Countdown to Dawn

LIANA

“What?” I splutter and Zeke smiles shyly, sitting down on the floor beside me but keeping his distance.

“Last time I saw this, one of the women down at the pack house was going out and hunting daily. She ended up bringing home a whole stag one day. We had to guard her from the other hungry wolves because she would just attack them if they got too close. I told my grandmother of my day that same evening and she just laughed, saying that the she-wolf was preparing to take her mate and get pregnant. It was her wolf’s way of telling her she was ready. I laughed it off at the time, but a few days later it turned out to be true. The she-wolf had actually gotten pregnant.”

I drop the leg and rest my head back against the cabinets, feeling complete despair. Lucian knew. That was why he guarded me so closely while I hunted that deer a few days ago.

“I’m not getting out of here, am I?” I sigh, and glance at Zeke who bows his head in shame.

After a moment of silence, he speaks again.

“Liana…if your wolf is preparing…my wolf is going to know that.” I glance across at Zeke as he stares off into nowhere. “I don’t know how I can fight him…” he whispers painfully, and the tears fall freely down my face.

“I know,” I whisper back, and his attention turns to me.

“I promised I’d try and I ~will~ try.”

“Thank you,” I croak back and wipe the tears from my face. “But why?”

“Why, what?”

“Why will you try and fight yourself if I am what you really want?”

He sighs before answering. “You may have a mate, Liana, but he is old… I am the same age as you and should I force myself on you now… I will never stand a chance in the future.”

The tears fall for a different reason now. He’s not exactly wrong, and that hurts more than I expected. Although his reasons for fighting his uncontrollable wolf are fueled by selfish desire, I suppose I’m grateful all the same.

“Do you mean it?” I ask. He looks to me for further explanation. “You’ll fight your wolf?”

“Yes. Your father ordered me to lure you here, and—even though I want you? I knew it was wrong. But I had no choice, you know that… I hate to admit it, but I know I am likely the one who pushed him to these lengths in the first place. But now? Goddess forgive me… I never wanted it to be this way, Liana.”

“I believe you. Unlike my father, you can at least admit your faults…”

He smiles weakly at that and goes back to staring off into nowhere.

I glance around the room to the old, boxy-style TV in the corner and the stack of old videos beside it.

“Wanna watch a movie? I could use the distraction.”

“More than you know.” He smiles and starts pulling himself off the floor. I pick myself up and make my way to the couch. “Any preference?” he asks as he slides through the stack of video tapes.

“Nope, just something that will take my mind off everything.”

“Horror it is,” he jokes and picks one from the stack, sliding it into the video player and grabbing the remote. Moving toward the couch, he pauses. “Do you mind?” he asks, gesturing to the other side of the couch.

“No…just stay on that side?”

“Whatever you want, Princess,” he teases, and I mock scowl at him as he presses play.

***

As always, I end up falling asleep at some point during the movie. I wake up lying within a warm embrace. I smile and nuzzle into Lucian’s warm chest as he groans softly.

“Goddess, I wish things were different. Why couldn’t she have been given to me? I’ve wanted her for so long. You knew that…”

Oh, no. It’s ~Zeke~, not Lucian. Instead of moving, I wait to hear what he says.

“Please forgive me. For all I have done and all that led to this moment.” I feel his fingers trace across Lucian’s mark on my neck, and he sighs. “But Goddess, how could you give the woman I’ve loved since I was ten years old to someone else? Why did I even let her go? I had her, and I let everyone convince me to walk away and wait for my mate. But I’m not stupid… I knew she was my mate all along. The one I chose for myself. I never needed a fated, dear Goddess… I only needed her.”

I feel his arm tighten around me, and a tear slips from my eye down onto his chest. He flinches, quickly relaxing his hold as though he were asleep. I wait a few minutes before sitting up and shuffling away.

“Shit… sorry,” he says. “I didn’t realize… I fell asleep…” It’s a lie, but I go along with him anyway.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry… I should go and get some rest while I still can.” I smile weakly before hoisting myself up from the sofa and heading for the door.

“It’s true, you know…” he calls, and I pause. “What I said earlier… I’ve always liked you, Liana.”

I glance over my shoulder to see him still in the same position on the couch. “I believe you,” I respond before leaving for the bedroom.

***

I don’t know how long I lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling. My swirling thoughts and feelings are all too much for me. They’re making me numb. I glance at the clock on the wall and mentally start my countdown to midnight… Once dawn breaks, I can’t leave this room. Even though it will be daylight, the moon will still be full, triggering the start of my heat.

“Oh Goddess, have mercy on my soul,” I whisper in quiet prayer. I know she will hear me.

***

LUCIAN

~“We have the entire pack grounds surrounded, sir. No one can get through without us knowing, sir.”~

~“Thank you, Marcus,”~ I respond to one of my most highly trained soldiers.

Kia sits beside me in the SUV, strong and calm, although I can see a few beads of sweat on his forehead. The coming full moon fills me with foreboding.

“What is our plan, sir?”

~“In link, Kia. I can’t have anyone overhearing.”~

~“Sorry, sir.”~

~“We have to move soon. Right before dawn breaks, as the full moon starts to take effect. Wild hormones we can deal with, but a full shift of every pack member? We wouldn’t survive it.”~ I feel him mentally agree. ~“With the increase in hormones, I may be able to get a better track on Liana.”~ I look around the grounds from the window of the SUV.

~“And if you can’t…? Sir…”~

~“Then I will keep my promise. The pack will be burned to the ground. Dammit, the whole world will burn at my feet before I lose my mate.”~

Kia nods firmly and begins relaying the plan via link to our warriors.

We have one shot at this. Nothing can go wrong or I may lose my love forever.