CHAPTER FIFTY–ONE

LIANA’S POV

“A werewolf.”

I froze.

“A what?b” /b

My dad looked straight into my eyes, and my heart dropped as soon as the words came out of his mouth. “You’re a Liana.”

werewolf,

I blinked, stunned. “B–but… howb?/bb” /bI could barely form the words. b“/bI’m a human. all my life I’ve always believed I was a human

He gave a slow nod, his face filled with regret. b“/bbYou /bare. But you’re not fully human,” he said quietlyb, /blike even he didn’t want to hear himself bsay /bit. b“/bYou’re a werewolf too.”

bMy /bknees felt weak. I staggered a little while looking at Killian, panic crawling into my voice. “Of which packb?/bb” /bI snapped. You mentioned you lead a pack, right? bSo /bam I a werewolf from your pack? Huh? Just make me understand, because right bnow /bit feels like my whole life has been a fucking lie. I don’t even know what to think about myself anymoreb. /bI’m… I’m just lost. So tell meb, /bwhich packb?/bb” /b

”

I turned toward Killian, hoping, praying for something that would make sense. b“/bKillian, am I part of your packb? /bThe one byou /bleadb?/bb” /b

But bit /bbwasn’t /bKillian who answered.

b“/bbNo/bb,/bb” /bbmy /bdad bcut /bin, b“/bbNot /bhis. It’s a different pack.b” /b

I stared at him, my bvoice /bcracking. “What packb?/bb” /b

He bdidn’t /banswer.

b“/bbThat’s /ball in the pastb,/b” he muttered, looking baway/b.

“The pastb?/bb” /bbI /byelled, my whole chest tightening. “What fucking past? Tell me everything I need to bknow /babout my life now. Who byou /bbreally /bbare/bb… /bbAre /bbyou /balso a werewolf? Huh? Dad, answer me! Who did I take it from? From Mom bor /bfrom byou/bb?!/bb” /b

bMy /bbstepmom /bbmoved /bbito /i/bbcalm /bmeb, /bcing a hand on my arm. “Lianab, /bplease. bJust /bcalm down.“.

b“/bbNo/bb! /bbDon’t /bbtell /bme to bcalm /bdown!b” /bI bsnapped/bb, /byanking baway/bb. /bb“/bbI /bwant banswers/b. bI /bneed answers.”

bMy /bbdad /bbsat /bdown bheavily on /bbthe /barmrest of the bcouch /blike the bweight /bof bmy /bbquestions /bwas suffocating him. His hands shookb, /band his eyes bdarted /bbeverywhere /bbbut /bbtoward /bmine.

“Was bmy /bbmom /ba werewolfb? /bbIs /bthat bit/b?b” /b

He hesitated. bLooked /bbdown/b. Then bmuttered/b, b“/bYesb./bb” /b

1 blinked b“/bWhatb?/bb” /b

b“/bYes,” he brepeated /bslowly. “She bwas/b… something like that.b” /b

“Something like bthat/bb?/bb” /bI said, nearly choking bon /bbmy /bown bdisbelief/b. “You’re seriously doing this right nowb? /b‘Something like that?‘ You either are or byou’re /bnot! What bthe /bbhell /bbdoes /bthat even mean?!”

He rubbed his btemples /bhard. “She was part of a pack… bbut /bbI /bbdon’t /bremember which one-

b“/bbYou /bdon’t remember?” I cut in, seething. “You were married to her. You had a child bwith /bher. And byou /bdon’t beven /bremember

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her packb?/b”

He stood upb, /bfrustrated. “Okay. Fine bI /bremember, but It doesn’t matter now!”

“It does matterb!/b” I screamed, my throat burning. “Dad, please tell me. It’s my life! Why are byou /bhiding this from meb?! /bWhat are byou /bso afraid ofb?!/bb” /b

He ran his hands through his hair and finally burst out, b“/bI’m just trying to protect byou/b, Liana. You won’t understand.

I stared at him, my entire body trembling. “Protect me from what?! You keep saying that over band /bover but you won’t say from what! What are you protecting me from, Dad?! From the truth?!b” /b

b“/bbYou /bbwon’t /bunderstand,” he said again, voice cracking.

“Then help me understand!” I shouted. “You lied to me my entire life! You let me grow up feeling like with me! bYou /bnever said anything! Never even hinted! That was so cruel dad. So so cruel!”

“It was for the best,” he whispered, eyes rimmed with tears. “I didn’t want to lose you.”

b“/bbYou /bwill if you don’t tell me the truth dad!” I said coldly, stepping back.

something was wrong

My stepmom was crying too bnow/b. She rushed to him again, kneeling beside him. “Liana, please… he’s not readyb. /bHe’s not strong enough for this.”

b“/bNot readyb?/bb” /bI repeated with a hollowugh, wiping the tears off bmy /bface. “He’s had YEARS to be ready. Why does he still

need more time? What exactly is he hiding that bI /bcan’t know? Huh?”

He looked up at meb, /bred–eyed and shaking. “I’m just trying to protect you… That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

I felt blike /bI bwas /bgoing to explode. “Stop bsaying /bthat! bJust /bstopb! /bbProtect /bmeb? /bbYou’re /bnot protecting me. You’re breaking me.

bYou’re /bconfusing the hell out of me. bYou’re /bmaking me feel blike /bI’m crazyb!/bb” /b

“Killian, pleaseb… /btake her baway/bb,/bb” /bmy stepmom said gently, beyes /bfull of pity.

b“/bbNo!/b” bI /bscreamed, crying harderb. /bb“/bbI’m /bnot leaving until he gives me the truth. I deserve that much!b” /b

Killian reached out slowlyb, /bhis voice low but steady. “Liana… you’re in pain. Let me btake /bbyou /bsomewhere calm. Please. bJust /b

bfor /bnow. We’ll bfigure /bit out together.”

bI /bshook my head, blips /btremblingb, /bbut I couldn’t bsay /bno anymore. My chest hurtb, /bmy head bwas /bthrobbing, and my whole world

bfelt /bas if it bwas /btilting. bSo /bI let him lead me baway/bb. /b

And the bmoment /bbwe /bgot binto /bthe car and the bdoor /bshut, I copsed.

b“/bbIt’s /bbnot /bfairb!/bb” /bbI /bscreamed, punching the seat with everything I had left. b“/bWhy bme/bb?! /bWhy bwon’t /bhe tell meb?! /bWhy did he lie to meb, /b

Killianb?! /bbMy /bwhole life has been a damn lieb, /band now that I bwant /bthe truth, bhe /bhides behind I’m trying bto /bprotect byou/b! He’s bnot /beven btrying /bto bexin/b! bI /bbfeel /blost! bI /bbfeel /bso damn lostb, /bKillianb!/bb” /b

He bdidn’t /bbsay /banything. He didn’t bneed /bbto/b. bHe /bbpulled /bme into him, let me cry into his chest, held me like I was the bmost /bfragile

thing bin /bbthe /bbworld/b.

“bI’m /bbsorry/bb,/bb” /bhe whispered binto /bbmy /bbhair/b. b“/bI’m so sorryb, /bLiana.”

He drove me to his hotelb, /bbheld /bbmy /bbhand /bthe bwhole /bway. Didn’t bsay /bbmuch/b. He bknew /bbI /bbneeded /bbspace/bb. /bbHe /bbknew /bbI /bbneeded /bsilence.

bWhen /bbwe /bbgot /bbto /bthe room, bI /bbdidn’t /beven make bit /bbto /bthe bed bproperly/b. I sank bto /bbthe /bbedge/bb, /bbmy /blegs bweak, /bbmy /bthroat bsore/bb, /bbmy /bbheart /baching in a way I had bnever /bbknown/b.

Killian sat beside bme/bb, /bbpulling /bbme /bbinto /bbhis /bbarms/bb, /bbstroking /bmy hair bgently/b.

b“/bbYou’re /bsafe hereb,/b” he whispered, his blips /bbrushing bmy /bbforehead/b. b“/bbI /bpromiseb, /bbyou’re /bbsafe/bb./bb” /b