Mated To The Beastly Alpha
Chapter 42

Garrett broke the silence.

"Look, Liam," he said, his tone softer and his jaw set, "I know it's hard. I've been there. But if you want a chance with her, you have to take it slow. Get to know her, and spend time with her. Don't rush things, or you'll scare her off for good." Liam clenched his fists, struggling to replace the right words. "I know, Garrett. And I want to thank you for being there for her," he said, his voice rough. "It's just... it's difficult for me to see her leaning on someone else." James nodded, "I know how you feel, Alpha."

Garrett looked away for a moment, his voice slightly strained. "I lost my mate, Liam. I will never replace love again. I've become guarded, believing that I'm incapable of truly loving someone else.

I was contemplating death when she came along." He ran his hands through his hair. "She's become a source of hope. But it's nothing more than that, Liam."

Liam swallowed, "Tell that to my wolf," he muttered.

"I know, man. But you have to try. And if it doesn't work out, at least you know you tried your best. No one can replace Lola, and I miss her with everything in me. But I am grateful for our time together. Nothing can take that away. Nicole is just a wonderful person, a friend, but never what Lola was to me."

Liam nodded, and the emotions that clouded his brain cleared out. "Garrett. I'll try to do better. I promise,"

James cleared his throat as the tension dissipated. "Well, now that that's sorted out, we should probably start making plans for the next full moon."

Liam and Garrett both nodded. To test Garrett's mental and physical stability, there would be a brawl on the next full moon. The pack would run together as a whole into the depths of the forest until daylight broke through the sky.

"We should get back to business. We need to have seen a complete change in both you and Nicole before then. We need to be sure that her wolf returns to the surface. That run on the new moon is important because it signifies that she belongs to the pack." James added,

They walked back in, discussing pack matters and the upcoming moon cycle.

-

The first thing the next morning, Liam headed to Nicole's cabin. He felt a lot better after his discussion with Garrett. Even his wolf was a bit pacified.

He found her sitting in a small garden beside her cabin. His heart felt full at how good she looked. Her eyes seemed to regain a bit of the spark it lost, and her countenance was a bit brighter.

She wasn't back to the Nicole he knew, but at least she was looking content and humming to the breeze. He had never yearned for anyone the way he yearned for her in his entire existence.

He tried to be as silent as possible as he watched her, his wolf purring as it bathed in her scent, but he stepped on a twig, and it startled her. She jumped to her feet, trembling as all mirth disappeared from her face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, itching to hold her, wanting to be the reason why she stopped being afraid. "I didn't mean to scare you."

His voice was silent and delicate.

Nicole hugged her arms, her eyes wide with fear. "It's not you," she said softly. "It's me. I can't help it."

Liam felt a pang of sadness in his chest. He wished he could take away her fear and pain. He stepped forward, and she watched him tentatively.

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you," he said gently. "Whatever you need, I'll be there for you."

Nicole gave him a small smile and then took deep breaths as she tried to relax.

"Thank you," she muttered, her eyes fluttering open and close. "Thank you. You've said it so many times since the incident, and I should know by now."

Liam swallowed. Never in his life had he felt the need to please anyone so badly. It was crazy. He took another step forward.

"It's okay," he said, stopping just by her.

He saw fear flash in her eyes, and he blurted out, "I'm sorry for the things that happened to you. I'm sorry if, in some ways, I magnified those things."

Nicole swallowed and looked away. Liam had no idea of the abuse she had received under Shane. No one did, not even Garrett. She couldn't tell them. She only told Garrett of her supposed dream.

She was still replaceing it hard to believe that it was an actual dream. But she told him that she had been captured by Shane and tortured by unknown men.

As for Liam, she didn't know how to explain her fear of him. She didn't know how to say that memories of him being mean and a jerk toward her had somehow made him look like a monster in her head. She was afraid that he could turn to Shane at any minute. So he didn't know. He couldn't know.

Liam, too, didn't understand why she recoiled from him. It was driving him crazy. He was starting to believe that he was the one she saw in her sleep-induced t*****e because, to him, nothing else could explain it.

"Thank you," Nicole said softly, then returned to her position and patted the empty spot next to her.

She might be afraid of him, but after the last time he touched her, he was the only one she felt secure around. So it wouldn't be bad if she sat close to him.

Liam's wolf jumped with joy as he sat beside Nicole. It had been so long since she had willingly let him come close. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the peacefulness of the lake. Liam felt a sense of contentment wash over him. Being with her at that moment felt right.

As the days passed, Nicole began to slowly integrate with the pack members. She would join them in training sessions and even started to participate in pack events. Liam watched her from afar, proud of her progress but also longing to be closer to her. He wanted to be the one by her side to protect her and make her happy.

But he also knew that he needed to take it slow, to earn her trust and prove to her that he was not a threat. He continued to visit her, talk with her, and support her. And as they spent more time together, Liam realized that his feelings for her were growing stronger, and he didn't know what it meant or understand it.

The training arena was bustling with activity as pack members sparred and trained. The pack training arena was a large open space surrounded by trees. Liam watched as the pack members paired up and began sparring with each other.

Nicole was paired with one of the newer members, a young werewolf who was still learning the ropes. Liam felt a bit protective of her as he watched her struggle to keep up with her opponent.

Since her wolf was dormant, she was almost human in nature. He was overseeing the session alongside James and Garrett, barking orders and providing feedback.

Noticing her struggles, Liam decided to take matters into his own hands. He strode out into the centre of the arena and walked over to her. "Nicole, let's pair up for this one," he said, holding out his hand.

He was already on the edge. He wasn't sure he could watch her get beat up for another second without punching her sparring partner.

She hesitated for a moment but eventually took his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers.

Ignoring the world and focusing on themselves, they began, with Nicole dishing out the first strike, which Liam easily dodged. Nicole tried her best to keep up with his movements, but she was no match for his speed and agility.

As they fought, their bodies moved in a fluid motion, with Liam guiding her and teaching her new techniques. It was evident as they fought that Liam was holding back. He was careful not to hurt her, but still, he couldn't help but be impressed by her determination and skill.

Nicole, on the other hand, was starting to become more confident in her abilities. As they circled each other, their eyes locked in a heated gaze, the air between them thick with tension.

Suddenly, Nicole made a move, striking out with her leg in an attempt to trip Liam. He dodged it easily, but it brought him closer to her. Before he knew it, she had taken advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration and tackled him to the ground. Liam was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, flipping her over so that he was on top. As they grappled with each other, their bodies pressed together, Liam's wolf stirred inside of him.

He could feel the heat between them, the chemistry that had been building. He had missed the feel of her. Her scent against his skin, the spark in her eyes as she fought him.

Nicole met his gaze, her eyes dark with desire. For a moment, they just looked at each other, their breathing ragged, and the tension between them was tangible. And then, without warning, Liam leaned down and captured her lips in a heated kiss.

It was explosive, the heat and passion between them overwhelming. They broke apart, gasping for air, but neither of them wanted to stop. Liam's wolf growled in approval. Mate. It growled, mate.

It stunned him. But he didn't pull back like he normally would. Instead, he wanted more. As they lay there, tangled together on the ground, Liam's head was swarmed with memories of them together. Memories of her lips, her supple skin, her crying out in pleasure. Then he remembered where they were and the fact that she was still recovering. Nicole was still fragile, still recovering from her trauma. He didn't want to push her too far, too fast.

So, with a heavy heart, he pulled away from her and stood up. "We should probably get back to training," he said, his voice gruff with desire.

Nicole nodded, her face flushed. They both got up, and Liam cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Uh, sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I got a little carried away."

She didn't respond, and he began to feel bad.

I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't... I did."

Nicole shook her head. "It's not that," she said, "it's just...I don't know if I'm ready for this."

Liam nodded, understanding. "We can take things slow," he said, "I'll be here for you, whatever you need."

Nicole smiled at him, and Liam knew that he would do anything to protect her, to help her heal from her trauma.