Chapter 26 Liza #2
I followed his gaze and noticed the moon shining brightly.
What did the full moon have to do with anything?
He spoke in riddles. So many fucking riddles, and because of that, nothing this man said made sense to me.
Maybe that was his game. He wanted to confuse me in hopes of me giving him insider information about the Keller family businesses.
Stone interrupted my thoughts. “Liza, are you still taking your medication?”
It was as if I had been doused with ice water.
I hadn’t told anyone except Ty that I’d stopped taking my meds.
I’d made the decision after we’d slept together.
It wasn’t that I wanted to get pregnant or anything, but something inside told me I no longer needed them.
I followed my instincts, and my wolf seemed to be in full agreement not to take the pills.
“How the fuck could you possibly know that? Have you been following me? Spying on me?” I punched my hands onto my hips and narrowed my eyes. This bastard knew way too much.
A sly grin spread across his face. “Your true nature is making itself known. I’ll be the one to fully bring you to your glory.”
Just like all the other times I’d interacted with Stone, I had no damn clue what he meant. I didn’t have another chance to ask because suddenly Ty was there. I recognized his aura before I saw him.
He moved quickly across the banquet hall. Growling, he shifted right there in the middle of the room, not caring who saw.
Stone didn’t even flinch. “Ty, good to see you. You’ll be happy to know that everything is going as planned and that I won’t be able to keep your secrets for very much longer. Her wolf is truly awakening, and when she finally breaks free, you’ll no longer be able to hide your deception.”
Secrets? Ty?
Ty didn’t hesitate. He charged toward Stone, who stood his ground, again not showing even an ounce of fear.
“No, Ty! Stop!” I tried to jump in between them, but I was too woozy to move fast enough.
Bryce came out of nowhere and slammed his shoulder into Ty’s body. “This isn’t the time or the place.”
Ty turned his feral eyes on Bryce. He didn’t have to talk for us to know his goal. He wanted to kill Stone.
Stone glared at Ty, who snarled, baring every tooth. “I’ve given you time to decide, and I’m tired of waiting. You know exactly why I’m here, and I won’t wait for you to give it to me.”
Ty snarled viciously as Bryce dug his heels into the floor, trying to hold Ty back from completely ripping Stone to shreds in the middle of the banquet hall.
“Sorry to say that your time is up, Ty.” Stone took a step forward, mocking Ty. “You need to decide by the end of the full moon, or a decision will be made for you.”
Stone turned and walked back to Cecily. She cocked her head and slapped Stone’s chest. “What the hell is so special about her? Was it really necessary for you to give her that much attention?” Her loud voice carried across the hall, and I cringed.
Stone shrugged and put his arm around Cecily’s waist. “It’s time for us to go.”
He took one last look at me before turning and leading her away. I stood there speechless as Bryce released Ty from his grip.
He stayed close in case he decided to go after Stone again. “Calm down, man. He’s gone.”
Ty growled, but the fight left his body.
“Remember why we came here in the first place,” Bryce murmured in Ty’s ear. “You can’t shift back now, you idiot. If you do, you’ll be as naked as the day you were born.” He shook his head at me. “His clothes are shredded.”
Ty glanced back at me. I was too stunned to speak. Everything had happened so quickly, and I was still recovering from my panic attack. I hadn’t expected this sort of reaction out of Ty.
Something told me Stone wasn’t in town for a business deal, which only raised my suspicions.
Stone’s words settled deep within me as I tried to make sense of them. What did he mean by her wolf is awakening? Why was Ty so intent on keeping me in the dark?
Questions raced through my mind, and I had no idea how to find the answers. All I knew for sure was that something strange was going on, and it seemed to have everything to do with me.
Bryce went to get a change of clothes from his car, and when he came back, he and Ty went to the restroom. Shaking my head to return to some semblance of normalcy, I headed back to the kitchen to check on my staff.
“Liza? Is everything okay?” Sabrina walked to my side and laid a hand on my arm. “I hope you don’t mind me calling Ty. You were freaking the fuck out and I didn’t know what to do. I figured he could calm you down.”
“Well, he certainly got my mind off the panic attack.”
Adam pretended like he hadn’t been listening and turned from the stove.
“It sounded like a full-blown brawl out there. Did Ty win?”
I shook my head. “Nobody won.” That included me. I squeezed the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. My energy had been zapped right out of me. I couldn’t think straight. No way I’d be able to manage an entire kitchen tonight.
Just then, Ty popped his head into the kitchen.
“Oh, good.” Sabrina motioned for him to come in. “You’re just in time. I was about to tell Liza to go home. She looks pale.”
I glanced at Ty, and he reached for my hand.
“Max can take care of it!” Sabrina shouted so that my head chef could hear over the blender.
He gave me a thumbs-up and smiled, which was enough confirmation for me.
I turned back to Ty. “Can you drive me home? I don’t feel like driving.” I really didn’t feel like doing anything but finding out what the hell Stone had been talking about.
“Of course, baby.” Ty squeezed my hand. “Anything you need.”
I shot a half-smile at Sabrina. I was going to have to give her—all of them—a big raise. “Thanks. Call if you need me.”
When we walked outside, I looked for Ty’s car, but he shook his head like he was reading my thoughts. “We’ll have to take your car. Bryce drove me.”
I nodded and handed Ty my keys.
My hands were shaking, and my head still felt like someone had tried to knock me out with a cast-iron skillet. I was on edge, and there was no hiding it. I was sure Ty could sense my mood. As soon as he had the car in drive, he reached for my hand, stroking my skin with his thumb.
Ty was quiet on the drive to my house, waiting for me to talk, like he thought there might come a time when I was ready. I didn’t know about that.
“We need to have a serious conversation.” I pulled my hand out of his grasp and clasped my hands together in my lap.
“Okay, sure.” He wasn’t bothered. He put his hand on my leg, rubbing my skin reassuringly.
“Not in the car, and not at my house.” I stared out the window. “Is there somewhere else we can go? Somewhere we can get some fresh air?”
“I know just the place.” Ty turned onto the highway, heading away from my house. “There’s a clearing at the estate that is beautiful in the moonlight.”
“Sounds perfect.” I didn’t need beauty. I needed quiet. I needed seclusion. Most of all, I needed fucking answers.
The rest of the ride passed in silence, but it was comfortable.
I wondered if Ty knew what I planned to ask; if he had the slightest inkling.
I had no idea how much he’d heard. He could’ve been there even before I sensed his aura.
I’d been so distracted. He was unusually quiet, but there was a chance he was still reeling from his stand-off with Stone.
He parked the car at the top of his long driveway and came around to help me out. I didn’t take his hand, instead folding my arms over my stomach as we walked down the narrow path.
When we reached the clearing, my anxiety slowly faded away. The stars sparkled above us, and a gentle breeze blew through the tall trees surrounding the clearing.
Ty’s aura spilled over, tension radiating off him in waves. His run-in with Stone had affected him more than he was letting on, but his aura didn’t lie.
I raised my head, allowing the light from the full moon to wash over me. For the first time in my life, I felt a tingle penetrating deeply into every nerve of my body. The sensation was undeniable. It was the pull of the moon.
I suddenly felt powerful, like I was a part of something bigger. Something that went beyond my current circumstances or my anxiety over my dreams.
Closing my eyes, I took a moment to enjoy the overwhelming sense of peace and power.
The moon called me, tugged at my soul, and compelled me to answer its call.
Maybe I needed to shift before we had this talk.
Run to clear my mind. But I didn’t shift.
Didn’t run. I only stood under the rays of moonlight and waited.
A few moments later, I opened my eyes, refreshed, ready to have a conversation that probably wouldn’t go well.
Ty watched me, his gaze soft as if he understood and was trying to comfort me. He reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers as he smiled knowingly at me. “Ready to talk?”
I asked the question that had been burning inside me since Stone spoke his mysterious words: “Are you keeping something from me?”