Page 81 of Forever Mine

I tried not to listen to the details as they began to plan, details that included Maddie going to work with Jacob and helping to smuggle Raina out. I knew we had to get Raina out safely. When Kelsey heard about it, she was going to lose it. While she had remarkable control of her powers, her mothering instincts had kicked in with Zander's birth, strengthening her even more, and no one wanted to test the limits of her powers now.

I paced back and forth in the yard, kicking rocks and refusing to go back inside, despite the desperate need insisting I protect Maddie from everyone inside.

At last she came out of the cabin.

“You're going through with it, aren't you?” I accused more than asked her.

“I have to, Liam, but it's okay. No one there knows about me. They are used to me practically disappearing for long periods of time. Jacob and Annie have kept that cover, that I have been ill and battling depression again. They don't suspect a thing. Martin and Dave were the only two Verndari assigned to monitor Westin territory, and they never reported me being here. It's okay,” she tried to assure me.

“There's nothing okay about any of this, Maddie,” I told her. I wanted to beg her not to do it, but I could see the resolve in her eyes. She'd already made up her mind, without even discussing it with me. “Didn't you see what happened in there? I'm not safe. I can't control him. If you try to go through with this, they're going to have lock me up in a cage, because my wolf will want nothing more than to protect you and I'm going to lose control if we feel you're in danger.”

“Don't you get it, Liam? I have to do this. For years I lived scared of my own shadow, hollow inside, a ghost of who I once was. You've given me my life back, my spirit. And I can't just sit by knowing what's happening in there and not help. What if it was Oscar? Or Lily? I can't live knowing I could have helped and didn't. I don't expect you to understand, but it's something I need to do.”

I wanted to beg her not to go through with it. Just the thought of her in danger was killing me. I wanted to rewind back to that morning, and this time we weren't leaving that bed, but that was just wishful thinking. The thing was, I was proud of her for wanting to take a stand, I just couldn't handle the repercussions of how I knew it would feel when she did.

I wasn't scared of my wolf, but we weren't in sync for the first time in my life. It was like there was already a second war being waged, only this one was taking place within me.

“I can't be a part of this, Maddie,” I said, and turned to leave.

I knew Kyle was watching me closely from the shadows of the cabin. “I'm just going for a run. See that she gets home safely,” I commanded my Alpha. His eyes registered the shock, and if it had been anyone but me, he probably would have disciplined them on the spot, but as my brother and knowing it was out of character, he let it drop and simply nodded.

“Come on MC, back inside,” Kyle told her as I stripped and shifted. Leaving my clothes and my heart behind, I ran full speed into the woods.

I ran clumsily at first. My wolf was still battling me for dominance, and being in wolf form gave him a stronger advantage. I pushed on and stubbornly refused to fully submit to him. We dodged around trees and ran through streams. I needed to get as far away from that cabin as possible, but my wolf wanted to return and protect our mate.

Maddie had to make her own decision on this. I had made it clear how I felt about it. If she decided to push forward, I wouldn't stop her, but Kyle and Patrick were going to have to stop me, because I wasn't sure I was strong enough to contain my wolf.

I ran for a while, enough to tire out my wolf, but eventually was pulled home. I expected to find Maddie there, but instead I only found Oscar sitting on the back porch, alone.

“Liam? Is that you?” he asked, seeing my wolf approach.

I nodded my head, then shifted before him.

“That's so cool,” he whispered under his breath.

Sniffing the air around me, I knew Maddie wasn't around, but I had the next best thing and that seemed to satisfy my wolf. The kid was my pack, too, my family.

“Kid, do me a favor and go grab some clothes. Tell Grandma Mary we're going out for a bit.”

“We are?” he asked as I felt his excitement begin to bubble.

“We are if you hurry. I don't know about you, but after the day I had, I could use some ice cream.”

That had him moving quickly and soon he returned with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Not my usual attire, but it was a casual kind of afternoon. There was no way I could concentrate on work right then anyway.

Mom stepped out on the porch looking a little worried. “Everything okay?” she asked in that way that she did when she knew the answer but wanted you to confirm it. I didn't.

“Everything's fine. Oscar and I are just going to hang out for a bit.”

“In the middle of the afternoon? On a work day?” she questioned, giving me the all-knowing mom eyes.

“Yup,” was all I said. “Come on, kid, let's go.”

We got out to the driveway and Oscar stopped. “Mom has your SUV,” he said, sounding disappointed.

“I know,” I assured him.

“Are we walking all the way to the Cold Shack?” He didn't sound too happy about the thought.

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