Chapter 43 Be Ok

Tasha's POV

“Just listen to this and let your wolf lead.” I said, “You’ve marked her, she’ll be easier to find.”

He gave a long deep sigh and nodded. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do,” I said, and it was true. I hurt Jean more than Cole did, I think. I told her that she was going to be happy with her mate, but I took away that chance the moment they met.

“Will you be fine?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes and smirked. “Cole, I was kidnapped by hunters and vampires and got home without any bruise or wounds except the chains they put on me and maybe a little hungry and dehydrated… I think I can manage.” We both gave a light laugh, “Besides, it looks like the fates are smiling down on us.”

He shrugged again and stared at the piece of paper in his hand, “Not all of us.”

I stepped out of Cole’s room and left him to pack and think by himself. He needed to solve this alone, I don’t want to make matters worse as it is.

“Seems everyone’s leaving.”

I turned and saw Gelya leaning by the banister, arms crossed over her chest.

“Looks like it.” I sighed.

“I heard that the royal family will be leaving for the new city, have you decided where you will be staying?”

“Oh, Uhm, not really.” I said, “I mean, I’m here with Cole and the others. But if Cole is leaving, I don’t really know where to go.”

“You do know there’s a way for you to decide.”

I knew she was talking about Liam, but remembering Aaron’s words, that was close to impossible.

“You heard Liam.” I said in almost a whisper, “He doesn’t see me like that.”

“Have you asked him yourself?” Gelya asked.

“I don’t think I have the right to,” I said. “I mean, if I am his mate, then I don’t think we’re off to a good start and it’s my fault,” I rolled my eyes, “again.”

Gelya chuckled, “Little one, I don’t think you are to blame for Cole and Jean’s situation.”

“Yes, I am.” I said, “I’ve foretold their connection, I told Jean to hold on and wait. And what do I do? I took away the only person that she was to have all to herself, the person who’s supposedly never to hurt her.”

“Well, it taught her to wait, didn’t it? You taught her to hope and trust again. You taught her that in reality, even the person that’s supposed to be your hero can be the one who locks you away until he has a change of heart.”

“A little too late.” I shrugged.

“But it isn’t.” Gelya walked up to me and reached for my shoulder, “Remember, dum spiru spero.”

“While there’s air there’s hope,” I said.

“That’s right, and the same goes for you.” she says, “Liam is a pure breed, his mother was pure until she became half-vampire. Right now he doesn’t trust anyone who is not his kind. He can’t even look at me when he talks. Sadly, you are on the same page as I am, but… remember when you first saw him?”

I do, every night. I haven’t even said thank you for finding me.

“He feels the pull, believe me.” Gelya says, “It’s just a matter of if he answers the pull or you give in and take a step.”

I stared at Gelya and made up my mind.

“By any chance, do you know-“

“He’s with Ximm, he’s still trying to understand why Serenity left. And only Ximm can calm him down, for some reason.”

I smiled, “Thank you.”

I ran off to the nursery where the girls seem to have spent so much time when we were planning the wedding.

I step inside but saw no one, Ximm was in his crib playing with the musical toy hanging over him.

“Hey, there li’l guy, what are you up to?” I cooed. “Do you know where your Godfather is?”

Yeah, Anna and Siam wanted Liam to be the godfather of Ximm. Well, actually all the guys were. It’s just an understanding that Liam would probably be the one who will be taking the role seriously.

“He’s right here.”

I jumped, surprised, and turned around seeing him step out from the walk-in closet holding a milk bottle.

“Oh, uhm…”

“He was getting hungry and restless.” He explained walking toward me, and like an idiot I stood there, rooted on the floor. “Uhm, I need to give this to him Tasha.”

My heart melted hearing him say my name.

“Oh, yeah… sorry.” I step aside and kept my eyes on him.

He grins and cooed over Ximm, “Ok, I promised to take care of you, but you have to promise to be good, alright? No more crying and tantrums.”

I stifled a laugh, he looks up at me. “Sorry.” I quickly said.

“What’s funny?” he asked.

I grinned again but tried to hide my amusement. “Nothing.”

He raised a brow and stood at his full height, arms crossed over his chest. “Spit it out.”

“Well, you’re telling a baby not to cry and not to do tantrums.”

“You’d be surprised,” he goes back to helping Ximm with his milk bottle, “if you teach a kid as early as now how to bargain, he’ll be quite a smart kid.”

“Like you?” we exchanged an uncomfortable look then turned away.

“What do you need Tasha?” he finally broke the awkward silence.

“Uhm, I just… I guess, Uhm, I should start by saying thank you.”

“For what?”

“For finding me.” I said, “For helping me.”

“Oh, yeah, well…” he shrugged, “you helped Serenity…”

“They said you were the one who persuaded Siam to make a move on asap,” I said, and caught him fidget on his feet.

“Yeah, well, the hunters had gone too far, humans aren’t supposed to be part of our war.” He said.

“Cole also said that you were looking for me when you woke up.”

This time he stiffened. “Well…”

“Look Liam, I’m not asking you to believe what Aaron said, I’m not forcing you to do anything, nor am I making you take responsibility. I just need answers too. I mean,” I shrugged, “you said so yourself, I’m human caught in the middle of this… this… this mess and I’m can’t understand anything, no matter how hard I try, I can’t. And with Serenity gone, you’re the only one who I can get answers from.”

I stood there watching him as he put his whole attention on Ximm. Not once did he look at me or even glanced at his peripheral view.

So I did the only thing I knew I could do. Give up.

I turned to leave, but the moment that I touched the knob he broke the silence.

“I don’t really know what you want to know.” He said. “If you want to know why I saved you, or how I found you, I can’t really answer ‘cause I don’t know either. Except if you accept the answer that you are probably my mate.”

I stood there by the door, not moving as he continued to explain.

“It rarely happens, a pure breed being mated to a human.” He said. “The only one I know is Cam’s father.”

He paused for a few seconds, “To tell you the truth, what Aaron said was true. I didn’t really believe nor did I have the guts to see you for who you really are. It just all seem to be unfair.”

“Unfair?” I turned and saw him still staring at Ximm, the bottle discarded.

“The first girl I loved could never be with me, I never wished for something so hard before other than when I wished her to be my mate.” He said, “She was my world, my life. I would die for her.”

“And you almost did.”

He gave a sarcastic chuckle, “I almost did.”

At that moment, I felt pain and envy like I never did. Instantly I wondered if it was how Jean felt when Cole rejected her. But it was probably twice the pain she felt, of course, her wolf was hurting too, I didn’t have a wolf howling in pain.

“When I was asleep she was the only one I could think about. I would dream of her often, it was like some crazy magic thing where we’d meet in our dreams. I’ll tell her to be strong and seeing her with new determination in her eyes made me stronger. She’ll tell me what’s going on and how she’s coping. Then one day, all of that changed. She wore a different scent on her, and who would’ve thought that a simple scent could shift my whole world…”

“I think that’s admirable, I mean, she is your world-“

“Was.” He corrected, “She was my world.”

This time, I was the one who grew stiff. He turned and faced me.

“I know you probably think this is too late.” He said, “But I am your mate Tasha, and you are mine. And even if I find being pure important, if to give up that blood meant I can be with you, then, without doubt, I will let it go.”

“Liam…”

“I know I should have acted earlier, then maybe Cole wouldn’t take Jean for granted. Jean wouldn’t want to leave. Then she wouldn’t have given Serenity and Eric the idea to leave either.” He said, disappointment present in his voice.

“And I shouldn’t have done the same,” I said. “This isn’t just your fault Cole, we both tried to act blind to reality. Look, I know it will take a while before you can trust me, but you can. I’m not saying now or tomorrow. I just need you to understand that you can trust me, Liam. I know I’m not Serenity, but I will give you the best of me if I have to.”

He smiled and walked up to me. “You can be just who you are Tasha, I like a girl that’s a little rough around the edges.”

I stifled a laugh and let him hug me.

“You never have to be anyone you are not, Tasha.” He whispered, “I know I’ll love you no matter what.”

I closed my eyes and gave a satisfied sigh.

“Thank you.” I said, “Thank you, Liam.”

That day, Liam and I pretty much spent the whole day together, getting to know each other.

It wasn’t at all too late. In fact, I think the time away made it clear to us who we were and what we were supposed to do. We didn’t rush, we didn’t delay. It was just right.

We came back home from town with the whole house in chaos.

“What the hell?” Liam says, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me behind him as we walked around looking for someone.

We finally reached the common room and saw Anna, Siam, Cam, and Jake.

“What the hell happened?” Liam snapped.

“Aaron happened.” Jake sighed.

“Well is he ok?” Liam asked, “Where is he?”

“Probably halfway out of town looking for Cole.”

“What?” Liam looked more confused now.

I sighed, “Cole marked Jean last night.”

“But she left-“

“And Cole is going after her,” Siam says.

“And I’m guessing Aaron didn’t take the news of her being marked and leaving lightly?” Liam asked, pushing me lightly toward Anna and Cam who were sitting at the sofa. Ximm on Anna’s arms, asleep.

“Hey, you ok?” I asked her.

She sighed and shook her head, her eyes all red and puffy. “Everyone’s leaving… our family breaking up and…” she shook again and hugged Ximm.

“It’s ok…” I said putting an arm over her, “Everything will be fine, majesty.”

“I don’t see how this is ok.” She said.

“Think about it.” I said, “Eric and Serenity are probably happily getting married somewhere, Jean is off to make her dream come true, Cole is after his mate and, well, Aaron isn’t that stupid to not come back. He just needs to calm down for a while.”

“Tasha’s right,” Cam said. “Besides, Gelya went with him. I’m sure she won’t let him out of her sight. She’ll talk some sense into him.”

I know she talked some sense to me. I thought.

Anna nodded and relaxed and stared at Ximm.

“All I wanted was a life with all whom I love with me, that’s all.”

“And we will.” Cam said, “But we just have to be on our own feet for a while.”

“That’s right.” Liam says, “Everything will be fine Anna, I promised.”

Anna stared at him then at me.

“You two are together, aren’t you?” she says.

Liam groaned and I felt myself blush.

“I knew it!” she says, a smile growing on her face.

“Seriously Anna,” Liam says, “I thought a kid would make you more mature.”

“It does, and months of sleep surely taught you to let loose.”