Chapter 28 Trusting Mate

~Anna~

I still hadn’t chosen which to wear. Checking out every dress in the rack – knee length, backless, sleeveless, plunging neckline… they’re all so beautiful but I’d be too embarrassed to put on any of these and show off skin, especially in front of him. Sighing, l moved on to what else this closet had to offer.

Apparently, when Liam told me not to bring anything unnecessary, like clothes, he already had an entire wardrobe ready for me. I’d never had this many to choose from before – didn’t know it was this difficult when one had more.

As I looked at myself in the full body mirror, my eyes wandered into the stack of denim jeans and high-heeled shoes behind me.

Can I walk in those?

With so many pairs to choose from, I picked… the black one with high, pointed heels that sort of looked like boots. I slipped my right foot into the shoe, instantly feeling taller. Zipped the gold-colored zipper on the side and checked it in the mirror – not bad. How do I put the other?

Shifting my weight to my right, my arms waved in the air to steady myself. That was more difficult than I thought. I sat on the floor and pulled the shoe over my left foot. Then, supporting myself with the shelves, my shaky legs managed to stand. The incline was a bit uncomfortable, but when I looked behind my shoulder to see myself in the mirror, it looked good, I looked good, it even felt good. I felt taller, beautiful, more confident, more powerful. If I knew these shoes had this sort of witchcraft, I would’ve chosen them since day one.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly turned around. My feet swayed with every step before finding balance. Arms to my sides now, I raised my right leg and… down. Then the next. And… another. I was getting close to the mirror now. Oh wow, this is easy. I’m doing – Woah!

My legs wobbled. My ridiculous arm waves didn’t help this time. I fell forward, and my forehead hit the floor, sending waves of pain over my head. I curled myself into a ball, with a hand rubbing circles on the… small bump. Great. This is what I get for being too ambitious – should’ve chosen flats instead.

“Anna?” Rigel asked from outside as he knocked on the door. “Are you alright?”

I bit back the pain and fought back the tears. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.” Raising myself off the ground with my arms, I pulled my legs and felt a twang of pain on my left ankle. Forcing myself into a sitting position, I bent my left knee to reach for my foot. “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…”

I couldn’t do it. Too painful.

“Anna?” said Rigel, his voice hinting urgency. “Anna, whatever you’re doing, cover yourself up. I’m coming in.”

“No!” I yelled. It’d be too embarrassing if he saw me like this. Think, Anna. Think.

“One, two…”

I tried to stand but it was too painful, and the shoes didn’t make it any easier. “Don’t come in!” I screamed as he counted three and the door swung open. His eyes found my sorry self on the floor, scanning me from head to foot as my cheeks heated up from the intensity of his gaze.

“Uh… hi?”

He bent on one knee beside my feet and carefully held my left foot. “Please don’t,” I said, looking down.

“Come on,” he said, placing an arm around my shoulders. I thought he was going to help me up. I swear my thoughts were innocent. Until his left arm wrapped around my thighs and he easily lifted me off the floor. Not that I was against it, just that…

“Uhm… I can walk on my own?”

“Sure. You didn’t have a problem standing up,” he said, frowning.

He let me down on my bed, then said, “Stay put,” before walking out the door. He could count on it. It wasn’t like I’d be skipping around when he came back.

Raising my right leg, I took the shoe off. As for the other one, I’d rather wait for Rigel. The room fell quiet, and my phone was in the closet.

Rigel came back after three minutes, holding an ice pack and a roll of bandage.

“Took you long enough,” I said, pouting.

He grinned. “Missed me already?”

“No.”

“I know you did,” he said as he knelt in front of me. Carefully, he raised my foot and slowly slipped the shoe off. I flinched when it scraped my heel.

“You were gone for three minutes.”

He put my foot down and sat on the floor before raising it again. “You were lonely for three minutes.”

“I wasn’t lonely.”

“Sure you weren’t.”

“Do – ow!” He twisted my foot to one side then the other.

“Definitely a sprained ankle.”

“Are you kidding me!” I screamed and he chuckled. “That wasn’t very nice, Rigel.” Reaching for a pillow, I threw it at his face.

“I’m not a nice person.”

“You’re my knight,” I said, crossing my arms on my chest. “You’re supposed to be nice.”

Rigel didn’t say anything more. He gently pressed the ice pack on my swollen ankle while his fingers massaged my foot to ease the pain. I watched him focus on what he was doing, his eyebrows furrowed and a deep scowl on his face. For him to claim himself as “not a nice person”, his actions today were different from his words.

I assumed he was done when he put the ice pack down. But then his thumb pressed down around the swollen area and traveled towards the heel. He continued to massage my foot – the pain dissipating. When he was satisfied, he put my foot down slowly.

“Try moving it,” he said, and I did. “Better?”

“It’s not as painful as before,” I mumbled. “Thank you.”

He sat beside me. “Pity you won’t be coming with us tonight. We’re going out for a drink.”

“I… don’t drink,” I replied, smiling as I remembered something.

“Where’s that coming from?” he asked.

“What’s what coming from?”

“Anna, you rarely smiled since you came here. What’s it about this time?”

“It’s embarrassing,” I said, looking down and he chuckled.

“You’ve embarrassed yourself twice today. What’s one more?”

I playfully slapped his arm. “Don’t tell anyone. Please put my shoes back before someone sees.”

“Too late,” he said, and I didn’t have to question him to know why. The door opened with a bang. Liam walked in, his eyes on me, burning intensely like the day we first met.

I looked at Rigel and he had a sour expression on. Oh, he didn’t snitch on me. That’s my knight!

“Hi?” I said at Liam as he stopped in front of me. His gaze shifted to my injured foot and the shoes on the floor. He raised a brow at me, and I looked to the side. I was not saying anything.

“I need to talk to her, Rigel,” he said gruffly. There was something between these two I didn’t know. I made a mental note to ask Lexy… if I could bring myself to.

Rigel stood with a lazy yawn. “See you around,” he said.

“Thanks again, Rigel. Have fun tonight.” He tossed Liam the bandage as he passed him by. “They’re going out for a drink tonight,” I explained.

“They do it every week,” he said. I waved to Rigel as he closed the door, and he returned it with a grin.

“Are you alright?” Liam asked. My stomach was putting on an acrobatic show, his scent was filling my lungs, and we were alone in my room. I couldn’t run away from him because of the sprain in case he does something upsetting. This might be the Goddess’s way of punishing me for what I did back then. A small price to pay – no regrets.

I answered him. “I’m fine. It’s just a sprain.”

Kneeling in front of me, he held my foot gently. His touch sent a tingling sensation across my skin. “Stay indoors for now.”

“I’m going nowhere in this condition. I sprained myself before during my training days and my father wouldn’t even let me out of my room.” I laughed at the fond memory.

“He sounds like a good man. I would be honored to meet him.”

“I haven’t really visited him since the incident.” I missed him… I was ready to meet him. He wouldn’t have approved. I was more grateful to Rigel now.

Liam began to wrap my foot with the compression bandage. “I understand. I haven’t visited them since it happened, too.”

When did we get to this level – sharing each other’s past? Did something happen to him since he suddenly walked out that night?

He worked silently, and a deafening silence fell upon us. Then he sat beside me, his elbows resting on his thighs. This wasn’t like him - his lips set on a deep scowl and his forehead creased as he thought about something… something that bothered him.

I scooted nearer to him, using my arms to raise myself. Leaning to my side, I rested my head on his shoulder. The action caused him to jolt, and I leaned back as he straightened his back. “First condition?”

“It’s alright,” I said, pulling the corners of my lips. I felt his arm snake around my waist, and the other around my thighs. Then he lifted me and made me sit on his lap. I might’ve been manhandled twice today, but it was sort of flattering that I weighed like a feather.

Liam grinned and suddenly chuckled.

“What?” I asked. Was he happy now? His mood swings were unreadable. Lexy had been teaching me things but it was harder than I expected. It was a better look on him though.

“You got heavier,” he said.

“Hey!” I punched him lightly on his very… hard chest. I’d been eating more than I usually did since I arrived here, but I couldn’t possibly have put on weight because of it, right? I placed a hand on my stomach.

“Relax, babe. I think it’s a good thing,” he said, pushing my head against his chest.

“Your heart’s beating so fast,” I said, hearing a fast rhythmic beat like he had been running.

“Only happens with you,” he said.

“It should only happen with me,” I replied, crossing my arms on my chest.

“Are you still mad at me, babe?” he asked. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“It hurts, Liam,” I said, remembering the morning of our arrival. “The lies, the secrets, living here knowing she is too. Tell me something, Liam. What is she to you?”

He handheld mine and he rubbed circles with his thumb. His heartbeat raced faster. I could hear my own matching his, but mine felt a pang of pain.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” he said. “I had no choice.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“She’s not you,” he said.

“Then why is she still here?” I asked. It was mean. I didn’t even know her, and I already wanted her out of here. She cared for Liam, she seemed to love him too. In a way, I felt like I was the mistress. If I wasn’t here, she’d have Liam to herself.

Lexy shared a bit of their past with me, but it didn’t mean he wanted nothing to do with Salina. I was taking him away from her, and even though he was rightfully mine because of the bond, it still didn’t feel right. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

His jaw clenched. “She won’t be staying here for long.”

I instantly felt guilty. “I mean if she wants to stay…”

He pressed me unto him by my shoulder, his arm around my waist as he hugged me to him. “Whatever happens next, know that it’s not because of you. You saved me, Anna. You saved the pack,” he said in a pained voice. “Leave the rest to me.”

Liam found his mate – me. The agreement should be honored. And yet, it felt like things wouldn’t go smoothly like he was leaving me. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him back. He was so warm, he made me feel protected. It could’ve been his nature as an Alpha, but I liked to think it was for a reason more than that.

“I’m sorry I was late,” he said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me.”

I rubbed a hand down his back to comfort him. “It’s alright. I’m still here.” It wasn’t my time yet to meet him, them.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” I said. Then a thought crossed my mind. “Go ahead and cry.”

He chuckled at my words. “I would if I lost you.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.” The incident could’ve been a simple rogue attack, but for a single rogue to cross the pack’s boundaries, it was a death wish. Patrols should’ve been aware, but it got almost close, and to the Alpha’s residence, not at the pack’s. I wanted to ask him, but I understood this wasn’t the time. I just hope that this wouldn’t escalate or happen again.

Liam pulled away from me and met my gaze. “There won’t be the next time,” he said, growling. “I promise.”

His face came closer… and closer, his eyes took on a deeper shade. And I closed my eyes as I felt his lips and I gave in to the kiss, granting him permission to push his tongue in and explore my mouth. He sucked the air out of me, and I greedily wanted him to. Then he let me go, both of us panting for air.

I touched his cheek lovingly as he stared back at me with a soft expression on his face. I jerked my head up, reaching for a kiss as I whispered, “I trust you, my Alpha.”