49

She sat against the desk and just continued to look at the child. “Just look at her, Nel,” said Liam. “Sure, your skin is more evenly matched now, and your eyes are significantly more vibrant, but there is no mistaking the likeness of not only you and your mother but your father too.” He chuckled slightly. “The only real difference between you and your mother is that her hair is more tame, ” he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Maybe you should think about straightening it or something. I’m sure you’d look beautiful and see the similarities.”

She shook her head and sighed, looking back up at the painting. First, she didn’t know how to take his remark. Was he saying that he preferred her with hair like her mother’s? Nel couldn’t know for sure, but one thing that she knew for certain was that it would take more than straight hair to convince her.

Nel continued to observe the painting, and everyone in it. She couldn’t deny that there were blatant similarities between her and the alpha and his luna. The picture was too high for her to closely observe initially.

Neliyah tapped into her ability of elements and used the wind to lift herself into the air. When she was eye-level to the portrait, she lifted her hand and ran it across the length of the painting, her fingertips brushing against the smooth and weathered brush strokes that created the beautiful painting.

After several moments of resonating silence, Nel released the wind and gracefully descended back to the floor.

“I…if this is my family, Liam-”

“If? Nel, I’m telling you that they are-”

“I hear what you’re saying, Liam,” Nel cut him off. She met his gaze intently, and then regarded the painting again. “But I have to have more proof than a picture and a story,” she said. Even though her gut told her that this was all true, she wouldn’t dare get her hopes up. “I hope you can understand.” When silence ensued, Nel faced Liam and what she glimpsed when she turned to face him was something that she almost thought she’d tricked herself into seeing.

For a split second, Nel thought that she saw a glimmer of anger in his eyes. Was it anger? Unfortunately, the glimpse so short, that Nel couldn’t dismiss the idea that it was a trick of the mind on her part.

Swallowing the nervous lump in her throat, Nel broke the awkward silence between the two. “Liam?” she said. “Please tell me that you understand.”

Liam fought not to display his true emotions. What was it going to take to convince her that she belonged in Moon Mist? With him? With her true pack?

After she said this, Liam tabled his emotions and expelled a harsh breath. A small, hardly reaching smile appeared across his lips and then he nodded.

“Yes, yes, of course, I understand,” he finally said. He gingerly ran his thumb across her cheek and took a step toward her. Again, it wasn’t easy to not try and kiss her and this time around, Liam wasn’t sure that he wanted to fight the urge. Maybe by giving into his desires, Colsin Stone would most certainly feel the betrayal again and in turn it would push he and Nel further apart.

She liked him, after all. Would he really be out of line by taking the chance of kissing Neliyah? Regardless, Liam nor his Lycan couldn’t deny that it was worth the risk.

Without another thought or word, Liam bent down to Nel’s level, in an attempt to kiss her.

As Nel saw Liam inching closer to her, there were two thoughts warring in her mind. Nel liked Liam-more than she cared to confess, to be honest. Then, she couldn’t shake the devotion to her mate and the deal that they’d made with each other. Colsin didn’t betray that, and neither would she.

Nel stopped Liam by gingerly placing her hand to his lips. Shaking her head, Neliyah whispered, “I can’t.” Her eyes searched Liam’s hoping to see understanding in his eyes.

There was obvious disappointment in his eyes. He reluctantly retracted from Nel. “I hear you,” he said.

He may have heard her, but Nel wasn’t sure that he truly understood why. Part of Nel thought that he probably never would.

“It’s getting late,” Nel said. “I should probably get ready to leave.”

Liam watched her for a moment and then chuckled dryly. “Yeah, I guess I should have known that you wouldn’t stay. At least not the first visit,” he said. “You will come back though…won’t you?” he asked.

Nel looked up at the painting and then around the office. She couldn’t help but feel as if she’d barely scratched the surface of the stories that this room as well as the packhouse as a whole had to tell. She wanted to stay, and she wanted to know more and learn more. But in the end, she Neliyah did have obligations to a life in Mystic Cove.

Resigned for the time being, Nel finally spoke. “If this is my birthright and my home, I need to know more.” She smiled at Liam. “I’ll be back, Liam,” she said. “I don’t see myself giving up on finding out more any time soon. Not since you’ve given me a lead to go on.” Nel touched his arm. “Thank you, Liam.”

“Anything,” he started. “You know I’d do anything to help find your truth path,” She smiled and then started to turn to leave. Liam grabbed her wrist to stop her from walking away. “This is the path, Nel, I know it is,” the young Beta Lycan said to her. “This is the path that you’re meant to take.” His grip on her wrist was firm. When he realized that it may have been a little too firm and even perceivably controlling, he released his hold on her. “But I won’t force you to see it,” he smiled. “I want you to see it for yourself.”

“Thank you,” she said and lingered a moment, gently squeezing his hand before walking out of the office, but not before taking one last look.

They both left and then eventually descended the stairs again, heading back toward the front of the packhouse. Oddly enough, no one had budged since Liam took Nel deeper into the Moon Mist packhouse.

When they re-entered the den area, everyone, including Liam’s uncle, was standing there waiting for them both.

It easily caught Nel off guard. Still unnerved by everyone’s actions, Nel looked at Liam’s uncle and nodded with a smile. “It was nice meeting you sir,”

When she said this, Liam’s uncle’s eyes widened. “Wai-so, you’re not stayin-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Liam intently shot a look at his uncle that stopped him immediately.

“Leave her be, uncle.” Liam took Nel by the shoulder and led her out of the house and into the street of Moon Mist. “She’ll return when she’s ready.”

Nel turned back and smiled at Liam’s uncle. “I will…be back.”

Everyone moved to the side, giving them both space to exit the pack house. It was as she looked out and saw the fog in the evening sky. “Before I leave…I…would like to do something for you all.” Nel removed the necklace that not only gave her control over her power but limited the powerful extent of it.

“Nel?” Liam said curiously.

Instead of responding, Nel looked up to the evening sky and immediately called the fog to leave and summoned the wind to blow the debris into a single whirlwind. It gathered in the middle of the street. She looked up to the sky and a pound of lightning lit the sky and suddenly it struck the debris disintegrating into dust that was carried away by the oncoming wind. She looked to the ground where dead soil, leaves, and even trees stood lifelessly near the sidewalk leading to the street.

She began to walk and as she did, the soil began to darken into a richness of life, and the trees began to heal from the inside out, a richness of color displaying itself among its leaves. Nel gradually brought the small piece of what was left of Moon Mist back to a part of its former glory. Suddenly, it was rich in its topiary and greenery and as the sun, finally visible to the town again, began to set, it beautifully highlighted the beautiful place of Moon Mist.

The whole time as she walked down the street, Liam was close behind as she performed her power of restoring their surroundings. Nel stopped short of the large gate, and when she turned around, everyone in Moon Mist erupted in happiness and cheer.

The gate gradually opened and as it did Liam turned to Nel. “They love you,” he smiled brightly.

She chuckled as Onyx finally spoke in the back of her mind. “They love what we did. Whether their good feelings about us is genuine or not remains to be seen.”

Nel couldn’t help but agree with her counterpart. “I only did what was on my heart to do.” She then walked toward the entry gate. “Goodbye, Liam,” she said and walked off, Onyx rearing to transform again when Liam took Nel by the wrist.

“Not goodbye,” said Liam. “We’ll see each other again.”

There was a question in that remark that Nel could tell she was expected to answer. “Yeah,” she said. “Later.”

Then she turned around and dashed into the forest and headed home.