Diamonds and Ice

The village's doctor is out of question. No one must know about this, which leaves no other option but bring Mika to the Governor's Mansion. I have not time to choose when I make the choice to bring him to the wolf pack's residence.

Anxiously, they've been expecting my return. They didn't expect the person with me. Confusion and concern draws all over their faces.

"Who's is this? Where's Liam?" Gabriel frowns at the deception.

"This is Mika, my friend from the village. On the way back, the mountain men killed the coachman and took me captive. Mika helped me escape, but he got shot before we could get on the horse. That's when Liam showed up. He held them back and told us to go,"

"I never heard Liam talk about any Mika," Marie, the outspoken Omega doesn't like my alibi.

"There's a reason why. There's plenty more to explain, but please help him," I beg.

Gabriel pauses and stares at me. In that short silent moment he lets my emotions run through his and then gives a nod of approval. I pass his check. The family's doctor steps in and has a group of men help him carry Mika into his care. Unconscious and completely clueless of his whereabout, he's up for a big surprise when he wakes up.

"He's in good care now. Don't worry, Victoria," Scarlet's warm touch sets in on my shoulder.

"What about Liam? What should we do?" maintaining near his mate, Chance looks on to the Beta in training.

"We all go look for him, except you Victoria. You're in charge of your friend," Gabriel states the obvious thing to do.

"Should we tell out fathers?" Marie suggests.

"No, not yet. I want to find out the whole story first," deep in thought, Gabriel presses his fist to his chin.

The uneasiness of keeping a secret shifts in his eyes.

"I've got your story!" the front doors come flying open and someone new joins the conversation.

A man with a limp enters, a smell of dried blood follows.

"Liam! Thank God you're back!" happy Gabriel opens his arms, ready to embrace the future Alpha's return.

"You're going to love this one," Liam returns the hug.

"What on God's good green earth are your wearing?" all in good fun, he teases Liam's uncharacteristic choice of clothing.

"I ruined my shirt and pants, so I had to borrow this. I had to choose, it was either me wearing the hunter's coat or him wearing me."

"Wise choice," Chance greets him next.

"Liam, you're bleeding," Gabriel takes note of what trouble is underneath.

"The hunters," he explains. "They went after Victoria, so I went after them."

"Those bastards," Chance curses them. "At least you got them."

"I didn't get them all. Sooner or later, they'll regroup."

"Until then, you should rest."

I wait patently for his family to finish, but it's hard to hold back. The entire time riding here, I was so worried about him.

Liam approaches me, but his smile isn't enough to put my worries to sleep, "Are you okay?" he looks up and down at me.

"Am I okay? Are you okay?" I cry and laugh.

What silliness this is that a man who's been shot multiple times is asking me if I'm okay.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just need to see the doctor for a bit," Liam winks, trying to lighten my spirits.

"Umm, doctor is busy right now. You're going to have to wait," Marie folds her hands.

"Are father and uncle okay?" Liam tenses up.

"Oh no, both Alpha and Beta are in fine health," she drags on the explanation, then look at me.

This is my time to speak up.

"He's seeing Mika. The wounded boy who was with me that night."

Liam stares at me, trying to give the benefit of a doubt for my choice. His silence begs for more information, so that he could plan his appropriate reaction.

"Liam, it's not what it seems. Mika tricked them. After the hunters captured me he helped me get away," I try to explain.

"I'm not so sure, Victoria. I don't think he let you escape out of some righteous virtue or sympathy. Something else played in his decision that night."

"Liam, please. He's not out to get you,"

"Even if it true, it's not so simple. Mika can't stay here. He needs to leave. That's final," Liam looks up at his Beta in training.

Gabriel understands and with a quick nod leaves to carry out the order.

"But he's hurt, badly. Why won't you help him?"

Frustrated that I'm blind to his point of view, Liam shakes his head. "I don't know why. Maybe because, I have a thing against inviting anyone who tries to kill me into my home. The place where my family works, sleeps, eats, and plays."

This is as far as he's willing to entertain this conversation and enters the west hallway. The butler helps his master take off the coat and runs off to dispose of the disgusting thing.

"Marie, I need you to follow Victoria's carriage trail and retrieve the coachman's body. He'll have a proper burial at the village's cemetery. Also, don't forget the documents that got left behind. They still need my father's signature. Chance, I need you to make all of the funeral arrangements for the man. Scarlet, get rid of the horses that Miss Sterling and I rode on!" Liam doesn't let his wounds forget the pressing matters and orders immediate actions.

"Yes, Liam. We're on it," Chance nods, ready to make sure that the commands are followed through.

The rest of the pack understands the urgency just the same and disperses.

Except for Marie.

All alone, I'm left at her mercy.

"How could you?" she trembles with anger.

"He was trying to help me. I couldn't just let him die," I plead for her understanding.

"So you killed us all instead," but there's none.

"No," I protest.

"They'll find your trail and it will lead them here. This mission to divert them is a complete failure because of you."

I refuse to believe that this is it. "There must be something I can do!"

"You've done enough! You're the loose end that will bring them straight to our door!" she puts me in my place, then turns away to catch up with the pack.

All loyalty is at Liam's feet, but mine is under question. They let me in and I've let them down.

"He should have just let those hunters kill you both," it pains her to admit it.

It pains me more to hear it.