I heard the front door open and close. Still talking to Damien, I peeked my head out of the office door. It was as if someone had smacked me in the face. My senses went into overdrive; I could smell her. Gavin surged forward, and I barely resisted.
My phone remained in my hand, the conversation completely forgotten. I stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at my mate's magnificent behind as she stood before the open freezer.
“Liam, what’s wrong—?” she began, but I couldn’t hear her. My focus was singular. A growl ripped through me. She was mine, and I needed to mark her. My body moved toward her—I think Gavin propelled me.
“Stop, Liam. You’re scaring me,” her small voice reached my mind.
“STOP NOW! We can’t do this!” I yelled at Gavin.
“She’s in heat. It’s time to mate. We will mate and mark her now!” he growled back.
“L-Liam,” she stuttered. I stopped inches from her. Gavin and I argued while she stood frozen in fear. Her scent, mingling with her heat, wafted over me, further tempting Gavin. I managed to prevent Gavin from approaching her, the two of us locked in a struggle for dominance.
“We will lose her forever!” I argued.
“She needs to mate!” he retorted.
“She will never forgive either of us!”
“She will be fine!”
This continued, vaguely aware that Azalea was answering her phone. I needed to regain control long enough to escape. Azalea wasn’t safe with me if I didn’t. Every fiber of my being yearned to throw her over the counter and take her. It must have been Lily calling. Damien was still on the phone with me; only Lily would call Azalea, even if they hadn’t met. I needed control for two minutes. Lily probably already knew what was happening.
With all my might, I pushed Gavin back. I stepped forward, startling Azalea slightly. I snatched the phone from her hand and yelled, “Lily, get here now, bring Damien.” I tossed the phone back and fled the house, the front door slamming shut. I ran into the woods, putting as much distance as possible between myself and the house. Gavin raged in my mind, attempting to regain control and return us to our mate. I wanted to mate her the instant I saw her again—and had wanted to ever since—but it had to be her choice. I couldn’t force her. I’d done it once and would never again.
I ran as far as I could. I felt someone trying to link me. Damien barely slipped through.
“Hold on, Lily and I are coming. Just stay out of the house!” he managed before Gavin pushed him out.
“We’re going back!”
“No!” I fought back.
The farther we went, the harder it became to maintain control. I felt Gavin slowly taking over, and before I knew it, we were running back toward the lake house. Any attempt at reasoning with him was futile. He had one purpose: to mate Azalea.
In what felt like no time, we were at the front door, trying to get in. Azalea must have locked it after I ran because I couldn't open it. All the house's doors were reinforced because werewolves are so strong. It could deter an average werewolf, but I'm an Alpha. It took only two minutes of furious pounding before the door splintered open.
Gavin knew where she was and headed straight for the bedroom. Faced with another locked door, he pounded until he broke it open.
“It’s not too late. Stop! Let it pass, and we can talk to her! See if she’s ready!” I pleaded. Her scent filled the room. He saw the closed bathroom door; the shower was running. Good, Lily was trying to cool her down, to diminish her scent, giving us a chance to calm down.
Gavin pounded on the bathroom door, trying to reach our mate. I knew she must be terrified. Before he could break through, strong arms wrapped around us and pulled us away.
“Dai, throw him in the damn lake. Cool him off and get Liam back!” Lily’s stern voice commanded. Damien wasted no time pulling us from the room. Gavin struggled all the way to the dock before Damien tossed us into the lake. Gavin howled as we hit the water.
The absence of Azalea’s heat and the cold water allowed me to regain control. I surfaced, gasping for breath.
“That was close,” Damien said as I swam to the dock. He offered a hand.
“Yeah, I know,” I said, slumping onto the edge. My feet dangled in the water as I sat, dripping wet. Damien sat beside me.
“You okay now? Is Gavin subdued?” he asked.
“Yeah, I think so. But I don’t know how long I can stop him from hurting her.”
“You’re going to have to mate with her soon, man. Especially if you don’t want him forcing the issue. He’s been in limbo for three years; he’s going to crack.”
“I can’t do it until she’s ready. I don’t care how weak it makes me or how crazy it makes him; Damien, I can’t mess this up with her.” Defeat washed over me. Would she even talk to me after all this? I keep messing up.
“Have you talked to her about it?”
“Not really,” I admitted.
“Well, she’s going to be a little more aware of the urgency now…” he trailed off. We sat watching the water for a few minutes.
“Lily just linked. Azalea is okay and calm. She’s also given her more of the story. She wants to talk to both of us later,” he said. He knew Lily would have a lot to say to us both.
“What should we do now?” I asked. Damien had never dealt with this, but he’s my best friend, and I was lost.
“Lily thinks Azalea would want you now. She said the scent is gone, and she opened all the windows and turned on the fans. It should be safe to go back. I’ll go with you,” he said.
“What if she won’t talk to me?”
“I don’t know, man. But you gotta try. Maybe Azalea will surprise you. You still have a mate bond.” He stood, looking at me expectantly. I was going back to get my mate.
We slowly walked back to the house. The sliding door was off its track. I looked at Damien, who understood immediately. “I’ll get some doors sent over, and we can fix this. No need for others to enter the house. But this is going on your credit card,” he said.
“Fair enough,” I said, grateful for Damien’s excellent Beta skills. We went inside and up to the second floor. I paused outside the bedroom door, taking a deep breath before knocking. Moments later, Lily opened the door slightly. She looked at me, then back into the room.
“Can I see her?” I asked softly. Lily nodded and stepped aside. I saw Azalea sitting on the bed. Her damp hair hung over one shoulder. Her nose was red, as if she were cold. Her green eyes were soft and clear as she gazed at me. She wore black leggings and my sweatshirt—the one I’d given her years ago. She hugged herself but showed no fear.
I held my breath as I entered the room. Her eyes watered as she whispered, “Liam.” I moved quickly, kneeling before her, and reached for a hug. She willingly embraced me. “You didn’t leave me…” she whispered.
“No, never, baby. I’m so sorry. I had to get away; I didn’t want to hurt you,” I said quickly, reassuring us both. I pulled back, cupping her face in my hands.
“Please don’t be mad at me?” I pleaded. She nodded. Leaning forward, I kissed her slightly swollen lips. She was still cold. “Are you cold?” I asked. She nodded again. I pulled her close, holding her small frame against my larger body. I breathed in her scent, calming my nerves. She wasn’t rejecting me.
Her body relaxed in my arms as we sat there. “We will get through this,” I murmured into her hair. She didn’t respond. Shifting slightly, I saw she was asleep. I guess it was all too much for her. Smiling, I held her tighter and stood.
“Now that she’s asleep, we should probably talk,” Damien linked me. I knew they were listening. I hesitated. I didn’t want to leave her, but Damien was right. I needed a plan for when her heat returned.
“Just come in here,” I linked back. I sat on the bed, holding Azalea. I couldn’t put her down. Lily and Damien entered and sat on the couch. Lily jumped right in.
“So, aside from REJECTING a perfectly great girl and not even doing it CORRECTLY, you’re a fool for not anticipating this! Seriously, Liam, how long did you think you could go before this happened? Your mating urge is far stronger than the average wolf!” She paused, looking between Damien and me. I was as guilty as I was in her eyes. I hung my head. “Now we have to figure out what to do. Separating you probably won’t work. It’s only going to get worse until this passes or you mate. Considering how small she is, I’m surprised it didn’t knock her off her feet. The pain, heat, and need will only intensify. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I said, looking down at her.
“We can stay here if you think it will help,” Damien offered, looking from Lily to me. She nodded.
“That’s probably smart. If we’re here, we can help ensure she isn’t hurt. I can call your uncle and see what he can tell me about easing her symptoms,” Lily said. She was already making plans. Damien was a great Beta, always prepared, and Lily was the most unconditionally supportive mate I’d ever known.
“Okay. Having you guys here will help. I was so distracted all morning trying to work, knowing Azalea was out of my sight.”
Damien nodded. “Lily, can you go back to the packhouse and get our things? I should probably stay here, just in case. If she flares up again, I’ll be the only one who can physically stop him,” he said.
“Yeah, I can do that,” she said, rising. “The sooner I get back, the better.” She kissed Damien; he smiled like a lovesick puppy and returned the kiss. They exchanged a look before she left. My gaze returned to my sleeping mate. She slept soundly, her face soft and calm. I stroked her hair, and she snuggled closer.
“She’s good for you,” Damien said, snapping me back to the present. He stood in the doorway. “I don’t think you or Gavin are going to hurt her. I’m going to make us some food. Link me if you need me.” He left Azalea and me alone.
“Gavin, we need to talk.”