Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 246: Unexpected Confrontation

Chapter 246: Unexpected Confrontation

Liam’s P.O.V.

A soft nudge against my ribs pulled me from the warmth of sleep. I groaned, burying my face deeper into the pillow, hoping whoever was disturbing me would take the hint and leave me alone.

No such luck.

"Liam." A familiar voice whispered right next to my ear.

I cracked one eye open to see Mai perched on the couch beside me, her green eyes gleaming with amusement. Her curls framed her face, falling down her shoulders in a way that made her look both angelic and menacing.

"What?" I mumbled, voice hoarse with sleep.

She smirked, completely unbothered by my grogginess. "I have to go home."

That woke me up.

I sat up abruptly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "What? Why?"

Mai sighed, brushing a loose curl behind her ear. "My parents and Ollie have been calling me non-stop. They probably think I got kidnapped."

I frowned. "I’ll take you back."

She shook her head, placing a hand on my chest, stopping me before I could even attempt to get up. "No, Liam. You need to spend time with your family. I feel bad that I’ve been hogging you all to myself."

I gave her a look. "You hog me on a daily basis."

She grinned. "Yeah, and I plan to keep doing that. But just for today, I want you to be with them. I want them to have the chance to really talk to you about us."

I exhaled, understanding what she was trying to do. My parents had been stunned by the revelation of Mai being my mate. Even though they were trying to be supportive, I could see the hesitancy in my mother’s eyes.

Mai must have sensed it too.

She suddenly cupped my face, tilting my chin so that I was forced to look into those fierce green eyes of hers. "Listen, Liam. I’m yours, and I always will be. Forever."

A warmth spread in my chest at her words.

Then she grinned wickedly. "Even if one day, you get tired of me and try to push me away, I’ll stick to you like crazy glue."

I snorted, unable to help the laughter that escaped. "I’m very aware of your clingy tendencies."

She gasped dramatically before smacking my arm. "Excuse you! I’m not clingy. I’m... persistent."

I chuckled, rubbing the spot where she hit me. "Right. Very persistent."

She rolled her eyes but softened again. "My point is, I want you to have this time with them. Let them talk to you. Let them tell you how they really feel. And when you’re ready, come to the banquet. I’ll be waiting for you."

I nodded. "Okay. I’ll let them know you left early."

She smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my cheek. "Good. See you later, mate."

And just like that, she was gone.

The house was eerily quiet after she left, and for a moment, I just sat there, staring at the empty space she had occupied. It was strange how much I had grown used to having her by my side.

But she was right—I needed to talk to my parents.

I was still gathering my thoughts when my mother came downstairs. She paused at the foot of the steps, glancing around before spotting me.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she said, voice warm but cautious. "Where’s Mai?"

"She left early," I told her, standing up and stretching. "She had to go back home."

Mom nodded, an unreadable expression on her face. "I see."

That was all she said before moving toward the kitchen—except she wasn’t in her usual morning robe. Instead, she was dressed in an elegant navy blue gown, the fabric flowing like water as she moved.

I blinked. "Uh... why are you dressed like you’re going to a royal ball?"

She laughed, smoothing the fabric. "Your father and I got a special invitation from the Alpha and Luna last night. We were asked to come to the Alpha’s residence early this morning, dressed nicely."

That explained the fancy clothes, but something else made me pause. "Wait, early this morning?"

She nodded. "The banquet is starting now. So there’s no point in making breakfast."

That was surprising. I had assumed the banquet would be an evening affair.

"Alpha Lucian personally invited us to come join," Mom added. "And he asked to see me and your father alone before it begins."

As if on cue, Dad walked down the stairs, already dressed in formal attire as well. He adjusted his cuffs, glancing at me with a small smile. "Morning, son."

"Morning," I replied.

Dad looked around, then at me. "Where’s Mai?"

"She left earlier."

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Then, after a brief pause, he met my gaze. "Liam, are you happy?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

He exhaled. "With Mai being your mate. Are you happy?"

I didn’t even have to think about it. "Yes," I said firmly. "More than happy. I was always begging the goddess to make her mine... and now she finally answered my prayers."

Both my parents turned to look at each other, their surprise evident.

Dad was the first to recover. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face. "Looks like my son has a thing for strong women."

I groaned. "Dad—"

Mom, however, was staring at me in a way that made my stomach twist.

Then, suddenly, she smiled—a real, genuine smile. "I see."

I swallowed. "Mom?"

She stepped closer, cupping my face the same way Mai had earlier.

"You love her that much?" she asked softly.

I nodded, feeling strangely vulnerable under her gaze. "I do."

For a moment, she said nothing. Then, she let out a breath and smiled again. "Then I’ll love her too."

I felt something loosen in my chest.

She leaned up, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "If she’s what makes you happy, then I’ll support you, sweetheart. Always."

Dad clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me forward. "Congratulations, boy. I’m proud of you."

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I quickly looked away. "Thanks, Dad."

Mom giggled. "Well, I suppose we should head out now. We’ll see you at the banquet later?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I’ll come soon."

With that, my parents left, and I stood there for a long moment, staring after them.

It had been a rocky start, but things were finally falling into place.

And I couldn’t wait to see Mai.

**********

I adjusted the collar of my black dress shirt, sighing as I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My scars still stood out under the soft lighting. No matter what I did, they would always be there, a permanent reminder of my past.

I ran a hand through my hair, making sure the strands covered the left side of my forehead before stepping away from the mirror. My stomach twisted with nerves—not because of the banquet itself, but because I knew Mai would be there, waiting.

She had been calling me through the mind link ever since my parents left. "Where are you?" she had asked. "I need to see you."

I had reassured her that I was coming, but my feet still felt heavy as I walked out of my house.

By the time I reached the Alpha’s residence, the banquet was already in full swing. Golden flowers and beautiful decorations lit up the courtyard, making the whole place buzz with excitement. Everything looked perfect, well-dressed pack members were making their way inside the mansion. The scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, and spiced wine filled the air, mingling with the hum of laughter and music.

I clenched my fists. Crowds made my skin itch. I had never liked them, not since I was a kid.

Taking a deep breath, I slipped away from the main entrance, heading toward the back instead. It was quieter there, away from the sea of faces and the overwhelming noise.

Just as I reached the door, voices drifted toward me from the side of the building.

"Liam Rivers? No way—look who finally decided to show up."

I turned my head slowly. A group of boys stood near the entrance, leaning against the stone wall. I recognized them immediately—Nathan, Jared, and Cole. They had been in my class for years, but we had never been close. I had never given them a reason to dislike me, but that didn’t stop them from treating me like an outsider.

Nathan smirked, pushing off the wall. He was taller than me by a few inches, with sharp brown eyes and a build that spoke of relentless training. "Where the hell have you been, man? Too busy playing house with Mai and her new little crew?"

I sighed, already regretting this. "I had family matters to handle."

"Family matters?" Jared scoffed. "Since when do you care about anything other than Mai? You’ve been glued to her side since forever, but now you’re acting too good to talk to us?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I didn’t have time for this. Mai, my mother, and my father had been calling me repeatedly through the mind link, urging me to come inside.

"I’m busy," I said, keeping my tone even. "We can talk later."

Nathan and the others exchanged glances, their expressions twisting into something I didn’t like.

"Busy," Cole repeated mockingly. "Right. You don’t have time for us now, huh? Because you hang out with Mai, Ollie, and Eldur?"

Jared let out a short laugh. "You think you’re better than us now, don’t you?"

I frowned. "That’s not what I—"

"We don’t like being looked down on, Rivers," Nathan interrupted. His smirk had faded, replaced by something colder, something that made the hairs on my arms rise.

I took a step back, but before I could react, a fist came flying toward my face.

Pain exploded in my jaw as I staggered backward, my head snapping to the side. The metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth.

For a moment, everything blurred.

Then, slowly, I turned my gaze back to them.

Jared was still standing there, shaking out his hand, his knuckles red from the impact. "That’s just a reminder," he muttered. "Don’t forget who you really are, Liam. You’re a good for nothing Omega, you’re not one of them."

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