Chapter 57: Chapter 57

Liam and Ethan accompanied me to Axel’s house the next day. Whenever one had to leave, the other kept a close watch on me. Neither of them wanted me out of their sight with everything that was going on. Two more rogues still knew what I was, that I was a white wolf.

I had the whole morning to prepare for what I might face at Axel’s house and the inevitable conversation I would have to endure.

“How would you feel about meeting our Betas after we get your things?” Liam asked from the back seat, leaning forward to show me a dazzling smile.

“Several Betas?” I inquired. I knew enough about wolves and their rankings to understand that a Beta was the second-in-command, though I was surprised they had two.

“Two Alphas, two Betas,” Ethan shrugged, gently squeezing my hand as he drove down the road.

Despite the strange bond that allowed me to taste Liam and Ethan’s emotions, I realized that Liam was excited about the prospect of me meeting their Betas. Perhaps it was because that meant I was one step closer to becoming their Luna, or because I was finally willing to enter their world.

“Oh, of course,” I nodded. “I wouldn’t mind.”

“They’ll be your second-in-command someday too,” Liam smiled, a lock of his dark hair falling over his forehead.

“When would that be?” I asked. “I mean, I accept both of you as my mates, but when would I actually become Luna?”

“There will be a ceremony. Nothing too crazy, but Mom and Dad will definitely make a big deal out of it,” Liam chuckled; his rough laughter sent a shiver down my spine. “You’ll cut your palm, and Ethan and I will do the same. Once our b***d mixes, you’ll officially be included in the pack and experience the unbearable joy of the mental bond.”

“Mental bond?” I asked, blinking between the two as I registered the irritation in their voices.

“Everyone in our pack has a direct line to our thoughts,” Ethan explained. “It’s like having a cell phone in your head that you can never silence or turn off.”

“Oh,” I paused, my stomach twisting at the thought of an entire pack relying on me. “That sounds interesting.”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Liam chuckled. “It can be quite annoying, but it’s a quick way to get in touch with us. Especially useful in emergencies. As our mate, you’ll have a direct line to both of us.”

“Ah, I see,” I nodded. “Something like being able to feel your emotions.”

The two fell silent for a while, and I made a face when unease and surprise washed over them. Judging from their emotions, this wasn’t a normalcy among paired werewolves. I wanted to laugh at both of them. So, having a direct bond between each other’s thoughts was normal, but not feeling each other’s emotions.

“Can you feel our emotions?” Liam asked. “How long has this been happening?”

“I think it started when I accepted both of you as my mates,” I frowned. “Isn’t that normal?”

“Not for regular wolves, no,” Ethan shook his head.

“It might be a factor because she’s a white wolf,” Liam shrugged, showing me a mischievous smile that filled my head with all kinds of thoughts. His smile was a promise, one of carnal desire so strong that my fingers curled.

“So, you can feel all our emotions?” The wave of desire that hit me was strong enough to make me shiver. My legs squeezed together on their own, and I snorted when Liam let out a deep laugh.

“Yes,” I cleared my throat, turning my head as heat rose to my cheeks. “I can feel both of yours.”

“It’ll be much easier to make you nervous,” Ethan chuckled.

“She’s always been easy to anger,” Liam smiled. “Even before she could feel our emotions.”

“What a receptive mate,” Ethan winked at me, and I smiled under the collective desire emanating from both of them.

“If you two make me nervous, I won’t go to Axel,” I grumbled, giving them both an unenthusiastic grimace.

“Don’t worry, love,” Liam grinned. “We have all day.”

“I’m starting not to like this whole white wolf business,” I sighed.

Their desire quickly turned into concern. I couldn’t pinpoint if they were worried about me or concerned that I’d decide this was all too much and leave again. Either way, I offered them both a reassuring smile.

“As much as I’d like to put your minds at ease, this is just the beginning,” Ethan shook his head.

“We don’t know much about white wolves, but what we do know is that whenever one appears, something significant is happening. They are also all extremely powerful,” Liam chuckled dryly, continuing when I gave him a confused look. “That’s what our grandfather used to say, that white wolves were the guardians of magic.”

I wanted to g***n, to claim that I never wanted to be a guardian of magic, but I had changed since I left. Complaining wouldn’t do anything to change my situation. Just as many people were born human, I was born a werewolf. There was no changing what and who I was. After accepting my mates and my place in this new world, I could feel how much I was born for this role: to be their Luna, their moon and stars. If staying with Liam and Ethan meant accepting this great destiny, then I would embrace it with a smile on my face.

“Do you think you two could dig up more information about white wolves?” I asked, struggling to hide the emotion in my voice.

“We can definitely try,” Liam nodded. “We’ll have to be careful. The last thing we need is to draw attention.”

“What am I supposed to do until then?” I furrowed my brow. “Gea has been itching for another run.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Ethan answered. “We’ll take you to a safe place to shift, and one of us will be there the whole time.”

Feeling satisfied with the outcome of our conversation, I watched the trees pass by as we drove along. A familiar ache settled in my stomach when we arrived at Axel’s driveway. I looked at the house that had briefly been my home, noticing how empty and solemn it felt. Axel’s house was nothing like Liam and Ethan’s. It lacked all warmth and familiarity. People lived within the house, but they weren’t a family.

Ethan knocked on the front door while Liam’s hand intertwined with mine. Axel opened the door, surprise shimmering in his eyes before he glanced at Liam and Ethan.

“Come in,” Axel nodded. “Hello, Sussan.”

“Axel,” I murmured, giving him a brief nod.

I stood in the living room, feeling somewhat awkward, watching the three of them exchange angry glares. The hostility and disdain Liam and Ethan emitted were deeply etched, and I wondered what had happened between the three of them. Their hatred for Axel went beyond him being my father. They had some kind of grudge against him, and I promised myself I would ask soon.

“I’ll be right back,” I placed a gentle hand on Ethan’s rigid shoulder, smiling as his posture relaxed. He gave me a small smile, one that twitched at the corners of his lips. “I don’t have much stuff. Give me ten minutes.”

I trotted upstairs, feeling three pairs of eyes burning into my back. I found my old bedroom, noticing that everything had remained pretty much in place since I left. The bed was messily made, as if someone had ripped the sheets off in blind rage, but everything else was in its place. I noticed that the phone Aly had given me was no longer in the bedroom, and I wondered if Liam or Ethan had answered it.

I packed some of the clothes I had left behind into the canvas bag the twins had given me, gathering the small things I had left behind. I had brought all my most important belongings with me when I left, but there were a few things I had left behind.

“Sussan?” A soft voice called out, making me jump. Stacy stood at the bedroom door, her eyes darting down the hallway before settling on my face. “Can we talk for a minute?”

I shifted uncomfortably but nodded. Stacy closed the door behind her, and I swallowed as it clicked shut audibly. Stacy had been essential in helping me leave without being detected, and she rushed to assist me once she realized my plans. Her eyes were soft, her blonde hair pulled back into a bun. She looked nothing like when I first met her. Her eyes lacked their usual fiery spark, as did her posture, which had lost its tension.

“What’s going on?” I asked awkwardly, clearing my throat as I zipped up the canvas bag.

“You came back, for Liam and Ethan, right?” Stacy asked, her voice unusually gentle.

“I did,” I nodded slowly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “I made a mistake leaving them.”

“Just as I made a mistake helping you go,” Stacy offered me a small smile. “I know I was horrible to you from the beginning, but you have to understand where I was coming from. I had been groomed my whole life to take over the pack, only for Dad to rip it away from me once he found you.”

While it didn’t excuse how she treated me, I somehow understood where she was coming from. Like me, she had been raised to believe one thing, only to have it taken away from her. I knew, deep in my heart, that there was no replacing an Alpha or a Luna. You could only be born into the position, not trained or raised to become one.

“I understand,” I nodded, pouring strength into my words. “It doesn’t excuse how you or your mom acted, but I understand.”

“Unfortunately, my mom is just a furious b***h,” Stacy chuckled, though the pain burning in her eyes felt strangely familiar. I felt the same every time I looked at Lia, every time I used my desire for a mother against myself. “Axel isn’t so bad, but I still wouldn’t trust him.”

“I don’t trust any of them,” I admitted. “I don’t like being used, and so far, Axel has done nothing but use me.”

“Dad likes control, complete control,” Stacy shifted uneasily, her voice lowering. “I know you don’t know much about this world, but nobody can defeat an Alpha or a Luna. The only way they lose their position is by dying. If you died, the pack would go to your mates and then to their children.”

“Axel can try, but I won’t let him control me,” I shook my head, slinging the canvas bag over my shoulder.

“One last thing,” Stacy called out as I turned to leave the room. Her eyes burned with restrained emotion, and for once, I wished I could feel more than just Liam and Ethan. I turned back at the sound of her voice, noticing how she reduced it to a hushed whisper. “I know you don’t trust me, but when you become Luna, I don’t plan on being on your bad side. Oh, and one more thing. Your mom didn’t move here for a new job opportunity. Like I told you, Axel loves to have control, control over everything.”