Chapter 108 Ty #2
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I said, my mind racing with possibilities. Was there another mole within our ranks? Had someone else betrayed us? Or was Castro simply that good at gathering intel?
“Maybe he has someone on the inside?” Liza said hesitantly, voicing my own concerns. “Another traitor, like before, with Cecily?”
I shook my head. “No. I refuse to believe that. We’ve been so careful, and I trust my people. There must be another explanation.”
“Like what, though?” she pressed, her brow furrowing in frustration. “There’s no way it’s a coincidence he has all that knowledge.”
“Maybe he’s been spying on us himself.” I tried to come up with a plausible scenario. “Or maybe he has some sort of magical means of gathering information. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve encountered something like that in our world.”
“Magical or not, it’s dangerous,” Liza said, her grip on my hand tightening. “We need to find out how he’s doing it before he causes any more damage.”
I stared at the crackling fire, with its warmth licking at my face. Where did Castro get his information? It was a problem we couldn’t ignore any longer, and I felt a chill down to the bone despite the heat from the flames.
I sighed, rubbing my temples as I considered the idea that there might be another mole in our midst. My pack had already been betrayed once, and that wound was still raw. The thought of another traitor among us made my stomach churn with anger and disappointment.
“I shouldn’t dismiss that we might have another mole in our ranks so quickly. Anything’s possible.” I gritted my teeth. “But I’m praying it’s not true. One mole in our ranks was bad enough. Believing someone else has betrayed us would be… unbearable.”
Liza leaned against me, seeking comfort in my presence. I wrapped my arm around her, drawing strength from her body pressed against mine, and we faced the flickering flames, searching for answers in them.
“Maybe we should investigate your staff more thoroughly,” she said hesitantly. “I mean, I don’t want to cast suspicion on anyone, but we have to be sure.”
I nodded, responsibility settling heavily over me. “You’re right. We need to be certain no one else is working against us.”
“Ty, are you okay?” Liza asked softly,
“Of course.” I forced a smile, even though I was anything but. The possibility of another betrayal ate at me, threatening to consume me like the fire before us. I needed to protect my pack and Liza from harm, and that meant rooting out any treachery, no matter how painful it might be.
“Let’s make a list of everyone who could have access to sensitive information,” I said, determined to take action. “We’ll look into their backgrounds, their connections—anything that might give us a clue as to their loyalty.”
I checked over the list of names we’d compiled, each one a potential mole and potential knife in our backs.
The thought sent an icy finger down my spine, but I tried to shake it off.
Focus, Ty. We needed answers, not baseless suspicions.
Yet, as much as I wanted to trust those around me, the doubt lingered like a dark cloud.
“Ty,” Liza said gently, laying a hand on my arm. Her touch was warm, grounding, but I felt her concern through our bond. “You’re overthinking this.”
“Maybe.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “But I can’t help it. It’s just… no one should be aware of the existence of a trigger word for you. Liam would never put you in that position. But if Castro was as astute as I give him credit for, would he care who had the word?”
“True,” she said, her brow furrowed. “Liam is fiercely protective of me. He wouldn’t risk my safety, even if he disliked your pack. I don’t think Castro would want to share. He would want the trigger word and the power over me all to himself.”
“Right.” I couldn’t shake the nagging thought that Liam had been planning to take us out at one point. Could he be conspiring against us? No, I couldn’t allow myself to think like that. Not when we still had so many unanswered questions.
“Let’s keep digging.” I tried to push my doubts aside. “There has to be something we’re missing. A connection, a clue—anything.”
Liza nodded. “We’ll find it, Ty. We’ll get to the truth and protect our pack.”
While we continued to search for any shred of evidence, my unease only increased. The shadows in the room appeared larger, and my instincts screamed that something was amiss. But what? My thoughts raced, struggling to piece the puzzle before us.
“Ty, what if it’s not someone on this list? What if we’re missing something important?”
“It’s possible,” I said. “But we have to start somewhere. If there is another mole, they’re likely hiding in plain sight.”
“Then, we’ll keep looking,” she said firmly. “We won’t give up until we’ve found the truth and ensured the safety of our pack.”
Eventually, sleep chased us to bed. Liza had been trying to hide her yawns, but she lost the battle. Between training with Liam and Castro’s gift, she was exhausted. The minute she was nestled under the covers in our bed, she was asleep.
I lay back and watched the clock. “Damn it,” I muttered to myself. I needed to talk to Liam face to face and hash this out once and for all. No more bad blood between us, especially when it came to our mutual love for Liza.
The moon hung low in the night sky, casting its eerie glow over the world below.
I couldn’t sleep. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts about Liam and his possible betrayal.
I needed answers, and I needed them now.
Clad in my favorite leather jacket, I slipped out of the house, careful not to wake Liza.
The engine of my car roared to life, echoing through the quiet streets as I drove into town. My knuckles turned white on the steering wheel, my tension coiling. What if Liam was the one conspiring against us? Would he betray Liza like that?
I pulled up to the hotel. Its neon sign flickered in the darkness, casting an ominous glow over the entrance. After taking a moment to compose myself, I stepped out of the car and walked toward the building, steeling myself for the impending confrontation.
As I approached, Liam emerged from the shadows, his expression guarded. “Ty,” he questioned me coldly “What the fuck do you want?”
“Look, we need to talk,” I said, striding forward. “You and I are both aware there’s still some bitterness between us, but we can’t let that interfere with protecting Liza.”
Liam crossed his arms under his chest, his eyes narrowing. “Yeah, you’re right. We have to put aside our differences for her sake. Don’t forget, she’s my sister. I’d do anything for her, even if it means crossing you or your family.”
“Let’s clear the air, then,” I said. “Tell me straight up… are you working with Castro? Are you trying to bring my pack down from the inside?”
The silence that followed was stifling. I watched as Liam’s face contorted with anger and hurt before he finally spoke. “I can’t believe you’d even ask me that. After everything we’ve been through, after everything Liza’s been through, do you really think I’d betray her like that?”
“Believe me, I don’t want to think it,” I answered honestly. “There are too many unanswered questions. Too many coincidences. The trigger word, the relentless attacks… I need to be sure where your loyalties lie.”
“My loyalty is to Liza,” he said firmly. “Always. End of story.”
“We have to come to some agreement, Liam. We can’t go like this. It’s Liza who’s suffering.”
He winced when I mentioned her name, as if he’d just realized how much his attitude would hurt her.
“Fine,” Liam said. “A sparring match. We’ll settle this like wolves.”
“Agreed.” I nodded, already going over strategies in my mind. “But we do it at the estate, not here. When it’s over, whatever grudges you have will be let go.”
“Deal.” He reached out a hand to shake, a hard glint in his eyes.
As Liam had shifted and ran to the motel, we drove back to the estate in my car in silence, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife.
When we approached the grounds, I caught a whiff of the night air, crisp and cool against my skin.
The scent of the surrounding woods, earthy and alive, helped calm my nerves.
“Wait here,” I told Liam as we got out of the car. “I need to find witnesses for the match.”
I found two guards at the door and took them to the field.
The moon illuminated the estate, casting eerie shadows as Liam and I stood facing each other in the open field. Adrenaline coursed through my veins. The scent of damp earth filled my nostrils as I steadied my breathing and prepared for battle.
“Ready?” Liam’s icy blue eyes never left mine.
“Let’s do this.” I clenched my fists at my sides.
With a swift movement, Liam lunged, his fist connecting with my jaw. Pain exploded through my face, but I shoved it away and countered with a punch to his gut that forced the air from his lungs. He doubled over but quickly recovered and aimed a kick at my side.
“Is that all you’ve got?” I taunted, dodging his attack, and landing a solid hit to his ribs.
“Hardly,” he said, retaliating with a swift kick to my thigh.
Our fists flew, an intricate dance of violence fueled by years of bitterness and mistrust. As we traded blows, I thought about Liza.
This match wasn’t just about settling old grudges, it was about proving that I was fit to protect her, no matter what threats came our way.
If that meant putting my own pride on the line, so be it.
“Enough of this,” Liam growled, his breathing ragged as he wiped blood from his split lip. “We’re getting nowhere.”
“Then, let’s take this to the next level,” I said, my voice hoarse from exertion.
With a nod of agreement, we both stepped back, our bodies shifting effortlessly into our wolf forms.
As my vision sharpened and my senses heightened, I charged at Liam, my powerful jaws snapping at his throat. He twisted out of my reach, his lean body agile and quick. We circled each other, our growls echoing in the night air as we searched for an opening.
Suddenly, Liam lunged, his sharp teeth sinking into my shoulder. I yelped in pain but managed to shake him off, my own teeth finding purchase on his hind leg soon after. He snarled and twisted away, limping slightly while he regained his footing.
Come on, I thought to myself, pushing through the pain and fatigue that threatened to overtake me. You can’t back down now.
Liza’s frantic footsteps drew my attention away from the exhausted satisfaction that had settled over me after the fight. Her shout rang out, sharp with anger and worry as she sprinted toward us. “What the fuck are you two doing?”
Liam and I exchanged a glance before we shifted back into our human forms, sitting on the grass, still panting heavily from the fight.
Liza glared at us, punching her fists onto her hips. “Ty. Liam.” She ground out our names like curses. “I can’t believe you would be so reckless and stupid. You could’ve seriously hurt each other,”
“Baby, relax.” I tried to soothe her concern, struggling to hold back my chuckle. The adrenaline was still coursing through my veins, making it hard to keep my laughter in check. “We were just working some things out.”
“Working things out?” Liza’s volume rose, and her tone became unbearably high-pitched. “By trying to tear each other apart?”
“Sometimes, that’s what it takes,” Liam said, his chest still heaving from exertion. He shot me a knowing look, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, too. “Isn’t that right, Ty?”
“Exactly.” Laughter spilled from me as I lay back on the grass, feeling lighter than I had in days. “We needed this. Trust me.”
Liza stared down at us in disbelief, clearly not amused. “You’re both idiots.”
“Come on,” I said, catching my breath and pushing myself up onto my elbows. “Forgive us for being... well, men. We just needed to clear the air. It’s done now.”
“Fine,” she said, her anger slowly dissipating, even as she maintained her stern expression. “Don’t expect me to patch you up if you ever go at it again like this.”
“Deal.” Liam chuckled softly, then he got to his feet and extended a hand to help me up.
“Well, then, fine.” Liza crossed her arms. “Now that you two have ‘cleared the air,’ can we focus on what really matters? We still have a lot to figure out.”
I hesitated for only a moment before following Liza, the relief from the dissolved tension between Liam and me propelling me forward. I caught up to her as she reached the front door and grabbed her arm.
She whipped around, her eyes still flashing. “Are you both insane?” she hissed, yanking her arm free. “What was the point of all that?”
“Look, Liza.” I tried to choose my words carefully. “Liam and I needed to work through our differences. We had to find a way to trust each other.”
“By beating the crap out of each other?” she scoffed, holding the door open but not stepping inside. Her intense stare bore into me, demanding an explanation.
“Sometimes, that’s how it works with male shifters.” I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. “It’s a part of who we are, and now we can move forward with a clean slate.”
“Fine,” she said, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Don’t expect me to be thrilled about it, Ty. I’ve been around enough fighting and violence lately.”
“Understandable.” I nodded, knowing full well the emotional toll recent events had taken on her. “We’ll do our best to avoid any more conflicts, especially in front of you.”
“Good,” she said, finally stepping inside the house.
I followed her, hoping to ease her frustrations further. “Listen,” I said softly as we walked down the hallway toward the living room. “We’re here for you. All of us. You’re not alone in this fight.”
“I know,” she said, her anger dissipating slightly. “I just... I need some time to process everything, okay? And my brother and my mate fighting each other like idiots is not helping.”
“Sorry.” I offered her a small smile. “Take all the time you need. We’re here for you when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” she said, and I noticed a subtle change in her posture as some of her burden eased.
When we entered the living room, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and unity.
The tension between Liam and me had been a hindrance, but now it was gone, replaced by a mutual understanding, and a shared goal: to protect Liza at all costs and find Castro so we could put an end to the threats against her.
Liza sank into one of the plush armchairs and stared into the fireplace while I took a seat across from her, giving her the space she needed.