In Reach?
You'll always have your Dahlia

Liam’s POV

I’m sitting in my office and still can’t get what happened last night out of my head.

I barely turned around, thinking that Mira is sure to follow me, just to hear her gasp and a splashing noise. I don’t know what could have happened. She couldn’t just have fallen in like that, she was a few feet away from where we were.

But I was too much in a hurry to jump in after her to worry about that in that moment. But jumping in, I could barely make out her figure. She was sinking and fast. With her small body I was expecting her to still be floating, but it was almost like something was dragging her down. It got me in a panic and I swam to her as fast as I could.

When I finally got us up to the surface, I noticed she wasn’t breathing. I freaked. The moment I got us to the edge of the lake I started giving her CPR and mouth to mouth. I barely got started when she started coughing up the water.

The whole thing just got me so worked up. The thought of losing her, whether drowning or Selene taking her away. All those little weird occurrences that happened made me rethink and replay everything that happened that night.

What if this whole ‘old ways’ magic crap is real? I know magic is real, with all the nonsense these witches keep causing, but I never thought that some hocus pocus rituals made up by wolf spiritualists could be real. Just because you use a few candles and herbs doesn’t mean something magical is to come of it. But last night made me question it for a split second.

I felt it. There was something weird in the air. That’s why I just wanted us to leave and get out of there.

When we finally made it back to our room, I didn’t want to think about any of it anymore. I wanted Mira with me, I wanted to show her that I really do love her, even if she doesn’t love me the same, even if she desperately wants to get away from me.

I don’t even know how all of this started. I don’t know when exactly it was that I started having feelings for her. But something in me did warn me about starting a fling with her. I knew from the beginning that it wasn’t just sex, not for me. I couldn’t get enough of her, I wanted to see her every day, even if it was just to sleep with her. I was never exactly sure what she felt for me, but her little habits made me consider otherwise.

But last night, when I laid her down on the bed, and started kissing her body, it was like a thick heavy veil was lifted from us, from my mind. I knew it right then and there that she was opening herself up to me. I could feel her thoughts, I could feel her emotions with every touch I laid on her body. We were one through and through in that moment. I didn’t want it to end.

I knew she loved me too, and she confirmed it with her feelings. They were so intense, it made me tear up. But I didn’t want to show her that. I wanted her attention to remain on my touch. So I just laid down kisses all over her body every chance I got. But what made my tears start to fall, was the fear I felt. She was afraid of loving me, of loving me this much. I don’t want her to be afraid of me, or to be afraid of anything because of me, especially for loving me.

I don’t care about second chance mates or being fated to someone. I just care about her. She is mine. I know it, my body feels it, my soul acknowledges it. This is the woman I will always love, and would have loved anyways, should things have happened differently. Nothing can tell me otherwise, not even fate. So I will make sure that not even Selene can take her away from me.

A few days later

Liam’s POV

I’m getting nervous again. Mira is being distant again. She even closed off her mind to me. I still don’t know how she knows how to do that yet, but I’m worrying again.

She keeps getting cryptic. Saying that nothing good will come from us being together free-of-care. She says that the longer I stay with her, the more I will grow to be angry with her and hate her. What does that mean?

I don’t know what this is supposed to mean. But it feels like she’s hiding something from me. She’s definitely not telling me. But it’s making my wolf angry again. We don’t like her keeping things from us.

I get distracted from my thoughts when I hear a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Noah comes in, looking very troubled.

“Liam, we have some serious news.”

“What is it Noah?” I’m already exhausted from everything happening lately. New things popping up is just annoying me.

“It’s serious. It’s Dahlia.” This gets my attention. “She,….she sent you a message.”

What? A message? To me? What is this woman up to? I still don’t know what it is that she wants.

“What does she say?”

“That’s just it.” I can see Noah hesitating. “It’s a letter directed to you personally. I didn’t open it, but it’s covered in blood. Wolf’s blood.”

My eyes widen at the sound of this. What sick game is she playing?

“Where is it?”

He takes the letter out from his folder and hands it to me. I scrunch my nose smelling it. It’s a few days old, but it's definitely wolf blood. But the smell is a bit sweet, it almost smells familiar.

I break the red wax seal with the imprint of a rose. I already know that she meant that as symbolism for my pack, The Blood Rose pack.

Everything this woman does has meaning and intention behind it. I know that what is in this letter will probably either shock or hurt me.

I unfold the paper and begin to read the hand written note.

My Dear Liam

I have waited far to long to see you or to hear from you again. I have therefore made my presence known sooner than anticipated.

I was quite hurt finding out that you were to choose a Luna. After everything we went through, I at least expected to be notified, if not invited to the occasion.

But good thing I ran into her first. My little birdy told me of your ridiculous plan to join with the Moon River Pack. But I couldn’t have you betray me like that. You can’t have an alliance and a new mate right before you’re to go up against me.

So, I have made sure to give Izabelle a slow and painful death, to make her know what it’s like when one tries to be the mate of an Alpha, of you Liam.

You have proven yourself to me many years ago and I have made sure to prove myself to you as well.

I will see you soon.

You’ll always have me, your Dahlia

My hands are shaking with anger as I read the words aloud.

What does she mean? Little birdy? Izabelle?

“Liam. What is the meaning of this? Does this mean that this is Izabelle’s blood?”

That’s why it smells familiar.

“Noah, get in touch with the Moon River Pack, and find out about the whereabouts of Izabelle. We can’t jump to conclusions. We have to make sure.” I get up and make my way to the door.

He just nods his head as I leave him behind in the office.

I have to find her, I have to find Mira.

Not many people even knew that there was to be a ‘choosing’ that night. And only one person I know thought I was going to choose Izabelle as my Luna, - Mira.

Did she tell Dahlia? Is she really the mole? Is she willingly giving Dahlia the information? Is this what she was going on about?

I rush to the library, but just as I swing the door open, I know she isn’t there. Her scent isn’t there at all. But looking out the window, I see her, I see her standing in the garden looking as beautiful as ever in her floral dress. The wind blowing through it makes it seems like she can blow away at any second. This woman, I pray that this woman is not the mole. Oh dear goddess, please let this be a lie.

I rush outside to see her smelling a rose in her hand.

“Mira.” I catch her attention, but I know the seriousness in my voice has her worried. “Did you talk to Dahlia?”

I walk towards her holding her arms in a tight grip, hoping my fears are wrong.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Did you talk to Dahlia about the choosing?”

“What? Why would I-”

“I don’t have time for your word play Mira. Tell me. Who did you talk to at the gala?”

“What? Liam. Who would I even talk to. Liam, let go, you’re hurting me.” She’s trying to pull my hands from her arms.

I let go forgetting that she has a small and gentle frame to begin with.

“What is going on Liam?”

I sigh. “Dahlia just sent me a letter, saying that she killed Izabelle because I was going to choose her as my Luna. So tell me,” I walk closer to her again, “who did you tell about Izabelle?”

But she looks confused and terrified. “Izabelle is dead?”

“I’m not sure, Noah is checking on her whereabouts.” But the furrow of her brows is making it seem like she’s deep in thought. “Mira, tell me, who did you tell about Izabelle? Did you tell Dahlia?”

“What?” She looks back up at me. “I already told you, I don’t know Dahlia.”

“Then why, why would she think that I was choosing Izabelle as my Luna? You were the only one I know that thought that.”

“I,…I,….I only mentioned it at the party.” She looks concerned though.

“Who did you speak to?”

“I,….I,…I don’t know.”

Ggrh! “Mira, don’t start with me. Someone could have died because of this.”

“I’m not lying to you. I didn’t know anyone at the party, that’s why I just spent it in the garden the whole night. But,……but,……”

“But what?”

“There was a woman there, she came to talk to me in the garden. She was the one that brought up the whole Luna choosing thing. But that’s when I just mentioned Izabelle. I didn’t say anything else.”

A woman?

“What was her name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mira?”

“I’m not lying. I told you I didn’t know the people there.”

I stand back looking at her frustrated expression. Maybe she doesn’t know. Does this mean that Dahlia was really there? She was there that night? But it can’t be, security should have picked up on it.

“A witch.” I look at her sudden gasp.

“What?”

“I couldn’t make out her scent, and she told me that she was a witch.”

“A witch? Mira, there were no witches at the party.”

“What? She said she was there to talk with the council about an alliance.”

I pinch my brow. “Mira. There were no witches at the party because we haven’t even been in touch with their council about a possible alliance.”

“But?”

“What did she look like?”

She looks lost for words, probably realizing that she had an active part to play in this.

“She,…..she had straight black hair, brown eyes, and a caramel skin tone.”

Shit! That sounds like her.

I huff out annoyed. “Fuck. That might be her.”

“What?” I look back at her and she looks like she’s on the verge of crying. “Liam, I didn’t know, I-…I swear.”

But seeing her like this hurts. I can feel the pain she’s feeling. She really doesn’t want me to think she’s lying to me.

“It’s okay. We’ll sort this out.” I grab her into a hug, hoping our scent and touch will calm each other down.

“Liam I really didn’t know.” She says muffled into my chest.

I just stroke her hair as I hold on tighter. “It’s fine. We’ll figure this out.”

After Mira’s revelation of Dahlia maybe having been at the gala, I took her with me to the office to fill in the other head-members about this.

They were quite shocked to consider the fact that Dahlia was on our pack grounds without us even knowing. This just caused more panic, knowing that we need to be far more alert.

This also made me question Noah’s theory that perhaps she was the mole all along but just didn’t know it. But he is still skeptical, and quite frankly, so are many of the others.

The fact that Mira was the only one that saw Dahlia, and the one that gave her such information makes them wonder whether it really was an accident, or if Mira is playing us. I don’t know what to think anymore.

I can feel that she wants me to trust her, but then again, I need to check in on my pack’s concerns to ensure their safety and trust.

This is getting too real, especially when Noah shared the news that Izabelle has been missing since the night of the gala. I had to share with the Moon River Pack, the information Dahlia gave me. No body has been found yet, but they still deserve to know of my suspicions.

Dahlia is crazy and blood thirsty. And it seems she has a crazy obsession with me, one where she wants me but wants to kill me. I don’t get it.

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