DAMIEN

“Oh my boy!” my mom cried over the phone.

“Mom, I’m okay,” I assured her. There was a lot of crying on the other end of the phone, and I figured I had pretty much lost her.

“Damien?” my father’s voice interrupted the crying.

“Yes, Dad,” I answered.

“It’s good to hear your voice. Lily texted us a bit ago, but we were waiting for her to tell us to come to the clinic. She asked that we give you a minute,” he said.

“Thanks, Dad. We needed it. Actually, I wanted to ask you about that,” I said.

“What is it? Is something wrong?” he asked quickly.

“No, no. Everything is fine. I was just wondering if you two might keep the kids tonight? I really want to see everyone, especially them, but I would like to have tonight with Lily if that’s alright,” I explained.

“Sure, Damien,” he answered. “We will wait to tell them as well. I am sure Delilah will be hell on wheels until she gets to you if we tell her now.”

I chuckled at that. “Yes, that sounds like my princess,” I said. “Thanks, Dad. We’ll see you tomorrow, alright?”

“Looking forward to it,” he said before hanging up. I sighed as I put my phone down. That was out of the way for now. I looked at Lily, who was hugging Azalea, then over to Missy, standing off to the side. I waved her over.

“Hey, kid,” I said. “I’m happy you’re okay. How’s that mate of yours?” I looked at her neck, and there was a clear marking right in the open.

She gave me a half-hearted smile. “He’s good,” she said. Azalea didn’t get to quite tell me everything before we were interrupted by the nurse coming to check on me yet again. I was also waiting on Liam to show his face.

“You had a lot of us worried, so no more sneaking around, alright?” I said. She nodded her head. Then she unexpectedly lurched forward and hugged me tightly. I laughed a little and hugged her back.

She was blushing slightly when she pulled away. “Don’t get yourself bit again, okay?” she said in a stubborn tone. “No one can function properly without you.” It was my turn to nod and smile.

“Missy, why don’t we have someone come to take you home. We can call Sean or Austin?” Azalea suggested.

“Oh, Sol is on her way here. She was going to stay the night tonight so we can go to school together tomorrow,” Missy said.

“Sounds great. Just make sure you girls get some sleep tonight. I don’t want to hear from the principal that you were late on the first day back,” Azalea said in her mom voice.

“Ahem,” I looked over to the doorway to see Liam standing there. He looked a bit sheepish and dirty.

“Why don’t we give you two a minute,” Lily said, grabbing Azalea’s hand. “We’ll wait upfront with Missy.” The girls all filed out of the room, a look passing between Liam and Azalea.

“She fixed me,” I said. Liam nodded. “And you’re mad at her?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t do that. I’m not mad you’re awake. I’m relieved to see your ugly mug,” Liam said, striding into the room. He sat down in the chair next to the bed. “I’m mad that she has no regard for her own well-being or sense of self-preservation.”

“And you don’t think you have contributed to that?” I asked him.

“You cannot possibly be blaming this on me,” he said, looking outraged.

I shook my head. “So, you held a summit. Warwick tried to sabotage it, and it ended up in your favor. Sounds like some ‘me’ type thinking.” I was impressed he pulled it off. Liam isn’t dumb per se but isn’t always the opportunist.

Liam let out a snort. “You aren’t all the brains around here,” he said.

“Just most,” I joked.

“How do you feel?” he asked more seriously now.

“Fine,” I said. Except, I can’t talk to Cage, I thought to myself.

“Really? You don’t have to pretend. Just give me the truth,” he said. I could see the guilt written all over his features. He felt bad about the battle and what happened.

“I’ll be good as new soon. Just need to get on the training field and shake off the rust,” I tried to assure him. He gave me a skeptical look but nodded. “So what has happened since the Summit?”

“We have been getting all these packs trained,” he explained. “And Greyback was killed.”

“Greyback? How?” I asked.

“I don’t know for certain, but I have to assume that Warwick sent someone after him,” he told me.

“I bet Lea took that pretty hard,” I commented. Lea and the old man were very close. She always checked in on him and pestered him to take better care of himself or move into the packhouse.

Liam nodded solemnly. “Yea, she copes well, but I know it wasn’t good.”

“What else?” I pushed.

“Maddox and Langston have left to track down Warwick and his movements,” he said.

I let out a low whistle. “No wonder your daughter has a chip on her shoulder,” I told him. “You think that was the best idea? He is a bit young.”

“I think he will do well,” Liam said.

“Okay,” I said. “So, what have you done with Vlad?”

Liam winced a bit. “That one is still a bit unresolved.”

“Unresolved?” I said, getting a bit louder. The kid was responsible for kidnappings and deaths; he fed us right to the bloodsucker. How had Liam left this unresolved?

“You weren’t awake. We didn’t know if you would wake up,” he said. “And Azalea may have asked that we hold off a bit longer.”

“So? Is she mad? He almost got her killed!” I roared.

“Damien, I know!” Liam yelled back. “It isn’t that simple. You reminded me of this before! He was a kid when this all happened!”

I took a steadying breath. He was right; this was not a black and white situation. We rescued Azalea, so his worst offense was lessened with his help. “Alright,” I said. “Just tell your uncle to spring me, and we can get back to the packhouse. I want tonight with Lily, but I can meet you on the training field in the morning.”

“Yea, not doing that,” Liam said pointedly.

“Excuse me?” I said.

“The doctor says you are here for the night. And frankly, I think you should take it easy for a bit. You have been out for weeks,” he said. “No one expects you to come to work tomorrow, Damien.”

I was stopped from responding when the girls came in the room, Lea now holding a baby and followed by Azeron. Liam and Azeron held a silent conversation; I could only guess what it was about.

“Damien, we would like you to meet Azly,” Lea said, smiling fondly down at the baby in her arms. She brought her close, and I reached up to take her in my hands. She was the spitting image of Azalea. I reached down with one finger and pushed it into her tiny hand. She gripped it tightly and smiled at me, a precious glint in her bright green eyes. My finger felt warm, comfortingly so, in her fist. You didn’t have to be magic to know this little girl was special.

“You did pretty good,” I said, looking up at Liam. “But I think I’m going to give the credit to Lea on this one.” Lea smiled sweetly at me before motioning for me to give back her daughter.

“I thought Uncle Damien would like to meet his last niece,” she said.

“I am glad you both made it through,” I told her.

AZALEA

“I think maybe Liam and I should leave you guys for the night,” I said. I didn’t look Liam in the eye, but he knew my suggestion was not up for negotiation. Lily already looked way better, but her body needed time to recuperate. She would best do that by being close to Damien.

Now that Missy was on the way home with Sol, it was time for us to get back as well. Liam stood and nodded to Azeron, who moved to leave. I turned and walked out of the room, not waiting for him.

“Little Luna,” Liam linked me. “Please don’t run away.” I sighed and slowed my pace until he caught up with me. We left the clinic and walked quietly for a minute. I propped Azly up on my shoulder so she could look around as we walked.

“We need to talk about this,” he said.

“Oh, we do?” I replied sarcastically. “I wasn’t sure there was anything to talk about after you stormed off earlier. How was your run, by the way?”

“That isn’t fair, Azalea,” he pouted.Belongs to © n0velDrama.Org.

“It is. You threw a tantrum about this when all I did was wake up your best friend,” I stated.

“Well, I don’t want you using your power anymore,” he said. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at him. He slowed down and paused his own steps.

“You are not serious right now, Liam Blackfur,” I said. I watched him carefully. There was no way he was trying to command me not to use my power; surely, he respected me more than that.

“I am very serious, Azalea. You have no regard for your own well-being, so I don’t want you to do that anymore,” he said steadily. My eyes went wide, and I was immediately filled with anger.

I stormed past him without another word, carrying our daughter back to the packhouse. I could not believe him ordering me around! I heard him sigh and follow, but I couldn’t care less at that moment.

Liam stayed a couple of paces behind me, trying to get me to stop the whole way back. When we got back to the packhouse, I threw open the front door and stomped right to the stairs. I paid no attention to my mate following in my wake as I was brimming with rage.

Six years of marriage, a rejection, multiple kidnappings, four children, and everything else in between, and now he wanted to demand I don’t make use of the only ability I have to be helpful to our pack? I was so furious I wanted to break something. When I got upstairs, the boys were in the hallway wearing pajamas.

“Mommy, can I read my baby a story before bed?” Leo asked.

“Sure, let’s read Azly a story but just one, okay?” I said, reigning in my temper for their sake. Leo grabbed my hand and led me into his room, Junior following us.

–

I let Leo hold his baby sister while I read the story to them. After that, I tucked Leo in and took Azly to her crib while Junior headed to his room. I stopped in his room to k**s him goodnight, but he was just sitting on the bed with a contemplative look on his face.

“What’s wrong, bud?” I asked him.

“Nothing, mom. It’s man stuff,” he said sadly. I had to stifle my laugh.

“You know, I help your dad with many of his problems. Maybe I can help you,” I said gently.

“No, I’ll ask Dad tomorrow. Night,” he said. He laid down and rolled over, ending our conversation. I smiled at my little future Alpha. He was growing up too fast, and I worried a little bit that this war was speeding that up more. With a soft sigh, I headed to our room; I wanted to wash the stress of today off before I went to bed as well. Luckily, Azeron had left us at the clinic, and I didn’t have anyone breathing down my neck tonight. It was a small relief after everything happening with Liam.

I dropped my clothes on the floor as I moved toward the shower. I didn’t feel much like taking care of them right now. I turned the shower on and let it get scalding hot before stepping under the stream. I let the steaming water pound my skin, easing some of the frustration brewing inside. I stood there for a few minutes, just enjoying the hot water before grabbing the soap and cleaning up. By the time I felt clean, I heard the bathroom door opening. I stood under the water, waiting to see what he would do.

The shower door slid open, and I felt Liam step inside. He stopped behind me but didn’t say anything. I went to move out of the water and leave him in the shower alone, but he stopped me by wrapping his arms around me from behind. He pressed his lips to my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured softly into my skin.

“Let me go,” I said.

“No, you’re mad at me,” he said. He kissed along my shoulder lightly in between his statements. His mouth was cool against my heated skin.

“Yes, I am. I don’t appreciate what you said. Now, please, let me go,” I repeated.

“Will you be less mad if I tell you I’m an i***t?” he asked. His lips continued between my shoulder blades.

“No,” I said. “Gavin tells you that daily.”

“While you are correct, I actually agree with him this time,” he said. I could feel the goosebumps rising across my back and arms.

“Oh?” He and Gavin agreeing wasn’t normal. “And what does Gavin think?”

“He thinks I should be groveling at your feet, begging forgiveness,” he muttered.

“Hmmm,” I said, contemplating that image. Liam pushed my hair aside, and his lips swept over the back of my neck, causing a pleasurable thrill to dance across my shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Little Luna. I should not have demanded like that. I couldn’t help it. I am more afraid of losing you than anything else in the world. I can handle vampires or angry wolves, but I know I couldn’t survive losing you,” he admitted.

We were quiet for a moment as he softly kissed my skin and held me flush to him under the warm stream.

“Liam, you’re so strong and capable. I know it scares you that you could lose me, but I am not trying to run from you. Sometimes it’s so hard standing by your side; I am such a weakness, a target for you,” I whispered. His hold on me tightened, and his lips paused their movement. “I don’t blame you or anyone else for not having a wolf anymore. I accepted it a long time ago. But sometimes, I wish I could again. I wish I could so that I could feel equal to you. I wish I did so you wouldn’t always be so worried that something will happen to me. I wish I did so I could fight by your side. The only thing I can do is help our pack with this gift, and you fight me every time I try to do that.”

Liam leaned his head against the back of mine. After admitting all that, my stomach felt like it was in my throat, but Liam stayed silent behind me. “I just want to be your strength, not your weakness, Liam….” I said, trying not to let my voice crack.

“I’m sorry, Azalea. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know you felt that way. You aren’t my weakness; you aren’t weak or less than me. You are my strength, and that is why I always worry. A part of me will always hate myself for what I let happen to you, for my own part in it. But I don’t for a second think you are in any way less than.”

“Then don’t ask me to not use the one thing that makes me useful,” I said.

“I won’t,” he promised. “But it isn’t the only thing that makes you useful. I have never met anyone with a bigger heart than you. And you always know how to handle every situation, good and bad.”

His words filled me with warmth, flushing away my anger with him. His nose skimmed up and down the back of my neck. “Does this mean I can be freed of my babysitters?” I asked.

His laughter vibrated through his chest. “Maybe once I have Warwick’s burning head on a pike, we can discuss that.”