45. Liam
Chapter 45
Liam
M y heart sank as I listened to Aunt Alyssa’s panicked voice on the other end of the line.
”Ok, Aunt Alyssa. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I say and hang up.
“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
I shake my head, my mind racing with possibilities. “I’m not sure. She said she’s been trying to reach my parents, but they’re not answering.”
“You’d better get going, Liam. It sounds like she really needs you right now.”
I hesitate, only because I’m torn between my duty to Alyssa and my desire to keep Selene safe. “I don’t want to leave you alone, Selene. Something doesn’t feel right.”
She reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll be fine, Liam. You need to go and make sure she’s okay.”
I nod. “I just have a bad feeling about all of this.”
“You don’t think this has anything to do with Levi, do you?” she asks.
I shrug as an uneasiness settles over me. “I’m not sure. But I don’t want to take any chances. I don’t want to leave you alone in your apartment.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“You can stay at my house for the night,” I suggest.
“Umm? What about Emmett? Where is he?”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “He’s at my house.”
“Liam. You know he and I don’t really get along…”
“I know he’s not too fond of you, but we can work on that tomorrow. Right now, I just want peace of mind, and knowing you are in my house will give me that, baby . It has wards up and will keep you safe.”
“Are you really this worried?”
“I just have a very bad feeling about tonight.”
Selene chews on her lip, considering. “Okay, Liam. I’ll go to your house with you.”
Relief washes over me. “Thank you, Selene. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
“I know you will, Liam. Let’s go.”
We get dressed and head out to my car. As we buckle up and hit the road, I try to call my parents, but all I get is their voicemail.
“Come on, Mom, Dad, pick up,” I mutter, tapping impatiently on the steering wheel.
Selene glances over at me, her brow furrowed with concern. “Do you think they’re asleep?”
“I’m not sure. It’s unlike them not to answer the phone.”
Selene reaches over and squeezes my hand reassuringly. “I’m sure they’re okay, Liam. There must be a logical explanation for why they’re not answering.”
“Yeah… maybe. Are you okay?” I ask, breaking the silence.
She nods, but I can tell she’s nervous. “I’m just worried about being alone with Emmett.”
I reach over and squeeze her hand. “Don’t worry, Selene. He might seem tough, but he’s just a big softie deep down. And besides, you’re amazing. I know he’ll love you once he gets to know you.”
She smiles gratefully. “Thanks, Liam. That means a lot.”
We pull up to my house, and Selene takes a deep breath before stepping out of the car. I follow her to the door, the anticipation building inside me. I want her to feel welcome here, to feel like she belongs.
I unlock the door and hold it open for her, gesturing for her to go inside. “After you,” I say with a smile.
She steps inside, and I follow her, closing the door behind me. The house is quiet, and I can hear Emmett’s faint snoring coming from the living room.
I lead Selene to the kitchen, where I pour her a glass of water. “Thirsty?” I ask, handing her the glass.
She nods, taking a sip. “Thanks, Liam. That was thoughtful.”
I smile, feeling a surge of warmth at her words. “Just trying to take care of my girl,” I say, brushing a stray hair from her face.
Selene blushes, and I can’t help but lean in and kiss her softly on the lips. “I’ll be back soon,” I promise, pulling away reluctantly. “I just need to check on my parents, and then we can head to Alyssa’s, and then I will come right back.”
She nods, “Sounds good. Be safe, okay?”
“I will, baby. I will call Emmett and explain the situation once he has woken up but for now, feel free to head up to my room and rest.”
“Okay, babe.”
Before I leave, I call out to her, “Did you feed enough?”
She turns back to me, a soft smile gracing her lips. “I’m good for now. I’ll feed when you get back.”
I smile back, feeling a warmth spread through me. “Alright, I won’t be long. And hey, you still owe me that date,” I tease, winking at her playfully.
She laughs, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget!”
I walk over and give her one last kiss before heading out the door.
As I drive to my parents’ house, I can’t shake the feeling that I should’ve told Selene how I feel. I’ve been holding back for too long, but now it feels like the right time.
Half an hour later, I pull into my parents’ driveway, my heart racing as I head to the front door and start knocking.
Lights flick on, and soon enough, Mom comes running out in her sleeping gown, Dad trailing behind her. Their faces are a mix of confusion and concern as they see me standing there.
“What’s going on, Liam?” Mom asks in a voice tight with worry.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous flutter in my chest. “I’ve been trying to reach you guys, but your phones are going straight to voicemail. Alyssa’s been trying to contact you, too.”
Dad pulls out his phone to check. “That’s weird. My phone’s been on the entire time.”
But when he looks at his screen, his expression darkens. “No signal.”
I check my own phone and feel a sinking sensation in my stomach as I realize I’ve lost signal, too.
Panic starts to bubble up inside me, and I glance at Mom. From the panicked look on her face, she must be remembering the attack from when I was a kid. The vampires had jammed the signal in the house before attacking her, me, and Mariya.
Their tactic wouldn’t allow anyone to call for help.
That night changed her. Whenever she loses her phone signal, it sends her into a tailspin.
“Do you think something’s wrong?” she whispers wide-eyed.
I squeeze her hand reassuringly. “I don’t know, Mom. Let’s not jump to conclusions. We’ll figure it out.”
Dad nods. “You’re right. No need to panic. We’ll just have to go check it out ourselves. Just give us a few minutes to get ready, son . ”
I head back to my car to wait, tapping my fingers anxiously on the steering wheel. A few minutes later, they emerge, ready to go. They tell me they’ll take their own car, and I nod, leading the way.
As we drive, I shoot a quick text to Selene, letting her know my parents and I are headed to Alyssa’s.
She sends back a thumbs-up emoji, which helps ease my worries. She’s okay.
But as we approach Alyssa’s house, my stomach churns with unease. Something is seriously wrong, and I can only hope we’re not too late to stop what’s coming.
As soon as I am in the driveway, I shut off the car and jump out, racing towards my aunt, who looks utterly distressed. She’s crying hysterically, and my mother is hot on my heels.
After all, they’re best friends.
“I am so sorry I was not here earlier. What’s wrong, Alyssa?”
“It’s Lennox. Jade! They took my wife!” Alyssa cries out.
“Who took her?” my father asks.
“I don’t know,” Alyssa says, her voice breaking. “They came here with masks on and just... took her. I couldn’t do anything. My phone has been jammed the entire time. The moment I could, I started calling you guys.”
My father nods solemnly. “We didn’t have a signal either.”
I turn to Alyssa, my heart sinking at the desperation in her eyes. “Did you see anything? Any details that might help us find them?”
Alyssa shakes her head. Her breath is coming in ragged gasps. “They said that it was... it was payment for something,” she manages to say.
My mother’s eyes widen in alarm. “Have you called for reinforcements? Other police officers?”
Alyssa shakes her head again, her hands trembling. “No... You were the first people I called. I... I’m pretty sure the people who took her were vampires.”
”Vampires?!” Mom exclaims. She sounds afraid and angry.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll figure this out, Mom. We’ll find Lennox and bring her back.”
“Yes, Liam. We will,” she says stoically.
But even as I say the words, I have the same sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I have had all night.
I picture a younger version of my mother going through this exact thing. The thought of her in the hands of vampires sends a chill down my spine. She must be remembering that time long ago, reliving this nightmare.
”Alyssa, how long ago was this?” I ask.
“I don’t know. Like two hours. I wanted to drive and come looking for you, but I also wanted to stay here in case Lennox found a way to escape. I wanted to be here.”
“We need to call for backup,” my father says. “We can’t handle this on our own.”
“Do you also think it’s vampires?” Alyssa asks.
“Probably,” I say honestly. “But there is no smell at all. I can’t scent them at all. I don’t get it.”
“This just means they are not working alone. They are masking their scents,” Mom replies.
“Yeah. I’m sure you’re right.”
“I will contact the other council members, see if anyone has an idea on what is really going on,” Mom says. “We need everyone.”
“Okay, Jade,” Dad steps in. “Liam and I can start surveying the area. We’ll try to track her scent.”
“Bring her home to me,” Alyssa whispers. “Please. She is not involved in any of this.”
“We will,” I say.
My father and I walk over to my car, and we begin searching the neighborhood. It’s dark, and most places are closed, creating an eerie atmosphere.
As we drive, my father turns to me and says, “So, were you with Selene tonight?”
“Yeah,” I say a bit defensively. “But she’s not involved in this.”
He raises an eyebrow, a knowing look in his eyes. “I’m not accusing her of anything, Liam. Just making an observation, since you smell like her.”
I blush slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious. “I left her at my house. To keep her safe.”
My father nods thoughtfully. “If it really is the vampires who took Lennox, then this could be what Selene’s brothers were planning.”
I nod solemnly, trying not to dwell too much on the implications.
We come to a junction, and my father tells me to stop, so I hit the brakes.
“What is it?” I ask, peering out into the darkness.
“I think I smell something,” he says quietly.
I sniff the air, trying to pick up on any scent that might indicate trouble. All I can smell is the faint scent of pine trees and distant city lights.
“What does it smell like?” I ask, feeling a sense of unease settle over me.
“It’s hard to describe. But it’s definitely not something natural.”
“Okay. Should we investigate?”
Determination flashes in his eyes. “Let’s go check it out. But be careful, Liam. We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”
I steel myself for whatever we might find, and together, we step out of the car. As we move toward the source of the strange scent, the smell grows stronger, filling the air with an ominous foreboding.
Suddenly, a figure emerges from the darkness, startling us both. It’s a tall and imposing man, with a sinister grin plastered on his face.
“Who are you?” I demand.
The man laughs, low and menacing. “You’ll find out soon enough, little wolf. The fun has just begun.”
And with that, he disappears back into the shadows, leaving us standing there in stunned silence.
“What did he mean?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” my father admits grimly. “But whatever it is, we need to be prepared. Things are about to get a lot more dangerous. We should probably shift.”
I quickly nod in agreement since it’ll make tracking a lot easier and faster.
We both shift into our wolf forms and begin to pad silently in the direction the stranger headed.
My father is in the lead when he suddenly stops, nose to the ground. I’m just about to ask ‘what is it’ when I catch a whiff of it—the unmistakable scent of blood, thick and heavy in the air.
Then I hear my father’s voice clear as hell in my mind. “ Fuck!”
“Blood,” I mutter, senses tingling.
“Stay close, Liam,” he says through our mind link. “We need to be cautious.”
My heart is pounding in my chest as we move forward. The scent of blood grows stronger with each step. We quickly come upon a clearing, and what we see stops us dead in our tracks. There, lying on the ground, is a body—a human, torn and bloody, with deep gashes covering its flesh.
My stomach churns at the sight, and I have to fight back the urge to retch. “What happened here?” I say.
My father approaches the body, sniffing cautiously. “It looks like an attack. But by whom, I’m not sure. There is no scent other than the blood.”
I swallow hard. “Do you think it’s related to Lennox?”
“It’s possible. We need to find out who’s behind this, find Lennox, and put a stop to all of this before anyone else gets hurt.”