Chapter 20
“You committed a crime, and you shouldn’t get away with it.”
Suzie’s accusation hung in the air, sharp and relentless. Sienna’s face drained of color, her hands trembling as she gripped the edge of her chair. She looked just as she had those first nights in Cornwall—terrified, guilty, braced for the next blow.
Liam watched as Suzie’s words stripped Sienna of her composure. With her shoulders hunched and her chin lowered, she looked like a cat trying to disappear.
Fierce protectiveness surged in Liam’s chest.
“Enough.” His voice cut through the tension, sharper than he intended. All eyes turned to him, but he kept his focus on Suzie.
“She’s not getting away with anything. Look at her—she’s drowning in guilt.”
Suzie opened her mouth, but Liam pushed on.
“You want to punish her? She’s been punishing herself for months. Barely sleeps, and she watches me like I’ll collapse or vanish, convinced every setback is her fault.”
He stepped closer to Sienna—not quite touching, but near enough that she could feel his presence.
“She came here alone, knowing you’d be furious, knowing she might face consequences because she wanted to make things right.”
The silence thickened. Outside the tall windows, gray Scottish clouds pressed against the glass, mirroring the weight in the room.
“That doesn’t excuse—” Suzie started.
“No, it doesn’t,” Liam said, his tone softening. “But it explains a lot. And if you’d met her family, you’d understand why she was desperate enough to take such a risk.” Sienna finally lifted her gaze, her brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Liam, it’s not necessary for you—”
“It is,” he said, his fingers brushing her shoulder. “Because I know who you are, Sienna Teague. And I know what your family means to you.”
The room fell quiet except for the distant sound of wind rattling the castle’s ancient stones. Angus cleared his throat, breaking the spell.
“Perhaps,” he said diplomatically, “we should focus on the present situation rather than assigning blame.”
Niall stepped forward, smiling. “We’d like to meet your family. Not to judge them, but to know them better.”
“They don’t need your understanding,” Sienna said, though the heat had left her voice. She looked spent, as if the confession and Suzie’s anger had wrung out what little fight she had left.
“Maybe not,” Niall said. “But we’d like to help all the same.”
Suzie was studying Sienna with a different expression now—still wary, but no longer openly hostile. “How long have you been camping?”
“Weeks.” Sienna’s answer was barely audible. “We had to leave everything. Our home, our pottery business, the land that’s been in Papa’s family for generations.”
“Because of the hunters,” Liam added. “The ones I mentioned. They took a young teen from her home. Dragged her away in her leopard form.”
Suzie’s breath caught. “A child?”
“We got her back,” Sienna said, lifting her chin in a flash of old defiance. “But it only made things worse. Edwin Smith—the one funding the hunt—sent more men. It wasn’t safe for anyone with feline blood.”
“So you ran,” Angus said, not unkindly.
“We survived.” The words came out harsher than she likely meant. “My father and brothers can’t hide what they are when they shift back. Ears, tails, patches of fur. They’re different. Always have been. The villagers of Stoneford barely tolerated us before the hunters showed up.”
Clouds gathered outside, dimming the room as Angus moved to switch on a lamp. The warm light caught the exhaustion etched on Sienna’s face, the way her clothes hung loose from weight loss, and the careful way she held herself, as if she were bracing for another blow.
Liam saw the instant Suzie’s anger gave way to surprise, her shoulders easing as the fight drained out of her. She was seeing what he’d seen for months—a woman pushed to her breaking point, fighting for those she loved.
“Where are they now?” Suzie asked.
“About twenty minutes away. At a campsite.” Sienna glanced toward the window, where rain splattered against the glass. “They’ll be wondering where I’ve gone.”
“Camping in this weather?” Niall frowned, following her gaze. “That can’t be comfortable.”
“We’ve managed worse.” But there was no pride in Sienna’s voice now, only weariness.
Liam stepped closer to her chair. “What if we all went back together? You could introduce everyone properly. No pressure, no expectations—a conversation.”
Sienna shook her head, her voice sharp. “It’s not that they won’t believe you… It’s that they won’t trust outsiders. The last time strangers came, hunters followed.”
Liam’s gaze didn’t waver, but his tone softened. “I’m not expecting them to open up right away. But your family knows me. That’s a start.”
“All right,” she said, after a long pause.
Sienna was quiet during the drive back, her knuckles white where she gripped the steering wheel.
In the rearview mirror, Liam could see Niall’s Range Rover following them through the increasingly heavy rain.
The windshield wipers struggled against the downpour, and he leaned forward to peer through the gray curtain of water.
“They’re going to think I’ve lost my mind. Bringing strangers to our camp.”
“Your father will understand once he meets them.”
“Will he?” She took a sharp turn onto the narrower road leading to the campsite. “Papa’s spent his whole life being stared at, judged, rejected. And now I’m asking him to trust the friends of the man I kidnapped.”
The campsite entrance appeared through the rain, marked by a weathered wooden sign. Sienna slowed as they passed the main facilities block, deserted except for one hardy camper’s car, and continued toward the back, where the trees provided more shelter.
“There,” she said, pointing to a cluster of tents barely visible through the pines.
Even from this distance, Liam noted how carefully they’d positioned everything. The Teagues had tucked their tents deep into the tree line, hidden from casual view. A tarp stretched between several oaks created a makeshift shelter where thin wisps of smoke rose from the concealed camp stove.
As they pulled up, figures emerged from the shelter. Hedrek appeared first, his distinctive silhouette unmistakable even in the rain. The boys flanked him protectively, while Tamsin hung back in the deeper shadows. Their positioning spoke of months of practiced caution.
“They look like they’re ready to run,” Niall observed quietly as he and Suzie joined them beside the vans.
“They probably are,” Liam said. “It’s become second nature.”
Hedrek stepped forward as they approached, his leonine features set in polite wariness. His dark eyes took in Niall and Suzie with the quick assessment of someone who’d learned to read potential threats instantly.
“Papa,” Sienna said, her voice carrying despite the rain drumming on the tarp above them. “These are Liam’s friends from the castle. Niall Sinclair and his mate, Suzie.”
“Mr. Teague.” Niall extended his hand without hesitation, seemingly unbothered by the water dripping from his hair. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
Hedrek scrutinized him before accepting the handshake. Behind him, Liam noticed Jago and Calan moving closer to their parents, protective and ready. Even Jamie edged nearer, his young gaze watchful.
“You’re the castle owner Sienna mentioned,” Hedrek said. It wasn’t quite a question.
“I am. Though Angus, our steward, does most of the actual work.” Niall’s smile was easy and genuine. “I understand you’ve had an arduous journey.”
Tamsin emerged from the shadows then, and Liam saw Suzie’s intake of breath. Sienna’s mother had always been elegant, but weeks of rough living had taken their toll. Her clothes hung loosely, her face looked gaunt, and the dark circles under her eyes spoke of many sleepless nights.
“Mrs. Teague,” Suzie said, stepping forward with sudden purpose. “You must be exhausted. Camping in this weather can’t be easy.”
“We manage,” Tamsin replied with quiet dignity.
The rain chose that moment to intensify, driving harder against their makeshift shelter. Water dripped through gaps in the tarp, and Jago darted over to adjust the sagging corner.
“This is madness,” Suzie said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You can’t stay out here in this. Mr. Teague, we have warm, dry rooms at the castle. Hot water, proper beds, and decent food. Please, at least come in out of this storm.”
Hedrek glanced at his wife, and Liam caught the silent communication that passed between them. Tamsin’s slight nod was almost imperceptible, but he saw Hedrek’s shoulders relax fractionally.
“We appreciate the offer, but we don’t want to impose.”
“Papa.” The word came from Jago, barely audible above the rain. He was still holding the corner of the tarp, water streaming down his face. “Mama’s cough is getting worse.”
Tamsin shot her oldest son a reproving look, but she couldn’t quite suppress the harsh sound that escaped her throat as if summoned by his words.
“It’s a cold,” she insisted, but her voice was hoarse.
Suzie moved closer, her earlier anger completely forgotten. “How long have you had that cough?”
“A few days. It’s nothing.”
“In this damp?” Suzie shook her head. “Mrs. Teague, I’m not a doctor, but I know enough to recognize when someone needs to get warm and dry.
” She looked around the campsite, taking in the water pooling despite their best efforts, the steam rising from wet clothes, the way everyone unconsciously hunched against the cold. “This isn’t safe for any of you.”
A fierce gust of wind sent water cascading through a new gap in the tarp, and Jamie, who’d been silently helping Calan secure their gear, looked up, strands of hair plastered to his wet face.
“At least the hearts are safe,” he said, patting a waterproof container. “We finished the new batch yesterday.”
“Hearts?” Niall asked.