Chapter 139

Liam’s POV

Ava was pulling away from us again.

I could see it in the way she avoided our eyes, the way she lingered in the shadows as if afraid to take up space. After the battle, she had saved us, yet she seemed more haunted than ever.

She thought she had to deal with it alone.

I wasn’t having it.

The bond between us pulsed, restless and aching, as I made my way through the hallways of the packhouse. I had given her space, but enough was enough.

I stopped outside her room, hesitating for just a second before knocking.

No answer.

“Ava,” I called softly. “Let me in.”

Nothing.

I sighed and pushed the door open.

She sat by the window, bathed in the moonlight, her arms wrapped around her knees. The soft glow illuminated her face, highlighting the turmoil in her expression.

“Hey,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. “You didn’t answer.”

She glanced at me, her emerald eyes filled with emotions she wasn’t saying out loud. “I… didn’t know what to say.”

I moved toward her, sitting beside her on the edge of the window seat. “Then don’t say anything. Just be here with me.”

She let out a breath, her head dropping slightly. “I keep thinking about it. The power, the battle… how easily it all happened. I felt like I was losing myself.”

I reached out, taking her hand in mine. Her fingers were cold, and I rubbed slow circles against her skin.

“You weren’t losing yourself, Ava. You were becoming who you were meant to be.”

She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to our intertwined hands. “What if I hurt someone next time?”

I tipped her chin up gently, forcing her to look at me. “Then we’ll catch you before it happens. You have four mates, Ava. We’re here for a reason.”

Her lips parted slightly, and something shifted in her expression—vulnerability, raw and unfiltered.

“You always know what to say,” she whispered.

I smirked, leaning in just enough that our foreheads touched. “That’s because I know you.”

She shivered under my touch, her breath hitching. “Liam…”

“Shh.” I cupped her face, my thumb brushing against her cheek. “You don’t have to be afraid of what’s inside you. We’re not.”

A tear slipped down her cheek, and I wiped it away before pressing a soft kiss to the corner of her lips.

The bond between us sang, pulling me closer.

She exhaled shakily, her hands resting against my chest. “Promise me you won’t let me lose myself.”

I pressed my lips fully against hers, the kiss slow and achingly deep. “Never.”

And I meant it.

I would always be there to bring her back.