I need her

Our wolves ran as fast as their legs could carry them. The awful stench of Rogues hit my nostrils as we entered the pack’s territory.

Rogue scent was like rotten flesh—the worst smell imaginable.

We reached the pack house just in time. My father and brother were both in their wolf forms, fighting off these vicious-looking wolves.

Without wasting a moment, Greg’s brown wolf leaped forward, grabbing one by the throat. He was fighting alongside my father.

Greg shook his head fiercely until the Rogue went limp.

“I need one alive,” I mind-linked before Rage, my wolf, attacked the Rogue fighting with my brother. Rage tore into its neck, ripping it apart with no mercy.

The air reeked of blood and death. We had killed all the Rogues except for one, who was now locked up in the pack’s cells for questioning later.

But I had more pressing matters at hand. Two of my men had been badly injured in the attack. They were taken by surprise, and it nearly cost them their lives.

“Where were you, Liam?!” Derick barked angrily. “We were caught off guard by those Rogues! We could’ve lost more lives!”

The fight was over, and I ordered some of my men to clean up the mess and dispose of the bodies.

My warriors, Dad, Derick, Greg, and I gathered in the pack house to discuss the situation.

“Derick, I had business outside of Waterfalls to attend to,” I replied firmly.

“What kind of business takes you away for hours? You’ve been hiding in your shell for days now, Liam. Don’t think I haven’t noticed! Dad and Greg have been running the pack for days! If you’d been here, maybe we wouldn’t have been attacked!”

“Watch your tone, Derick! You don’t talk to your Alpha like that!” Greg growled through gritted teeth.

“Who are you to tell me how to talk, Greg? I’m talking to my brother, and I’ll speak however I want! So stay out of it! What possible reason did Liam have to leave for that long?”

“You really want to know, huh? I wish it were my place to tell you, Derick, but you’re too much of an ungrateful asshole to understand!”

“Greg! That’s enough,” I interrupted. “We have bigger issues to deal with than standing here arguing.”

“I’m sorry, Alpha. I got carried away,” Greg apologized.

“Derick,” I said with authority, “as I said, I had business to attend to, and whatever my business is, it’s none of your concern.”

The room grew quiet. I decided to diffuse the tension. “I know what happened today has everyone on edge. Let’s stay alert moving forward. You all fought bravely to protect the pack, putting your lives on the line. I’m proud of each and every one of you,” I told them.

The warriors left after dinner. Mom had cooked up a storm, as she always did when she was stressed. She prepared an overwhelming amount of food—dishes of every kind and snacks to match.

Dad had tried to convince her to let cooks handle the kitchen years ago, but they never lasted long. Mom wouldn’t let anyone else do the work.

The attack on Waterfalls today had shaken everyone. It had been years since our last attack. Thankfully, we trained constantly.

Warrior or not, male or female, anyone who had their wolf was trained in self-defense. It was a rule that saved lives.

Later that night, I was in my office working on paperwork. Sleep didn’t come easily after the events of the day. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

“Son, can I come in?” Dad’s voice called from the other side.

“Yes, Dad, come in,” I replied.

Dad stepped in and took a seat opposite me. “Liam, I’m sorry about Derick’s behavior today. He shouldn’t have spoken to you like that in front of others.”

“Dad, Derick is the least of my problems. I know how he is, so it’s fine,” I said, brushing it off.

“You went to see her, didn’t you?” he asked.

I stiffened at the question, avoiding his gaze as I walked to the window. I stared outside, closing my eyes, thinking of my mate again.

“Yes,” I admitted softly. “I went to see her. I couldn’t help it, Dad. I just needed a glimpse of her, to catch her scent again. It’s the only thing keeping me sane. I needed to know she was okay.”

Dad sighed. “It’s alright, son. I know how you feel. And I want you to know that the attack today wasn’t your fault. Attacks happen to packs all the time. We’ve been lucky for years because of the reputation you’ve built. I’m sure the Rogues had no idea who they were messing with.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I said with a small smile. Words of encouragement from him were rare.

“When will you tell her, Liam? I can see how much this is hurting you. It’s affecting the pack too.”

“Soon, Dad. I’ll do it soon. But my main concern is my mate. She doesn’t even know about our world. How do I tell her? How will she accept me when she loves someone else? And she’s human, Dad.”

“She’s human, yes, but that doesn’t change the bond. I bet she’s already drawn to you, even if she doesn’t understand why. The bond connects you no matter the species. You need to tell her, Liam. You’re an Alpha. You need your mate, your Luna. You need to start building your future—your family. The sooner you talk, the better. If you don’t, I might.”

Dad was right. The sooner I told her, the better it would be for all of us. I just didn’t know how Macy would handle the truth.

But one thing was clear—I couldn’t hold back much longer. My wolf needed her. I needed her.