Chapter 114
TY
My heart raced with anticipation as I listened to howls of wolves in the forest. Slowly, my pack began to gather in the clearing.
I had never been more nervous in my life.
“Are you ready, Ty?” My father stood beside me, his sharp eyes quickly moving from one pack member to another.”
I blew out a breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Dad clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You’re going to do great, son. Just tell them the truth. They’ll understand.”
I gathered my courage and took a step forward to address the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I’m aware there are a lot of rumors and whispers about what’s been happening lately, and it’s time to clear the air.
” I wavered slightly but pushed through the nerves.
Since I’d taken over as alpha, it had just been one blow after the other, and all because of Castro.
“We’ve done our best to keep this under wraps, but we can’t hide it any longer. A war is coming.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I glanced over at my father, and he gave me an encouraging nod. It was time to reveal the secrets that had been plaguing our family for so long.
“The cause of this war is tied to actions my father took many years ago.” The words hung heavily in the air, and the pack’s unease grew palpable. “In his efforts to protect the pack, he made choices that have now come back to haunt us all.”
My father stepped forward, his spine straight and head held high. “It’s true.” His words came out steady. “I made decisions that I believed were for the good of our pack. Years ago, I gave the order to eliminate the Wylde pack in Heather Falls. The pack my daughter-in-law was born into.”
Gasps resonated around us, creating a backdrop for the escalating clamor of voices shouting their outrage and betrayal. My wolf was desperate to be let out, to defend my father. As much as I wanted to do that, though, he had to face this on his own.
“Quiet down!” I roared, punctuating it by slamming my fist against the nearest tree trunk. As if someone had pressed a mute button, they all shut up. “Let him explain.”
Dominic looked into the sea of angry faces, his posture tense but unyielding. “It was a mistake.” The remorse in his words was undeniable. “I believed the pack at Heather Falls posed a threat to our way of life, but I was wrong.”
“Wrong?” a burly man near the front spat. “You wiped out an entire pack, and all you can say is you were wrong? How many innocent lives did you end?”
“Enough.” I stepped forward. “We’re all aware of what happened, and we’re facing the consequences now. Tearing ourselves apart won’t undo the past or help us face what’s coming.”
The man glared at me but said nothing, his chest heaving with barely restrained fury. I turned back to my father, silently urging him to continue.
“I am truly sorry for what I’ve done,” my father said in a cracked voice.
The pack grew silent as they exchanged nervous glances with each other, their gazes darting back to me and my father every so often.
Their outrage was a wildfire that threatened to consume us all.
It was then that Liam, one of our strongest warriors, stepped forward, his measured and deliberate words breaking through the heavy air.
“I get it. You’re angry at Dominic. Hell, I’ve been angry at him my entire life. He ordered the death of my family—my pack. But we can’t forget who the real enemy is.”
The pressure in the air dissipated as the crowd listened intently. I kept a close eye on Liza as she stood and moved over next to Liam. She inhaled deeply, then started to speak.
“I understand why people might think Castro has a right to be angry. After all, he lost his pack that night, too.” Her voice quivered, but it carried enough power to be heard by everyone.
“Despite what Dominic may have been planning, Castro is the one who killed my and Liam’s father.
He is the one terrorizing our pack when Liam and I have put the past behind us. ”
The pack’s attention were riveted on her. With every word she spoke, the weight on my chest lessened. She was right. We needed to focus our anger on the true enemy. Castro.
Her vibrant blue eyes held a power that instantly drew me in when they met mine. If I had ever doubted that she stood by my side, those doubts vanished. Together, we would do whatever it took to protect our pack.
“Castro is the focus,” she said. “Castro is the enemy.”
Liam stepped forward. “If Liza and I can find it in ourselves to forgive, then surely the rest of you have no reason to be so angry?”
The question challenged each pack member to look inward and confront their own concerns.
Through my bond to each of them as their alpha, I felt their renewed dedication and unity.
It was clear most of the pack members were willing to follow Liam and Liza’s example, letting go of their anger and resentment to focus on the real threat at hand.
“We need each other now more than ever,” I said. “We must stand together as a pack.”
One by one, the members of the Presley Acres pack nodded their agreement, their expressions resolute. They understood the gravity of the situation and the importance of standing united against our common foe.
“From this moment on, we train, prepare, and fight as one. We are the Presley Acres pack, and we will not let that scum Castro destroy us.”
The clearing exploded with shouts of agreement, their voices merging into a powerful symphony that resonated throughout the forest.
When the pack dispersed to begin their preparations, pride swelled within me. We were strong, fierce, and unstoppable.
“Thank you,” I said to Liza as I pulled her close, relishing the warmth of her body against mine. Her blue eyes blazed with love and dedication.
She rested her head on my shoulder. “We’re a team, Ty. Always.”
Her words resonated within me, a reminder of our unbreakable bond. As long as we had each other, there was nothing we couldn’t overcome. Yes, Castro was a formidable enemy, but he had underestimated one crucial factor—the strength of the Presley Acres pack, united as one.
As I stood on the front porch, watching the twilight sky, I rolled back my shoulders.
My muscles ached gloriously from the pack run the night before, but it was a good ache.
I’d needed the exertion. I had taken on so many emotions from my pack during our run—their fear, their anger, their grief—that I had been on the brink of collapsing.
Now, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to find that elusive place of calm.
My muscles remained taut, though, refusing to relax, even after the pack meeting. My father’s confession had been a hurricane erupting within our ranks, but it was necessary. With the truth laid bare, we could face Castro as a unit.
“Can’t sleep?” Liza asked as she stepped up beside me and stroked my back.
“Too much going on inside my head,” I said, flexing my hands to try push away the memories of the meeting.
Liza reached up and lay her palm against my cheek. “If you like, I can give you a massage. Maybe it’ll get rid of some of that tension.”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to—”
“Of course I’m sure.” She led me over to one of the cushioned chair. “Now, sit back and let me work my magic.”
I exhaled deeply as I sank into the chair.
Liza’s warm hands found their way to the muscles in my shoulders, her fingers digging into the knots that had formed from stress.
The initial pressure had me wincing, but soon, I sank into her tender, caring touch, and the soothing scent of jasmine that clung to her skin.
My thoughts began to drift as Liza’s worked her hands down my back, each stroke easing away the tightness.
The world beyond the porch faded away until all I noticed was the rhythmic kneading of her fingers, and the gentle whisper of her breath mingling with mine.
I never fully grasped the way her touch could bring me solace and fulfillment.
She pressed harder on my muscles, and I found it impossible to ignore the heat building in my belly. Her hands possessed a magic I had never experienced before, and my cock stiffened, straining against my pants.
“Ty.” Liza breath was hot against my ear. “I can feel how tense you still are. Let me help you relax.”
Her words were like a catalyst, and I pulled her around and onto my lap, our lips colliding in a whirlwind of passion and hunger, and it was as if a dam broke. We were all hands and mouths, our kisses hungry and desperate. I pulled her closer, and tilted my erection against her while I tasted her.
Our passionate exploration continued, my hands wandering beneath her shirt over the smooth skin of her back. She scooted back a bit and unfastened my pants, reaching inside. I stifled a moan as she wrapped her fingers around me.
“God, Liza… I want you.” I groaned as I buried my free hand in the soft waves of her hair, reveling in the silky texture. My other hand traced a path along the delicate curve of her neck, and the quick beat of her pulse betrayed her own need.
“I want you, too, ” she murmured into my mouth, her hands eagerly exploring my chest and tugging at the fabric of my shirt. She slid down off my lap and freed my cock, then took me into her mouth.
She took slow, deliberate control of my body, captivating me completely in the sensation. I needed to lavish her with pleasure. Touching her shoulder, I pulled her off and onto my lap, lifting her nightdress to caress her thighs, relishing the sweet sounds that fell from her lips.
“Please,” she said, and I couldn’t deny her anything. With one hand holding her tightly against me, and the other exploring her most intimate secrets, I slowly brought her closer to the edge, our bodies entwined in a dance as old as time itself.