Blood and Protection

The intruder came for us in the middle of the night.

Glass shattered somewhere in the house. I bolted upright in bed, heart hammering. “Liam!”

He was already moving, silent and deadly. “Stay here. Lock the door.”

I ignored him and followed, grabbing a lamp as a pathetic weapon. My body still ached from the heat but adrenaline pushed me forward. Another sound. Footsteps. Then a grunt and the unmistakable sound of fighting.

I rounded the corner just in time to see Liam take down the masked intruder with terrifying efficiency. One precise strike, then another. The man dropped hard. Liam stood over him breathing heavily, knuckles bloody.

“You okay?” he asked, voice rough as he turned to me.

I stared at him, really seeing him for the first time. Not the calm businessman. Not the gentle caretaker. This was something else entirely. Lethal. Trained. Dangerous.

“Yeah,” I managed. “What the hell was that?”

Liam checked the intruder quickly, removing the mask. “Professional. Not some random thug. Henry’s getting bolder.”

Lucas arrived minutes later, summoned by Liam’s emergency call. He looked shaken as he helped secure the scene. “I’ll trace this back. Give me an hour.”

Liam nodded, then turned his attention to me. “You’re bleeding. Your arm.”

I glanced down. A shallow cut from flying glass. I hadn’t even felt it. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” he said firmly, guiding me to the couch. His hands were surprisingly gentle as he cleaned the wound. “You could have been killed tonight.”

I watched his face as he worked. The restrained fury there was unmistakable. “Why are you doing all this? What’s in it for you?”

Liam paused, eyes meeting mine. His reply came heavy with emotion. “Because it’s you. It’s always been you.”

I pulled away, overwhelmed. The words hit too deep. “Don’t say that. Not now. Not when I’m like this. Broken. Pregnant. Useless.”

“You’re not broken,” he said quietly. “And you’re definitely not useless. You survived a second differentiation. Most people don’t. You’re still fighting.”

Lucas returned with his laptop. “The attacker’s prints match a guy Henry’s used before. Private security with a history of dirty work. This was a message.”

I clenched my fists. “He’s really trying to kill me. His own blood.”

“Not just you,” Liam said. “The baby too. Henry sees both of you as threats to his power.”

I stood up, ignoring the dizziness. “Then we hit back. Hard. I won’t hide here like some scared Omega.”

Liam caught my arm gently. “You’re not hiding. You’re staying alive. There’s a difference.”

Lucas looked between us. “He’s right, Aiden. You’re still recovering. Let us handle the immediate threats while you rest.”

“Rest?” I laughed bitterly. “While my uncle tries to erase me? While my body keeps changing into something I don’t recognize?”

Liam’s voice softened. “I know it’s hard. But pushing yourself now could hurt the baby. And I can’t lose either of you.”

The raw honesty in his tone made my chest tight. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to pull him closer. The confusion made me angry.

“Why do you care so much about the baby?” I demanded. “It’s not like we planned this. It’s not like we’re... anything real.”

Liam’s eyes darkened. “We’re more real than you want to admit. That night we spent together? It wasn’t just heat or hormones. At least not for me.”

I turned away, unable to meet his gaze. “I don’t remember enough of it. Just pieces. And right now those pieces feel like weapons.”

Lucas cleared his throat awkwardly. “I should go follow this lead. Call me if anything else happens.”

After Lucas left, the silence felt heavier. Liam finished bandaging my arm and sat back.

“You should try to sleep,” he said. “I’ll keep watch.”

I shook my head. “I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see that intruder. Or Henry’s face. Or... you.”

Liam reached out slowly, giving me time to pull away. When I didn’t, he cupped my cheek. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop this from happening. The differentiation. The danger. All of it.”

I leaned into his touch despite myself. “Stop apologizing. It makes me feel... weak. Like I need saving.”

“You don’t need saving,” he murmured. “But you don’t have to do everything alone either. Let me carry some of this with you.”

Tears burned in my eyes. I hated them. “I used to be the one people feared. Now I’m the one hiding in safe houses with an Alpha I barely know.”

Liam’s thumb brushed my cheek. “You know me better than you think. And I know you. The real you.”

I pulled back again, conflicted. “This attraction I feel toward you. The safety I feel. It terrifies me. What if it’s just the hormones? The Omega instincts?”

“It’s not,” he said firmly. “But even if some of it is biology, the rest is real. What I feel for you has been real for years.”

I stood up, needing space. “I need time to process all of this. The attack. The baby. You. Everything’s happening too fast.”

Liam nodded, though pain flashed across his face. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

As I walked down the hall, my mind raced. Liam’s lethal efficiency tonight had shifted something in me. Respect. Attraction. Fear of depending on him. It all mixed together in a confusing storm.

I was almost to the bedroom when my phone buzzed with a new message. From Henry.

The words chilled me to my core.

“Undergo the experimental procedure. Terminate the pregnancy. Reverse your Omega status. Step down peacefully. Or watch everything and everyone you care about burn.”

The offer had arrived while I was still recovering from the attack, forcing an impossible choice.