39

This side of Liam was one that Neliyah did not have any patience or tolerance for. “You know what, I don’t have time for this.” She turned around to leave.

“Nel, wait!” Liam tried to catch Nel’s wrist again, and before he could she whipped around so fast, it caught him off guard.

With her eyes dilated in full on aggravation at this point, she growled, “You grab me like that again, and you will be left with one hand. Do you understand me?”

Instead of fear or anger, Liam’s shock turned into something of amusement? Maybe something else. What Nel did know was that it was nothing negative. Now she was confused.

She backed away from him as he said. “There it is,” he grinned.

“Wha-” she suddenly remembered herself and anxiousness began to take the place of that upset. She pulled Onyx back and averted her gaze. “What are you talking about?”

“I was afraid that being in that packhouse made you forget who you are. Those beasts are nasty that way. Especially, the Stone family.”

“You don’t know them. Colsin nor his father aren’t monst-” Nel started to rant when she realized what he’d said before. “What do you mean by forgetting who I am?” she asked.

“You know what I mean, Neliyah.”

“I don’t speak code,” she retorted impatiently. Now she was suddenly not so sure that she liked Liam so much.

“I know who you are…your true nature.”

Nel took yet another step back. “I don’t what you mean.” Of course, she knew what he meant; she’d already slipped up once by revealing her Lycan-eyes.

Then suddenly, he surprised her. “You know exactly what I mean,” he said and took another step toward her as his eyes suddenly dilated the same way that hers did. “I know who and what you are, Neliyah Larken.” The hulking young man took another step toward her. “Because we are the same.”

“The s-s-s….” she couldn’t even finish the word. It was simply too unbelievable to conceive. “I, no, there is no…no other…is there?” she said this last part with so much doubt, she couldn’t even face him as she asked herself this question. “You can’t be.” She looked into his eyes…those dark Lycan-like eyes. The eyes that so resembled her own. Without thought, Neliyah lifted her hand to touch his face. “You…”

“Yes,” Liam smiled. “You’re not alone anymore,” he touched her hand and relished the softness of her palm to his cheek.

Neliyah’s legs nearly buckled from the news. Her heart began to flutter and suddenly she realized that Liam was getting closer to her.

“No!” Nel swiftly turned away from Liam. Though she wanted to stay. Nel wanted to know more, learn more about Liam, she couldn’t. She had to go. Quickly she walked backward. “I can’t! I can’t do this! Not now!” She turned away from him and ran home. “Not now.”

When Nel finally got back home, she made a beeline to her room. Or at least attempted to.

“Hey,”

Great! She hissed to herself. The last person I want to see tonight. “I can’t!” Nel said without thinking about what he’d said.

“You can’t what?” Colsin asked. “I didn’t ask you anything-” His words were caught in his throat when a scent…no an odor filled his nostrils.

A guttural growl emanated from the depths of the young alpha’s throat, catching Nel off guard. She flinched and before she could react further, Colsin yanked her by the arm and jetted into the kitchen, nearly slamming Nel into the kitchen counter. Though, not on purpose.

“Colsi-what are you…” he took her slender neck into his hand and pulled her close to him. “What are you doing?”

Colsin answered his mate by inhaling her neck. His eyes darkened and his incisors elongated. “He touched you.” Colsin pulled back and looked at Neliyah with accusing and heated eyes. “Have you been with him this whole entire time?”

“Colsin, I-”

Before even allowing her to finish, Colsin turned his back on her. “I’ll deal with you later. I’m going to kill him right now.”

Before he could leave, she quickly grabbed Colsin’s arm and pulled him back to her. “Colsin, no!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice.

When he felt her hand on him, he immediately looked down at her hand, it gripping him ever so tightly. He liked her touch…even at the worst of times. This time, however, he was struggling as he wondered whether her desire for him not to leave was because she cared so much about Liam that she wanted to protect him.

“You trying to protect him now?” he blatantly asked.

“Colsin, the drama is just not worth it.”

“I decide what’s worth it!” he growled.

“No!” Neliyah shifted in front of him to block his path. “Don’t do this.”

“Dinner!” Maven came into the kitchen, interrupting the both of them.

“I have to go take care of something first-”

“No,” The alpha cut his son off. He’d apparently been privy to what was going on. “You’re going to sit at the table and you are going to eat dinner.” He then looked at Nel. “And you…it pays not to linger outside too late when living in the packhouse.”

“But sir-”

“Go.” Maven had enough of the conversation. “Eat.”

The two teenagers looked at one another before Nel quickly rushed out of the kitchen. Colsin, however, took his time, and grimaced at his father before he begrudgingly did the same.

Dinner was awkward for Nel, to say the least. There was far too much on her mind to pay attention to anything that was being said. She and Onyx were too busy having their own conversation.

Throughout the entire dinner, Colsin was glaring daggers at Nel, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore it. When everyone started to disperse, she immediately stood to her feet.

“Should we go to our quarters or make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. It would be a shame for something to happen to Liam before we get the answers we need.” `

Nel turned to find Colsin and as if on cue, Sara flitted over to his side, wrapping her arms around his a wildly excited grin on her face as she stood there under him.

“You promised me a movie night.”

“I can’t.” Colsin started for the door. “Have something to do.”

“But babe!”

Colsin ignored Sara completely and headed for the door. Sara desperately followed after him, and Nel lingered in the distance.

Watching as he headed to the door, she knew that she had to do something. As soon as he opened the door, a bolt of lightning shot from the sky, directly toward the front door. Far enough away not to harm anyone and close enough to serve as a warning.

Colsin shuffled back, nearly bumping into Sara. Then he turned around swiftly, knowing already who it was that was responsible for the aggressive gesture. He turned around and as he did, Nel met his gaze determinedly, her eyes silently challenging him.

Colsin slammed the front door and as soon as he did, Nel turned away and went up the stairs.

“Colsin! I’m standing right here!” Snapped Sara.

He regarded her passively. “What is it Sara? What do you want?”

“You know what I want!” she snapped. “I’m so sick of you staring at her right in front of me! Whether she’s your mate or not, I am your girlfriend! And I deserve your respect and attention.”

Sara was making a scene and Colsin didn’t like being the center of attention. She knew this. Eyes began to linger, and whispers began to surface. With a growl, he snatched Sara up.

“When you stop acting like an insolent, attention hungry child, then maybe I will consider looking your way.” He started to walk away, and then paused. “Insecurity is not attractive on you, Sara.”

Without another word, Colsin turned his back on her and headed towards his next problem. Neliyah.

*************

Neliyah was in the shower, the hot water relaxing her where she could find no relief. The thought of the news concerning Liam and his true nature still weighed on her mind.

She groaned with frustration. “What are we going to do, Onyx?” she exasperatedly exhaled as she allowed the water to soak her curls. “There is no question that we need answers, and my gut tells me that he has them. But…Colsin,” she sighed, shaking her head as she recalled how he was up in arms about the mere idea of her being around him.

“We will figure it out. Do not worry so much.”

“We both know it’s easier said than done, Nyx,” replied Nel as she lathered up and rinsed off.

She turned off the shower, rubbed herself down in coco butter oil, and then dabbed the excess off before going back into her room in a towel.

She started to open her towel when all of a sudden Nel heard her door swing open and then immediately slam shut.

Nel turned around and stumbled back in surprise. “Col, what-what are you doing here?!”

“What in the world is wrong with you!?” he snapped rushing towards her relentlessly.

Nel backed into her dresser, clutching her towel tightly as her mate suddenly towered over her. “Colsin, I-”

“You’d better have a dam good reason for what you did, Red.”