Chapter 21 #2
“You’re family now,” Saber said, consulting his notes. “Liam’s family, which means you’re ours too. Hedrek, you’re potters, yes?”
“We are. It’s been our family trade for generations.”
“Perfect.” London pulled out a tablet. “I’ve been researching local clay sources.
There’s a farmer about twenty minutes from town with excellent deposits who’s looking for a partner.
He’d provide the raw materials, and you’d bring the expertise.
He takes a percentage of sales; you get access to quality clay. ”
Tamsin leaned forward, interest sparking in her expression. “That sounds ideal. Working with local materials.”
“There’s more,” London said. “We have two empty retail premises in town. One would be perfect for a pottery studio and shop. The tourist season brings thousands of visitors looking for authentic handmade goods.”
Kitto had been unusually quiet, but now he spoke up. “What about other opportunities? I mean, besides pottery?”
London’s face lit up. “I’ve seen some of your work. Niall showed us photos of the hearts you painted. Have you ever considered digital art?”
“Digital?” Kitto’s ears pricked forward with interest.
“Online commission work. Fantasy art, character designs, illustrations for books and games. The market is enormous, and you could work from anywhere with an internet connection. I could introduce you to some contacts.”
“Really?” Kitto bounced in his chair, his cat ears twitching with barely contained excitement.
London grinned. “Yes.”
Sienna leaned forward despite her earlier reservations. “What about housing?”
Saber nodded. “I know of a cottage available that’s fully furnished. You could stay there while you get established. No charge for the first three months, then we’ll work out something reasonable.”
“That’s incredibly generous,” Tamsin said, tears brightening her eyes.
“It’s practical.” Saber’s expression seemed genuine. “Close families build resilient communities. We want you to succeed.”
Niall cleared his throat. “I had a thought last night. Hedrek, you mentioned your land in Cornwall.”
“Yes, it’s family land passed down for generations. I hate to abandon it, but the taxes…”
“I’ve been looking to expand my honey operations.
Your property has excellent potential for hives, and its isolation is perfect for what I need.
I’d like to lease the land—enough to cover taxes and provide you with a small income.
You’d keep ownership, and perhaps I could use your cottage when I visit.
” Niall smiled, his enthusiasm shining through.
Hedrek’s jaw dropped. “You’d do that?”
“Good business for both of us. Your land gets maintained, my bees get new territory, and you have a safety net if New Zealand doesn’t work out.”
The silence that followed was heavy with possibility. Sienna watched her parents’ faces, seeing hope warring with caution in their expressions.
“This is overwhelming,” Hedrek said. “Good overwhelming, but…”
“You don’t need to decide today,” Saber said. “Discuss it as a family. Isabella and I can start the preliminary paperwork whenever you’re ready, but there’s no pressure.”
“How long would that take?” Sienna asked.
“About four weeks for documentation, then travel arrangements. My contacts are efficient, and they understand the urgency that sometimes comes with shifter relocations. Enough time for you to tie up loose ends and plan properly.”
Marcus leaned into the camera. “Ria wanted me to tell you she’s looking forward to meeting you all in person, if you decide to come.”
Ria nodded shyly, offering another small smile. Despite her reserve, the hope in her golden eyes was unmistakable.
Despite everything, Sienna smiled back. Leaving Cornwall had meant mere survival—now there was the chance of belonging.
“We’ll discuss this as a family,” Hedrek said, glancing around the table. “But thank you. All of you. This is more than we dared hope for.”
“You deserve a chance to flourish,” Saber said. “We’ll be here when you’re ready to decide.”
As the call ended and the screen went dark, the Teague family sat in contemplative silence. Finally, Jamie spoke up.
“It sounds too good to be true.”
“The best things usually do,” Tamsin murmured, reaching for her husband’s hand. “But sometimes, if we’re lucky, they turn out to be real.”
Sienna glanced at Liam, who had remained unusually quiet throughout the call, responding only when directly addressed. The careful distance he maintained—physical and emotional—was a stark reminder of the wall she’d built between them the night before.
Despite everything, she found herself drawn to the possibilities Saber had outlined—a place where her family wouldn’t have to hide, where Kitto could pursue his art, and where her parents and brothers might finally find peace.
If only she could believe she deserved it.
The video call had ended with promises to stay in touch, but as her family dispersed to explore the castle grounds, Sienna found herself alone with Liam. A tense quiet lingered, carrying unspoken words and the memory of their argument the previous night.
“That went well,” she said, breaking the silence.
“Your family seems excited about the possibilities.” Liam’s voice was level as he gathered papers from the table.
“It’s more than we ever hoped for.” She hesitated before adding, “Thank you for arranging this. For everything.”
He looked up at that, a flicker passing through his eyes—more blue today than green. “No need to thank me, Sienna.”
His voice, distant and formal, drove a sharp ache through her heart. She wanted to bridge the gap between them, to take back the words that had driven him away, but fear held her tongue.
“I want to go home,” Liam said, his words cutting through the silence, raw and urgent.
Sienna’s heart stopped. “Of course. You must miss it terribly.”
“I do.” He set down the papers and faced her fully. “But I don’t wish to go alone.”
Confusion swirled through her. “Suzie and Niall could visit—”
“That’s not what I mean.” His voice was quiet but firm. “I want you to come with me. You and your family. I want all of you to come to Middlemarch.”
She stared at him, searching his face for some sign that he was joking, but his expression was deadly serious. “That’s what Saber was offering.”
“Yes, but I’m not Saber.” Liam stepped closer, his familiar scent washing over her. “I’m not offering out of charity or community spirit. I want you there because I want a future with you.”
“Liam…” She backed away instinctively, her shoulders hitting the wall behind her and rattling a framed certificate. “You don’t understand. Can’t possibly want—”
“You?” His gaze flashed with a combo of hurt and anger. “Why is it so impossible to believe I might care about you?”
“Because no one does!” The words burst free, raw and desperate. “Because I’m damaged goods. Because any man who gets involved with me is signing up for a lifetime of stares and whispers.”
“Stop.” His voice cut through her spiral like a whip crack.
“You don’t know what it’s like,” she pressed on, as if he hadn’t spoken. “You have no idea what it means to be part of this family. The genetic lottery we lost. The chance that any children we had might—”
“Might what?” Liam snapped. “Have ears like Kitto? A tail like your father? Be different?”
“Yes! Who wants that burden? Who wants to explain to their kids why people cross the street to avoid them? Why they can’t have normal jobs or lives?”
“I would.” His voice was steady, certain. “I’d want that, Sienna. I’d be proud to call them mine.”
She shook her head. “You say that now, but when reality hits—”
“When it hits, I’ll love them as fiercely as I love your brothers. Just as I love you.”
The world tilted under her feet. “You don’t love me,” she whispered.
“Don’t I?” His laugh was bitter. “What do you think the past few months were about? Last night?”
“Guilt,” she said. “Obligation. Stockholm syndrome. I kidnapped you, Liam. I ruined your life. You’re just—”
“Confused? Delusional?” His voice rose, control slipping. “Give me some credit, Sienna. I know the difference between obligation and love.”
“But we’re not mates,” she said, clinging to the one argument that still made sense. “We don’t have that connection. That instant recognition.”
“So what? Not every couple has fireworks and destiny. Some of us have something quieter. Something that grows over time, built on trust and respect and shared experiences.”
“Like what we have?” The question came out smaller than intended.
“Like what we could have, if you’d let yourself believe in it.” He took another step closer, and she could see the frustration in every line of his body. “If you’d stop punishing yourself for something that wasn’t entirely your fault.”
Sienna laughed, the sound harsh and full of judgment. “I drugged you. I kidnapped you and stole months of your life.”
“And gave me the best family I’ve ever known in return,” Liam said. “You think I had something wonderful waiting for me in New Zealand? That people who loved me unconditionally surrounded me?”
The pain in his voice made her flinch. “You had friends. Saber and London and—”
“I had colleagues and friends. Good people who cared about me, yes, but not family. Not the acceptance your father showed me from the first day. Not the way your mother fussed over me when I was sick, or the way your brothers included me in everything without question.”
“But your job—”
Liam tugged at his hair, frustration clear in every movement. “A good job, yes, but replaceable. What you gave me—what your family gave me—that’s precious.”
Sienna blinked hard as tears threatened to fall. “So this is about gratitude. About what we gave you.”
“This is about love. About wanting to build a life with someone who challenges me and frustrates me and makes me want to be a better man.”
“I’m a mess. I’m broken and guilty.”
“You’re the most courageous person I know, willing to risk everything for your family. You faced down hunters and bullies and your own fears to keep the people you love safe. And you came to the castle alone to confess what you’d done, knowing you might face consequences.”
“That isn’t strength. It was desperation.”
“Sometimes they’re the same thing.” Liam’s voice gentled. “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is trust someone else with your heart.”
Silence settled over them, weighted with potential and fear. Sienna wanted to believe him, to take the leap he was offering, but the voices in her head, years of rejection and whispered warnings about Teague genetics, were too loud.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t risk you waking up one day and realizing what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Something died in Liam’s expression. The hope that had been flickering there despite everything guttered out, leaving behind resignation.
“Then we have nothing more to talk about,” he said.
“Liam, please—”
But he was already leaving, his controlled movements hurting more than anger ever could. The door closed behind him with quiet finality, and Sienna sank into a chair, her body shaking.
She’d done it again—pushed away the one person who saw past her family’s differences.
And this time, she wasn’t sure he’d come back.