Page 84 of A Chance at Love for the Twin Alphas

“She is a warrior?” I ask, both impressed and relieved that she found her way. She was very meek when she was in school… I assume she was so hurt and angry that she had to channel it somehow.

“Why are you here, Henry?” Liam asks.

“To apologize,” I admit honestly. “To Livia.”

“And what did you do?” he inquires further.

“I bullied her,” I admit, straight out with the truth.

Liam stares at me, and for a moment, his jaw tenses. “Are you telling me you bullied one of my pack members when she was a teen?”

“I did,” I say quietly, noting how a hint of disappointment flashes through his eyes.

“You should have been better than that, Henry,” he tells me bluntly. “I know the pressure as an alpha’s heir and how suffocating it is sometimes. I’m also aware that you had a lot of problems at that time, but it’s still unacceptable. Being a troubled teen isn’t an excuse.”

“I know.” I swallow thickly. Telling it to my parents is one thing, but to a friend who I look up to is even worse. “I’m not making any excuses. You’re right. I should have been better than that.”

“You want to apologize to her?” Liam asks. When I nod, he sighs. “All this time, I wondered what happened to her. It was around the time when Annalise and I took over the pack. Livia was a quiet omega girl, and then suddenly, her parents begged Annalise as their luna to help her change schools. They told her she was really unhappy there for unknown reasons. We thought it was because of their traumatic past due to the previous alpha. And then… once Annalise made it work, Livia came to me and asked me to be allowed to start training.”

I feel my heart fall at his words. I completely forgot how traumatized she already was, growing up in this pack as an omega under the cruel former alpha. And then I added to her trauma, too. “I scarred her,” I say quietly.

“Wounds like these don’t heal fast,” he says. “They might not heal at all. And even if you might not have intended it, you changed the course of her life. I can’t say if it was for the better or worse; we don’t know how her life would have been had she had a happy school life.” He pauses. “If you are here to ask for forgiveness, to seek out your own redemption, I would like you to leave.”

I reach my hand out to him, and he grabs my wrist. Liam can detect lies. It’s his gift, and I want him to know that I’m being honest. “Ever since she left school, guilt has been eating at me,” I admit. “I want redemption, but I know it doesn’t work like that. I just want her to know that I’m sorry. I will apologize and then never cross her path again.”

Liam lets go of my hand. “You might rip open old wounds,” he says. “But I think she deserves a sincere apology.” He sighs. “Part of me wants to smack you. The other part is proud of you for owning up to your shit. Not many people do that. It’s the first step to becoming a good alpha.”

“Thanks, Liam,” I say quietly. “I hope I will never disappoint my family like that again.”

“I’m sure you won’t.” He smiles. “Congratulations, by the way.”

“What for?”

He gestures at my neck, and I clasp it, feeling flustered when I realize he meant my mark.

“Elodie Desjardins, huh?” he asks. “You got a strong mate.”

I nod, smiling proudly. “She is the best.” Everything about Elodie is just fantastic. She is beautiful and strong, smart, she has kickass gifts, and she doesn’t scare away from calling me out. I love this feisty, strong woman so much.

“Livia lives in a cottage near the pack house.” Liam pulls me out of my thoughts. “Just go straight down the path that leads to the park. It’s on the left side. She has recently colored her porch in a brilliant blue. You shouldn’t miss it.”

I nod thankfully and get up. I wonder if I should apologize once more to him but then decide that actions prove more than words. I nod at him once more. “Thank you, Liam,” I say.

He nods. “Good luck.”

With a heavy heart, I make it to the cottage Liam mentioned. He is right. It’s impossible to miss. On my way, I almost want to turn around and run away again, but I force my feet forward. I’m not going to chicken out of this.

I should have done this earlier, not just once my mate appeared. I just didn’t have the balls to do it before, and meeting Elodie put everything into perspective for me.

I knock at Livia’s door, unsure if I want her to be home or not.

There is no overthinking it, though, because the door opens, and Livia stands in front of me. She has changed a lot; she grew a bit taller, looks stronger, and the look in her eyes is fierce, yet I can still see the young teenage girl in her.

Her mouth drops open when she sees me, and her eyes are guarded instantly. “What do you want?” she asks defensively.

“Hi,” I stutter. Fuck, this is difficult.

Arlo has retreated to let me deal with this alone. We both agreed that this is something I need to do alone, with my own words. Through our bond, I can feel him encouraging me, though.

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