We walked in silence for a while, away from the sounds of sparring and training, with the cool breeze kissing my skin. The scent of wildflowers wafted through the air, creating a stark contrast to the tension that had been suffocating me inside the house. For a moment, I allowed myself to breathe in the serenity of our surroundings, letting it wash over me like a soothing balm.
Persephone broke the silence between us. “I’m on your side with all of this.”
I glanced at her, surprise flickering across my face. “You are?”
“Of course,” she said firmly, her eyes meeting mine with unwavering conviction. “I don’t like what’s happening any more than you do.”
I blew out a heavy breath as I looked out over the surrounding landscape. “I just don’t understand how we got here,” I whispered.
“Sometimes,” Persephone said gently, “we find ourselves in situations we never anticipated simply because we didn’t speak up when we should have.”
I turned my attention back to her. “What are you saying?”
“Perhaps if I’d been half as brave as you are, if I’d questioned Dominic’s decisions instead of just blindly following him, things might be different now,” she said, an edge of regret tinging her words “Instead, I followed the traditional upbringing I’d had.”
I stared at Persephone as we walked side by side, bewildered but grateful for her support. The fierce woman I’d always known her to be was revealing a softer, more vulnerable side I’d never imagined she possessed.
“Persephone, I have to admit, I’m surprised.” I glanced at her curiously. “You’ve always come across so strong and unyielding. I never would have thought you were raised to be a traditional lady of the pack.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “Oh, Liza, appearances can be deceiving. Yes, I was raised to be the perfect mate, to look pretty, and stand by my man’s side without question. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have my own thoughts and opinions on things.”
“Then, why didn’t you ever say anything? Why did you let Dominic make all the decisions without any input from you?”
“Because that’s what I was taught to do.” A hint of sadness crept into her words. “It was ingrained in me from a young age. That’s just how things were done. And I suppose, in some ways, I was afraid of what might happen if I went against tradition.”
“Isn’t it better to fight for what you believe in, though?” I said, my own convictions strengthening with each word. “Isn’t it worth risking the wrath of tradition if it means creating a better world for ourselves and our loved ones?”
“Absolutely,” Persephone’s gaze remained steady and determined. “That’s why I commend you, Liza. You’re doing something I wish I’d had the courage to do when I was younger. You’re standing up for yourself and your beliefs, and you’re refusing to let anyone, even your own mate, dictate your life for you.”
“Thank you,” I said, my cheeks flushing with pride. “I just… I don’t want history to repeat itself. I don’t want us to lose everything we hold dear because we were too afraid to fight for it.”
“Nor do I,” she said. “That’s why I believe in you. You are challenging the status quo, and that might be exactly what we need to ensure our survival. The world is changing, and we can either adapt or die. I, for one, would rather adapt.”
“Me, too,” I said, a renewed sense of purpose filling me. I was certain the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, and there would be plenty of obstacles to overcome, but with the support of people like Persephone, I was more confident than ever that we could get through this. Persephone and I would make sure that history didn’t repeat itself. Not on our watch.
The doorto our bedroom creaked open, and I glanced up from the suitcase spread out on the bed. Ty stood in the doorway, his panicked eyes darting between me and the clothing strewn across the room.
“What are you doing?”
I continued folding a sweater, my heartbeat quickening at the alarm in his voice. “Packing.”
“Why are you packing? Where are you going?” he took a hesitant step into the room.
“Because, Ty, it’s obvious you’d rather have a mate who’s just in the background.” My anger bubbled beneath the surface, but I fought to keep it in check. We needed to have this conservation, and I wouldn’t let my emotions derail it.
“What. No? That’s not true,” he protested. “I never said that.”
“Actions speak louder than words.” I paused to look him straight in the eye. “You made a huge decision about this war without even consulting me. You dismissed my concerns when I confronted you about it.” I shook my head. “You don’t care about my opinion at all.” He needed to understand that I wasn’t justsome fragile flower who would wilt under the pressure of our situation.
Despite the tremor of emotion threatening to break through, I remained steady and calm. “I don’t want to leave, but you have to understand that we’re a team. We’re supposed to be in this together, and that means making decisions as a couple, especially when those decisions put all our lives on the line.”
I paced the floor of our bedroom, my thoughts racing as I considered what Ty’s newfound alliance with Hiram, Sven, and even Liam could mean for our future. The air around me was heavy and stifling. The decisions that had been made were physically pressing down on me. My chest ached with worry, not just for Ty, but for all of us. We were walking a dangerous path, and I couldn’t shake the notion that we might be heading toward a point of no return.
“Ty.” I stopped in front of him as he sat on the edge of the bed and cradled his head in his hands. “I need you to listen.”
He looked up, exhausted, and there was a small part of me that didn’t like that I was adding to it. “What is it, Liza?”
“There’s something else we need to address.” I tried to find the right words to convey my concerns without sounding accusatory. “You’re not a mob boss like my brother. He was built for that life, and he thrives in it. You? I don’t think you’re capable of living that life, and you’re getting too close to a line you won’t be able to come back from.”
