The Broken Warrior’s Daughter

Chapter 0141

| watch as Rik turns and heads back to the packhouse. | feel like part of my heart. is leaving with him. | watch until | can’t see him any longer before turning back to my house and Liam.

“Liam.” | say again. His smile is a welchello and | walk into his arms and give him a hug. “So, you and Rik, huh? What happened to waiting for me?”

| smack his chest. “Yes, Rik and | are dating. And not that it's any of your business, but he’s been a complete gentleman about my limits.”

“Your limits? Is that why his smell is all over you and your house?”

“Did you chere to interrogate me, Liam?” | ask, my temper flaring. He has been gone and has no right to askthese questions.

“No. | just wasn’t expecting to chere and smell him all over you. | don’t even smell your father, only the two of you, and it kind of setoff. | apologize. Can we start over?”

I smile at him. “Of course. Cin. Are you hungry? I’ve already eaten but | can make you something.”

“I'm good.” He says.

“I'll be right back.” | run upstairs and put on sclothes. When | return, | pull a beer out of the fridge. “Beer?” “Sure.” He says and | pop the top on two beers, and we head to the living room.

“What have you been up to? | heard you were looking for Eli Gunnar?”

He takes a sip of his beer, resting his hand on my knee. “He continues to elude me. I’ve been so close so many times. But he can only run so far so fast, and | have my best trackers out hunting him.” He says before taking a sip of beer. Then he looks at me. “So, where is your father?”

I give him an update on my tin the Fae land, what | learned about my parents and their wolves, and finally end with my father staying on to give them the story of Donovan and Andra.

“Wow! That’s a lot. What do you think about your mother’s wolf spirit? Where do you think she could be?” I shrug. “Ailduin thinks she may be hiding in the human world, but | don’t know. +15 BONOS

If Ailduin’s theory is correct, it means that Andra’s spirit knows about Artemis being her daughter. | can’t see her staying away for any reason. Not for thirteen years.”

He looks thoughtful as he ponders what I’ve said. “That makes sense. So, what? You think sAlpha has her prisoner somewhere? That would be hard to hide. for this long.”

“I'm not sure, but wherever she is, | think she’s being held against her will. | don’t think she could know about Artemis and stay away. | know Donovan’s spirit wouldn't.”

We finish our beers and | get us another round. We continue catching each other up on our life events since our la

meeting. “I have to go back out. | have to keep searching for him until | find him.” He says. Then looks at me. “But | will be here for your birthday. It’s a big day and | wouldn't miss it.”

He smiles atthen leans in and very gently kisseson the lips. The feelings that it used to bring to the surface when he kisseddon’t come. It could be a brother givinga peck on the lips or my father. There is nothing romantically responsive in me for Liam. He feels like family, whereas Rik feels like everything.

Liam recognizes the change in me. He can see that I’m not responsive to his advances like | have been in the past. He stands, givinghis hand to help met up. We drop the empty beer bottles on the island as we walk to the door.

As he opens the door, he turns. “Don’t give up onyet Cara. Please. Wait until your birthday. My feelings for you haven't changed. | would be a good mate to you. Even if we aren't fated mates, | would take care of you and make you happy.”

| lean in and give him a hug. “I know you would Liam, and I’m not making any decisions until my birthday. | promise.”

With that, he turns and heads out the door. | stand on the front porch and wave as he drives away. The problem is, while my head agrees to waiting, neither my heart nor Artemis agree. They both want Rik.

After Liam leaves, | take a shower. | know Rik will cover. He’s here every night and has been since we returned. | don’t want him to be uncomfortable because | have Liam's scent on me.

When | call him to let him know Liam is gone, he arrives as fast as Kai can get him there. When he walks in, he immediately pulls me in for a hug, sniffing my

hair.

“You showered.”

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I smile up at him. “I did. | didn’t want you upset if his scent lingered on me.” He nods and | can see the concern in his eyes. He’s worried that | still have feelings for Liam. It couldn’t be any farther from the truth.

“Nothing happened between us. | want you to know that. That’s not why | showered. And you should also know, my feelings for Liam have changed. He feels like an older brother. Someone that will always be there forif | need him.”

| begin walking backward, toward the stairs, pulling him with me. “My feelings for you, however, are anything but familial. What | feel for you is....” | take his hand and | put it against my heart. “It’s here.” | take his other hand and | put it against my stomach. “And it’s here.”

| take a step up as he watchesintently. “My feelings for you are so deep and so strong that | don’t know how to even put them into words. But | know how | can show you.”

| crook my finger at him, asking him to lean in. When he gets close, | run my nose up his neck, to his ear, feeling him shiver as | smell my favorite scent in the world. “I’m very hungry Alpha, and | want brownies. Letshow you how much | want you.”

As he growled in pleasure, | turned and ran up the stairs. He catchesjust as | get to the door and | proceed to show him exactly how much | love the taste of brownies.

Cooper Author

+16 BONOS