Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 247: The Announcement

Chapter 247: The Announcement

Liam’s P.O.V.

I tasted blood in my mouth. It wasn’t the first time. Probably wouldn’t be the last.

I stood there, jaw aching, my pulse thrumming in my ears. My fists twitched at my sides, itching to fight back. But I didn’t. Not because I was scared. Not because I couldn’t. But because I knew it wouldn’t change anything.

Nathan sneered, stepping closer. "You really think you’re better than us, huh?"

I exhaled sharply. "I never said that."

"Then why do you look at us like that?" Jared snapped. "Like we’re beneath you."

I huffed a laugh. "You’re the ones trying to keep me down."

"Because that’s where you belong," Nathan said, his voice low, dangerous. "And we’re gonna make sure you never forget it."

I barely had time to react before Cole grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me backward. I stumbled, my foot catching on a loose stone, and the next thing I knew, fists were raining down on me.

A punch landed against my ribs. Another hit my side, then my face.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to make a sound. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

"Stop fighting back," Jared growled, kicking me in the stomach. I doubled over, gasping for air, but a hand tangled in my hair and yanked my head up. Nathan’s face swam into view, twisted in anger.

"You should’ve just kept your mouth shut, Rivers," he spat.

Something in the air shifted.

A cold wind rushed past, thick with something unseen but powerful.

Then I heard her voice.

"Liam!"

A blur of movement. A snarl.

Then Nathan was on the ground, gasping, clutching his throat.

I forced my blurry vision to focus.

Mai stood there, her green eyes blazing, her long curls wild around her face. Power crackled in the air around her like a storm about to break. Her hands were raised, fingers slightly curled, and Nathan’s body trembled as if something unseen was squeezing him.

Ollie and Eldur stood behind her, looking furious. Ollie’s sharp blue eyes darted to me, concern flickering in them, while Eldur cracked his knuckles, his usually relaxed demeanor replaced with barely restrained rage.

"You dared lay a hand on him?" Mai’s voice was dangerously soft.

Nathan let out a choked sound, his face turning red as he clawed at his throat. Jared and Cole tried to run, but before they could take two steps, they froze. Their limbs locked in place, their eyes wide with terror.

"What—what’s happening?" Cole gasped.

"Mai’s magic," Eldur muttered, watching with mild interest.

Jared whimpered. "We—we were just messing around!"

Mai tilted her head, her green eyes gleaming with something dark. "Messing around?" she repeated. "So, if I break your ribs, will that just be ’messing around’ too?"

"Mai," I rasped, pushing myself up onto my elbows.

Her head snapped toward me, and in an instant, the fury on her face melted into panic. She rushed to my side, dropping to her knees. "Liam!" Her hands hovered over me, as if unsure where to touch. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? Did they—"

"I’m fine," I said quickly, even though my body throbbed.

"You’re not fine! Look at you!" She cupped my face, her hands warm despite the cold fury still thrumming in the air.

Ollie crouched beside us, his expression serious. "We should get him out of here."

Eldur, meanwhile, eyed Nathan and the others. "What do we do with them?"

Mai’s lips curled. "I could make them feel what Liam felt."

Jared whimpered again. "Please, we—we didn’t mean—"

"You meant every second of it," Ollie cut in sharply. "Don’t act innocent now."

I let out a shaky breath. "Mai. Let them go."

She stiffened. "Liam, they—"

"Let them go."

For a second, she didn’t move. Then, slowly, she flicked her wrist.

Nathan, Jared, and Cole dropped to the ground, gasping, clutching their limbs as if they were still in pain.

"You’re lucky he’s nicer than me," Mai said coldly.

But before anything else could happen, a new voice rang through the night.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!"

A heavy silence fell.

I turned my head and saw them.

Alpha Lucian. Luna Teresa. My parents. Gamma Juliette. Master Adrian. Beta Rylan.

They stood at the entrance, their eyes scanning the scene before them. The air practically hummed with tension.

Nathan let out a strangled noise. "Alpha, please—she—she attacked us!"

Mai scoffed. "Oh, now you want to play the victim?"

Alpha Lucian’s expression was unreadable. "Someone explain. Now."

Ollie crossed his arms. "They jumped Liam. Beat him up. Mai stopped them."

Lucian’s sharp eyes landed on me. "Is this true?"

I hesitated. "I... didn’t fight back."

My father stepped forward, his face tight with anger. "You should have told us if you were being bullied again."

"I can handle myself," I muttered.

Mai let out a frustrated sound. "That’s not the point! They attacked you, Liam!" She turned to the Alpha. "There has to be punishment."

Alpha Lucian studied Nathan and his friends, who looked absolutely petrified. His gaze then flicked to Mai. "What exactly did you do to them?"

Mai smiled sweetly. "Just... held them in place for a bit."

Jared shuddered. "It—it hurts."

Mai shrugged. "Maybe you shouldn’t attack people."

Lucian’s jaw tightened. No one dared to speak as he swept his gaze over everyone, his piercing eyes landing on Nathan, Jared, and Cole, who were scared out of their minds, as they clutched their limbs.

"Enforcers," Alpha Lucian’s voice was calm, but it carried an unmistakable threat. "Take them."

The three boys stiffened, their eyes widening in horror.

"W-What?" Nathan gasped, scrambling backward as two enforcers stepped forward. "No—wait!"

"Alpha, please!" Jared’s voice cracked, his face going pale as the enforcers grabbed him by the arms.

Cole struggled, his breaths coming out in panicked gasps. "We—we didn’t mean—"

"You meant every second of it," Mai said icily. She stood beside me, her arms crossed. "Now shut up and accept your punishment."

Nathan twisted in the enforcers’ grasp, his wild eyes darting toward me. "Liam, tell them! Tell them we didn’t—"

I didn’t answer. I just watched.

I should’ve felt something—satisfaction, relief, vindication—but I only felt... tired.

"Bring them to the dining hall," Alpha Lucian ordered. "The entire pack will bear witness to this."

The enforcers nodded and dragged the struggling boys forward. The rest of us followed in silence, our footsteps crunching against the gravel.

I was still sore, my ribs aching with every breath, but I was alright. Mai, as usual, stuck close to me, her fingers brushing against mine as if to reassure herself I was still there.

She wasn’t angry anymore. At least, not at me.

She was just... watching me.

I didn’t know what that meant.

The massive dining hall was packed. Every member of the Moonpeak Pack was there, their faces filled with confusion and curiosity. Murmurs filled the air, the tension so thick.

At the head of the hall, Alpha Lucian stood tall, his gaze scanning the room before settling on me.

"Liam. Mai," he called. "Come forward."

I swallowed.

Mai’s fingers wrapped around my wrist, giving me a small squeeze before she stepped forward, pulling me with her.

Every eye in the room followed us.

I could hear the whispers.

"What’s going on?"

"Why is Liam standing up there?"

"It’s probably about the fight. I heard Mai nearly killed them."

"Liam looks awful... poor guy."

I kept my head down, my heart hammering in my chest.

The enforcers entered, dragging Nathan, Jared, and Cole behind them. The moment they were forced to kneel at the center of the hall, the whispers grew louder.

Their faces were pale, their fear palpable.

Alpha Lucian raised a hand, and the room fell silent.

His voice was low, steady, but filled with authority.

"I will say this once, and only once," he began, his gaze sweeping across the gathered pack. "I will not tolerate anyone laying a finger on my children."

The weight of his words made me gasp.

My children.

He wasn’t just talking about Mai, Ollie or Eldur.

He was talking about me.

A stunned silence filled the room.

Then, confusion.

Murmurs erupted everywhere.

"His children?"

"Wait, does that mean—"

"What is he saying?"

Nathan and his friends looked completely dumbfounded.

Alpha Lucian let the murmurs die down before continuing, his gaze never wavering.

"Liam is Mai’s mate," he said. "Which means Liam is my son now."

A collective gasp swept through the hall.

The murmurs turned into full-blown whispers.

"Liam is Mai’s mate?"

"No way—"

"Well... it makes sense. They’re always together."

"He’s so lucky!"

I felt like the ground had just shifted beneath my feet.

I turned to Mai, my mouth slightly open, but she was already looking at me. I could tell she was happy with her father’s declaration.

Nathan, Jared, and Cole looked even more terrified now, as if realizing that they hadn’t just attacked some random omega. They had attacked the Alpha’s son.

I could see the panic in their eyes.

But Alpha Lucian wasn’t finished.

He took a step forward, his voice carrying even more weight. "Liam is not just Mai’s mate. He is the shield keeping this pack from being destroyed by our enemies."

The murmurs stopped abruptly.

A different kind of silence filled the room.

Confusion.

Uncertainty.

People exchanged glances.

"What does that mean?"

"A shield? Is he talking about his strength?"

"No... something’s off."

I felt like digging a hole and burning myself from embarrassment.

I glanced at Mai, but she just watched her father, her expression was that of satisfaction.

"You may not understand what I am saying," Alpha Lucian continued. "But you will. And until then, you will remember this—"

His voice hardened.

"No one. Ever. Touches Liam again."

The weight of those words sank into every single person in the room.

"If anyone tries to harm him," he continued, his voice like steel, "it will be dealt with as treason."

Gasps filled the air.

People shifted uncomfortably.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

All eyes were on me now.

I had always been invisible. A ghost in the pack.

Now, I was the center of attention.

The enforcers moved forward, grabbing Nathan and the others by the arms, ready to take them away.

That’s when the begging started.

Nathan sobbed. "Please, Alpha—please don’t do this! We didn’t know!"

Jared fell forward, his forehead hitting the ground. "We were just being stupid—we didn’t think—"

Cole’s voice broke. "Please! We’re sorry!"

Then, to my absolute shock—

They turned to me.

"Liam," Nathan begged, tears running down his face. "Please, you have to forgive us!"

I froze.

This was the same boy who had kicked me in the ribs just a few minutes ago.

The same boy who had laughed as I gasped for breath.

The same boy who had called me worthless.

And now he was crying in front of the entire pack.

Begging me.

I should’ve felt smug. I should’ve felt something.

But I just felt... exhausted.

I turned to Alpha Lucian.

"Please," I said, my voice was tired. "Let them go."

The Alpha’s gaze locked onto mine.

I swallowed, gathering every ounce of strength I had left.

"They were cruel," I admitted. "They beat me. They humiliated me."

Nathan let out a strangled sound, but I ignored him.

"But..." I took a shaky breath. "I don’t want them destroyed because of me."

A heavy silence followed my words.

Then, a long sigh.

Alpha Lucian studied me for a long moment before nodding. "As you wish."

The enforcers let go of Nathan and the others.

They collapsed to the ground, still sobbing, still gasping in relief.

I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, Mai grabbed my wrist.

I turned to her.

She didn’t say anything.

She just looked at me, her green eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite name.

Then, slowly, she smiled.

I wasn’t sure if that should scare me or comfort me.

But for now... I was just too tired to care.

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