12. Liam
Chapter 12
Liam
T he next morning, I wake up bright and early, ready to go for a run to clear my head. But before I can even lace up my shoes, Grayson barges into my room.
“Hey, Liam! Going for a run?”
“Yeah, I really need it today. To clear my head, ya know?”
“Sure. Mind if I go along?”
I grin. “Sure thing, Gray. If you’re ready, let’s hit it.”
We head out together, the cool morning air refreshing against my skin as we jog side by side. It quickly becomes clear that Grayson isn’t quite as in shape as he thought. Within minutes, he’s huffing and puffing, struggling to keep up with my pace.
“You alright there, Gray?” I tease, glancing over at him with a smirk.
He shoots me a playful glare, his cheeks flushed with exertion. “Shut up, Liam. I’m just... warming up,” he pants.
We eventually make it back home feeling exhilarated from the run. I head to the kitchen to whip up some breakfast while Grayson collapses onto the couch, looking like he’s ready to devour anything in sight.
As he demolishes his food, I raise an eyebrow at him. “Hungry much?” I tease.
He shrugs, his mouth full of food. “Hey, running makes you hungry, okay?” he replies between bites.
I chuckle. “Fair enough.”
After a moment, I inquire. “Hey, Gray, have your wolf abilities started kicking in yet?”
He pauses mid-bite, his expression thoughtful. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he turns to me and smirks. Suddenly, his eyes begin to glow amber, and a low growl rumbles in his chest.
I grin in response. “Well, look at you, Mr. Wolf. Very soon, you will take over as the Protector.”
But Grayson’s smirk fades, replaced by frustration. “I’ve been struggling to get my claws out and my teeth to extend,” he admits.
I reach out to pat his shoulder reassuringly. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Gray. It’ll happen when it happens. Just take it one step at a time. No need to rush it.”
He nods, seeming to take comfort in my words. “Thanks, Liam. I appreciate it.”
“Good. Now finish eating. I want us to head to Mariya’s.”
“Okay, bro.”
With that, we finish our breakfast in companionable silence, both of us content.
As we arrive at the restaurant, I see Rosa already busy sanitizing the kitchen counters and prep areas. Grayson offers to help her, and I nod in approval before heading to the back to take stock in preparation for the day’s meals.
Marco is already hard at work chopping and prepping, and I quickly join him after placing my supply orders for items that need replenishing. Slipping into our familiar rhythm, we move around each other effortlessly, like a well-oiled machine.
Once the kitchen is in order, we start the day at the restaurant. Grayson hangs out in the office, engrossed in his phone, while I handle the front of the house.
The day quickly picks up pace, and before we know it, we’re inundated with orders. My delivery guy, Mark, called out sick. So, when a few requests come in for delivery, I turn to Marco, ready to assign the task to him.
But Grayson pipes up, insisting that he can handle it. I raise an eyebrow skeptically. “You sure about that, Gray? It’s pretty busy out there.”
He nods confidently. “Yeah, I got this, Liam. I’m not a kid anymore, you know.”
I hesitate for a moment, torn between wanting to keep him close and letting him prove himself. Finally, I relent. “Alright, fine. But you better be back here before I can say ‘pizza delivery.”
Grayson grins in victory. “Deal. But it’ll cost you a hundred bucks.”
I roll my eyes, but I chuckle at his antics. “Fine, fine. Just go, but keep your location on so I can track you,” I reply, trying to sound stern and failing miserably.
“Got it, boss. I’ll be back before you know it,” he boasts, grabbing the delivery bags and heading out the door.
As he disappears down the street, I turn my attention back to the restaurant and the rush of customers. Marco shoots me a knowing look, and I shrug in response. “Kids, right?” I mutter, shaking my head with a fond smile.
The day flies by in a blur of activity, with orders coming in non-stop. I barely have time to catch my breath before another wave of hungry customers descends upon us.
I feel a sense of pride as I track Grayson navigating the streets with ease, delivering food to our customers with a smile. He may be young, but he’s proving himself to be a valuable asset to the team.
Maybe instead of camp, I’ll hire him to work here next summer.
As the day draws to a close and the last of our customers trickle out, I breathe a sigh of relief. Just as I’m about to start closing up for the night, I hear the familiar sound of the door opening, and Grayson walks back in, a triumphant grin on his face.
“I’m back, boss,” he announces proudly, holding up the empty delivery bags.
Smiling, I say, “Good job, Gray. I really appreciate you stepping in like that.”
He grins, looking pleased with himself. “Thanks, Liam. I told you I could handle it.”
But as soon as he takes a step closer to me, I know something has gone terribly wrong.
I catch a whiff of that familiar scent—the unmistakable aroma of a vampire. Panic surges through me, and without a second thought, I grab his arm and drag him into my office, away from prying eyes.
“Gray, we need to talk,” I say urgently, my voice low and urgent as I shut the door behind us.
He looks at me with wide eyes, clearly taken aback by my sudden urgency. “Liam, what’s wrong? Why are you upset?”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. “I need to know where you’ve been,” I say worriedly. “Did you go anywhere other than the delivery locations Marco gave you?”
Grayson shakes his head quickly. “No, Liam, I swear. I just took the orders and delivered them like Marco told me to,” he insists.
Searching his face for any signs of deception, I press. “Are you sure you didn’t pass by any other place? Talk to anyone else?”
He hesitates for a moment before shaking his head again. “No, Liam, I didn’t talk to anyone else. I don’t know any of the people I delivered to.”
But then his expression changes as if remembering something. “Well, except for my teacher. She had placed an order for some soup.”
“That’s all the people you interacted with? No one else.”
“Yeah. I swear.”
My heart sinks at his words.
He is telling the truth, which means the vampire must have been watching him. I curse myself silently for letting him roam the streets without supervision.
Grayson looks at me, concerned. “Liam, what’s going on? Why are you so worried?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “It’s nothing, Gray. Just... a little misunderstanding,” I lie, forcing a reassuring smile onto my face. “You’re safe, okay? That’s all that matters.”
He doesn’t look entirely convinced, but he nods, seeming to accept my words for now. “Alright, if you say so, Liam.”
I reach out to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. “I promise, Gray. Everything’s fine.”
He nods again, his expression still wary but a little more relaxed now. “Okay, Liam. I trust you.”
I let out a sigh of relief, but inside, I’m still shaken by the realization that the vampire is watching him. I’ll have to keep a much closer eye on him from now on.
I will keep him safe no matter what it takes.