If he was able to mate with the one wolf he wanted to, he’d never see his mate pregnant. Though, honestly, he’d be happy with that. He and Alec could adopt, and they’d raise their children alongside Hunter and Becca’s.
Only Alec refused to mate with him, and Liam wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready to give himself to someone else like that.
There were reasons things were the way they were, even if they ended up hating each other in the end.
When Hunter pulled away, Becca frowned at Liam. “What have you done to yourself now?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
Hunter let out a growl, but Alec answered. “He got into another unsanctioned fight and let that weasel Michael get in a few good shots. Meaning, Liam’s bleeding, and he’s still not the Beta.”
Liam growled low and deadly. “Alec.”
“Not now,” Becca said sternly. She might not be a wolf, but her powers as a healer and leprechaun and the Alpha’s mate with magic of her own was immense. He wasn’t about to mess with her. “Fawkes and Leslie are out back with the twins, Hazel. Why don’t you go play with Lavender and Raven and let me heal your uncle Liam? They’re in wolf form if you want to change and play as a pup.”
Hazel wiggled down from Alec’s arms and ran past her parents, stripping off her clothes as she went. Becca rolled her eyes at her daughter’s antics and smiled. He wasn’t surprised that Fawkes and Leslie were at the Alpha’s home. The demon, Fawkes, had lived with Hunter when he’d first left the hell realm. The two of them had a history, and when the demon mated Leslie, they’d helped watch Hazel, preparing for their own future children.
Thankfully, with a trick of fate, the twins had turned wolf and not demon. Though Leslie was a submissive wolf, and Fawkes was a very dominant demon, the kids had ended up shifters and not demons. Liam was grateful for that, considering the sacrifice demons had to make at a certain point during their lives.
Becca cleared her throat, and Liam shook his head, aware that he’d been letting his thoughts wander rather than dealing with what he needed to.
“Get inside and take off your shirt,” Becca said.
Liam opened his mouth to say something, and she cut him off.
“And don’t make a joke,” she snapped. “I’m pissed off at you, and I’ll use my magic to kick your ass if you don’t sit down and shut up.” With that, she stormed back into the house, and Liam followed her, aware that Hunter’s gaze rested on him.
Alec glared as well, and Liam had a feeling this talk might kill him.
Slowly.
Once he was in the living room and seated, Becca used her powers to heal him. It wasn’t perfect, and it hurt like hell. His shoulder stopped aching, and his mouth quit bleeding. Normally, Hunter would have let him lick his wounds and deal with it. However, the Alpha apparently had a plan for him.
“What is it?” Liam asked, gritting his teeth as Becca finished up. “You wanted me healthy for a reason.”
Hunter snorted. “If you would stop getting yourself hurt, it would make things easier. Or maybe if one of you would step up and actually help me lead this Pack, I wouldn’t have to pull rank right now.”
Liam straightened his shoulders. “Excuse me?”
Hunter flipped him off, and Becca shook her head at the three of them. “You’re not excused. I need a Beta and a Tracker in this Pack. We haven’t had a Tracker in over a decade, and it’s past time. We’re long-lived, I get that, and sometimes, Packs go for a century or more before positions are filled. But I’m tired of this. My mate is about to give birth again, and I don’t want my children unprotected. I could choose who I want and have that choice made in a ceremonial fight. We know this. And yet, the two people I know can stand by my side won’t.”
Alec glared, and Liam had the grace to feel ashamed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help…it was that he wasn’t ready…wasn’t sure what he wanted.
“I don’t know what is going on between the two of you. Whatever it is, it’s affecting the Pack,” Hunter growled.
“Hunter,” Becca admonished softly.
Liam and Alec were silent. Of course, they were silent. God forbid they actually speak to one another about the tension that had been riding them and undermining their friendship for years.
“It’s none of your business.”
Alec’s low growl surprised Liam, and he turned to his friend at his words. He hadn’t expected Alec to say anything, and yet…
And yet Liam had known walking into the house that things were about to change.
“I need a Beta and a Tracker,” Hunter repeated. “If I don’t choose soon, I’ll have to let the sanctioned fights begin, and we’ll end up with others at my side. Where will our Pack be then, guys?” He ran a hand over his face, his body weary. “I’m tired. I lived through hell. Literally. And yet you guys are sending me to the brink of hell again.”
Hunter met Alec’s gaze, then Liam’s.
“I know it’s technically none of my business as Alpha what goes on between you. However, you’re also my best friends, and if you can’t figure out how to deal with the…tension…then I don’t know what happens next.” Hunter paused. “And because I’m not only your friend, I’m also Alpha, I need to protect the Pack as well as both of you. So, I’m sending the two of you away on a mission.”
Liam stood quickly. “What the hell?”
Becca gave him a sad look before putting her hand on her mate’s knee. “Let him finish, Liam. Please.”
He didn’t sit. However, he did keep his mouth shut. His wolf pushed at him, needing to fight something because it couldn’t do anything else.
“There’s a rogue wolf in the human realm, and it killed a person.”
Liam blinked. His wolf clawed at him, wanting to protect, to search. “What?”
“You heard me,” Hunter snapped. “We aren’t the only Pack on the outskirts of the human realm. We are the closest, though. And while lone wolves are out there, they’re rare. No wolf is allowed to go rogue and kill humans. That’s our number one law.”
“What do you need us to do?” Alec asked. His best friend stood so he was shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Liam did his best not to shiver at the slight contact.
“Find the rogue,” Hunter ordered. “Take care of it if you have to. Bring him back here if it’s an option. Take care of it.” He paused. “And figure out how to work side by side like you used to do, or things will have to change when you get back. I don’t want to lose either of you. If whatever is going on between you makes it so neither of you can be my Beta or Tracker, then maybe we need another answer.”
Liam’s heart kicked at the thought of not being in his Pack…of not being with Alec even as Packmates.
“We’ll find your rogue,” Liam said after a moment. “We won’t let you down.”
Hunter met his gaze. “Good. Because you’re both my right hands, and I can’t imagine running this Pack without you.”
Liam nodded, aware that Alec wasn’t looking at him. However, he could sense his best friend at his side. Quiet. Unyielding. Like always.