Chapter 7 Cat and Mouse

ANNA’s POV

I stepped out of our bedroom after Siam cried himself to sleep.

I would have to admit that it was the first time I saw Siam weak and in tears. I always thought that he was like a superhero- even before we were mated- he was Serenity’s big brother who was always protecting us from hunters, uncle Silver, and the school jerks.

Name it. He’s on it.

That is the Siam I grew up with, and I am married to. His tear fest back in the bedroom didn’t change that. If there was anything else, I admired him more. But it would have been hotter if he showed that in front of the others, but I knew better. I didn’t want any more trouble for him from the other alphas.

As if I wasn’t already worried enough whenever they needed to go to locations where they found bodies of dead shifters.

I felt a shiver ran up my spine, remembering the night that the hunters sent those heads.

I walked around the house, not actually knowing where to go. So I just let my feet drag me.

In five minutes, I found myself standing outside Liam’s room, and I knew exactly why.

Whenever something was bothering Serenity and me, it was Liam who would pull us back to sanity. Not that anything was bothering me, I was just really worried about the boys.

They were all on the verge of breaking down.

Siam with all his pent-up emotion.

Eric with his pain.

Jake with his guilt.

I just wish Aaron can keep up with his strong act. He may always be fooling around and all, but I knew that it was all a front. I saw him after Serenity left. He was just staring into who knows where.

And the moment that Siam put on his Alpha face, he snapped back.

He and Jake had always been doers, so putting them into action to search for Serenity, they all came back to their old self, but somehow a bit weaker.

I reached for the doorknob, and that’s when I heard him.

“I just want her back, Liam….” I heard Eric sobbing inside. “Not because I promised you, but for my sanity.” I frowned, knowing that I shouldn’t be doing this, but if it was the only way to understand him better.

“I know that it was wrong to let her go, that it’s the worse mistake that I have made. And that this pain that I’m having is probably my punishment for that….” I stepped forward and leaned my ears on the door to hear him better, “It’s not reason enough that she had used her power over us. I should have fought off her command. I should have listened to you and stopped her. I should have done more than I did….”

Listening to him for the first time, I liked the idea of an Alpha growing in me.

According to mama Ellena, Siam and I need not worry about safety as an alpha baby has some natural protection wrapped around him and me being his mother. That means my scent is covered, my movements were more silent, and my presence unread.

“Serenity had been sending mixed emotions again,” he continued, “one moment she’s calm. Next, she’s panicking and scared. Worse comes to worst, she’d be in pain afterward, and that’s what I can’t bear the most. I want to be the one who is in pain, to be able to protect her from whoever’s putting her in pain.”

There was a moment of silence inside, and I heard a deep breath.

“I’d die for her, Liam… I’d die for her…” he said in almost a whisper. “But I won’t. She needs me as much as I need her, and dying won’t help. I’ll be doing so much more if I continue to fight for her and us. I try my best to believe that the others are doing their best to understand me, but I know deep inside, they can’t… they won’t. No matter how much they try…” he gave another sob, “they just can’t. Unless they feel the pain and the longing or even just the physical cold, they can never understand. Maybe not even you.”

And only did I notice that I was crying. I wiped off my tears and fought off the need to whimper. So I took a step back and fought back the incoming tears. I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling to push back the tears.

A sniff escapes from me.

“Anna, you can come inside.” I heard him say.

I opened the door and peeked inside. He had his back at me and sitting on the love seat that had been beside Liam’s bed from day one.

“Hey…” I said, no response. I carefully step inside and slowly walked toward him.

I can sense his anger and tension, but most of all, his disappointment.

“Eric?”

“How much did you hear?” he asked, almost snappy.

“Right about when you said what emotions she’s been sending,” I said.

He nodded. I kept my eyes on him as he was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his fingers crossing over each other, and he was looking at the floor.

“Eric, it’s true. We can’t understand what you really feel. Probably not even half of it.” I started, “But you have to believe me when I say that we do, maybe not all of it, but we do. We try our best to do so.”

He shook his head and not even looking my way. So I walked to him and knelt in front of him, making him face me.

“But we wouldn’t be able to understand you if you keep it all to yourself.” I wiped off a tear that rolled down his cheek, “It hurts me to see that you are in pain, Serenity is my best friend, my sister… and to see the love of her life in pain…?” I shook my head as another sob escape from him, “I can’t help to feel guilty that I’m not doing my job as a friend, as a support to you.”

“Anna, it isn’t-“

“Eric, listen to me.” I said, reaching for both of his hands, “I will not use Serenity as a way to make you feel that you can trust or believe me. I want you to believe that you can. That you aren’t on this alone, that we’ll always be here to support you when you are hurting or tell you when you are acting stupid.”

He stifled a laugh, and I smiled.

“We’re a family, Eric, and I would die first before we falter and lose each other. Do you understand me, Eric Johansen?”

He laughed again and nodded. I gave a smile and knelt up and hugged him.

I felt him wrapped his arm around my body and squeezed my arm.

“If Serenity was here, I swear she’ll be laughing her head off with how sissy you boys are getting.”

He stifled a laugh and pulled away.

“You ok?” I asked.

He smiled and gave the nod, “I am now.” he says and let me go. “Thanks, Anna.”

I shook my head, “The boys were pretty inconsiderate, weren’t they?”

He laughed and sat back, helping me to my feet, and gestured me to sit on Liam’s bed.

“They weren’t,” he said, “I just overreacted.”

“No, you didn’t,” I grinned as I run my hand over Liam’s duvet, taking out the creases, “you wanted to see Serenity, you had the opportunity, and you grabbed it.” I turned and faced him, “I’m proud of you for doing that,” I let out a sigh, “at least one of us had the guts even just to try to go against the elders.”

“It’s not going against them, Anna.” he said, “It's what I want to do. My heart, body, soul, and mind want that.”

“And your wolf?”

He chuckled, “Josephine had to hold him down so he won’t attack Jake.” Then as if triggering a memory, he frowned and looked up at me, worried.

“According to Siam, he’s ok,” I reassured him. “You know how he is. He doesn’t like his mistakes to be rubbed in on him.” he nodded, “That was how Uncle Silver raised him and Aaron.”

“He raised them?”

“Well, their dad is his third and fourth,” I remembered seeing them when we were younger, “but they died during one of the massive attacks of hunters when we were younger. It wasn’t even on Serenity or anything, just some random attacks. And seeing that they were always at the mansion, he made them live there as well.” I gave him a look, “Didn’t you ever wonder why they never go home?”

He shook his head, “I just thought that they were always around Siam. Seeing that he is a King and was the prince, he needed his boys around.”

I laughed and nodded, “Yeah, and that.”

He laughs as well.

“Anyway, he’s fine.” I said again, “He often needs to be reminded of whatever mistake he made, and he doesn’t really take it well, but I guess he deserved what you said?”

“Not really…” he sighed again, “I was a little harsh, I think. I mean, he has reasons, and it is good even for me. But we have a different situation. My sister is here with us waiting for him to claim her, while I’m waiting for lord knows how long, and I want nothing but to claim her, to keep her safe and near, but I can’t….”

I looked down at my finger and turned my wedding ring around my finger.

“When Siam told me that I was his mate and that he waited a year before he told me, I would admit, it hurt. I thought I wasn’t enough, that I was undeserving of him. Still, thinking about it afterward, I realized how hard it must have been for him to know that I was his mate, and yet I constantly irritated him to death about being a player and all that.” a chuckle escape from me, “And when he finally told me, memories of the last year flooded me, and not once do I remember him having a girl with him anywhere… anywhere.”

I looked up at Eric and smiled, “I guess what made the waiting worth it was seeing how he changed for me. He may not have changed what he used to be by choice, but knowing that he sees me as his life and his very reason to breathe… I can’t really ask for more.” I paused and thought of the past months since Siam and I had been together. “So don’t worry about Cam, Jake won’t hurt her… probably isn’t even hurting her at all. Cam’s strong…” I winked at him, “just like her brother.”

He smiled and nodded.

“God, Anna…” he shrugged, “your kids are gonna be so lucky.”

I laughed and ran my hand over my belly. “Let’s see what this bugger thinks of his mom first before we have kids.”

“Trust me, Anna, you’d be fine.” He said.

“Thank you,” I said.

“No need,” he says, “Queenie.”

I rolled my eyes, making him laugh as always.