Chapter 112
TY
The moment Liam mentioned activating Liza, my wolf surged to the surface, its claws itching to rip apart the man who dared suggest such a thing. Teeth bared, I lunged at him, only to be restrained by Liza’s unexpectedly strong grip on my chest.
“Ty, stop!” Her panicked cry pierced the air. “Let him explain.”
My thoughts spun like a tornado, caught between the fierce desire to shield Liza and the desire to listen to her plea. My breaths came in ragged gasps as I fought to control my wolf, forcing it back beneath the surface. Eventually, I managed to calm down enough to speak.
“Fine.” The word was no more than a low growl as I glared at Liam. “Explain.”
“Look, Ty, I get why that set you off.” Liam’s voice was steady despite the fact that he’d just narrowly avoided being mauled.
“But, please, hear me out. If I activate Liza and then immediately deactivate her as her handler, Castro loses his leverage over her. She won’t be a weapon for him to use against us. ”
I curled and uncurled my fists, trying to process what Liam was saying. It sounded too simple, too easy. What if something went wrong? Liza was more than just a weapon. She was my mate. Hell, she was entire life. The thought of putting her in any danger nearly stopped my heart.
“Is that really all there is to it?” I asked skeptically. “What if you can’t control her once she’s activated? What if she becomes... a monster?”
Liam shook his head. “Trust me, Ty, I know what I’m doing. With me as her handler, she’ll be safe. Ultimately, it’s Liza’s call.”
I turned to Liza, who was looking blankly at the ground. Finally, she raised her head and said, “We should wait. We have no idea what Castro is bringing to our door, and it might come down to using me as a last resort.”
“For fuck’s sake, Liza! You’re not a weapon for us to use.”
“Ty.” She reached out and stroked my arm. “When it comes to protecting our pack, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I hated the idea, but I had to admit that she was right. We needed every advantage we could get against Castro, but what would be the cost to Liza if we utilized her abilities?
A tense silence hung in the air between us. Liza’s eyes, filled with longing and uncertainty, bore into mine, silently begging for reassurance and guidance. My wolf paced restlessly within, snarling at the thought of Castro having any sort of control over our mate.
“Fine,” I said reluctantly, though every fiber of my being screamed in protest. “But only as a last resort.” The words were laced with a growl, my inner wolf’s protective nature bleeding into them. “Until then, Liza shouldn’t answer any calls that could be from Castro.”
Liam nodded. His serious expression showed that he understood just how much this decision cost me. “We have to be prepared for every possibility. We can’t afford any more surprises.”
But if sacrifices had to be made, then we would face them head-on.
Liza’s spine straightened. “I get it, Ty. I don’t want to be used as a weapon, but I will if it means protecting our pack.”
Despite my pride in her fearless courage, the thought of her being forced into becoming something she wasn’t continued to trouble me. If Castro got his hands on her and manipulated her like some expendable pawn, I’d tear his fucking head off his body and stick it up his ass.
If Castro was intent on bringing war, this was the reality we were now facing, and we had to adapt if we wanted to survive. “We need to strengthen our defenses and make sure everyone is ready for whatever Castro has planned. Most importantly, we need to remain united. We’re stronger as a pack.”
Later, I stood near the living room window, watching the darkening sky outside. The somber clouds above seemed to reflect the brewing tempest swirling inside me. As much as I wanted to rip Castro apart for everything he’d done, I had to be patient and wait for the right moment to strike.
Liam ended his call and walked over to join me at the window. “I have news about Rosalie.”
I turned to face him, my breath hitching in anticipation. “Well? What happened?”
“She was telling the truth,” Liam said. “The loan shark has been holding her sister captive. When I showed up, that bastard nearly pissed himself when he saw who he was dealing with.”
A small, satisfied grin found its way to my face at the thought of the loan shark’s terror. Despite my dislike for Rosalie betraying us, there was a sense of satisfaction knowing that her association with Liam had provided her with a degree of security.
“Did you get her sister back?” Liza rose from her chair and joined us at the window.
Liam nodded, his eyes warming when he looked at his sister. “Yes, we got her back. She appeared physically unharmed. Mentally? Who can say? I escorted them to Rosalie’s place and followed them as they drove out of town.”
“Good,” I said, a weight lifting off me now that I knew Rosalie’s sister was out of harm’s way. Despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her. She’d only been trying to protect her family, just as I was trying to protect mine.
“Is there any chance she’ll return?” Liza’s voice carried a tinge of sorrow as she reflected on her deceitful friend.
“I doubt it,” Liam said, his piercing gaze meeting mine. “She’s very much aware that coming back would only put her family in more danger.”
“Then, I hope she finds the safety and peace she’s looking for,” Liza said somberly.
I reached out and wrapped my arm around her, drawing her close. “We all do, Liza. We all do.” She glanced up through her long eyelashes at me. “Why did you let Rosalie go? She betrayed us.”
“Rosalie was just trying to protect her family.” She sighed and brushed her fingers over my cheek. “She made a mistake, but her intentions were never selfish.”
Liam nodded in agreement. “She was caught between a rock and a hard place. I can’t blame her for wanting to save her family.”
“Neither can I.” Liza’s tear-streaked cheeks betrayed her emotions as she softly confessed, “It still hurts, though.”
“Of course it does.” I pulled her into a tight embrace. “Sometimes, we have to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and try to understand their actions.”
“Grace,” Liza said against me. “That’s what it is, isn’t it? Showing grace even when it’s difficult.”
“Exactly.” I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and she sagged against me. “Come on,” I said, gently guiding her toward our bedroom. “You need to get some sleep.”
“Right.” She tried to stifle a yawn. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
“Especially if you’re going to learn how to fight,” Liam said with a grimace.
“Yeah”—Liza managed a small smile—“but I hope I won’t have to use what I’m being taught.”
“So do I.” Liam’s expression was somber. “It’s better to be prepared than caught off guard.”
“Goodnight,” I said as we reached the bedroom door. “I’ll be in soon.”
“Goodnight.” She pressed a chaste kiss to my lips before going into our room.
I made my way down the stairs and stepped outside into the cool night air, my attention drawn to the newly fortified gate that marked the entrance to the estate.
My team had worked tirelessly since dawn, and their efforts showed.
The reinforced structure gleamed under the moonlight as a testament to both their dedication and the threat that loomed over us.
The sorrow of the lives lost because of Castro was like an elephant sitting on my chest. Three good wolves would never return to their families.
I pounded the side of my fist against the wall.
This couldn’t continue. I needed to address the pack soon to reassure them that we were doing everything in our power to protect them.
“Ty,” Liam said softly from behind me. “You should get some rest, too. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
“I’ll just toss and turn all night,” I admitted, unable to look away from the forbidding gate. “Too much weighing on my mind.”
He leaned against the wall. “Liza’s safe, Rosalie’s situation is resolved, and we’ve strengthened our defenses. You’re doing everything you can.”
“It’s not enough. I need to make sure everyone’s safe.”
“Understandable,” Liam answered. “But you need to take care of yourself. If you’re a mess, you won’t be able to look after yourself, never mind the pack. You won’t be able to look after your mate. Go to bed. Get some sleep. We can figure out what we’re going to do in the morning.”
“Thanks.” Patting him on the back, I turned and walked back into the house. “Night.”
“See you in the morning.”
The next morning we gathered around the breakfast table, the platters heaped with bacon and eggs sitting in front of us.
Liza looked more rested than she had the night before, though there were still shadows clouding her eyes.
Liam sat across from her, nursing a mug of black coffee while we discussed our plans for the day.
I glanced at Liza. “Today’s your first lesson in fighting. We’re going to start with the basics and build from there.”
“Sounds good. I’m ready for whatever you have in store.”
“Let’s finish breakfast first, then we’ll head outside.”
As I took a bite of buttered toast, my mom arrived. Her soft footsteps echoed through the kitchen as she approached Liza and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
“Good morning, dear,” she cooed, planting a tender kiss on Liza’s cheek. “I wanted to come by and check on you.”
“Thank you, Persephone,” Liza said, returning the embrace with a smile. “I’m doing better.”
Better was an understatement. Liza looked focused and ready for whatever challenges lay ahead. It was there in the way she held herself, and in the fire that burned behind her eyes. My wolf was proud, even as he bristled at the thought of her putting herself in harm’s way.
Dad strolled into the room not long after, his stomach growling at the sight of the table filled with food Liza had prepared, which had my mate giggling.