Page 60

It was silent. Kieran’s head was still to the left, and his mouth was slightly open. You could see the shock in his blue eyes. His cheek was all red from the rough way he’d been handled. My fists were shaking as I sat there crying.
“Why don’t you just kill us already?” I shouted when he didn’t say anything.
His eyes shot to my face, looking confused. “What on earth are you talking about?” He asked, looking a bit annoyed.
“Stop messing around, Kieran Redford,” I yelled.
“Talia, relax and speak more quietly.”
“Why should I? Nobody’s home!” I shoved his chest, causing him to stumble back a few steps.
“What the hell?” He said, his voice dropping to a deep tone. It was obvious that he was annoyed. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Could you just stop lying for a minute? Can you just stop it for a minute? Do you think I’m stupid? I found out your dirty little secret!”
“I still don’t get what you’re saying,” Kieran yelled back.
“Oh please,” I laughed sarcastically. “First, I find weapons that could kill werewolves in your bedroom, Kieran! They kill your own people! I brushed it off because you said you were doing an investigation. I was dumb to believe a little white lie! Kieran, I’ve got a few questions for you about your amazing life! How is it dating the hunter’s daughter? I bet it’s amazing, but nothing beats being on the hunting team! That’s every werewolf’s dream, isn’t it?”
His blue eyes showed recognition and fear. He looked away while he found something on the wall remotely distracting. I laughed sarcastically when his jaw clenched and he didn’t respond.
“I totally get it now! Werewolves were teaming up with the hunters. Who would have thought an Alpha would do that? You’re smart, Kieran. So, here I am. Why don’t you kill me now? Get it over with and just shoot me,” I crossed my heart with my index finger. “Right here.”
He looked at me again, and then he let out a low growl. “Don’t say that again, Talia. I wouldn’t dream of harming you in any way.”
“F**k you,” I screamed, feeling even angrier. “You’re nothing but a liar! Why else would you be on the hunting team or own those weapons? You’re ready to kill.
“Shut up,” Kieran snarled. He ran his fingers through his black hair. “Just stop talking, Talia! You think you know it all, but you don’t! You think you’ve got it all figured out, but you’re missing a big piece of the puzzle.
My mouth closed on its own.
“After you left, I used to run every night to get rid of that f*****g annoying pain,” Kieran sighed. His voice cracked. He sounded completely broken. He sat down on his bed and looked straight at me. “One night, I shifted back. I was just about to head home when I heard the sound of a gun being cocked and felt the cold metal of a rifle pressed to the back of my neck. When that wolfbane smell hit me, I thought I was going to die.
“I turned around and there was Pamela. She was scared, holding the rifle in her shaking hands. I tried to tell her I didn’t mean any harm, but she didn’t believe me, of course.
“She almost shot me, but I made a stupid mistake by telling her I’d do anything. I had this idiotic mentality that you would come back to me one day,” Kieran laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. I was glad he wasn’t looking at me because my mouth opened wide in shock. I was pretty shocked by the story he was telling and the statement he’d just made.
“Anyway,” he continued. “Pamela lowered her gun and asked me to do her one favour. She had a boyfriend who was abusive. She told me she’d broken up with him. He kept turning up at her house when her dad wasn’t there to rough her up. In the end, she asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend to get her ex to leave her alone. I was a werewolf, so she figured I’d be able to protect myself if this guy came after me. I agreed. I mean, I didn’t want to die. She knew what I was. Her dad was the guy who made those weapons. If she started bad-mouthing me, they’d come after me. They would’ve killed the pack.
“After a few run-ins with her ex, Pamela started acting a bit needy and clingy. She’d be there all the time. She’d call on and off all the time. She came here one night when I didn’t reply to any of her calls or texts. Lila answered the door and said she was my sister. I did try to tell Pamela that I wasn’t interested, but she’s a psycho. She threatened to kill Lila if I didn’t ask her to be my girlfriend.
“I’d never be able to live with myself knowing my sister was dead because of me. I didn’t have many options, so I reluctantly agreed.
“I didn’t want the pack knowing I was dating Pamela. She wasn’t special. She wasn’t important. I didn’t want them to find out she was the hunter’s daughter, but Lila made the clear choice of introducing Pamela to the pack.
“After dinner that night, she wanted to have s*x. Once again, she threatened my whole pack and me. It was pretty much r**e, and I was f*****g terrified. It was tough, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you and I was thinking of you the whole time. Just you. I was a bit of a wuss. I actually cried! Could you believe that? I cried when I had s*x with someone who wasn’t you.
“After that night, I wanted to kill her. I know it sounds horrible, but she was crazy and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I wanted to turn her in for basically raping me, but Pamela’s a good liar and I found out who her dad was.
“Her dad was the guy who made those weapons. She could tell him and he’d have my pack and me killed in seconds. I was a bit scared at first, but I decided to use Pamela as an advantage to investigate.
“I joined the hunting team, but I didn’t do any hunting. I managed to get the rogues on board and to join the team. If they decide to attack us, we can attack them before they get to us. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my pack and my family.”
I found it hard to take in all the information. I had so many questions, but I found it hard to ask them. I wasn’t sure which ones to ask first. I was lost for words. The whole room was spinning.
How could I not know that my friend was suffering? I was too busy wallowing in self-pity to even realise the pain of my own partner.
I thought Pamela was a normal, average, real, and kind-hearted girl. Don’t be fooled by how it looks. She was just a psycho freak.
Kieran was spot on. I thought I knew everything, but I was wrong. I just assumed the worst from him and I felt so guilty for not having faith in him.
I trusted people I didn’t even know more than the man I loved.
Kieran’s shoulders were slumped as he stared at his dark carpet with tired eyes. He was under pressure and in a bit of a pickle. He couldn’t do anything about it. It really hurt to see him so helpless.
I was so stupid and naïve. He did everything to look after us, and everyone looked at him negatively because they didn’t know the full story. I mentally slapped myself for thinking he was the bad guy too.
After a bit of a wait, I let out a sigh. He was risking everything for us. I really wanted to help him. “Kieran, what do they want?” I said quietly.
He still didn’t look at me. “No point thinking about it, Talia,” he said, cutting her off. “Just know that I’m truly sorry for everything.”
I felt a bit sick. I’ve only just decided to believe it. I felt really bad that he had to explain everything just so I could say his apology was worth something.
Everything made sense now. I was surprised to see that he still had our picture by his bed. Why did he still look at me like that? Why did he spend so much time worrying about how I felt about my mother? Why did he keep apologising?
I just assumed he still loved me.
I was hoping that would happen.
“I’m sorry, Kieran,” I whispered, playing with the tips of my brown hair. “I’m really sorry about everything. I’m sorry for being a bit of an arsehole to you. I’m sorry for Pamela. I’m sorry for everything and anything.”
“We’re both to blame,” he said. He looked up and met my eyes.
“Do you still love me?” I blurted out, feeling the butterflies flutter furiously in my stomach. I felt like a fifteen-year-old whose crush just smiled at her.
My heart was beating really fast against my rib cage when his blue eyes melted. The answer was obvious from the way he looked at me.
“More than anything in the world,” Kieran said, smiling. “I’m still in love with you, Talia Ainsley, and I’ve missed you so much.”
I felt like I was floating when I walked over to where he was sitting. I smiled broadly as I stood between his legs, running my hands through his black hair and resting them on his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I took a deep breath of his scent, pressed my forehead against his and lost myself in his blue eyes.