Chapter 183

Chapter 0183

After Liam leaves, I try listening to some of his music. It’s all very angry and loud. I only try a few before I give up. I don’t know how to find songs and I don’t want to do something I’m not supposed to do, so I set it aside and turn to the books. I read for a while before getting tired and moving to the bed to lay down. Dustin comes in while I am trying to get on the bed, and he helps me up.

“You know I’m going to be in trouble if something happens to you on my watch, right?” He asks me.

“Sorry, I was just getting tired and was ready to lay down.”

I sleep for a while then Dustin brings me food. I am starting to feel stronger, so I make sure to eat as much as I can. They are still giving me more food than I used to get in a week at the vampire coven, but maybe once Alessia is back to full strength, this won’t seem like a huge amount of food.

After lunch, I hear some noises outside and I go to sit by the window. I watch as the warriors train in one area behind the packhouse and mothers and pups play around the pool and playground that is in another area of the grounds. Everyone seems so happy. Maybe Liam is a good alpha as he has said he is. Although, I thought Alpha Peter was a good alpha, but mom and dad thought that me being a Guardian would change that.

‘I think Liam is a good Alpha, and I like Cyran. It was nice having him sleep with us last night.‘

‘Alessia! How are you feeling?”

‘Stronger every day. I’ll have us back at full strength again soon.”

“Alessia, we need to leave here before Liam and Cyran realize what we are. I don’t want us forced into a mate bond.”

She’s quiet for a long time. ‘I don’t think they would force us. I want to stay.‘

“What? Alessia, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

‘Let’s see what happens, okay? Let’s not rush it. Didn’t Liam tell you there’s a bounty on our heads? It feels safer here than it would be running from vampires and hunters with nowhere to go.”

She has a point. I’m still thinking about this when I hear the door open. I turn without thinking and see Liam standing there. I see him stop when he notices Alessia in my eyes. I immediately pull her back.

*SKAYA

I wait to see what he will do but he continues as if he didn’t see anything Maybe he didn’t or maybe he doesn’t know what a Guardian’s eyes look like.

When he asks about dinner, I realize that I’ve been up for a while and I’m tired, so I want to rest first. He seems fine with that, so I lay down and fall asleep.

Not long after I wake, I hear Liam in the hallway, talking to someone, a female. I can feel Alessia standing up in my head. ‘Alessia, calm down, what’s wrong with you?‘

She doesn’t answer. When Liam walks in, I don’t see anyone until he moves.

Alessia’s response is instantaneous. She pushes forward. “Artemis.”

What I don’t expect is the response from Cara, or actually, it’s Artemis that is responding. “Mother.”

Mother? What? The next thing I know, Artemis has pushed across the room and is hugging me, or Alessia.

‘Alessia, what’s going on?‘

‘Artemis is my pup.‘

Cara/Artemis is sobbing in my arms. I awkwardly pat her back and take control.

“Can someone maybe help me understand what is going on?” I ask.

Cara steps back, wiping her eyes. “I’m so sorry. Liam didn’t prepare me. I had no idea that I was going to finally see you.

“Why is Alessia saying that Artemis is her pup? I’ve never had any pups.”

Cara squeezes my hand. “It’s a long story. Can I sit? You have no idea how long people have been looking for you. I’ll explain what I can tonight but there is so much you should know.” She wipes her eyes and Liam brings over two chairs and some tissues.

Cara sits and Liam sits beside her, waiting.

When she has pulled herself together, she looks at Liam and scowls. “You really should have warned me.” She scolds him.

“I wasn’t one hundred percent sure. But I knew you’d know. I just wasn’t expecting Alessia to come out like that.” He turns to me. “Someone’s been keeping secrets.”

I look down, not knowing how to answer. He’s right, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

+15 BONOS

Cara reaches over and takes my hand. “You can trust Liam. He’s not like other Alphas. He would never force you. And if you can’t trust Liam yet, trust me and trust Artemis. We’ve known Liam for a long time. I know he would never force you into a mate bond that you didn’t want.”

Liam turns to me. “Is that what you think? That I would force you?”

I shrug.

“Wait. Is that why your family left your pack? Did the Alpha try to force you into a mate bond? You were only a child then.” By the end he was growling out the words.

Cara turns to him. “It has become a common practice for Alphas to force. Guardians into mate bonds. They obviously bring strength to the pack and the only Alpha known in history that didn’t force a mate bond with themselves or their heirs was Anders.” She turns to me. “Alpha Anders is my mate’s father.”