Reason

William

Even though I knew Zeff was irritated having me, the Alpha King, strolling around his territory, it was still deeply satisfying to see the people here show the respect due to their king. Every glance, every nod, every whispered greeting—it was a reminder of my authority, my place above them all. Yet, I couldn't let myself get too caught up in that. Not when I had a more pressing concern—Liliam.

I could feel the complexity of her emotions through the bond we now shared. It was like a thread pulling at my core, a connection I couldn't—and didn't want to—ignore. I wanted to be there for her, to help her sort through the confusion, the fear, the anger. But she had commanded me to give her space, and so, I followed. That was how we worked; that was our dynamic. It's what made this bond so intoxicating. I fucking loved it.

I've always been a man of dominance and authority. Raised to be a leader, I grew up with the belief that when I found my mate, I would command her, mark her, and she would fall in line as our society dictated. Women were meant to be dominated, to submit to their alpha. At least, that's what I'd always thought.

But Liliam… She was something else entirely. Sweet and loving, yes, but not afraid to fend off a 6'2" werewolf, even knowing she was a small, frail human by comparison. And damn, that really hit a nerve. She wasn't just some docile mate who would bend to my will—no, she was a force to be reckoned with.

That realization did something to me. It wasn't just my nerve that it hit; it struck something deep inside, something primal. My manhood would stir with just the thought of her standing up to me, challenging me. She had this way of making me feel alive, of making every moment a test of wills, and I found myself drawn to that more than I ever thought possible.

I'd catch myself, waiting anxiously for her, for any sign of her decision. Would she come to me again? Would she command me in that way that made my blood boil with both rage and desire? I was a king used to getting what I wanted, used to being the one in control. But with Liliam, the rules were different. She flipped the script, and I found myself at her mercy, waiting, wanting… yearning.

And as much as I tried to convince myself that it was just the bond, just the magic or whatever other bullshit might be at play here, deep down, I knew the truth. I wanted her—not just because she was mine, not just because the bond demanded it. I wanted her because she was Liliam. And that scared me more than anything else.

Over the courtyard, my eyes caught sight of someone I instantly recognized—a face etched into my memory from the countless reports and warnings I'd received about that goddamn Cerberus.

Dalia.

What the fuck was she doing here?

Cerberus's own magical advisor, the witch herself, standing there in the open, her dark hair flowing around her like a curtain, her eyes fixed intently on something—or someone. A group of guards surrounded her, their expressions tense, their postures defensive, like they were ready to pounce at any moment. But what really set my blood boiling was the sight of Josh, Zeff's right-hand man, standing right next to her, his hand holding hers.

I felt a growl rumbling low in my chest, a visceral reaction that had nothing to do with the bond or my wolf. This was a threat. How the hell could they let her in here, into Zeff's territory, without raising every fucking alarm here.

By the time I burst into Zeff's office, I was already brimming with fury."Zeff!" I barked, my voice reverberating through the room as I slammed the door behind me. He looked up from his desk, his face instantly hardening.

"Why did you let her in!" I demanded, my anger boiling over.

Zeff's eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing his face. "What is it now, William?" he asked, his tone laced with exasperation.

"You've got a fucking snake in your midst!" I roared, slamming my fist down on his desk so hard that the wood creaked under the pressure. "I saw Dalia here! How the hell did she get in?"

Zeff's calm facade began to crack. "Dalia?" he repeated, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I'm sure!" I snapped, barely keeping myself from tearing his office apart. "My informants don't make mistakes, Zeff. If she's here, Cerberus is already moving his pieces. We don't have time to waste."

Zeff's expression darkened, the weight of my words sinking in. "I don't need you to tell me how to run my territory, William," he growled, the irritation in his voice growing more pronounced.

"Under control?" I scoffed, my temper flaring hotter. "If it were under control, she wouldn't be here! You irresponsible piece of shit! If Cerberus finds out Liliam is here, it's war!"

"People don't know what Liliam is," Zeff shot back, his tone defensive.

"Does Josh know?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Cause if he knows, he's already spilled the beans, being all lovey-dovey with her."

Zeff's face went blank, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes. "What?"

"I'm taking Liliam with me," I growled, turning on my heel to leave. Every instinct in me screamed to get her away from here. Zeff had lost control of his territory, and I wasn't about to let Liliam be caught in the crossfire of his incompetence.

But before I could take another step, I felt Zeff's hand clamp down on my arm, stopping me in my tracks. His grip was firm, and I could feel the challenge behind it. Anger surged in my veins, and I acted on instinct, shoving him hard against the wall with enough force to shake the room. His eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, the raw strength of the Alpha King flowed through me, commanding the space.

"Don't you dare stop your king!" I snarled, my voice low and menacing, every word dripping with authority. Zeff's hesitation was palpable, his loyalty to his territory clashing with the recognition of my rank, my power.

His jaw tightened, but he didn't fight back. He knew better. For a moment, his defiance flickered, but he stayed rooted in place, not daring to challenge me any further. I released him, stepping back, my hands shaking with the urge to tear something apart.

Without another word, I stormed out of his office, my mind set. Liliam's safety was all that mattered now. Zeff could deal with his mess, his territory, his traitors. But Liliam—she was coming with me.

Liliam

I sat in the infirmary, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling my nostrils as I tried to make sense of everything that had happened. My body still felt weak, and my mind was a whirlwind of confusion and exhaustion. I couldn't shake the feeling that something else was coming, something I couldn't quite grasp.

The door swung open with a force that made me jump, and William strode in, his expression grim, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that set my heart racing. There was an urgency in the air, thick and heavy, and it instantly made me uneasy.

"We need to leave, Liliam," he said, his voice steady but laced with a seriousness I hadn't heard before.

I blinked, taken aback by his sudden appearance and the weight of his words. "What's going on?" I asked, my voice shaky, worry crawling up my spine.

"You're in danger," he replied, his tone firm, eyes never leaving mine.

"But I thought Owen was taken care of," I said, my head spinning. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, confusion settled deep in my bones.

"Not Owen, Liz," William said, using that familiar nickname in a way that made my chest tighten. It was his way of softening the blow, but I could still feel the tension crackling beneath his calm facade. "Something much worse."

I stared at him, trying to make sense of it all. "Worse than Owen?" I echoed, my voice barely a whisper as fear wrapped icy fingers around my heart.

William sighed, his normally confident exterior faltering just for a moment as he took my hands in his, the warmth of his touch grounding me. "Vampires."

My breath hitched in my throat, my eyes widening in disbelief. "Vampires exist?" I gasped, my mind reeling.

He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Yes, and these aren't your Hollywood, glittering-in-the-sunlight vampires. These are the vicious kind. The ones who don't ask before they take." His tone was grave as he let go of my hands, kneeling down to pick up my shoes from the floor. "Cerberus has been hunting your kind for centuries."

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. Your kind. My kind. I shook my head, trying to understand. "Wait, what do you mean, my kind?"

William looked up at me from where he knelt, his face a mix of concern and frustration. "Damn it, Zeff," he muttered under his breath before standing to face me, his hands settling firmly on my shoulders, anchoring me in place.

"What you did back at the house," he said, his voice low but intense, "that wasn't a fluke, Liliam. That was your nature—your true self coming through. You're a Fae."

My heart stuttered, the word Fae hanging between us like a bomb waiting to go off. I could feel my pulse quickening, a strange mixture of disbelief and something that felt disturbingly like recognition curling in my chest.

"As in… a magical being?" I asked, the words tasting strange on my tongue, like something out of a fantasy novel.

"A force of nature," William corrected gently, his eyes locking onto mine. "Faes are blessings from the gods, Liliam."

I stared at him, my mind spinning, trying to connect the dots. My thoughts raced back to the surge of power that had erupted from me during the confrontation with Owen, the way the energy had flowed through me as if it had always been there, just waiting to be unleashed.

I shook my head, trying to process everything. "But why? What does Cerberus want with me? What am I to him?"

"You're more than just a Fae, Liliam," William said softly, stepping closer again, his voice steady but filled with something deeper. "You're a key. You possess power that can tip the balance of this world. Cerberus wants that power, and he'll stop at nothing to take it. He's been hunting Faes for centuries, hoping to unlock what they hold. And you, Liliam, are the beacon he's found in a very long time."

I blinked, the room suddenly feeling too small, the walls pressing in. A key? Powerful? My whole life, I had been just… me. Trying to make ends meet, trying to figure things out with Owen, navigating the complexities of whatever was happening with Zeff and William. Now, I was suddenly part of some ancient, dangerous war between supernatural creatures?

"Did Zeff know?" I finally managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper, afraid of the answer but needing to know.

William hesitated, and I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—a mixture of regret and frustration. "He did," William admitted, his tone softening. "He knew. And he refused to tell you."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Zeff had always been protective, always hovering around me, acting like he didn't know anything more than I did. But now… now I knew the truth, and it hurt more than I'd expected. "He lied to me," I murmured, the disappointment flooding my chest, making it hard to breathe.

"I warned him," William continued, his voice tinged with anger but also something softer. Concern, maybe. "I told him to tell you, to prepare you for what's out there. But Zeff wanted to shield you, to keep you from the truth."

"Why?" I demanded, my voice rising with frustration as I stood up, pulling away from his touch. "Why would he keep this from me?"

"Because he thought he could protect you," William said, stepping closer, his hands brushing mine again. "He thought by keeping you in the dark, he could keep you safe. But Liliam, you can't be kept in the dark anymore. The world knows what you are, Cerberus knows what you are, and now that power is a target on your back. We don't have time for Zeff's hesitation."

I felt the frustration bubbling up inside me, my hands trembling as I tried to process everything. Zeff had kept this secret, this monumental part of who I was, hidden from me because he thought it would keep me safe? But now, with the truth laid bare, I felt anything but safe.

"We leave," William said firmly, his grip on me steady and reassuring. "You're not safe here, not with Cerberus closing in. I have resources, protection. But we have to go now."

I hesitated, glancing around the room. "What about Zeff?"

William's face hardened at the mention of his name. "Zeff will catch up. But right now, I'm not waiting for him to make more excuses. Your safety is my priority."

I could feel the conflict tearing at me. Zeff had kept this huge part of me hidden, but he had done it because he thought he was protecting me. And now William, who had always been so sure of himself, was here, ready to pull me into his world, his war.

"I need time," I muttered, trying to gather my thoughts, to understand where I stood. But deep down, I knew there was no more time left. The threat was real, and it was closing in.

William's hand slipped into mine again, his touch gentle despite the urgency. "There is no more time, Liz," he whispered, his voice soft yet firm. "You have to trust me."

"William, stop," Zeff's voice cut through the room, sharp and commanding as the door swung open. The sound was like a whip crack, slicing through the heated tension.

William's posture immediately shifted, his muscles tensing as he stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. His protectiveness felt suffocating, even as a part of me wanted to feel safe in it. "Don't try to stop me, Zeff," William growled, his voice low and deadly. "She's not safe here."

Zeff's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he met William's gaze head-on. "You can't just take her, William. This is my territory." There was no fear in Zeff's voice, only the iron will of an Alpha protecting what he saw as his.

"And I'm your King!" William's snarl was feral, his voice vibrating with barely contained rage. His wolf, Sirius, was practically clawing beneath the surface, demanding to be heard, to take control.

Zeff's anger flared in response, his own wolf rising to meet the challenge. "She's my mate!" His voice was a dangerous growl, every word a declaration of ownership, of rights, and raw emotion.

"She is mine!" William bellowed, his fury boiling over. His eyes flashed, his entire body trembling with the force of his rage. The bond between us surged within him, pulling at both of us, a force neither of us fully understood.

Before I could say anything, before I could even process their words, the room exploded into motion. William and Zeff collided, their movements a blur of speed and power. They slammed into the walls with bone-rattling force, their growls and snarls filling the air like an orchestra of violence. The entire room seemed to shudder with the impact of their fight.

I stumbled back, barely catching myself as I watched them, my heart pounding so loudly I thought it might break free of my chest. Fear knotted in my stomach, but something else lurked beneath it. Anger. Confusion. Helplessness. These were two of the most powerful men I knew, each fighting for something I wasn't even sure I wanted to give.

"Stop it, both of you!" I screamed, my voice breaking under the strain, but my words were swallowed by the chaos. They didn't even hear me.

Zeff's fist connected with William's jaw, sending him crashing into the side table, the wood splintering under the force of the blow. William retaliated instantly, ramming his shoulder into Zeff's chest, slamming him into the wall with a sickening crack. The sound of breaking plaster and wood echoed through the room as they fought, the raw intensity of their power sending shockwaves through the air.

My chest tightened with panic. I had to do something, anything, to stop this. But what could I possibly do? These weren't just men—they were wolves, warriors driven by primal instincts. They weren't listening to reason.