Chapter 195
Mai’s P.O.V.
Liam and I stood at the tree line, staring at the Alpha’s residence. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat. This was it. I had run through this conversation in my head a hundred times, twisted and rewritten it in different ways, but none of that mattered now. Because this time, I wasn’t alone. He was here with me. That changed everything.
This was it. No more running. No more hiding.
I slid off Liam’s back, my fingers brushing against his thick fur before he shifted back into his human form. The change was quick, fluid. Within seconds, he was standing beside me, bare-chested, his blond hair ruffled by the wind, those bright blue eyes searching my face for any sign of hesitation.
“Are you ready?” His voice was soft, careful, like he was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, I’d bolt.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I should be.” But I wasn’t.
Liam smiled, that small, hesitant smile of his, the one that made me hate myself for ever hurting him. How had I ever thought of him as weak? If he was, he wouldn’t still be standing by my side after everything.
“Are you okay?” His voice was soft, but it carried.
I let out a slow breath, trying to steady myself. “I don’t think I can just walk in through the front door,” I admitted, glancing around as if expecting someone to already be watching us. “I don’t want anyone to see me just yet p>
Liam studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. So how do you want to do this p>
I hesitated, then said, “First, get dressed, second, I’ll teleport us inside. Straight to my room p>
His brows lifted, but he didn’t protest. He had learned a while ago not to question the strange things I always did. Instead, he quickly put his clothes back on and stretched his hand out toward me.
“Let’s do it, then p>
A small smile pulled at my lips. I took his hand in mine, squeezing it lightly before closing my eyes and focusing on the energy around us. The wind shifted, the air cracked, and then—
Darkness. Silence.
And then—
We were in my room.
Liam stumbled slightly, groaning as he gripped the edge of my bed to steady himself. “Ugh,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I will never get used to this p>
I smirked, watching as he blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden shift. But then he stilled, his gaze sweeping over my room.
The walls were dark, the furniture sleek and modern, but every piece was tailored for comfort. Deep blue curtains framed the window, blocking out the sun almost entirely. A few books were scattered on my desk, and my bed was covered in thick, soft blankets.
Liam let out a low chuckle.
“What?” I frowned.
He grinned. “Your room is exactly like you. Dark and moody p>
I gasped, swatting his shoulder. “Excuse me p>
Still laughing, he rubbed his arm dramatically as if I had seriously hurt him. “I’m just saying, it fits you. But you do have good taste p>
I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. For a second, the nervous energy in my chest settled.
The moment stretched between us, comfortable yet fragile, like we were walking a tightrope between the past and whatever this new thing between us was.
Then Liam’s expression shifted, and he looked at me seriously. “Are you ready to talk to them p>
I hesitated, then sighed. “Let’s just get it over with p>
Liam nodded, standing up straighter. “Where are we going p>
“My father’s office,” I said, already moving toward the door. “Around this time, he usually has a small meeting with my mother, Ollie, Elizabeth, and me p>
Liam followed, his fingers brushing against mine before I fully grabbed his hand. I held onto it as if letting go would make everything harder.
The hallway felt longer than I remembered. Each step echoed in my ears, my heart hammering harder with every second.
When we finally reached the door, I stopped, glancing at Liam for reassurance. He met my gaze, his expression steady, his grip tightening slightly. “You got this,” he whispered.
I swallowed and nodded. Then, before I could second-guess myself, I pushed the door open.
Just as I expected, everyone was inside. My father sat behind his desk, his sharp gaze landing on me the moment I stepped in. My mother was beside him, her expression suddenly relaxing. Ollie and Elizabeth sat on the couch, their postures relaxed but alert. No one looked surprised to see me.
“Welcome back, Mai,” my father said smoothly. “Are you calmer now p>
I let out a slow breath. “Yeah. I’m much calmer now p>
My mother exhaled, clearly relieved. “Don’t do that again,” she said firmly. “Running away like that wasn’t okay. And taking Liam with you—his parents were worried sick p>
Liam took a small step forward. “I’ll explain everything to them later, Alpha, Luna,” he said. “Mai will come with me to apologize p>
I nodded in agreement.
My father studied me for a moment, then straightened. “Before you say anything, Mai, there’s something your mother and I need to tell you first p>
Elizabeth gestured to the chairs. “Sit down p>
Ollie smirked at me. “Welcome back, troublemaker p>
I smirked back. “Thanks p>
Once Liam and I sat down, my father spoke.
“You were right,” he said, his voice steady. “We have been keeping something from you. And we believe it’s time for you to know the truth p>
I tensed. “What truth p>
My father took a deep breath, as if choosing his words carefully. “When you and Ollie were babies, the pack was in danger. I sought help from other packs and even witches p>
I stiffened. Witches?
Dad continued, “It didn’t go as planned. The witches… they betrayed us p>
My breath caught. I turned to Ollie, who looked just as shaken as I felt.
“What happened?” My voice barely sounded like my own.
“You were kidnapped,” my father said. “While I was fighting another enemy, the witches took you p>
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Myself and your Papa, Adrian, searched for you,” my father continued. “When we finally found you… the witches had already begun a ritual. We fought them, killed them all—but one was fast enough to leave a mark p>
“A mark?” I echoed, my mind racing.
My father nodded grimly. “They branded your foot p>
Liam, Ollie, and I gasped.
Slowly, I lifted my left foot, pulling off my shoe. My breath caught.
There it was. The triangle brand. The mark I had always wondered about but was too afraid to question for fear of someone confirming I was worse than a monster.
I looked at my father, fear creeping into my voice. “What did they do to me p>
He exhaled, his expression darkening. “They were attempting to transfer the consciousness of a long-dead witch into your body to fulfill their prophecy. But I arrived before the ritual could be completed p>
A shiver ran down my spine.
“But… it wasn’t without consequences,” he added quietly.
I didn’t dare move. “What do you mean p>
He hesitated, as if saying the words would make them more real. Then, finally, he spoke.
“The ritual… it changed your eyes. They used to be green just like mine and Ollie’s. But when we found you, they had turned silver p>
I swallowed, my pulse hammering. “That’s it p>
He shook his head.
“And… you were blind p>
The world around me stopped.
The voices in my head, the ones that had whispered to me for years, suddenly went completely silent.
I felt like I had just been thrown into ice water.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t think.
I stared at my father, my mind screaming.
“Blind?” I whispered.
“Yes,” my father said, his voice measured but heavy. “The witch that had been transferred into your body stole your sight. We found a way to heal it, but the damage had already been done. The voices, the pain—you’ve been fighting what they left behind ever since p>
His words were like a blow to the chest. My fingers curled around the arms of the chair, gripping so tightly my hands hurt. My heart pounded, my breath coming too fast, too shallow.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as if I could physically reject the truth. “No, that—that can’t be it.” My voice cracked, but I pushed forward, my mind racing with a hundred questions, a hundred fears. “How did I get my sight back? Did you take the witch out of me? Or—” My stomach twisted, and my voice dropped to a near whisper. “Or is it still inside me p>
The silence that followed stretched between us like an abyss. I could hear the ticking of the old clock on the wall, the faint rustle of someone’s shifting weight. Every second that passed without an answer felt like a noose tightening around my throat.
Liam’s hand covered mine, stopping me from exploding.
I gasped for air, my chest tightening.
I had always known something was wrong with me. I had always felt like I didn’t belong. But this—
This changed everything.