Chapter 50: Chapter 50

“Time to wake up, darling,” Liam murmured, gently pressing a soft hand against my shoulder.

“No,” I smiled, clinging to the warmth that remained in the bed.

My source of warmth came from the other man in my bed, the one who curled his arms around my waist, caressing his face in my hair with a satisfied gesture.

The heat seemed to radiate from the twins in waves, and I noticed the thin layer of sweat covering my body. Ethan smelled like citrus and wood, like a crackling bonfire, like comfort and security. His scent lulled me to sleep, only to be awakened by Liam’s voice.

“We have a long day ahead, darling,” Liam chuckled softly, giving me another gentle nudge on the shoulder.

I gathered strength to open my eyes and gave Liam a lackluster look. Ethan was softly snoring, his dark lashes fanning against his cheeks. All signs of stress and anger had been erased from his face, making him look peaceful and angelic. Ethan smiled at the sound of his brother’s voice, and I watched in amazed silence as his eyes opened. For a moment, disbelief crossed his face at seeing me, asleep in his arms. The next emotion that plagued him was irritation towards his brother, the one who forced us to get up from this comfortable bed.

“Ten more minutes,” Ethan grumbled, his voice deeper in the early hours of the morning. He held me tighter in his arms, burying his face in the hollow of my neck.

“Thirty minutes,” I chimed in, pushing my face into the soft pillow.

“Looks like I have someone else to fight with in the morning,” Liam smiled, his eyebrow raised.

I watched as his eyes softened, and I could feel his resolve crumbling like a fragile thread. With a sigh of defeat, Liam slipped into the bed behind me, entwining our limbs once again.

Liam let us sleep for another thirty minutes, refusing to leave Ethan or me alone until we got up and moved. Ethan’s hair stood at a funny angle as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, giving his brother a dirty look.

The smell of food wafted from the first floor, and I was surprised that I could distinguish each individual note. Maple, garlic, pepper, freshly cooked eggs, chorizo, toasted bread, and jam. Each aroma swirled through my nose, distinct yet blending perfectly. My stomach growled in response, the perfect motivator to get me out of bed.

It seems like the food is enough to get both of us moving,” Liam snorted, a smile of disbelief on his face as he watched my movements increase in speed. His eyes felt heavy as they grazed me, slowly traveling along my body as if making up for lost time.

“Food is a valid reason to leave the bed,” I shrugged, giving him a soft smile.

When Ethan sat on the bed to put on his shoes, I approached and stood in front of him. I savored the taste of Ethan’s acidic surprise as it coated my tongue, running my fingers through his unruly hair. Ethan’s large hands wrapped around my wrists, his eyes shooting up to meet mine.

“What are you doing, honey?” he asked, the morning growl still present in his words.

“You didn’t want to get out of bed,” I pointed out, nibbling on my lower l*p as a slight blush stained my face. Ethan released my wrists, placing one of my hands on his head. I smiled softly to myself, running my fingers through his hair until they settled in one place. Ethan’s satisfaction with my touch reverberated in his chest, and I didn’t need to feel his emotions to know what he was thinking.

“Keep doing that, and you’ll have him wrapped around your finger,” Liam whispered in my ear as we descended the stairs.

I turned to meet Liam’s eyes, reading the softness hidden in his gaze, reserved only for me.

“And what about you?” I asked sweetly, my voice thick like honey.

Liam raised an eyebrow, his lips twisting into a smile.

“You already have me wrapped around your finger, sweetheart.”

Bruma had prepared a mountain of breakfast for us to bid farewell, and I found it difficult to part with the pinch of comfort I found in her home. With Liam and Ethan there, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place. I wanted to stay, to let Bruma help me uncover my abilities, hone my senses, and discover the details of my destiny.

“We have responsibilities, Liam and Ethan have responsibilities,” Gea murmured softly. “We won’t be alone anymore.”

I fought back the tears that stung my eyes, battling the pain in my heart as we walked away from Bruma’s door. Steve followed behind us, masking our scent as we made our way down the path. Steve thought it would be wiser to stay away from the forest, as the wolves that had attacked me could still be lurking.

Liam and Ethan had a car nearby, just an hour’s walk from Bruma’s house. They had stopped in town, searching for my scent, letting the bond between mates guide them. It took them an hour to get away from Bruma’s house and into the forest that I had crossed.

From there, the mate bond grew stronger, much easier to pinpoint my location.

“I need to stop by the bakery in town. I worked there while I was in the village. Sara, the owner of the bakery, is probably very worried right now.”

I furrowed my brow, silently pleading with both of them.

“We’ll stop by there,” Liam nodded, looking from the road to my face. “Ethan and I wanted to look around, see if we recognize any scents. The wolves who tried to capture you won’t give up easily. Especially now that they know you’re a white wolf.”

The bakery was easy to find, located in the heart of the town. Everything looked very different in the daylight, with vibrant colors and bustling streets. The familiar scent of Sara’s pastries filled the air, and I smiled at the line of customers winding outside the shop. I felt terribly guilty for leaving Sara like this, just as I had left Aly.

I jumped out of the car when they pulled over to the curb, surprised that both of them followed me into the bakery. I looked between the two of them, noticing the seriousness in their faces. Their rough expressions and towering stature made them seem like two very intimidating bodyguards.

I passed the line of customers with a shy smile, anxiety churning in my stomach. As I entered the store, I could hear Sara’s irritable shout. She snapped at John, who in turn yelled something back.

John’s eyes locked onto my face the moment we entered the bakery.

While I couldn’t feel John’s emotions, I could see them flickering in his eyes. Surprise, shock, relief, happiness. Each emotion lingered longer than the previous one.

“Sara! Sara! Sussan is here!” John yelled from the back, and I watched as Sara’s head appeared around the corner, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Where the hell have you been, girl?” Sara shouted, and I instinctively flinched at the tone she used.

I wasn’t worried that Sara would hurt me, but I had heard her use that tone with John countless times. Even John was fearful when her voice took on that gruff and demanding quality, as it usually signaled Sara’s patience was wearing thin. I was taken aback when her body crashed into mine, her arms enveloping me in a friendly hug. As she pulled away, a look full of malice was directed at John.

The store customers watched in silence, confused by the scene unfolding before them. Sara let out a long sigh as she looked at me, her eyes burning with concern.

“Oh God, when John told me he hadn’t taken you home, and then you didn’t show up for work,” Sara’s words rushed out, forced to leave her lips along with the remaining oxygen in her lungs. “I thought something bad had happened to you.”

“Something bad did happen,” I said with a weak laugh. “But you don’t think I would just crumble, right?”

Sara’s eyes widened as she noticed the two large males flanking me, each one staring intently at John. I nudged Ethan with my elbow, and he continued to gaze at John as if he were fresh meat. Liam averted his eyes from John, giving Sara a polite but tense smile.

“Sussan, can I talk to you for a minute?” Sara asked in a low voice, her voice a raspy whisper. I knew Liam and Ethan could hear her anyway, but I nodded as if they weren’t aware.

“I’ll be right back,” I told both of them, giving them both a small smile.

I followed Sara to the back, the smell of pastries filling my nose. A rack of croissants was too cold, the crust a flaky golden brown. Even after my big breakfast, my stomach growled at the sight of her pastries. Overall, I wouldn’t miss this town. I would miss working at Sara’s bakery, the scent of powdered sugar in the air, the sound of Sara and John teasing and tormenting each other.

Both this house and Bruma’s had been real bright spots in an otherwise dull situation. I could feel Liam and Ethan’s worry swirling around me in a storm of anger, mercilessly battering my insides. Both of them were terrified of me leaving, of me finding some way to escape, and of last night meaning nothing. Two men who probably rarely felt fear in their lives were terrified at the thought of losing me.

“Those two, they’re not the ones you were running away from, right?” Sara whispered, her large eyes looking towards where Liam and Ethan stood. When I gave her a shake of denial, she continued speaking. “Obviously, you ran away from home. I’m not that dumb. I just want to make sure they’re not here to drag you back.”

“No, they’re not,” I laughed, shaking my head. I knew Liam and Ethan wanted me to come back more than anything, but I also knew that neither of them would force me if I truly wanted to stay. I wasn’t sure I could physically bear the pain that would cross their eyes if I had refused to leave, if I refused to be with them. “I left for many reasons, Liam and Ethan weren’t part of that. They came to talk some sense into me.”

“And did they?” Sara furrowed her brow, looking somewhat disheartened. “Are you going back home?”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry,” I frowned, hoping I hadn’t lost the first friend I made in this town. “They were right, I shouldn’t have left.”

“You care about them, about both of them,” Sara said, raising an eyebrow when the word ‘them’ slipped from her lips.

“Yes,” I nodded, swallowing my obvious nerves.

“Are you sure about this?” Sara asked. “You’re not going back to whoever forced you to leave, right?”

“No way,” I shook my head, remembering to discuss that with Liam and Ethan. “They will take care of me. You don’t have to worry.”

“Oh, I’ll still worry. John is my brother, worrying is something I’ve done for years,” Sara snorted. “Speaking of which, feel free to scold him for not taking you home.”

“Somehow, I have a feeling you’ve already scolded him quite thoroughly,” I laughed, looking at John, who seemed somewhat unsettled by the gaze Ethan was giving him.

The bakery was easy to find, located in the heart of the town. Everything looked very different in the daylight, with vibrant colors and bustling streets. The familiar scent of Sara’s pastries filled the air, and I smiled at the line of customers winding outside the shop. I felt terribly guilty for leaving Sara like this, just as I had left Aly.

“I don’t deny that,” Sara grimaced. “What exactly happened to you? I know you wouldn’t just quit a job like that. I called the police, but they didn’t do anything until 48 hours had passed.”

“Basically, I was almost kidnapped,” I shuddered. “It’s a long story, but I managed to escape.”

“Here, take my phone number!” Sara shouted, darting towards one of the silver preparation tables. She grabbed a pen from a small wicker basket and snatched a piece of paper from the printer at the back. “I’d like an explanation someday, if you don’t mind. Maybe John and I can come visit you! Is there a bakery in your town?”

“Maybe someday,” I laughed. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a bakery, but the town could definitely use one.”

“Why don’t you open one yourself?” Sara smiled, her eyes flickering towards Liam and Ethan. “Maybe your boyfriends would be willing to invest. I’m an incredible business partner.”

Although I already had enough responsibilities on my plate, an image formed in my mind. A life with Liam and Ethan running a bakery of my own. Something I could pour my heart and soul into, something Lia, Dub, or Axel couldn’t touch, couldn’t ruin. It wasn’t a perfect scenario, but it was my life, my family.

“That’s not a bad idea,” I smiled softly, tugging Sara into a final hug. “Thank you for everything. You’ve helped me more than you know.”

Sara gave John a break from the cash register and took over so I could talk to him. Guilt was evident on his face, but I had no ounce of guilt to put on his shoulders. The werewolves had found me in this town, and sooner or later, they would have done the same. Nothing would have changed if John had taken me home.

“Your friends are intimidating the customers,” John pointed out, casting a brief glance at Liam and Ethan.

My two protective companions had their eyes on me, Ethan’s lips forming a furrowed frown. Judging by the surge of emotions, neither of them knew what to do with John. A friend, a coworker, a boyfriend, something more? They had no idea what I had been doing for the past week in this town. The odd glimpse into their emotions helped me understand their actions, to understand that they weren’t intentionally being authoritative and protective. Both of them were still hurting from my departure, and those wounds wouldn’t heal overnight.

“I think my friends are just intimidating you,” I said, narrowing my eyes as a group of giggling girls passed by Liam and Ethan, their eyes scanning every inch of their skin. “The customers seem to love them, well, some of them do.”

“Jealous, are you?” John chuckled under his breath. “Now I see why you turned down all the guys who asked you out.”

“She is, but it wouldn’t change anything,” I shrugged, a crimson blush tinting my face as Liam and Ethan caught my words. Their eyes turned to where I was, John long forgotten. I gave John a pat on the shoulder, a weak look on my face.

John shrugged, a twisted smile on his face. The smile lasted only a few seconds before disappearing completely.

“I’m really sorry about the other night. I should have… I should have taken you home.”

“Don’t worry about it, really. This would have happened either way, it wasn’t your fault,” I reassured him, a friendly smile on my face. “I’ll see you at some point. Do me a favor, try not to annoy Sara too much while I’m gone.”

“Couldn’t you have asked for something more realistic?” John grumbled, pulling me into a somewhat awkward farewell hug.

I left the bakery feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, even though I was returning to a town where most of the population didn’t want me. Liam and Ethan provided a sense of security I had never felt before, only solidifying the guilt that hung over my head.

“You’ve made friends here, in such a short time…” Liam spoke softly, his voice out of place with his muscular build. “Are you sure you want to leave?”

Liam and Ethan were experiencing their own guilt, among other emotions. Liam felt like they were being torn away from happiness when in reality, they were my happiness.

Now that I had accepted them as my mates, I wouldn’t be able to find happiness in this town without them. I wanted to be with them, to go wherever they went.

“I made the mistake of leaving the first time,” I admitted, guilt in my stomach twisting and unraveling as I looked between my two companions. I could see the pain deep in their eyes, the pain they both tried to hide. “I won’t make that mistake again. Wherever you go, I’ll go.”

A flicker of that hidden emotion seeped through their eyes, and for once, I wished we weren’t out on a crowded street. I wished it were just the three of us, alone. I wished I could erase the pain from their eyes, the guilt from their veins until there was nothing left, until I was the only thing that remained.

I slid a hand through each of theirs, squeezing gently as I guided them towards the car. Something across the street caught my attention, a familiar face. The guy who had accompanied me on the bus stood on the other side of the street, a cell phone pressed to his ear. Even from this angle, I could distinguish his face, the features that kept me company during that long bus ride.

“George?”