Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 190: The Wolf and the Witch

Chapter 190: The Wolf and the Witch

Liam’s P.O.V.

I folded my arms and eyed Mai suspiciously. "So, you and Ollie aren’t plotting some elaborate bullying scheme to deal with me?"

Mai snorted, her silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "Did you not hear a single word I just said, or are you acting stupid on purpose?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Oh, I heard you. Loud and clear. You need me. You, the terrifying Mai Blackwood, can’t function without me. Got it."

"Good. Then let me say it again for the slow ones in the back—I need you like I need the air I breath." She leaned in, her smirk fading slightly. "So I would never hurt the one person my sanity depends on."

A strange chill ran down my spine, and I swallowed. She was being serious. Like, deadly serious. And that was somehow more terrifying than if she had just threatened my life.

I scoffed, shifting uncomfortably. "Fine. Whatever. Now, can you let me go home? I’d rather not have my parents wake up and find out their son mysteriously vanished overnight."

Mai hummed in thought. "Hmm. Okay."

That was too easy. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"But," she added, pointing a sharp finger at me, "you have to promise me again. If you ignore me, we’ll be back in this cave, and I will make sure we start this all over again."

I groaned. "I heard you the first time. You don’t need to be so clingy, it’s weird."

Mai burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking. Then, to my complete and utter horror, she pulled me into a hug.

I froze.

Every muscle in my body went stiff as her arms wrapped around me. What the hell? Was this some new form of psychological warfare?

And then—she kissed my forehead.

My breath hitched. Mai didn’t seem to notice—or maybe she didn’t care.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice oddly soft, before pulling away like nothing had happened. "Alright. Let’s go home. The barrier’s down."

I blinked. My brain was short-circuiting. "Did you just—"

She turned away. "What? Come on, slowpoke."

I stood there for a moment, trying to shake off the haze, before finally moving toward the entrance of the cave. I reached out, half expecting to smack into the invisible force field that had kept me trapped here for hours.

Nothing. It was really gone.

I turned back to Mai. "Okay. Let’s go."

She nodded, and together, we stepped out of the cave.

The night air was crisp, wrapping around me like a cool blanket. The stars twinkled above us, pouring their silver light over the trees. We walked in silence for a few minutes, the forest was alive with the quiet hum of nocturnal creatures.

Then curiosity got the better of me.

"So... how did you even get me into that cave in the first place?"

Mai chuckled. "A magician never reveals her secrets. And besides, I’m feeling too lazy to do it again."

I rolled my eyes. "You’re way too mysterious for your own good."

She smirked. "Thank you, that means so much to me."

I huffed, shaking my head. "We should shift and run home. It’ll be faster."

I expected a sarcastic reply, maybe even a playful shove. What I didn’t expect was for Mai to freeze mid-step.

The air around her changed. The playful ease disappeared, replaced by something colder, darker. Anger flickered across her face, but beneath it, I saw something else. Something raw.

Sadness.

Confused, I frowned. "Mai?"

She clenched her fists. "Why do werewolves always think shifting solves everything?" Her voice was sharp, but her eyes—her eyes were stormy.

"What?" I blinked, taken aback.

"Or, are you trying to show off your weak, insignificant wolf?" she snapped.

I felt the words like a harsh slap across my face.

A sharp gasp escaped me as a fire I hadn’t felt in years roared to life inside my chest.

"Weak? Insignificant?"

North, my wolf, erupted with fury, his rage surging through my veins like wildfire.

"Did she just call me weak?" His voice snarled in my head, filled with barely contained wrath.

I swallowed hard. "North, calm down—"

"Calm down?" he roared. "She insulted me. US." His presence burned hotter, a storm raging inside me. "Shift. Let me show her just how ’insignificant’ I am."

My hands clenched at my sides as I forced my breathing steady. Every instinct screamed to let him out, to prove her wrong. But I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction.

Mai’s eyes widened as if she realized what she had just said.

"You—" My throat tightened. "You always find new ways to hurt me. Whether it’s physically or emotionally, you always have to push me down. And I—" My hands curled into fists. "I won’t let you do it anymore."

She opened her mouth, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak.

"I can’t believe I actually believed you back in that cave." My voice shook with frustration, and I turned, ready to storm off.

"Liam, wait—"

A hand grabbed my arm, but I yanked it free.

"I said wait!" Mai’s voice cracked, and I heard something I had never heard from her before—desperation.

I stopped.

"Liam, I’m sorry." Her voice cracked, but I was too angry to care.

She took a step closer. "I said those things without thinking."

I scoffed, "Yeah? Well, that’s not new."

Still facing away from her, I heard her inhale sharply. Then, with a trembling voice, she admitted, "I—I said that because I was jealous."

I turned slowly.

She stood there, her silver eyes wide and uncertain.

"Jealous?" I almost laughed, staring at her. "Jealous of me?"

Mai laughed, but it sounded bitter. "Why wouldn’t I be? You, Liam Rivers, can shift. You can feel your wolf. You don’t know how lucky you are."

My brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

She took a shaky breath. Then she looked me dead in the eyes and whispered, "I can’t shift."

I froze.

"What?"

"You heard me right. I’ve never shifted. Never even felt my wolf."

My head spun. "But—you’re the princess of the pack. The soon-to-be Alpha. How—"

"I don’t know." She exhaled, looking away. "Most werewolves feel their wolf inside them, waiting to be freed. But I don’t. I don’t feel anything."

My stomach twisted.

I knew what shifting meant to a werewolf. It was our identity, our power. And Mai... she had never even felt it?

I scrambled for words. "Mai... that doesn’t mean you won’t. Some wolves shift later. It’s rare, but it happens. I read that even your dad—Alpha Lucian—shifted at eighteen."

She scoffed. I saw her eyes fog with tears, but she refused to let them fall. "No, Liam. I don’t think I have a wolf at all."

Her sadness hit me in waves.

I had never seen her like this. Vulnerable. Exposed.

And suddenly, I understood her a little more.

Without thinking, I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "Don’t say that. I’m sure you have a wolf."

Mai stiffened. "I don’t need your pity," she muttered.

I smiled. "Do you want me to stop hugging you?"

I pretended like I was going to pull away, but before I could fully let go, she grabbed onto me, holding me tighter.

"That doesn’t mean it’s not nice," she mumbled against my shoulder.

I chuckled. "You’re such a kitten."

She huffed but didn’t let go.

After a moment, I finally released her. "Okay, that’s enough."

Mai smirked. "I didn’t want to hug you either."

I rolled my eyes. "Liar."

She didn’t argue.

I sighed. "I need to get home fast."

Mai nodded.

"I’ll shift and give you a ride home."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah." I walked behind a tree, pulling off my clothes. "Don’t peek," I teased.

Mai let out a laugh. "I don’t want to see anything under those clothes."

I grinned. Then, with a deep breath, I shifted.

My gray wolf form padded toward Mai and lowered himself to the ground.

She hesitated before climbing onto my back, her fingers gripping my fur.

I waited for her to adjust—then I ran.

Mai let out a startled squeal, then laughed. "Oh my God, this is amazing!"

I couldn’t believe what was happening.

Mai Blackwood—the girl who had tormented me for years—was riding on my back, laughing like a little kid. Hadn’t she ever had a wolf ride before? From her father or even Ollie?

This all felt bizarre.

But it wasn’t bad.

I ran until my paw felt like they were running on air. By the time we reached the Alpha’s residence, I was almost out of breath. I lowered myself so she could get down.

Mai slid off, her face glowing with excitement. "That," she breathed, "was the most fun I’ve had in years."

She ran her hand through my fur, then, to my utter shock, she placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Good night, Liam," she whispered.

Then, just like that, she turned and walked into her mansion.

I stood there, staring at the house, my heart pounding.

Did that just happen?

After a few moments, I turned and ran home.

And for the first time in years—I didn’t hate the thought of seeing Mai again.

Maybe I really was doomed.

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