Chapter 74: Chapter 74

“I can do it myself,” I told Liam, sitting on the pale sofa in the gym’s lounge.

After some much-needed time together, I was more than ready to go home and take a long shower. Not only was the sweat starting to dry on my skin, but I also had a comfortable soreness between my legs.

Liam had picked up a towel and was running it under the cold water from the sink. Every now and then, his eyes glanced over to where I was; completely naked and surprisingly unabashed on the sofa. “Are you sure about that, sweetheart?” He directed a smile that made my insides melt. It was hard not to smile when the twins looked at me this way.

Once, I would have called myself clinically insane for claiming to love a man I had only known for about a month. While in this case, I had two men, things were different with them. I felt like I knew them in a way I didn’t know others, that there was no other option for me but to love them as deeply as they loved me. Love changes and grows over time, but I knew ours would never diminish.

“I’m pretty sure I can handle a towel.” I smiled. My smile quickly turned into a pout as Liam moved my hands and started to clean himself, casually sitting on my stomach. Neither of us had been prepared, but I guess it was better than the alternative. While I wasn’t completely opposed to the idea of having children with Liam and Ethan, I knew I wouldn’t rush into anything. Although the towel was made of horribly rough material, every stroke of his hand was incredibly gentle. Both of them were so tough, so dominant during s*x, but this was different. Every time I had been with them, they always insisted on taking care of me afterward. The few times I had thought about being intimate with a guy, this wasn’t something I thought would happen afterward.

“Really? I’m pretty sure you almost passed out back there at some point.” Liam’s laughter was a deep rumble I could feel in the pit of my stomach. His playful and humorous smile told me he was only half-joking. “Oh, I didn’t!” I teased, unable to keep a smile from forming on my own face. I pushed his hands away playfully and watched as he walked to the sink.

Liam grabbed a second towel and ran it under cold water before settling back on the sofa. His calloused hands were incredibly soft as he ran his fingers over the smooth skin of my thigh. “If we were at home, I’d use something much softer.” He frowned, using the softer side of the towel to clean the inside of my thighs. “Honestly, you’re perfect.” I laughed breathlessly, feeling the effects of his touch too strongly. I was sure my body would never stop reacting to his caresses, and I looked forward to every heated and gentle moment between us. “You and Ethan are.” A quick flash of disbelief crossed his face. It was almost too fast for me to catch, but I could taste a slight hint of bitterness in the emotion. “Don’t tell that to Ethan,” he chuckled, giving no sign that he had felt that fleeting emotion. “I like to think his ego is a little bigger than mine.”

“Mmm, seems like both of you are in the same position,” I joked, though I noticed the humor didn’t reach Liam’s eyes. A slight frown formed on my lips as I met his gaze, feeling a bitter emotion wash over me.

“What’s wrong, Liam? Don’t try to hide it from me; you know I can feel your emotions.” “There’s no point in denying it, right?” He replied with a soft yet devastating smile, filling me with a strange combination of warmth and coldness.

Liam picked up my sports bra from the floor and carefully untangled it. I allowed him to take his time to gather his thoughts, and I smiled as he helped me get dressed. Then, he did the same with my underwear and leggings, which, by the way, smelled like they needed urgent washing. I couldn’t believe how much I had sweated today; more than I had ever sweated in my life, I was sure.

When we were both fully dressed, I settled down on Liam’s lap. This time it was different. There was no s****l connotation in my actions; I just wanted to release those negative emotions he had been experiencing before they solidified and worsened. I felt happy, happier than ever in my life, and I needed to understand what was troubling him so much. I sat on his lap, and I sighed as his strong arms embraced me.

Nuzzling my nose against the roughness of his beard, I gave him a light k**s. I had never felt such comfort and security, and no one had ever held me like this before, and I wondered how I had gone so long without experiencing it. Our surroundings faded away, and I no longer cared or remembered that we were in a small lounge at the local gym. The place didn’t matter; only who we were mattered.

“It’s no secret that Ethan and I used to be promiscuous,” Liam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Ethan was worse than me, but now I think I wasn’t exactly a saint either. Although we never physically hurt anyone, we didn’t treat them as anything more than temporary company. Most didn’t seem to care; they were willing to take whatever we offered, but some… some really wanted something more. And we didn’t care. Before you came along, well, we weren’t exactly looking for a partner. I think the idea of commitment scared Ethan more than me, but what we did was wrong.” I furrowed my brow, letting my fingers gently caress his face. “It may sound terrible to say it, but we all make mistakes. No one is completely good or bad; we are all a mix of both.”

His skin felt soft as velvet, but I encountered roughness when my fingers found the dark beard on his cheek and jaw. I could feel him relaxing under the touch of my fingers, and the intensity of his emotions began to diminish. It was comforting to know that my touch had the same effect on him as his touch had on me. A simple touch could unleash a whirlwind of emotions within me, each one different depending on the intention.

“You’re not a terrible person at all, sweetheart,” he chuckled softly, placing his lips on my forehead. “Believe me, Ethan and I have met plenty of terrible people, but never someone like you. You’re so much more than we deserve. All we can do is strive to be worthy of you.”

“Think of it this way, both of you are my mates for a reason.” I smiled, my heart full but heavy at the same time. My smile turned playful. “Maybe a bit of my infinite goodness has rubbed off on you.”

“Wow, it seems like we both have infinite goodness,” Liam replied, and his serious facade broke, revealing a playful smile. His lips drew closer to mine, just a few inches away. His voice was low and husky, leaving me slightly breathless. “Or maybe we’ll end up corrupting each other.”

“Not such a bad idea,” I responded, feeling myself getting lost in the depth of his fiery eyes. “Although I’d love to stay here alone with you, I’m afraid Ethan will wonder where we are.” Liam smiled, and finally, his lips met mine. His teeth grazed my lower l*p, causing a small jolt of pain, but a m**n escaped my lips from the sheer taste of his k**s. “If you keep making those sounds, I’m afraid we’ll have to stay longer.” “You were the one who kissed me that way.”

I exhaled, my words mingling with laughter. “You’re very sensitive,” I commented as he chuckled and lifted me in his arms from the sofa. His eyes gleamed mischievously as he looked at me. “Do you think you can walk, or should I carry you out of the gym?” I replied determinedly, “You won’t carry me out of here, no matter how sore I am,” and with that, I gently pushed his chest to stand up. “It’s already enough that half of the people in this gym probably heard what we were doing; I don’t need to give them more evidence.”

I left the gym with my head held high. I didn’t notice any additional stares, so I assumed no one had any idea of what had happened just a few minutes before. Liam took me back home, but shortly after, he had to leave. Ethan had accompanied him to Axel and his pack, following a lead on the white wolves. The last time Liam had spoken with Ethan, they had obtained some relevant information.

After what I did during the battle against the rebels, I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or scared. I had returned all those negative emotions to the rogues, and I was scared at how good it felt to do so. I had freed myself from all those unpleasant things I had felt; every trace of disdain, anger, or disgust had vanished in that moment. That’s when I realized how much those emotions had been affecting me. They poisoned every good thought and contaminated every positive experience. The only way to avoid being harmed by them was to let them go.

Since I returned home with Liam and Ethan, I hadn’t given a single thought to Lia. In fact, I had intentionally erased her from my mind. Sitting in the kitchen of their house, I started to think about her. I had never been the type of person to hate someone, but there were moments in my life when I truly hated Lia and Dub. Hate is the most poisonous emotion of all, and I never thought about how it might have affected me. Since I let go of all those unpleasant emotions, I realized something. I no longer hated her; I felt sorry for her. Lia and Dub couldn’t hurt me anymore, and they never would. They were the ones trapped in that vicious cycle, building a wall around themselves with those corrupted emotions. Letting them go made me feel freer than ever.

As soon as Liam left, I ran upstairs to shower and change. My stomach growled so loudly that I flinched, so I decided to postpone the shower for now. I opted for a comfortable t-shirt and jeans and headed down to the kitchen in search of something to eat. “Looks like you’re lost in your thoughts,” Liam and Ethan’s mom said, chuckling as she entered the kitchen. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, a similar shade to Lia’s. Unlike Lia, who was vengeful, manipulative, and emotionally abusive, Liam and Ethan’s mom was the complete opposite. She was the perfect example of what a mother should be and more. She had raised two wonderful sons who not only accepted their mistakes but also strived to be better people. She knew how to be understanding when needed and firm when necessary. Although they were already adults, Liam and Ethan would never go against their mother. In the short time I had lived here, she had become a friend to me.

She had a natural gift for caring and nurturing others, as if it were part of her essence. “Are you hungry?” she asked as she rummaged through the fridge. Her eyes crinkled slightly as my stomach growled at the opportune moment, and a soft, musical laugh escaped her lips. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She chuckled, placing some random ingredients on the counter. “Aly made me drink that disgusting protein shake before training this morning.” I wrinkled my nose at the bitter taste of kale. “At this point, I’ll settle for a handful of nuts.”

“Well, I think I can make something better than a handful of nuts,” she replied with a kind smile on her face. “How about we make pizza and chocolate chip cookies?”

“Doesn’t that contradict the purpose of working out?” I asked, though I couldn’t help my mouth watering at the thought. “The best thing about being a werewolf is that we were born to be strong and athletic,” she laughed, “You have to eat more, especially now that you’re training.”

“Cookies and pizza sound perfect,” I said, smiling, excited about the idea. “Get an apron! With everything Ethan and Liam eat, I’ll need all the help I can get.”

She snorted, “Don’t even get me started on their father.”

Living with Lia and Dub, I never really learned to cook. My diet consisted of gas station fast food, instant noodle packs, and frozen burritos. Liam and Ethan’s mom was one of those people who seemed to be experts at everything. She was fierce and protective and made almost everything from scratch. I helped her make the pizza dough as best as I could, and I watched as she stretched it and let it rest to rise. In the end, I had flour all over me, even in my hair, but I was grateful I hadn’t showered yet. Once the dough had risen almost triple its size, Liam and Ethan’s mom divided it into two parts.

“Make sure it’s evenly spread like this,” she murmured as she skillfully cut and shaped the dough into perfect circular forms. “As long as it’s uniform, it doesn’t matter what shape it has.”

“So, can I make any shape?” I asked, with a cheesy idea forming in my mind. I chuckled to myself for the wordplay and got to work shaping and stretching the dough. I attempted to make the pizza into a heart shape, but it turned out to be much more challenging than I imagined. Instead of a perfect heart, I ended up with one that not only had lumps but was also twisted.

“Susan, what is that?” Liam and Ethan’s mom frowned, struggling to contain the laughter in her voice. Though she tried to appear serious, she didn’t fool me; I could feel her amusement. Her motherly love was mixed with a touch of fun and humor.

“It’s a heart,” I replied, biting my l*p as I looked at my attempt. “Oh, I see it!” She smiled breathlessly, “It looks great, sweetheart.”

“You know I can feel your emotions, right?” I frowned, but soon joined in her laughter. The sharp pain I once felt when thinking about not having a mother had faded away. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she left, but I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt it. Maybe finding my own family had healed that wound, or maybe I did it myself. Either way, as our laughter filled the house, I couldn’t think of a place where I’d rather be.

Two hours later, Ethan made his entrance into the kitchen.

“Ethan!” I exclaimed with a smile, setting the freshly baked pizza tray I held with gloves on the counter. I walked over to him and threw myself into his arms, allowing his warm chest to envelop me. His long hair brushed against my forehead as he reciprocated the hug, and I could feel him inhaling my scent deeply.

Liam and Ethan looked alike in almost everything, but over time, I had learned to recognize the subtle differences between the two. Ethan was a bit stockier than Liam, and Liam’s muscles were a bit more defined. Although both had a strong temperament, it seemed that Liam had better control of it. On the other hand, Ethan always had something darker inside him and was generally more reserved than Liam.

“Sweetie, you’ve covered me in flour,” he grumbled, looking at his black shirt now speckled with white.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said sheepishly, feeling my face turn slightly red. The hardness in his gaze softened and disappeared, making way for the real Ethan, the side of him that only Liam and I knew. His arms still encircled my waist as his tongue quickly licked my cheek.

“You taste like pizza,” he smiled, catching my chin with one of his large hands before kissing me.

“Susan made a special pizza for you and your brother,” his mom interjected, leaning on the counter with a gentle smile on her face.

“Really?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. His full lips curved into one of his rare but genuine smiles.

“Let’s see it,” I said excitedly, almost jumping over the counter to show what I had prepared. His mother had helped with the ingredients since she wasn’t sure about their preferences.

Both brothers seemed to have totally different topping preferences. Half of the pizza was meant for Ethan, while the other half was for Liam.

“What… what shape is that?” Ethan frowned, observing the strange heart shape of the pizza I had made. My work at Beth’s had helped me ensure the dough was uniform and fully cooked, but I didn’t have much talent for giving it a perfect heart shape. Those superficial details were more Beth’s thing.

“It’s a heart,” I pointed at the two uneven arches forming the heart. “See?”

“Ah, sure,” he awkwardly cleared his throat. It seemed he was struggling to find the right words. “It’s…”

“It’s terribly ugly, but I’m sure it’ll taste good,” I smiled, suppressing a giggle. Since I met the twins, I had almost never seen Ethan feel uncomfortable or at a loss for words. However, at that moment, I had managed to bring out both aspects of him. Though he wasn’t one to express sweet things, it seemed I awakened that tender side he had hidden.

A slight blush tinted his cheeks, and I relished the idea of a flushed Ethan. “It’s not ugly,” he said, shaking his head and pulling me into his protective arms. “It’s perfect, just like my mate.”

“Do people forget that I can feel emotions too?” I retorted, with a wide smile on my face.

Ethan let out a deep laugh before nodding, “Alright, it might be a little ugly.”

“Well, I’ll take some food to your dad,” Ethan’s mom intervened, giving both of us an indulgent smile. “Don’t worry about the mess, Sussan. I’ll clean it up in a moment.”

“Are you sure?” I furrowed my brow.

“Yes, of course. Now, go and enjoy your time together.” She smiled and left the room with two plates of food in hand.

“She’s trying to give us some privacy,” Ethan murmured as his hands traveled to my h**s. “I guess so,” I replied with a dazed nod.

“So, I heard you spent time with my brother today,” his voice was deep and husky. I could sense the hidden meaning in his words and felt a delicious surge of emotion bubbling inside me.

My back hit the counter, but Ethan didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear. “I can smell it on you, sweetheart.”

“Oh,” I whispered, my throat closed as his nose traced my neck. “I… I wanted to shower.”

“Mm, I wouldn’t mind taking you like this.” He purred as his tongue slid along my neck. “You taste good.”

“Funny, Liam said the same thing,” I managed to murmur between barely audible gasps. “I wonder how you know.”

His voice instantly ignited a longing within me, reminding me of the pleasure his brother had given me just a few hours before.

“The pizza was amazing, but that’s not what I desire now. I want you to become my personal feast, darling.” With those words, Ethan left me a mess, stammering. His fingers dug into my h**s with the perfect amount of pressure, sending pleasurable sparks between my legs.

“I think I might need a shower too.” He chuckled in my ear, lifted me in his arms, and walked towards the stairs.