I was supposed to skip town and run away from my problems. Away from Alpha Beckett, Adam, Anna, my dad, and well, Liam.
But who was I trying to fool? Them or me? I couldn't leave. Not as easily as I wanted. I have connections here. People who I care for, I guess. Like Liam.
Yeah, I can run away from my problems, but not fate. And I surely couldn't run away from my emotions.
I tried when my mom died. That certainly didn't work. And it won't with Liam.
Ending up where I am right now with Liam was bound to happen. Sure, I fooled myself that I would never come to grow close to Liam, but that was also really stupid.
It's so cliche. Kissing in the rain, the whole love/hate relationship with Liam. My fear of loving someone. God, my life has become a teen fiction romance.
The only problem is that I won't have a happy ending with Alpha Beckett on my case. And the mating ceremony looming over my head.
The mating ceremony is only three weeks.
The thought hits me suddenly. It feels like a punch to my stomach and like the wind has just been knocked out of me.
Because I don't know what to do. Because I don't know how to avoid becoming Adam's mate. Because I'm scared I'm going to be forced to be with someone who I don't even love. Who I don't even like.
Yeah, unlike those teen fiction romance's, I certainly won't get my fairytale ending.
We arrive at Liam's place about fifteen minutes later. Immediately when we get inside, Liam tosses me a pair of shorts and a shirt that fits me like some ridiculous dress. I toss him back the shorts when I get out of the bathroom.
I help him with wringing out the water of our clothes since Liam doesn't have a dryer in his small cabin. We hang them over the fire and take a seat on the couch where we sit in silence, listening to the fire crackle.
The silence isn't awkward, though. Well, at least not for me. I'm too busy replaying the kiss over and over again in my head to even pay attention.
I just can't get it out of my head.
I'm left wondering where Liam and I now stand. Are we friends who kiss? Are we a couple? I'm not sure. And I'm too embarrassed to question him on it. It'll make me look like an idiot.
I also don't ask because I'm not sure where I want us to stand. I don't know if I want to forget the kiss or if I want to remember it. I don't know if I'm grateful if it happened or if I regret. It's all so confusing.
Liam notices my obvious distress and twists around to face me. His eyebrows furrow at the sight of me gnawing on my lip and twisting my fingers together. "Are you okay?" He asks.
I don't reply for a minute. I simply bite down harder on my lip till I taste blood and the familiar coppery taste fills my mouth. I ignore the pinch of pain that follows and continue pressing my teeth down on the cut that I've just re-opened that was caused by the Purgatory pack.
"Is that blood?" Liam eyes widen and he leans forward. I'm sure he's got his confirmation because he shoots up and rushes to the kitchen, wetting a paper towel and coming back.
"I'm fine," I say when he tries to press the wet cloth to my lips. I push his hand away and wipe at the blood with my fingertips. "Just a cut."
Liam swats my hand away and forces me to be still when he grasps my chin. I resist the urge to thrash and let him do as he pleases.
Speak.
Start from the beginning
