Chapter 13

Liam.

What the hell is he doing here in New Mexico?

And why did he have to come into this place at the same time that I'm here?

I turn my head away and cover the lower part of my face by resting my cheek on my fist. I anxiously moved around the coffee mug in my other hand.

I attempt to keep my attention on what is going on outside the coffee shop windows, but that obviously fails because I'm still focusing on trying to have Liam not notice me right now.

My mind flashes back to the moments I had with Liam before my mate died. I squeeze my eyes shut as I try to clear it from out of my mind before I have some sort of panic freak out.

Sadly, it was around the time for me to take my medication again, so I was very anxious and jumpy.

I accidentally topple over the coffee mug on the table and the hot drink spills on the table and over onto my lap.

"Shit!" I cursed as I stood up, trying to attempt to dry my jeans before my legs got burnt. I grabbed some napkins from the table dispenser and rubbed the denim fabric on my thighs.

"Here, let me help you." I hear his voice for the first time in six years.

I watch him grab more napkins and begin to clean off the spill on the table, and thank god not my jeans.

Liam turns his head and looks up at me with a reassuring smile, before it faltered and fell, and a flicker of recognition showed in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly interrupted.

"Thanks for the help, I'm late for my shift though. Gotta go." The words very quickly tumble out of my mouth and I began to limp my way out of the cafe thanks to my medical boot.

"Wait!" I hear him run after me and soon enough, he blocked the way out of the cafe.

There's one thing that Liam has always been outstanding at, and it was how fast he could move. He was always a very quick guy.

"Sir, I need to get to my job." I try to move past him, without making eye contact.

"Aspetta un minuto! Per favore!" Liam blocked my way again.

This time I look at him, and I furrow my eye brows in misunderstanding. "Sir please, I don't speak Spanish. I must get going."

Liam huffed, and flicked me on the forehead.

I moved back, holding my palm over where he flicked me. "Ow! What the hell man!?" I glare at Liam.

"What the hell? Are you kidding me Kyle? Don't think I don't recognize you. And you know that was Italian, not Spanish." Liam scoffed.

That's when I noticed he developed an Italian accent. He no longer sounds American unlike the last time we spoke. Also, he did not fluently speak Italian either. I guess we both changed.

"I need to get to work." I try again, dodging the subject.

"Siediti!" Liam orders.

Or well, I assumed, but it certainly sounded like an order. But I had no idea what he was saying.

"Scusa. It's been a headache translating back to English. I'm trying to tell you to sit down." Liam gestures to a cleaner table and seat.

I sigh. "I'm not getting past you, am I?"

"Nope." He smirks triumphantly.

I roll my eyes and sit down and he sits across from me.

"Where the hell have you been?" Liam asks me.

I just blink incredulously at him. He's seriously asking me this when we're both in New Mexico?

"Albuquerque, obviously." I shrug.

"Just Albuquerque?" Liam questions.

I nod. It just didn't seem like a place no one would come looking for me at. Obviously I was wrong. Well, kinda. I'm not sure if Liam came to Albuquerque looking for me.

"Why are you here?" I ask, just noticing how tired I sounded.

"Alpha Conference. The Rising Sun pack decided to host the location this year. Annie and the twins are with me." Liam explains.

I search him for any lies, but it's all the truth. He didn't come looking for me here.

"You've changed." He goes on.

Well duh, captain obvious. Last time I saw you was the same time I held my mate in my arms for the last time. But I don't say that to him. I don't say anything.

I feel my leg start to bounce and I look around the cafe rapidly. I need to get out of here.

Liam watches me carefully. He eyes every move I make. Everything I'm wearing. My shirt that covers half of my faded mark. A glimpse of a silver chain. A medical boot. Tired eyes. Hair that I tried to make look presentable today for the military thing, but it still looked messy...must I go on?

"How are you doing? It's been six years, and I'd really like to catch up." Liam says more carefully after studying my body language.

I lightly huff. "I'm surviving, which is enough for me. And I have no time to catch up, I really need to get going to work or else my boss will have my head."

No he won't. We both know that's a lie.

I begin to stand up, but Liam orders me to 'sediment' or whatever again.

So I reluctantly sit.

"Do you know how long Arina has been looking for you? She needs her Beta." He crosses his arms.

"She still doesn't have a replacement?" I breath out a tiny chuckle to amuse myself of how ridiculous that was.

"She has a long temp beta until she finds you. You still have a job to do in your pack you know?" He eyes me.

"I have no pack. I'm done with that life. I'd hope you'd have gotten that message when I left, but obviously not." I roll my eyes.

"Arina is not done with having you as a beta. The moon goddess won't let her choose another. She needs you. Her pack needs you." He tried to get through to me again.

I just shake my head. It's not just that I don't want to do it, but I legitimately cannot. My wolf has abandoned me and is probably dead.

"I wish I could help even if I wanted to Liam, but I can't."

"Yes you can. That's why I'm going to call Arina to get down here as soon as she can to bring you back home." Liam smiles, as if he won, and my face falls.

"I can't Liam. I can't be a beta. It's a useless attempt to get Arina down here." I shake my head.

"How? How is it a useless attempt then?" Liam tries to test me. But I'm not going to tell him I don't have my wolf anymore. He'll just pity me, and that's exactly what I'm trying to run away from. The pity, the sorrys, the support from people that I don't want support from, you get the point.

"It doesn't matter Liam. Just know it's useless."

He's about to question me why, but before he can, the cafe door opens and one very lively girl runs in and comes to Liam immediately, while another boy hangs onto his dads hand, trying to pull him to the muffins.

I spot Ansaldo looking around for Liam and his daughter, but instead he locks eyes with me. His face turns to one of confusion, then realization.

"Kyle, meet Riya and Gio."

Riya looks at me, then back up at Liam, and she says something in Italian that I don't understand. Soon enough, they were immersed in a conversation with a language that I can't understand.

Ansaldo comes over with Gio as soon as he got his blueberry muffin, and the older greets me with a nod.

Most people do a smile, but Ansaldo was one of those people who didn't smile that much unless he was around Liam and Liam only. So he hasn't changed with that aspect.

"I really must get going to work. Nice to catch up with you guys though." I stand up and quickly leave the family before they can protest.

What the hell just happened?

———

(Hey everyone.

How is everyone doing with the coronavirus?

I have a lot more free time now to write because my color guard season ended three weeks before it should've. I'm now doing online schooling for the next "two weeks".  Senior year as taken quite the turn and I'm not enjoying it one bit.

Anyways, on a more positive note, Alpha Moretti has hit 1 Million reads and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it! I'm literally so overjoyed and in shock that so many people have read just one of my stories! You guys inspire me literally everyday!!

Also it's like almost 5am where I am rn and as I'm writing this, so I'm gonna sleep, but I hope you guys stay safe and healthy! Self quarantine, and I'll be updating! I'm on a writing kick! I love you all ❤️)