In a world where humans and werewolves are enemies and mates are no longer a luxury afforded to werewolves, Liam is shocked when he feels that unfamiliar bond upon meeting Maeve.
What ensues seems like fate's way of keeping the two apart, but Liam...
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After we had washed and dried the dishes, I thought it would be best to give Maeve some space in case I overwhelmed her with my presence. I couldn't express the peace I felt at cooking with her, sitting with her, and just being in the same vicinity as her. It was like I had always missed her but just realized she was missing. Now I understood why this feeling drove people to the edge of insanity.
I reached for some blankets I had stored in the closet and tucked it into the couch before I lay there. As darkness fell, so did the loud sounds of wolves howling. I winced as I imagined Maeve hearing this from upstairs. Maybe she was already sleeping? The message was clear: Maeve wasn't welcome here. They were rejecting her from the pack. But outside of protest, there wasn't much they could do. Their alpha had given his orders and they had no choice but to leave her alone. They could definitely be hostile if they chose to and I was under the assumption that they would be.
It was continuous. They didn't pause for a moment. After thirty minutes of the vicious howling, I heard the quietest peep of a voice "Liam?" Maeve whispered.
My eyes shot open and I saw her standing there at the bottom of the stairs staring at me, in shorts and a tank top. Her hair had been braided back and she looked divine. I cleared my throat, "Sorry, this might go on awhile."
She nodded, twisting her fingers in her other hand. "Do you mind if I sit down here?"
I scooted over on the couch in surprise that she would want to sit next to me. I wanted nothing more, but she had been clear that she didn't want a relationship and I was trying incredibly hard to respect that wish.
She sat down tentatively on the couch, her feet swinging against the floor. I tugged the blanket half off me so I could drape it over lap and effectively cover her legs which looked unbelievably appealing in her shorts. "Thanks," She turned to smile at me and I noticed her pink cheeks in an instant. She was blushing.
"They don't want me around, huh?" She asked lightly. "I can't blame them. I bring nothing except a potential attack from another pack."
"It's pack law, Maeve." I reminded her. "And trust me, it's not everyone here who feels that way."
"Yeah?" She asked leaning back against the couch, and relaxing around me. "Can I ask you something?"
I nodded immediately, "Anything."
She paused to look at me before turning away, "I always heard that wolves don't eat food like we do. I was always told they hunted and ate their food as it was caught."
I leaned back as well and she tucked her legs under her and shifted so she was facing me.
"Some of us do," I explained. "The longer you spend in your wolf form, the more animalistic your tendencies become. So if you happen to live your life as a wolf, you'll eat like one and crap like one, etcetera." I joked lightheartedly.
She laughed and I noticed the little crinkle her eyes held when they laughed.
"What am I going to do tomorrow?" Maeve asked, almost as though she was talking to herself.
"Do you want to come with me as I do my odd jobs around town?" I asked unsure of what she wanted.
"What do you do? I never asked," Maeve said.
"I help with anything around town. Repairs, electrical work, plumbing, that kind of thing."
"A handyman," she grinned at me.
"I was going to check on Mrs Meyers tomorrow and Mr Lewis - Elijah and Mason's grandfather, and a neighbour, Violet asked for some electrical help. You're more than welcome to come or if you'd to be on your own that's fine too." Though I felt uncomfortable at the thought of Maeve roaming around on her own, she was smart and could make her own equally intelligent decisions.
"If you don't mind, I'll tag along with you for now. I'm not sure I feel comfortable to be going out on my own yet," She reasoned.
"Of course, I'd like nothing better."
She bit her lip in a moment of hesitation so I pushed, "What's on your mind?"
"Do you ever wish we weren't mates? That you can go back to your normal life? I feel like all I've caused is chaos." She asked with with a dropping gaze.
"This is probably not what you want to hear but I have no regrets whatsoever. I would never not want to know you." That was an understatement.
She took a moment before she said anything, her eyes drooping as sleep began to take over. "You know, I feel the same way," She whispered and my heart soared.
Her head began to drop until it fell on my shoulder and I sat there for a moment thanking my lucky stars that this woman was in my life.
