Chapter 3: A Broken Choice 

Our unbearably long silence was laced with tension and unsaid words.

I had finally had to meet Liam, I was just too angry to keep quiet and let him disgrace me and cast me out like I didn't matter.

Liam looked so guilty and for a while I wanted to know if he's going to kneel and beg me for forgiveness and say that everything that had happened were just pranks.

I wiped my tears with my sleeves and looked away.

I looked away, too angry to stare at him.

I wanted an explanation and nothing else. He could take his love and give it to someone else 

I cared less about it.

His voice was soft as he called my name and took little steps towards me.

"Serena." He said  

"Liam, please." I said in a very low voice as if raising my voice would break the thin thread that held me together.

 I shook my head. 

"Whatever you want to say, save it. Liam, don't try to explain your love for me. You made a decision. I heard it all.  But I want to ask what did I do to deserve this?"

He scowled and moved in closer. 

"It isn't what you think. " He sighed

The sound was strange to my own ears and I laughed bitterly. 

"You think I'm so stupid, right?I heard you tell Sophia that you love her but that's not what I think. How is that even the  interpretation? Now I know you take me for a fool."

With a hint of desperation in his voice he said .

"I had to say that. Serena, you don't get it. To keep you safe I turned you down..". He exhaled and ran his hands through his hair.

"There is so much at stake and I'm doing this to protect you."

“Protect me?” I asked again, unable to believe everything he was saying.

"How is that protection Liam? You rejected me in front of the pack, you humiliated me.Telling me Im ugly and wolfless in front of the whole pack?" I cried, my chest burning with rage ,so much rage that I wanted to reach out and slap him hard across the cheeks.

With a sigh he combed through his hair. "I believed it was the only way to protect you. Serena the pack would never consider you their Luna.

They would rip you to pieces."

" And who's to blame for that?" I yelled taking a step closer. "You are the Alpha ,You should have stood by me. It was up to you to convince them to accept me. Instead you decided to make fun of me and for what reason? To return to Sophia?"

 He recoiled at what I said but he didn't deny it. I felt as if everything I already knew was confirmed by the silence that followed.

 His voice was hardly audible above a whisper as he said.

" I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought that I was acting in everyone's best interests."

My heart ached again as I looked at him. "Liam, did you ever think what's best for me?"

I took a step back  when he reached for me. 

"Stop it.  Liam you shouldn't have treated me like trash.You don't have the right to destroy me and then act as though you care. "

" I do care." he stated firmly. "Serena, you have no idea how much I care. I love you more than life itself."

 I froze as his words struck me like a blow to the body. 

"That's not what you mean. "He pressed on taking a step closer. 

"I do."

"Since the first time I laid eyes on you Serena I have loved you. Every decision and action I've taken has been for you."

My heart and head were at odds because I was torn between wanting to believe him and knowing I couldn't trust him.

"So what made you choose Sophia over me and reject me?"

 With a sigh his shoulders drooped. "Because I was afraid. "

"You're afraid of what the pack will do to you, afraid of disappointing you."

 Tears were streaming down my face as I shook my head. 

"Liam, you have already let me down." His voice broke as he said .

"Serena. . Please.  Allow me to love you. Allow me to demonstrate my deep love for you."

 He drew closer before I could reply, his lips meeting mine in a passionate, desperate kiss. 

My body failed me by melting into his touch as my mind screamed for me to push him away. 

His hands cupped my face and he looked into my eyes and all I could see was genuine kindness , love and pain.

His lips moved passionately against mine , claiming my lips in a hot kiss that I couldn't resist.

Even though I hated him for what he had done to me, I felt so warm against his body and I wanted him to touch me.

His forehead rested against mine as he withdrew. Under his breath he whispered .

"Tell me you still love me."

The words were stuck in my throat because they were too mixed up with the feelings of betrayal and pain. 

"Serena."He repeated in a begging tone. "Please."

Rather than respond I gave him another kiss, letting all of my hurt rage and desire flow into it. 

He put his hands on my waist and drew me in as he kissed me more deeply. 

The door of his room closed behind us and somehow we found ourselves doing unexpected things. 

His hands scanned every part of me as though trying to commit every detail to memory as he led me to the couch. I allowed myself to lose myself in the moment, forgetting about the pack,  Sophia and the humiliation I had endured. When Liam looked at me as if I were the only person in the world that was all that mattered. He kissed me deeply and we made love .

The following morning , the harsh sun rays woke me up. I blinked and realized that I was too tired.

I momentarily lost my sense of reasoning and I wondered how I had come to this room. 

But as I sat up and looked around Liam's room , the events of the previous evening  suddenly returned to me.

 My heart fell as realization dawned on me. I had lowered my defenses and allowed him to return after all of his actions. 

And worst of all, I had allowed him to sleep with me.

My hands were trembling. I gathered my clothes on the floor lying beside him and hurriedly got dressed. 

 I couldn't even bring myself to imagine that I had stayed here till he woke up. Not after what had happened. I tiptoed out of the room, hoping he wouldn't wake up suddenly.

The early morning light creating long shadows throughout the corridors, the packhouse was eerily silent and I was thankful for that.

With the weight of my choice pressing down on my chest, I packed a small bag as soon as I arrived at my room. 

I had to leave. Knowing that I would always be hated and seen as an outcast to my pack.

I didn't want Liam to feel he was doing me a favor by forcing his love down my throat

I took one final look around the room reminiscing about every time spent here.

 But those memories were now tarnished and eclipsed by the suffering and humiliation I had experienced.

I  took a deep breath before slipping out of the packhouse and slinging the bag over my shoulder.

I walked away each step feeling heavier than the last and the cool morning air stinging my cheeks.

Tears stung my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

Although I didn't know where I was going to or what might happen to me, I knew I couldn't stay here.

Not as a backup plan for Liam.