Chapter Four: Car Ride

This was a mistake; I should have run home before he was able to get me to the car.

Oh God, this was a huge mistake! This isn't good. As I reach for the door handle, Liam hops into the driver's seat and starts the car up.

I turn to look at him.

"Liam, I really think I should walk. It's not right for an Alpha to worry about an orphan." I began. "I would get in so much trouble just being this close to you, and"

"Well, I am the future Alpha, so if I want to drive you home, then who's going to stop me?" he stated.

He placed his arm on the armrest. Being this close to him is making me nervous. My heart is racing, and Lyla seems to be...purring?

"Lyla, why are you dancing around and purring! What is wrong with you?" I screamed at her. She gave me no response and just continued dancing as if I didn't exist.

A thought ran through my head, something that I hadn't noticed before. He knew my name. My actual name is not Emery, not Mia, but he had called me Emelia. My head slowly turned to face him. I thought about keeping my mouth shut and not thinking anything of it. But my curiosity got the better of me.

"You didn't call me Emery." I regretted asking as soon as the words escaped my lips.

"Why would I? It's not your name." He smiled. Oh God, his smile made me melt.

"But why? Nobody calls me by my name."

"Well, as alpha, it's my job to know the names of my pack members, right? Plus, I don't tend to call people nicknames. I prefer addressing someone by their name." He admitted.

The realization of something else had just dawned on me, due to the fact that I was in so much pain and wanted nothing more than to get home before Blake and Victoria. I hadn't realized that the moment Noah and Riley had left, Liam was almost like a completely different person.

Instead of the cold-hearted, cruel person he was on a regular basis, he was being nice to me. Offering me a ride home and making simple conversation with me. Even calling me by my actual name. What the fuck?

"Maybe you should just be happy that he isn't acting like his brother." Lyla's comment made me smile. "He is sexy, though, isn't he, Emmie? I can only imagine the things he can do."

"As sexy as he is, he's still a Fox. Future Alpha. He's not worth the trouble, Lyla. I'm not even that attracted to him." I retorted.

"Bitch, you just agreed that he was sexy." Her remark made me blush.

"You know what, Lyla? He is not into me, and even if he was, it would never happen, will never happen."

"Emmie.." she said. I ignored her.

"No, don't Emmie me. We are out of here the second we turn eighteen and" I continued.

"EMMIE," she said again, and yet again. Ignored.

"Once we are finally somewhere we can be safe, we can start searching for our mate and..." my voice started to trail off.

"EMELIA, WILL YOU SHUT UP FOR A GOD DAMN FUCKING SECOND?" Lyla was yelling at me like never before.

"WHAT LYLA?" I shouted back.

"The car stopped. He's staring at you, SMILING." With that, I cut the link we had and turned my head to see that Liam was indeed staring at me. His eyes were soft and...

Full of love? It looked like he was admiring me. The fuck? He must have noticed the confused expression on my face because he opened his mouth and said the craziest and terrifying thing.

"You're pretty cute when you're speaking to your wolf."

My heart is now pounding in my chest, the fear emanating from me.

"W-what did you just say?" my voice trembling. I could feel my body start to shake, and my breathing started to quicken.

"I said," He leaned in closer.

"You. Are. Cute. When. Speaking. To. Your. Wolf." He said. His smile reached his ears. I guess he could see the fear in my eyes as he placed his hand on my shoulder. My body started to relax, and not long after, I stopped shaking. I don't know why his touch is so calming. I feel so protected in his presence. Maybe it was just because of how close he was now, but I couldn't help but let my eyes wander. His beautiful baby blue eyes were locked on mine. His lips were still in a mischievous grin, and his hand had now moved from my shoulder to the back of my neck.

"Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me." He whispered. His hand still lingering, tracing circles on my skin. It felt electric.

"H-how" was all I could muster

"You're eyes are gorgeous. They get lighter in color when we speak to our wolves," he explained. "Your deep brown eyes, they turn hazel when you go into your link."

Did he just call me gorgeous?

"They are... captivating," he claimed as he inched closer to my face. Our lips are only centimeters apart. If one of us even flinches, our lips would crash into each other. I tried pulling my head back to put a little space between us.

"NO," he growled. "Don't," his voice softening into a plea, "Don't back away," he begged.

"But," I tried to persuade him to let go.

"I've always wondered..." His eyes flickered between black and blue. Was his wolf trying to come out? It wasn't until I noticed his eyes had become such a light blue they were almost white. I guess that's what he meant; he must be communicating with his wolf.

While he was distracted by his mind link, I managed to slip out of his grasp, and just before I could reach the door, his hand snaked around my neck again and pulled me to him. My head spins around, then boom.

His lips crashed on mine. I wanted to protest and push off of him, but I couldn't. His lips were so soft. He tasted like sweet honey. His hand caressed my cheek, sending tingles through my skin. The butterflies in my stomach fluttered mercilessly.

As he deepened the kiss, I wrapped my arms around his neck, allowing his to travel to my waist.

What is happening!

I manage to pull away just enough to see his eyes. Lyla whimpered in my head, and so did Liam. Strange.

"Liam.. I have to get home. I have chores and homework."

His eyes are so alluring, I almost get sucked back into his touch.

"As you wish, moonbeam."

My head snaps up, and rage replaces every emotion I was feeling with that one word. Moonbeam, my mother's nickname for me. I can feel my anger seeping through my entire body. I tense up and start howling.

"Don't call me that!" I growl. "Nobody calls me that!"

"Emelia..?"

"No! Nobody calls me that!" And with that, I fly out of the car. Looking around, I notice we are in an open field. One that I know too well. I come here when Lyla needs to come out for a little while.

I shift and take off running, Lyla taking over, weaving through the bushes and trees blocking our way. No one was allowed to call me moonbeam. No one but mom, and she's gone.

I can hear Liam yelling out for me, but I ignore him.

Coming to the edge of the field, I'm stopped by a large black wolf, Liam.

Lyla is growling, baring her teeth. She's about to pounce to get around him when Liam shifts back. Oh Goddess, seeing him shift back took me aback, but this. This is just cruel, Goddess. Liam, now fully naked, walks towards Lyla. The closer Liam got, the more Lyla caved.

"Lyla, run! Go get us out of here!" I'm clearly talking to a wall.

Once Liam is close enough to put his hand on Lyla's head, she buckles. She lies on the ground and whimpers!

"YOU TRAITOR!"Yup, still talking to a wall.

"What's your name?" Liam asks through the link he had with every pack member.

"Lyla," her response is too quick and cheerful.

"Lyla, can you please give Emelia control again?"

"As if she would ever..." I thought, but just before I could finish my own fucking thought, Lyla started shifting back.

Bitch.

"Wow, Lyla is beautiful," Liam says, staring at me. Then his eyes start to wander around my body.

"This is why I didn't want to shift back, asshole," I yell at Lyla

"Oh no. Really? Well, I am. So. Sorry." She is such a sarcastic bitch.

I'm just realizing that Liam is still staring at me.

"Look, I just want to go home, okay? Please just let me go." I start to walk past him when, YET AGAIN, he grabs my wrist and stops me from leaving.

"I have spare clothes, if you want them."

"No, Liam, I don't want to smell like you." At those words, his face falls, and I feel a pang in my chest.

"Fine, I'll take the clothes. But I want to walk from here," I negotiate.

"Deal," he smiles proudly, as if he's won a battle.

I wait for him to come back with the clothes, wondering what happened in the car. And how it happened. I thought he hated me.

Just then, he appeared, with a very oversized shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

"Thank you"

Once the clothes are on, it doesn't take long for his scent to hit me. Making me almost fall to my knees. It was intoxicating.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you back there." I hear the pain in his voice

"No, it's not that. It's just..."

"My mom is the only one allowed to call me that," I explained. "She was..." I could feel tears beginning.

"I'm sorry." his apology was sincere.

"I'm gonna get home, I have chores to get done." Goddess knows where I'll be if I don't get those done.

"Okay, Emelia." Just as I'm about to say goodbye, his arm extends, and his hands catch my cheeks. He pulls me in for one last kiss.

"Fuck" he groans

And before I get caught in his spell again, I turn on my feet and begin running home.

As I walk up to the house, I see Axel is already home, but his parents aren't. I feel a little relief, but that is quickly pushed aside as I hear Axel's voice from behind me.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN"