Liam

Seriously this woman is going to be the death of me. First, she hung up on me, and now she was just ignoring all my calls. And she was just too far away to link. I growled as my call rang and rang once again, ending in her voicemail. I slammed my phone down onto my desk in frustration. My door creaked open, and I shot a dirty look at the person walking in. It was Damien, and he looked unphased by my glare.

“I have news,” he said gruffly. I know he is still angry about his sister’s situation, but I am doing everything I can think of. Abraham asked me to give him a couple of days to go over everything before he brings me any ideas, and I was trying to do that, but the Hale men continued to grace me with their frustrations.

“What?” I asked, my tone harder than necessary. Goddess, why does Azalea have to do this with a vampire at the Inn, no less?

“I confirmed both groups’ stories. Everything they told us is true. Langston was able to contact an old friend in a larger pack in the area. They had taken in some of the misplaced wolves as well,” he said. My eyebrows shot up at that. So, it is all true.

“Do we know anything of the person responsible?” I questioned. He shook his head.

“Not from what I can gather. All the reports depict him as hooded and his face hidden by shadow. But the method is always the same. He forces his way into the packhouse, then comes out with the Alpha’s head and kills the Luna in front of the rest. So far, the largest pack he has come after is only a tenth of our size,” he reported.

“Do we know how many packs he has destroyed?”

“Can’t be sure, but from what I can gather with Langston’s help, six total. But it would be hard to say. That region is scattered with packs microscopic in size and secluded in the mountains,” he concluded.

I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. Obviously, this wasn’t good. Whoever was behind this could do this because these packs probably didn’t have the training and security measures we were able to have. They were small, microscopic, like Damien said. And sending them any help would be next to impossible.

“Well, we will need to welcome them to the pack officially. They have no other place to go and, for the moment, seemed to be fitting in well. After that, we need to figure out exactly what to do with the orphans,” I said, my mind turning into the practical matters now.

“I am sure Azalea will have a solution when she comes back,” he said. He clearly didn’t want to be assigned this task right now. He hadn’t been eager to do much other than rage over our lack of answers on Gwen.

“Yea,” I muttered. “I can meet with them later to let them all know.” I plopped down in my chair, trying to organize my thoughts.

Damien lingered, not leaving or saying anything else. I looked up at him and sighed. “Nothing from Abraham yet. You will be the first one told, I promise,” I said gentler now.

“It doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t,” he said, anger rising up in his body. I saw his fists clench at his sides.

“I know it doesn’t make sense. But, so far, it’s a perfect crime. I want to find your answers. I want answers. But I need you to prepare for the possibility that we may not get them,” I told him firmly.

“That isn’t good enough, and you know it,” he gritted out.

“Damien, go for a run. Blow off some steam and get your head back on the right way. I need to leave here as soon as possible, and I need you in your right mind,” I told him.

“Why would you need to leave?”

“Go. I’ll tell you when you can calm down,” I said dismissively. He scowled at me, turning and stomping from the room.

“Lily, he’s still in a mood. I need my Beta back,” I linked her.

“I know, Liam. I need him back too,” she replied. I could hear the stress in her voice.

“I need to go to the Inn as soon as possible. I need Damien to handle things while I am gone,” I told her.

“What is going on at the Inn? Didn’t Lea go up to meet with the contractors about that kitchen remodel? I thought she was going to be there for a couple of days and come home?” she asked quickly.

“A vampire has come into our territory, and Azalea thinks it fine to leave him be,” I growled through my anger.

“A vampire? Like a real one?” Lily asked me, dumbfounded.

“Yes, a real vampire. Axel confirmed it,” I told her. “I need Damien to get himself right, so I can get out of here.”

“Give me a couple of hours. I will calm him down,” she promised.

I sat back in my chair. I let out a hollow laugh. Vampire. It was absolutely ridiculous, right? This very pack had been the reason behind their almost desolation only a short time ago. Of course, I was sure that many of the pack members my age or younger were entirely unaware. The conflict had happened before my grandfather took over as Alpha, even though he was a leading force. Vampires are our natural enemy, but none had been stupid enough to come anywhere near our region since then. The ones that had escaped had done so barely alive from what I learned.

I leaned over my desk, trying to get everything in order. Damien had tossed a folder with all the information he got on the rogues on the desk. I set it aside, attaching a note to arrange lodging and employment with Azalea later. After I got to her and figured out what was going on in her head, that is. It’s like she has no voice in her head warning her that she may be in danger.

A couple of hours later and I am finally leaving the packhouse. I didn’t even bother getting in my car. I went straight to the woods, slipping my clothes into a bag and tying it to my leg before shifting and taking off towards the Inn. I could get there much faster this way. I pumped my legs as fast as I could go, eager to get to the human town and dispose of the vampire. As I got closer, I could feel Azalea’s emotions more clearly. At first, it was just irritation, and I am sure that was targeted at me. Then, when I was only minutes away, concern lanced through our bond.

“Felix, where is she?” I linked. I waited a moment and got no response. I tried not to panic, now worried that even her guard wasn’t linking me. Felix never ignored me.

“Axel, where is Azalea?” I linked him.

“At the Inn with Felix, sir,” he reported. “Missy and Maddox are in town at the cafe, and the boys are playing in the woods.”

“I need more eyes on the Inn,” I told him. I skidded to a stop at the edge of the woods, quickly shifting and grabbing for my clothes. I was dressed in record time, and I took off around the Inn, storming in the front door. The girl at the desk gave me a worried look as I moved towards the dining room, already knowing where she was.

“Goddess, Azalea,” I growled, coming into the dining room. I stopped seeing Felix standing in front of some female. Azalea’s eyes were on me as I tried to figure out what was going on.

“Liam, they’re mates,” Azalea linked me. My eyes came to hers, and I couldn’t figure out why there were tears in them.

“Felix,” I addressed him, not taking my eyes off Azalea.

“The vampire is in the kitchen, sir. The kids are being watched as well,” he said in a low voice.

“Wait, Theo?” a voice sounded, and I realized it was the girl in front of Felix. “Why are you worried about him?” Azalea turned to her, dragging my attention to her as well.

“Are you aware of what he is?” Azalea asked gently.

“Of course. How couldn’t I? I can’t very well help the foreman manage these projects if I don’t also know one of our architects,” she explained with a confused expression.

Azalea nodded. I was baffled. She knew he was a vampire yet thought nothing of it? My eyes went to Felix staring intently at the girl, his eyes a swirl of emotion I had never seen before.

“And who are you?” I addressed the girl. Felix snapped his eyes to me, and I can see him restraining himself from snapping at me due to the tone I used to address her.

“My name is Lacey. I am an associate of the contracting company hired to do the kitchen remodel here,” she said. “And you?” Her tone was polite but also with a hint of irritation.

“My name is Liam Blackfur, Alpha of B***d Eclipse,” I told her. Her eyes went wide.

“Wait,” she said, looking between all of us.

“My name is Azalea and yes, I am Luna. Felix is my guard,” she told the girl, motioning to Felix.

“Oh,” she said quietly, turning back to him. He was still staring down at her with an intense expression. Azalea came over to me, pulling on my arm.Content rights belong to .

“Let’s give them a moment,” she whispered. I scowled at her but nodded. I was still mad at her, but I could agree that Felix and Lacey needed a moment. She pulled me back out towards the empty sitting room.

I stopped her after we were a few feet outside the dining room doors. “Azalea,” I warned. She turned to me with her own scowl.

“Liam,” she said in an unapologetic tone. She stared me down with an obstinate expression. Goddess, this woman can be so frustrating.

“Azalea, I don’t understand how you are okay with this?” I questioned.

“Liam, why are you freaking out so much? Did you even know vampires were still alive? Because I didn’t!” she whispered at me, her eyes shooting to the girl at the front desk.

“Yes,” I gritted out quietly. “Which is why I wish you would listen to me!”

“And I wish you would listen to me! Nothing about him seems off. He offered up information willingly,” she argued.

“And how do you know he isn’t just trying to get you to trust him! It wouldn’t be the first time someone has tried that with you,” I seethed. We never talked about it, but we both know Kol had tried to gain her trust before kidnapping her.

She shook her head, rubbing her fingers across her forehead. “Why are you so quick to not trust people? Have you ever even met a vampire? How can you be sure he is our enemy?”

“They are our natural enemy, Azalea. I do not need to have met one to know that they are dangerous.”

“He doesn’t even have a clan, Liam. And something tells me that is about the opposite of a wolf not having a pack.” Our conversation was interrupted.

“Excuse me, I think we are ready to begin,” a voice said from the doorway. I turned to see a pale man standing there, and I instantly knew he was the vampire. A low growl escaped my lips as I pulled Azalea towards me. She tried to push me away, but I ignored her efforts.

“You must be Alpha Blackfur,” the man said. “My name is Theodore, but there isn’t much introduction needed, I guess. I will assure you, though, I have no ill intent being here. I am simply here to work.” He smiled at me and turned back around to go into the dining room as if the matter was settled.

“Liam,” Azalea said, reaching up to place her hand on my cheek. My b***d cooled a little at her touch. “Liam, come in there and be a part of the meeting with us. Then we can talk about this later. You can’t rip him apart in the middle of the Inn anyway.”

“I make no promises,” I snarled.

“It’s probably good that you’re here anyway. I slept terribly last night, and I bet my dedicated bodyguard is going to need the night off now,” she said with a smirk.