t be used by anyone, ever again.”

“We never planned on bringing you back to live with them,” Liam shook his head, the corner of his l*p lifting in a smile.

A single dimple appeared on his left side, and I enjoyed the sight. His eyes had a mischievous twinkle in them, one that made me curious. I could feel his relief at what I said. It swirled in his mind and smoothed out the jagged edges of worry he had been feeling.

“I guess Axel won’t like that,” I snorted. “Although I’m sure Lia and Dub won’t care. They probably didn’t even notice I was gone.”

“Lia noticed,” Liam replied with a tense voice, the muscles of his jaw working. His irritation scratched at the back of my throat, and I wondered what had happened while I was away.

“I’d be surprised if Dub noticed anything in his life,” I laughed.

“Axel won’t be happy, but his happiness is irrelevant.”

Liam’s last words sent a shiver down my spine.

“Lia noticed? That’s a surprise,” I laughed again to lighten the mood. “I have some things at Axel’s house that I’ll need to retrieve.”

“Ethan and I will go with you,” Liam nodded, his eyes softened. “We won’t let you go there alone.”

“Is there any way I can, I don’t know, refuse to take control of his pack?” I frowned. “He has another daughter, she can take over the pack.”

“Unfortunately, you can’t,” Liam frowned. “As strange as it may seem, you’re bound to his pack through b***d. You’re also bound to our pack through the mate bond.”

“I don’t want to rule a pack,” I sighed. “I never wanted to.”

“You won’t rule alone, Sussan,” Liam smiled softly. “Ethan and I will be there every step of the way. We’ll help you with everything. That’s what mates are for. I think you’ll surprise yourself. Ruling is in your b***d; it will come naturally to you.”

“Both of you will help me?” I asked. Somehow, the prospect of ruling an entire pack sounded more reasonable with Liam and Ethan. I wouldn’t be expected to do it all on my own, to learn everything on my own while being a pawn for Axel. Liam and Ethan had experience, they had parents who had done the same before. If anyone could help me without using me as a pawn, it was Liam and Ethan.

“Of course,” Liam smiled, a genuine smile that brought out the dimple on his left cheek. “Our parents ruled the pack long before Ethan and I were born. We grew up learning how to handle it all.”

The unspoken words lingered between Liam and me, bouncing around in my head. Any children we might have would also be raised learning how to handle a pack. The thought made my stomach twist, although it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“If you want, we can merge the two packs,” Liam continued. “It would depend entirely on you. Instead of overseeing two separate packs, they would become one. Our territory would blend with yours, your people would become our people.”

I thought about what Liam said for a few moments. Of all the people in my life who tried to manipulate and control me, I had never had that feeling from Liam or Ethan. My instincts told me to trust them, to trust them with whatever I needed.

Even in the midst of all the confusion in my head, that one thing was clear. I could trust Liam and Ethan with absolutely anything.

“I would like that,” I nodded, giving him a genuine smile.

“Typically, the female would become Luna, while the male would become Alpha. You’re the sole heir to your father’s pack, which makes your future mate the Alpha,” Liam explained. “We wouldn’t take full control of the pack, the three of us would make the decisions.”

“I trust both of you,” I nodded, and no words had ever felt more right.

Relief flooded Liam like a cold tidal wave, and I smiled to myself as his hand found mine. His hand was warm as he gripped mine, and I could feel the comfort that the touch brought both of us.

We arrived at the airport in less than an hour, and Liam booked us the first flight back home. Back home, a place that had never been a home before, but that had changed without me realizing it. I was sure Liam and Ethan could take me to Antarctica and soon it would become my home. Any place with Liam and Ethan was home, regardless of who else awaited.

“So, you know about my family. Tell me about yours,” I said, settling into the comfortable airplane seat.

While I had just enough money to book a flight out of town, Liam had paid more for better seats. I didn’t want to know how much first-class seats cost, and I didn’t ask. I wondered how being an Alpha of a pack made you rich, and I added it to the long list of questions I already had.

A television was mounted on the back wall, playing a silent talk show. There weren’t many people in this section of the plane, just a few reclined in their own seats. A woman pushing a cart had stopped at our seats, and I happily took a soda bottle from her hands. Liam grabbed one for himself, flashing me a smile that made my toes curl.

“We don’t have any other siblings, but we have quite a few cousins on our mom’s side,” Liam shrugged. “Mom and dad ruled the pack until Ethan and I stepped up. Usually, you wait until you’re eighteen to take over, but Ethan and I were ambitious. We took over about a year ago. For a long time, our parents didn’t know what to do. Twins are very unusual for werewolves, even more so for an Alpha and Luna. They weren’t sure who was going to take charge.”

“Werewolves don’t usually have twins?” I asked. It wasn’t something common for humans, but it occasionally happened.

“No, never,” Liam chuckled. “Ethan and I are the first pair of twins born to a Luna and Alpha. Ethan is a minute older, so they assumed he would take on the role of Alpha.”

“Why didn’t he?” I asked, curious in my tone.

“Ethan and I have always been inseparable. We never fought, and we always shared everything, except women,” Liam smiled. “It’s hard to explain, but we were both meant to take control of the pack. The fact that we both are your mates further proves that.”

“Do your parents know?” I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “Do they know about me?”

Liam sighed.

“No, not yet,” Liam shook his head, a soft smile playing on his lips. “We’ll have to tell them once we get home. Ethan and I won’t hide you from anyone. You’re their Luna, they’ll love you despite everything.”

Anxiety stirred in my gut as I had another reason to worry about going back home. Aly would inevitably be angry with me, Axel would continue to try to control me, and I had to meet Liam and Ethan’s parents.

Would they react the same way? It was unheard of for two men to share a mate, and here I was.

“They’ll love you, Sussan,” Liam smiled softly, his rough hand gripping my chin as he drew my gaze to his. “You’re family now. Lia, Dub, and Axel can no longer reach you.”

Family. That word reverberated in my mind, warming me from within and calming my fear. Family had always been something I longed for. My grandmother was family, though my time with her was brief. Lia and Dub were as far from family as could be. Even Bruma, in a way, felt more like family. I had a connection with her that went far beyond b***d ties or friendship. Bruma and I were alike, and my soul recognized it as much as it recognized Liam and Ethan.

I could feel the truth of Liam’s words swirling in my heart, and I felt a sense of relief I hadn’t experienced in many years. I was no longer trapped in a miserable and inescapable situation. I didn’t have to run or hide from anyone. On top of the newfound sense of freedom I had never felt before, I leaned in and pressed my lips against Liam’s. His surprise was sour like a lemon, followed by a happiness so sweet that I leaned in closer. This time Liam took control, his lips moving against mine with such tenderness. His hands cradled my face, drawing me nearer. I smiled as his teeth nibbled my l*p, gasping as his tongue did the same.

We pulled away as our lungs burned, begging for oxygen. Liam’s eyes widened, astonishment bleeding through his gaze as he looked at my flushed cheeks and swollen lips. His hands remained on my face, tracing gentle circles along my cheeks and jawline.

“Now you owe two to Ethan,” Liam chuckled, earning a genuine smile in return.

“We don’t have any other siblings, but we have quite a few cousins on our mom’s side,” Liam shrugged. “Mom and dad ruled the pack until Ethan and I stepped up. Usually, you wait until you’re eighteen to take over, but Ethan and I were ambitious. We took over about a year ago. For a long time, our parents didn’t know what to do. Twins are very unusual for werewolves, even more so for an Alpha and Luna. They weren’t sure who was going to take charge.”