Chapter 17
Ciara.
Tears were streaming down my face as I was being led away against my will.
"Please, let me go," I begged, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.
My eyes met with Liam's just as we neared the gate, and he looked away only to look back at me a few seconds later.
"Let her go!" his voice thundered, echoing through the palace.
"Liam, I'll sort things out. Don't do this," Alpha Rowland said, but Liam ignored his father and took heavy steps to meet us.
Alpha Seaman frowned, unsatisfactorily. "What do you want now? If you don't leave right this minute, I'll forget you're my friend's son and send you to the great beyond," he threatened. "Try doing so," Liam dared him.
"What?"
Liam tore off his sleeve and threw it to the ground. "I accept your challenge. Let's have a duel," he stated.
"Li... Liam," I stuttered.
"It's a fight to the death. I won't hesitate to kill you. You do know that, right?" Alpha Seaman asked.
"I also won't hesitate to end you. As long as you let Ciara be, I don't mind risking my life," Liam sounded determined.
"You... you can't possibly-"
"I can do whatever the fuck I want to," he cut in, throwing me off balance.
"Let the girl go. The game is on," Alpha Seaman commanded his guards and drew out his sword in preparation for battle as Liam's father staggered backwards, holding onto his chest.
Alden and Blake held him and led him to the verandah, assuring him that everything would go well. I tried to stop Liam, but he wasn't backing down and my heart began to pound heavily looking at the chaos I had created.
I should have never kicked so strongly against being taken away. I had wanted to unite Liam and his family, but ended up being the reason Liam might not exist tomorrow. It would be a wound that will eat deep into me and haunt me forever. "Please, goddess, please, help Liam," I whispered silently, offering a prayer.
The wind came blowing strongly, picking up dirt particles, of which some got into my eyes, and soon, it began to drizzle.
With their swords drawn, Liam and Alpha Seaman faced each other, ready for combat.
"This is for Mason!" Alpha Seaman roared, rushing towards Liam and swinging his sword first.
Liam managed to dodge it, but stumbled and rolled onto the floor, narrowly avoiding getting hit by another swing aimed at him.
He sprang up with a grunt, and ducked under Alpha Seaman's next blow, before grabbing his arm with both hands and yanking him hard.
Alpha Seaman staggered as his sword clattered to the floor, and Liam used that as an opportunity to pick up the sword and send it flying over the fence.
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Enraged, Alpha Seaman punched his fist against Liam's cheekbone, which sent him sprawling onto the ground once again, as he began to bleed profusely from his nose.
Liam tried getting up a few times, but every time, the angry Alpha would kick him in the stomach and send him to the ground, gasping for breath.
"I am going to make you regret what you did and watch you die slowly!" Alpha Seaman threatened before rushing at Liam with a knife he had brought out of his pocket, with his face contorted with rage.
The rain had increased to a downpour as Liam managed to roll away just in time to escape the slice of the knife. He was then able to get back on his feet, and as Alpha Seaman tried turning around, he made him trip over his foot, so that he came crashing down to his knees.
"Stop this madness already, Liam. You can't win!" his father yelled, trying to make things end before it was too late.
Alpha Seaman's eyes angrily met with Liam's determined gaze, and howling the loudest I had ever heard, his flesh morphed into his wolf form, with his bones cracking as his claws shot out of his nails and his fangs sprang from his mouth. "Uh-oh," I said.
The wolf was an enormous black wolf with brown stripes, a giant tail and deadly eyes. I hadn't seen anything quite like it. Liam was doomed.
However, Liam wasn't afraid. His eyes lit up like he had been expecting this, and he raised the blade of his sword defensively.
Alpha Seaman's wolf leapt forward and pounced on Liam, biting and clawing at him relentlessly. Liam groaned with all his might, and with one last effort, he thrust his sword directly into the side of the wolf, forcing Alpha Seaman to shift back to his human form, landing on his back.
Liam then stood back up and placed his foot on Alpha Seaman's abdomen.
"I have failed my son," Alpha Seaman lamented, with tears welling up in his eyes.
"I am truly sorry about your loss, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," Liam said, throwing down the sword.
"You... you won't fulfil the aim of fighting to the death by taking my life?" Alpha Seaman was surprised, as I was as well as the others.
"Two wrongs don't make a right. I can't leave the Mystic Pack without an Alpha," Liam said, and then extended his hand to Alpha Seaman, who looked at it in disbelief for a while before accepting it.
"I'll repay you someday," Alpha Seaman said with gratitude before looking over at Alpha Rowland, who was breathing freely now in relief. "You've raised a good son, dear friend. I'll be on my way now," he said.
"Thank you. Won't you like to stay and spend the night in the palace?" Alpha Rowland asked.
Alpha Seaman shook his head in the negative. "Not tonight. I must go and mourn my son. Farewell, old friend," he said, before turning around and leaving.
"Ciara," I heard Blake call and looked up to see him, but before he could get to where I was standing and waiting for him, Liam rushed towards me and pulled me into a warm embrace.
"I thought I would lose you forever. Don't you try to leave me again," he said, and with that, he pulled me away from his chest and tilting his head, he placed a kiss on my lips. I closed my eyes, kissing him back until I could feel someone's eyes
on me.
My eyes flew open, and it was only when I saw Blake grit his teeth and storm off furiously that I regained my senses and broke off the kiss.
"You can't just treat me like I'm nothing, then turn around to kiss me," I yelled at Liam.
"Ciara_"
"Blake!" I screamed, ignoring Liam and running towards Blake just before he disappeared behind the door.
"Stay away from me henceforth," Blake sternly warned without even turning to look at me, before finally walking away and slamming the door shut behind him.