Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Liam’s footsteps echoed down the stone hallway, the soft tap-tap of his boots against the cold floor the only sound in the otherwise silent corridor. The long day of meetings with the council had left his mind weary and his body stiff from sitting in the great hall for hours. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to shake off his exhaustion. It had been a long few months of fixing the chaos that Bain and Laird Cormac had instituted. If not for the maid, Emily’s, recounting and corroboration from the other maids in residence, Liam wasn’t sure if things would have been handled as swiftly as they had been. And if not for the support of Alison, Liam might have given up. It wasn’t until his uncle and cousin had been banished from the Highlands that Liam felt the ghosts of the past lift from his shoulders. It didn’t bring his parents back, but he found a semblance of peace.

Since then, Liam had been lost in a maze of discussions, strategies, and power plays—tensions between rival factions, threats from outside their borders, the politics of alliances and betrayals. His position in the clan was a delicate one for so long and only recently solidified. Maintaining balance required constant vigilance even after order was seemingly restored. But now, as he made his way toward his and Alison’s shared bedchamber, Liam allowed himself a brief moment of respite, the thought of Alison waiting for him the only comfort in the midst of his weary thoughts.

When he reached the door, it opened before he could even knock. Alison stood there, her auburn hair framed and illuminated by the warm glow of the firelight inside. Her expression was a playful mixture of exasperation and amusement as she leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, with her fire-lit hair tumbling loosely over her shoulders.

"Well, well," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Look who’s finally decided to grace me with his presence. I dinnae think I’d be seeing you ‘til my eyes closed for sleep."

Liam’s lips twitched upward, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, though it lacked its usual warmth. He was too tired to offer her the full grin he often gave her. "Sorry, love. The council droned on for longer than planned," he said, his voice gravelly from hours of speaking in that damned great hall.

Alison uncrossed her arms and stepped aside, allowing him to enter their chamber. As he walked past her, he caught the scent of lavender and rosemary, a familiar comfort that briefly lifted his spirits. She was standing just a little too close, deliberately so, and he could feel the warmth radiating from her.

"Really?" she asked, her tone light but edged with sarcasm. "And council business is more important than dining with yer wife?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and sank down onto the bed before glancing up at her. Even after the weeks of re-acclimating himself to her steady presence, there was something about Alison—something playful, yet knowing—that always had a way of drawing him in, even when his mind was elsewhere, and his body was weary.

"Alison…" He tried to muster a more sincere apology, but his exhaustion was apparent in his voice. "I dinnae mean to neglect you. It’s just that today, the discussions were endless."

Alison walked over to him as he talked and raised a finger to his lips, cutting him off before he could finish. "Shush now. I wasnae being serious. I could see it in your eyes when you came in. It was the same look you had the last few nights. Ye’re working so hard lately. I only wish you took more time to rest."

Liam reached out, taking one of her hands in his. He brought it up to his lips, brushing kisses on the back of it and letting himself breathe in her familiar scent. It was comforting and never failed to put him at ease. Rest didn’t come easy, even with the growing stability. Most nights, Liam’s mind raced with the possibilities he needed to prepare for. It was only after hours of breathing Alison in and glutting himself with the feeling of her in his arms that he found himself relaxed enough for sleep.

"I do hope the council appreciates how often I let them steal you from my hold. Otherwise, I might have to trap you in our chamber until you’ve had a proper night’s rest.”

Liam chuckled. “You would have to try hard to trap me,” he replied, though his voice lacked conviction. Truthfully, that sounded like the beginning to a perfect day for Liam. He would love nothing more than spending the day with Alison with not a care in the world. “Then again, I might like that.”

Alison tilted her head, her eyes narrowing with playful suspicion. “Mm. Is that so? Because last I checked, I’ve put myself to bed alone more often than not these days. Perhaps we moved together too soon. We can always go back to separate chambers if you would prefer.”

Liam pulled her to him, settling Alison between his thighs so he could peer up at her with narrowed eyes. “I dinnae say all of that, and nay, I willnae prefer separate anything from you ever again.” He reached his free hand up to cup her cheek and Alison leaned into the touch with a sigh. “I hear you, Alison, and I will do my best to spend more time by your side.”

“And will you listen and remember the things I tell you?”

Liam frowned. “I always do.”

"I don’t know, Liam. Are you sure you remember the things I say? Because the last time we spoke—” She paused, raising a hand to emphasize her point. "—you didn’t even notice when I told you about the new rosebush I planted in the garden."

His brow furrowed slightly, exhaustion still etched on his face. Alison wasn’t really upset that he might not remember the conversation, but she couldn’t help teasing him a little. “I didn’t—” Liam trailed off, searching his mind for memories of that conversation. When he realized the truth of her words, his lips twisted in a sheepish smile. “Oh.”

“Exactly,” she teased, her voice low but filled with affection. “I’m beginning to think the clan’s politics are a bit more interesting than yer wife.”

Liam’s head snapped up at the hint of vulnerability in her tone. For a moment, his fatigue faded just a bit as he saw the way her lips had turned into a half-smile, a mixture of jest and something deeper—an unspoken longing for attention. He understood the fear given their history. He had spent years pushing Alison away and only a few months holding her close.

“Alison, no,” he murmured, pulling her down to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed softly when she mirrored his hold around his shoulders. It felt so perfect, so right , to be sitting with her comforting weight like this. How Liam had gone without for so long and not descended into madness he would never understand.

“It isnae like that at all. Nothin’ is more interesting to me than you. Dinnae fret,” he said, leaning in to brush his lips over her cheek. “Right now, things are just a wee bit busy. Out there, I have to balance everything. But here, you are my only priority.”

Alison knew she was probably being selfish, but the fear of the past repeating itself was sometimes present. Liam’s reassurance went a long way in chipping away at some of that. “I know,” she said finally. “I just want a little of your attention, too.”

Liam’s heart tightened at her words, and he brought a hand up to rest at the back of her neck. “I know, love. I’m sorry. You deserve more than the leftovers of me.”

She sighed, leaning into his touch, her eyes closing for a moment. “I’ll let it slide,” Alison said, the warmth returning to her voice. “But only if you promise to rest tonight and just be here. With me.”

A smile finally tugged at the corners of Liam’s lips when he felt her hand slide through the hair at the nape of his neck. “You’ve got my full attention, Alison,” he said softly. Then, with a more playful glint in his eye, he added, “So, about that bush.”

Alison laughed, her eyes sparkling once more. “Never mind the bush.” She leaned in, eyes falling closed when their lips met. Liam sighed softly, his body tensing already with arousal. They had slept in the same chamber every night since, but many nights they hadn’t had time for this. It was something Liam vowed to remedy.

They moved together, sighs and moans traveling back and forth between each other’s lips until Liam wasn’t sure whose they were. His hands were busy re-learning the shape of Alison’s curves, first sliding over soft shoulders and then down to where hips met legs. Clothes were discarded without a care, and Liam saw stars when he came up for air. The room had heated beyond just the fire and his skin was already tacky with sweat. Below him, Alison’s head was thrown back, her milky white skin flushed with color. Her throat bobbed when she swallowed, and Liam couldn’t stop himself from pressing sucking kisses to the column of her neck.

“Liam. Please,” Alison gasped, her legs falling open further, letting him sink into her. The feeling was exquisite and when Alison opened her eyes, the love shining from them nearly had Liam doubled over with pleasure. Never did he think he would have this again—the love of the woman he had chosen to be by his side.

“I love you,” he whispered, unable to hold back as his hips found their own rhythm. Slick sounds rang out in the otherwise quiet of the room and Liam kissed Alison again, glutting himself on her familiar flavor.

Alison was awash with sensation as they moved together as one, and yet the strongest feeling coursing through her was love. She had hoped for so long to have this, a love that could withstand time and place, and she had found it. Liam was hers and she was his. As they tumbled over the precipice together, hands gripping tightly as they cried out, Alison’s words answered him.

“I love you.”

The fire was still crackling when they came down, bodies still entwined. Liam laid with his head on Alison’s breasts, enjoying the thud of her heartbeat. He traced errant shapes on her skin and enjoyed the slow even breaths as he thought about the future. They would need to get up and bathe before falling back into bed for sleep. He looked down at their bodies, enjoying the way the light from the hearth played shadows against their skin when suddenly a thought occurred to him.

“It’s been three months.”

Alison shifted, looking down at Liam. “What, love?”

Liam looked up at her as he reached down to press his fingers against her stomach. “Your cycle. It’s been three months, and I haven’t heard you mention anything aboot it.”

Alison frowned. “That’s because I haven’t ha—” She stopped abruptly as she realized what she was about to say. She widened her eyes. “Oh.”

With a frown, Liam pushed up to look at her. “Oh? What oh? Are you…?” His voice trailed off and he looked down at her stomach with a mixture of awe and a dash of fear. “You’re…we’re…”

“Liam, dear,” Alison said delicately. Her breathing hitched as she placed a hand on top of his. “I think we’re having a wee one.”

Liam looked up at her and his lips split into a wide grin. “We’re having a bairn.” He let out a whoop of excitement before hopping up from the bed. Alison giggled when he raised a fist in the air. “We’re having a bairn. Thank you, love. Thank you for believing in me.”

Alison felt the burn of tears as Liam fell back into bed, pulling her into his arms and smothering her face with kisses. As the tears fell, she smiled as happiness infused her. This was the way life was supposed to be.

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