IS THIS LOVE?

Chapter: 3

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Alexia's POV

I strolled down the narrow path, tears streaming down my face while the crickets chirped around me. All I wanted to do was cry out as loud as I could because this pain was just too much for me to bear. The weight of everything—Liam, the secrets, the betrayal, the confusion—crushed my chest until I could barely breathe.

My body trembled, but it wasn't from the cold. It was from the turmoil raging inside me, a storm I had no control over any longer. All I just needed was an escape, something to release the tight knot in my heavy chest.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. The anger, the heartbreak, it all bubbled up, choking me. I paced in circles, feeling my body tremble, wanting to scream, wanting to do anything but feel this—this pain. With a final breath, I let my body shift, my bones cracking as I broke free of my human form. The wolf was the only thing that could understand.

I raised my head to the heavens, letting out a mournful howl, my voice breaking through the night. It was a sound of anguish, of longing, of pain too deep for words. The cry echoed into the night, lost in the vastness of the world, but for a moment, it was all that mattered. The howl seemed to carry all the heartbreak, all the unanswered questions that plagued me.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt the release—like I could finally breathe again.

I stood there, my eyes trained on the moon, the only constant in a world that felt so broken. The ache in my chest didn't vanish, but it lightened, just for a moment. It felt like the moon understood like it was listening to my cry, offering solace in the way only the night sky could.

But even as the echoes of my howl faded, I knew the pain would return. The questions would return. Liam's silence would return. And I would have to face it all again—somehow.

But under the moonlight, I felt my heart beat one last time for him. I knew I'd have to face the truth, but for now... all I could do was let the pain wash over me.

Earlier on, after he had finished fighting, I had gone looking for him. My heart was racing, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. I thought maybe I could speak to him and try to fix things. My gaze had followed him into the men's restroom, but it wasn't just curiosity or desperation. I needed to know if his feelings had ever been real—if he had ever felt the same way about me as I had for him. I had followed him, unsure of what I'd find, hoping for some clarity but dreading what the truth might be.

My breath hitched, the weight of the memories crashing in. He said he loved me... My mind screamed, but the pain twisted like a knife. "I'm such a fool," I whispered, my voice barely a breath. The howl I let out felt like a release, my pain and betrayal too much to hold in any longer.

I've always watched him, waited for when he would mark me, and claim me as his own. But instead, he lied, and it shattered my heart seeing him with that arrogant beast. It hurt my ego so much that a guy could make him have that same look I had always wanted to see, that soft look. If only he had told me that he wasn't into girls, I might have left him, but finding out this way? It was heart-wrenching.

…

A sudden rustle snapped me from my daze. My eyes snapped open, my body stiff with shock. Where was I? The cold ground beneath me seemed unfamiliar, the quiet surrounding me louder than ever. I pushed myself up, disoriented, but that haunting thought—of him, with Roman—flooded my mind once again.

"Is that, Alexis?" I heard a voice, and turning my head to see where it was coming from, I saw one of Liam's colleagues, Spider. "What are you doing all alone in this bush?" Confusion was written all over his face as he looked around before his eyes landed on me, staring right back into my soul. I immediately changed back to my human form, before any other embarrassment.

"I…I slept off here" I responded. With the look in his eyes, I could tell that he didn't believe me, but I couldn't believe it; I wasn't going to start explaining myself to anyone. Not this embarrassing case.

Spider narrowed his eyes, his tone laced with concern. "What the hell are you doing out here, Alexis? It's dangerous, especially with... them around." His words sliced through my fog of confusion, forcing me to snap back to reality.

"Where's Liam?" I asked before I could stop myself, the raw emotion leaking through my voice.

"He's still at the arena" came a short response from him. At this point, different thoughts crippled through my mind, as I wondered why he was still in The Blood Den. Liam wasn't the type of person who stayed long at the Den; after the show, he immediately left unless he had some important things to do.

"What was he doing at the Arena at this time?" I questioned, squinting my eyes, locking my gaze on him. I watched him intently, noticing the slight twitch in his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then quickly shut it again. At that moment, I didn't need anyone to tell me—there was fire on the mountain.

Without hesitation, I sprinted toward the narrow path that led to The Blood Den. I could hear Spider's voice calling me back, but my mind was consumed with thoughts of him—Liam, lost in a frenzy of conflicting emotions.

When I reached the entrance of The Blood Den Arena, it was as silent as a graveyard. No one was in sight except for the two sturdy men guarding the entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" one of the broad-chested men asked, locking his gaze with mine as I stood before them, trying to push my way in.

"I…I…I forgot my bag inside, and it contains some important documents," I stammered, hoping they would buy my lie. But they didn't move an inch, their expressions unreadable. I needed to think of something—anything.

"Please…" I began, dropping to my knees and crying out as loud as I could. "I don't want to be killed, please. I promise I'll just grab it and leave."

"Why is this pest making so much noise?" the other man growled, his face twisted in disgust as if he was ready to end it all right there.

"Just go in and be quick," the first man ordered, his tone cold. "We don't want anyone wandering around."

Without another word, I rushed inside, my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes frantically scanned the Arena, but there was no sign of him. I hurried toward one of the rooms, only to find it empty. Time was slipping away—I needed to act fast.

Then, I heard a faint voice from the room next to mine. Without thinking, I moved toward it. As I got closer, I heard it again—familiar, unmistakable. It was Liam. My pulse quickened. Without hesitation, I opened the door.

"L…Liam?" I asked, my eyes widening in fear, ready to pop from their sockets as I glanced at the stranger beside him. The man wasn't just handsome—his eyes locked onto mine, piercing through my very soul as though he was ready to rip my heart out.

Before I could look away, something caught my eye—a necklace. That symbol. I recognized it immediately. It was infamous and whispered all over Shroud Hollow City.

Fear gripped my mind as the realization slowly dawned. The only people who get to see that symbol on this man's neck are those he has killed—and they never live to tell the tale.

What was Liam doing with the Boss of The Blood Den? What had he gotten himself into?