"During the battle, our wolves were mind-linking everyone. We all just... felt William disappear."
"Reports coming in later confirmed that he had been killed by a water attack," adds Selena. "Nephera just... killed him among many other people."
My heart sinks. Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit... Nephera killed her lover's son?
I don't even know how to react to this. It's just... so messed up. I can't believe it. I don't even know if I want to cry or scream in anger. Why was her whole life so fucked up? I know she did bad things, she was wrong, but the more I hear, the more Nephera's life just sounds like one damn tragedy after another.
"Are you okay?" asks Liam, putting his hand on my knee.
Am I? I don't know. I just found out the truth about Mara's family and it's not good. She doesn't have a family anymore, and even when they were alive, it sounds like what little she had was pretty wrecked...
I stand up and they all stare at me, but I just need some fresh air.
"Sorry," I mutter before leaving the room.
I walk out and go to the garden, which is empty this time. I just need to breathe. I take a few steps on the grass and take deep breaths, trying to calm down.
It doesn't work. Before I know it, I start crying, sobbing uncontrollably. This is so stupid! I try to wipe my tears, angry at myself for crying. Damn it, I don't even know why I'm crying! Yet, I can't stop; the tears take over me and it's strangely liberating. Is this what I needed? I don't know when I last cried like this, but Moon Goddess, it feels therapeutic to let it all out. I’m crying like a damn child in this garden. I couldn't keep my emotions bottled up anymore. It just hurts. Every answer I think I'm about to get turns into a brick wall that I run into every damn time.
"Mara..."
I shake my head. I don't want Liam's pity right now. Putting aside all my feelings for him, I'm strangely mad at werewolves right now. If it wasn't for Judah Black, Nephera's life and many others would have been different. Why does it feel like I missed the main villain of this story only to witness the trail of suffering he left behind him? I know Liam was a victim too, but right now, I just don't have the strength to share that pain. I can't.
"Mara, look at me."
"I don't want to look at you!" I retort. "Leave me alone, Liam, for just a minute. I want to be alone without anyone watching me for just a goddamn minute!"
"...Mara, you're growling at me."
"Enough! I said–"
"Mara, you're seriously growling! ...At me."
I calm down to focus on what he just said.
I realize only now. That... voice... I grab my shirt, in the middle of my chest, feeling strange. What is that? It's one of the voices I heard before. It's not a human voice, but it feels... animalistic. I never paid much attention to it before, but there's definitely something else. It's been drowned out because the other voice was so loud, but... it strangely echoes with my emotions right now. I turn to Liam, completely lost. He's standing a few feet away from me, looking cautious with his shoulders arched a little.
"If... if the other Mara was Alcott Blue's child, she ought to... be a werewolf," mutters Liam.
"Is that possible? A werewolf and a witch?"
"Well, I did just hear you growling," he says.
Moon Goddess, could it be? Is that how it's supposed to feel? There's something... odd about this. I don't... feel like there's a wolf inside. I always hear Ben or the others talk as if their wolf had a conscience of its own, but this feels different. I can't quite name it. Then again, I’m probably a different kind of werewolf anyway...
"Mara, it's okay."
I look up as Liam steps forward, suddenly remembering I was sobbing seconds ago. I try to wipe my eyes and arrange my poor appearance, but before I get to really fix the mess I am, he puts his hands on my cheeks gently. He's close, very close; I can only look at his devilishly handsome face and bright eyes. Right now, they have turned more blue, as the Silver City sky is more indulgent for once.
"Don't worry. Even if... the other Mara has lost her family, you have us, alright? You have me."
Is that what he thought I was so sad about? I nod, feeling a bit silly. His smile is... strangely disarming. How does he do that? I feel like a tiger who becomes a kitten every time he's in the room... However, I need this. I need Liam. This bond between us is the only thing that doesn't seem like it’s about to disappear.
For once, I take the first step to hide my face on his shoulder. He gently caresses my neckline with his fingers. Moon Goddess, I love his strong arms around me, his smell surrounding my body. It's the most comfortable place in the world, and I'm not ready to leave it... I let Liam hug me, at least until I calm down, and it freaking works. I feel all my anger and frustration from before melt slowly as I lay myself in his arms. There's just... something so comforting about Liam being with me, as if all the weight I've been feeling on my shoulders had been lifted.
"...I want to speak to her," I mutter.
Liam eases his grip around me, just enough so that we can look at each other again. He frowns and wipes a tear left on my cheek, very gently.
