Chapter 14

Kimble

Everything was just too perfect. I had chosen a flowy, yellow floral sundress and a pair of comfortable sandals, wanting to look nice while also being comfortable for whatever the day might bring.

Our first stop was a quaint little café, Elm and Maple. I sat at a small table outside as he went inside to order. A gentle breeze fluttered my dress as I tucked the loose strands of my hair behind my ear.

“You look amazing,” Alpha Liam said as he took his seat across from me.

“Thank you,” I replied, my cheeks flushing. “You look great too.”

The server brought our iced coffees as we settled into easy conversation. He asked me about my favorite authors, movies, and the places I’d like to visit or had been to.

“I haven’t traveled anywhere,” I replied with a tight smile. “My mother…” I refused to give details about her drug addiction. “She didn’t have enough money.”

“Oh, I understand,” he said, sipping coffee from his mug. “Well, I can take you anywhere you want after we get married.” He chuckled.

I pursed my lips and flushed a little more. Had Alpha Talon been in his place, he would have made me wear a collar. I’d ripped the one he made me wear using a sharp blade and scissors just after I arrived at Liam’s place. Why was I thinking about him? “Is there a place around here where we can just walk? Barefoot?”

“Of course!” he replied, slurping his coffee. “There’s a park nearby. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

The park was beautiful with blooming flowers and towering trees. I let my hair down. Alpha Liam looked at me. “Your hair’s pale blonde. That’s a very rare color. Is your mother’s the same?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “No, her hair’s dark. I think my father’s might be this color. I haven’t met him though.”

He didn’t comment, and we continued to walk in silence. Some of the people we came across bowed to him with surprise flickering through their eyes when their gazes touched me. One of them even glared at me with disgust. When Alpha Liam glared back at him, he submitted and scurried away.

“Let’s sit for a while,” he suggested, pointing to a secluded bench under a large oak tree. I agreed and we sat there, enjoying the serene ambience. “So, what’s the most interesting thing about you that you haven’t told me yet?” he asked, his eyes showing a hint of curiosity.

I hesitated, feeling the weight of my secret. “Well, I suppose you could say that I feel like a part of me is missing,” I said with a chuckle, trying to keep things hidden and light. “What about you?”

He laughed. “I’m more of a morning person myself.”

“I see…” I knew that because he’d spent the morning training with his warriors. I wondered if Alpha Talon had come back that day, all sweaty after training. Fire lit up my body as my mind thought of his, muscles bulging and rippling beneath his skin, like he was trying to control himself. Shit. Not again. Shoving thoughts of him back out of my mind, I turned to Liam. “I have a question.”

A crease formed between his brows. “Sure,” he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

I licked my lips, debating whether I should ask or not, but I wanted to be sure of his intentions. “Your community hates humans. How are you going to handle your wolves after marrying me?”

He let out a ragged exhale and looked away. “Kimble, I’m well aware of how they feel. But I’m sure my pack members will understand. Besides, I have an idea, if you’re okay with it.”

“What idea?” I asked, intrigued.

He scratched his brow and glanced at me. “I’d like to marry you in private and not at the Moonlit Choosing Ritual.”

“Yeah, Macy mentioned that. Why? Don’t you want to acknowledge me as your bride in front of your people?”

“Hey, it’s not like that,” he replied, picking up my hand in his. He covered my hand with his other one and squeezed it softly. “Obviously this move is for your safety. I’m scared that if the wolves see you, they’ll attack you.”

That was true, but how would it solve the problem? It was just kicking it down the road for later. It was like he was trying to be tricky about the whole affair. Did he love me so much that he wanted to protect me? Confusion swept over me.

He clasped my cheeks with his hands. “Don’t think about it too much. It’s just because I’ll feel better by keeping you safe here. The Elders of our community are old, strict wolves with uncompromising principles. You’re precious to me and I don’t want anyone to harm you.”

My lips parted as I stared at him. He smoothed his thumb across my cheek, but even this intimate gesture didn’t have the effect Alpha Talon’s touch had. Talon’s touch seared me.

Fuck. Not again.

“This is confusing. I just can’t—” I shook my head. I didn’t want to marry him. “Liam,” I breathed. “There’s no hurry. We can wait.”

“I can’t wait anymore!” he blurted impatiently. “I want to make you mine. And if you allow it, we can marry tomorrow.”

And those words surprised the hell out of me.

As the afternoon wore on, we found ourselves at a small ice cream stand. Liam watched me with amusement as I sampled nearly every flavor before deciding on my favorite—chocolate with nuts. We strolled around, eating our ice creams.

The day began to wind down, and he ended up taking me to a viewpoint that offered a breathtaking panorama of his pack below. The sun was starting to set, casting a warm, golden glow over everything. We stood there in companionable silence as my thoughts raced.

He leaned on the railing and gazed out at the horizon. “This has been the best day for me.” Turning his head over his shoulder to look at me, he asked, “What about you?”

Gusty, cool winds blew, rustling my hair. I crossed my arms across my chest, feeling the chill, feeling the weight of his words. I didn’t reply. For a long moment I stared at the valley beneath me where soft lights in homes were flickering as the sun descended.

“Would you like to do this again?” he asked, seeking a connection with me.

I didn’t know what to say, so I kept quiet. This outing was nice. Alpha Liam was perfect for me. But—

He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Let’s marry tomorrow. Please.”

Dread dropped like an icy block in my stomach and goosebumps lined my skin. “I—”

“Please, Kimble. I know you’re the one for me,” he goaded.

Before I could reply, a deafening growl filled the space, leaving us both shocked. I turned my head and my body stiffened, my face turning ashen as Alpha Talon came into view.

Liam, too, spun and his eyes widened. “You?” He turned to face Talon, shielding me from his vision, his face contorting in fury. “How did you enter my pack’s territory?”

Talon’s muscles bulged, and he looked like he was going to go wild. His eyes were like raging infernos, flashing golden, and he was practically snarling like a feral beast. Kenzie and a few others I didn’t recognize flanked his side.

It had been ten days since I had last seen him. He looked disheveled, chaotic, insane with murderous energy in his eyes. His body exuded anger, his powerful aura spilling out like he would burn everything in his path. He had grown a beard and there were dark circles under his eyes. His hair reached his shoulders, fluttering around his neck.

I had to clench my teeth to keep them from chattering as familiar fear returned with full force.

“Didn’t Aria tell you I’d bought this girl?” Talon seethed as he took a step toward me, ignoring Liam’s question. “For three million dollars.”

“Talon,” Liam warned as he looked to the left and right. “Kimble doesn’t want to go with you. Leave my pack!”

Talon chuckled darkly. “Move or I’ll kill you,” he said in a calm but lethal voice.

Without looking at me, Liam mumbled, “Kimble, run!”

When my feet didn’t move, he shouted, “Kimble, run!”

I pivoted on my heels and ran. I don’t know what happened, but within a few minutes, the place became a battlefield.

I sprinted at top speed, a menacing growl echoing from behind. All at once, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and effortlessly lifted me into the air.

“Where are you going?” Talon hissed.

“Nooo!” I shouted.

Ordering something to his wolves, he sprinted so fast that the forest around me was a blur of darkness.

Within seconds he was sitting in the back seat of a car with me caged in his arms, and we were speeding down the highway back to his pack. “Drive!” he barked to Kenzie, at the wheel.

I screamed and hit him with my fists, but he didn’t let go and bore my blows in silence. When I got tired, I stopped hitting him and sagged in his lap, crying. Talon only tightened his arms around me and let me cry. My life had turned upside down in a few minutes. I should’ve left the Eclipse pack as soon as I arrived.

But there was something that nagged at the back of my mind. A thousand questions arose. How did Talon know where I was?

Did Aria tell him I’d run away to Liam’s pack? What had she said? Shit. Shit. Double shit. Was Talon going to lock me away? I guess my fate was sealed.

Thorns of panic and fear pricked me. I tipped my head up and looked at him. “Are you going to imprison me?”

He slanted his head as his amber eyes fixed on me. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “In a way,” he replied in a calm, husky voice. “You shouldn’t have run away.”