Mated To The Beastly Alpha
Chapter 43

Long after training had ended, Nicole asked herself why, despite everything, she had only noticed a change in herself when she interacted with Liam, especially when they touched.

The effect of his mark on her had faded with her wolf. She wasn't supposed to be affected by him, yet he was indirectly the reason why her body came alive.

She had found herself getting lost in the training, feeling a sense of excitement as she pushed her body to the limit. She was starting to feel alive again, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like herself.

She remembered it clearly as she lay in her bed that night; the electricity that coursed through her when they sparred, when they toppled on each other. She remembered clearly how she felt when their bodies pressed against each other. The kiss.... The way he looked at her... the way he held her protectively as they walked away.

As the training session came to an end, Liam and Nicole were the last ones left in the arena. They had stood facing each other, panting from the intensity of the workout. Liam had looked at her with a mixture of admiration and desire that had her body trembling. The voices in her head screamed and asked her to walk away from him. They reminded her of everything she had been through but she couldn't walk away from his heated gaze.

The first kiss awakened needs she had neglected for months. Shivers coiled down her spine, she wanted more.

"Nicole, you did great today," he had said, his voice low and husky. "You're getting better every day."

Nicole blushed at his praise, feeling a flutter in her stomach. She had always been drawn to Liam, even when she was afraid of him, and being this close to him was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Liam moved closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. Their bodies were inches apart and Nicole could feel the heat radiating off of him. She could smell the intoxicating scent of his wolf and it made her heart race.

"I know we've been taking things slow," he said, "but I can't resist anymore." His eyes glinted dangerously. She remembered how he made her feel.

Suddenly, Liam's lips were on hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body. Their kiss was slow and sensual, with Liam's hands moving down her back, pulling her closer to him.

Nicole's arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. The voices in her head were zipped shut. Her body remembered too well how he always satisfied her, but had her wanting more. She wanted more from him.

As they broke apart, Liam looked at her with deep intensity. "Nicole," he whispered, his voice full of emotion. "I..."

He trailed off but her heart skipped a beat. She was mad with hunger for him. She remembered too well the feel of his lips, his fingertips. Their chemistry was undeniable and she felt a sense of belonging in his arms. She could sense his protectiveness and strength, and it made her feel safe and secure.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Garrett walked in on them and the pull shattered. She immediately leapt out of his grasp as everything she felt fizzled out and she went back to feeling numb.

Nicole went to bed that night with a small grin etched on her face and worry in her mind.

Nicole slowly opened her eyes, feeling an unfamiliar but pleasant sensation in her chest. She sat up in bed, her hand instinctively reaching for her chest as she tried to identify the feeling.

It was her wolf, a small resonance that had been absent for so long. She smiled, tears welling up in her eyes as she felt the familiar presence of her wolf. It was still late so she couldn't do anything but try to reach out to her wolf, but like a summer's dream, it was gone.

The next morning, she woke up with a familiar feeling in her chest. It was another small vibration that made her jolt up in bed. The faint sensation made her happy.

She quickly got dressed and went to replace Asha. She burst into Asha's room in the packhouse, almost jumping with joy.

"Is everything okay, Nicole?" Asha asked, wide-eyed. Nicole hadn't been this excited about anything in months. It was a bit troubling.

"Asha! My wolf, it's here, I can feel it!" Nicole exclaimed, jumping up and down with joy.

Asha's mouth fell open as she took a minute to process and it lit up with joy. "That's amazing, Nicole! I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed, pulling her friend into a tight hug.

Nicole wanted to recoil from her touch but she was so excited that she began to weep. "My wolf, Asha. She's back," she cried, unable to contain her joy.

Asha held her tight. "Yes she is, she has to be back."

Garrett, who had been passing by, overheard their conversation and walked in. "What's all the commotion about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, his eyes searching Nicole's face for any signs of distress.

Nicole beamed at him. "My wolf, Garrett. It's back. I can feel it!" she said, practically bouncing with excitement.

Garrett's face broke into a smile, and he hugged her tightly. "That's amazing, Nicole. I'm so happy for you," he said, his voice full of genuine happiness.

Nicole felt as if she wanted to explode with happiness. Although her wolf's presence wasn't complete yet, she felt whole for the first time in forever. "We should tell Maya," Asha grinned, her eyes twinkling with joy.

"Yeah, and I should let Liam know. This is exciting news," Garrett added.

Nicole's smile fell off.

"Wait no guys." She said, her voice trembling, "I'm not ready. It's not back yet. Not fully. Let's wait until it's back,"

Garrett narrowed his eyes at her, then shrugged.

"If you say so," he said.

Asha wasn't having it, "Why?" She asked, "You guys have been making good progress, Nicole. You said it yourself that being close to him helps you." Garrett raised a brow, "Being with him helps you?"

Nicole gulped then palmed her forehead. Slowly she nodded, then stepped away.

"I'm not ready. I'm nervous."

Asha shook her head and folded her arms. Garrett stared at her with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

"I thought you were afraid of him?" He whispered.

Nicole's head snapped up and she looked into his eyes. She didn't understand or like the emotions, she saw it flashing within them.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Asha, who was seemingly oblivious, beat her to it.

"Who isn't? They're marked and might bond to become mates." She said.

Both heads snapped in her direction and she raised her hands in surrender. "Sorry," she muttered, " I'm just saying what we all think. Maybe Alpha Liam was acting like a jerk before, but have you seen him now? He's made a complete turnover when it comes to Nicole and females."

Garrett grunted and said nothing. Nicole's cheeks flamed red. The truth was that she was afraid that once she returned to her normal state, Liam would begin to treat her like he did before.

She could never trust Liam and as for Garrett, who was pinning her with an uncomfortable stare, she had yet to understand what was going on in his head.

She had noticed that he was also taking a protective stance when it came to her and she had no idea what to make of it. His eyes also seemed to linger, but unlike the pleasure Liam's stares always gave her, it was weird.

"We-" she started to say, but at that moment, Liam burst in.

"Nicole," he breathed, his eyes flashing gold.

His voice made her body come alive, butterflies began fluttering in her belly and then her wolf purred again.

Nicole felt out of breath, she staggered from being overwhelmed. Liam ran to her side but stopped himself from touching her.

"Liam," she whispered. At the same time, her eyes fell on Garrett, who looked away.

She quickly looked away too, not failing to catch the glint of anger in his eyes. Nicole was confused. Her brain was befuddled.

Liam caught her by her arm and pulled her into his body.

Her wolf purred again, as she was enveloped in Liam's warmth. She could feel his presence drawing out her wolf from whatever corner it had been hiding. Her worries seemed to melt away in his arms. It was like falling in the clouds. She had missed it. But like always, the voices came again.

Her body stiffened as her bleak memories flashed in her head. Noticing that she was beginning to get uncomfortable, Liam let go.

"It's okay, Nicole. I felt it. I felt it last night," Liam said, resting his head on hers.

Nicole swallowed, feeling overwhelmed. She was grateful that her wolf was finally back, but with it came a sense of awareness that she wasn't ready for.

"I'm so happy, Nicole. I'm happy your wolf is back," Asha gushed in the corner.

Nicole was speechless. She didn't know how to react.

"Now we can begin to prepare to defeat the witches," Garrett said suddenly.

All heads snapped in his direction,

"What?" Liam growled.

Garrett shrugged, "Her wolf is back, Alpha."

Liam snarled in his direction, "Can't you see that she's in no shape for that?"

"Yes, her wolf is not completely back," Asha growled.

Nicole's heart began pounding in her chest. She felt guilty for what was happening to Garrett.

Garrett held up his hands in surrender, staring pointedly at her. "I understand that, Alpha. But we need to start preparing for the witches. We can't afford to be caught off guard again."

Liam clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, trying to control his wolf's rage. He knew Garrett was right, but he didn't want to put Nicole in any danger. He wouldn't dare it.

"Were you of all people, depending on her to defeat the witch?" Liam growled, his dominance spread through the air.

"No," Garrett gritted out and rubbed his temples, "I'm talking about harnessing her power."

Liam snarled, but Nicole unconsciously held his arm and began rubbing circles to soothe him.

"Alpha, you misunderstand me. We need to make sure that Nicole is at her full capacity for her good."

"We'll start preparing," Liam finally said. "But Nicole will not be involved until she's fully ready."

Nicole looked at Liam and then at Garrett, her heart pounding in her chest. Liam huffed and gripped her arm. Her wolf purred again. She liked this new streak in him. He had become so protective of her, even when she didn't want to have anything to do with him. "Thank you, Liam," she whispered into his ears, enjoying how it seemed to calm him down. Liam turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Always, Nicole."

Garrett nodded, he seemed satisfied with the outcome. "We'll start training the pack tomorrow. This time around, we'll stop physical training and focus on other aspects. The witches won't know what hit them."

Nicole felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she felt a renewed sense of hope. Her wolf was back, and she knew that she could finally start to heal.

Over the next few days, Nicole spent most of her time training and bonding with her wolf. The more time she spent with her wolf, the more she felt like herself again.

She was more confident, more sure of herself and more in control of her emotions. The bond between her and her wolf grew stronger with each passing day and she knew that she was finally on the path to recovery.