"What do you mean, you don't know?" Jack demanded.
"I mean, I don't know."
"But there is something going on?" Mike prompted.
Liam ran a hand through his hair. "She's mine."
"We all know that she is your girlfriend, now what is your point?"
"My point," he grated. "Is that no one else is going to see her."
"It's only a game," Doug muttered.
"Not to me!" he shouted.
"Liam, I think you need to tell us what is going on because it's pretty clear to me that you're close to losing it," Mike said.
Liam's jaw clenched as he stared at them. "I don't know what's going on. All I know is that I can't control myself when I'm around her."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"Exactly what I just said."
They exchanged bewildered looks before turning back to him. "I think you're going to have to be more specific," Mike insisted.
"I don't know how to be. I've never felt like this. I've never acted like this. I've never lost control like this. You're trying to get me to explain something that I can't. All I can tell you is that I will kill anyone that tries to harm her. I will kill anyone that tries to take her from me. I will never let her go."
"Yes, we understand that, but there's more going on here Liam," Mike said. "That doesn't explain your lack of control."
"Didn't you hear me?" he spat. "I can't control myself when I'm around her! At all!"
"Are you afraid you'll hurt her?" Doug asked.
Before his answer would have been a resounding no. Now, he wasn't so sure. "I might," he reluctantly admitted. "I don't want to, and she's sure that I won't, but I can't stop myself."
"Stop yourself from what?"
"From tasting her! From having her!" he cried.
"Maybe you should get away from her for awhile, at least until we can figure all this out," Doug suggested.
"That is not an option."
"Liam..."
"No!" he cut Mike off forcefully. "That is not an option!" His teeth began to lengthen as his hands clenched at his sides.
"Jesus," Jack muttered. "Okay, it's not an option, just calm down."
Liam ground his teeth and took a deep breath. What was the matter with him? He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall as he rubbed at his temples. Maybe he should get away from her before he hurt her, or someone else. But even the idea of leaving her brought the beast forth again. Bloodlust, and a wave of possessiveness burst through him, it seized his muscles, and shook his control.
"Okay, we'll figure this out," Mike said. "But you need to control yourself Liam. You're going to lose it, and you can't afford to do that in front of Kathleen and Danielle."
"I know."
"You will lose Sera if something happens to her friends."
His eyes flew open and they all took an involuntary step back. "Nothing is going to happen to them, and I will not lose her!"
