Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 251: A Perfect Life

Chapter 251: A Perfect Life

Liam’s P.O.V.

If anyone had told me a year ago that I’d be living this life, I would’ve laughed in their face.

Me, Liam Rivers—burn-scarred, anxiety-ridden, practically invisible—was now the Alpha’s son-in-law? A shield protecting the pack? A celebrity? It was insane.

And it was all because of her.

Mai Blackwood.

The girl I had spent most of my life avoiding, and then somehow, despite everything, fell stupidly, deeply, unshakably in love with.

no-touching-before-the-Mate-Bond-Ceremony rule—our lives had turned into an absolute nightmare.

At first, I thought they were joking.

Mai’s parents—Alpha Lucian and Luna Teresa—had always been intimidating, but now? They had become the ultimate cockblockers.

They had warriors stationed around Mai’s bedroom and also following her around. Warriors.

They banned her from my house.

They even tried to send her away for "training" for two weeks, but she threatened to rip someone’s arm off.

My own parents, bless them, were just as bad.

My mom wouldn’t let me leave the house without an escort—like I was some helpless damsel.

My dad suddenly started bonding with me. "Let’s go hunting, son!" "Let’s go train!" "Liam, have you ever considered carpentry?"

Carpentry.

I stared at him like he’d lost his mind.

It was embarrassing. It was humiliating.

It was also... exciting.

Because no matter what they did, no matter how many guards they stationed, Mai always found a way to crawl into my bed at night.

And every time, without fail, I’d wake up to find her smirking at me, her green eyes glowing in the dark, her fingers tracing over my scars.

"Miss me?" she’d whisper.

And I’d groan, burying my face in my pillow. "Mai, I swear—"

"Shh." She’d press a finger against my lips. "Someone might hear us."

And then she’d curl up next to me, warm and solid and real, and for a few stolen hours, the war our parents were waging didn’t matter.

********

As if dealing with my parents and Mai’s terrifying determination wasn’t enough, I now had a whole new problem.

People liked me.

Like, really liked me.

Ever since the banquet, where Alpha Lucian announced that I was a Shield—some kind of protector of the pack—everything changed.

People knew my name.

Pack members who had ignored me my entire life were suddenly smiling, greeting me everywhere I went, stopping me to shake my hand.

Strangers gave me gifts.

Gifts!

One day, I found an entire basket of homemade cookies at the front porch of my house with a note attached to it: For Liam.

The next, a little girl ran up and handed me a flower, then bolted away giggling before I could even say anything.

And then, the worst part—

I had a fan club.

I realized it when a group of young girls—probably fourteen or fifteen—kept trailing behind me in the training grounds, whispering and blushing every time I looked at them.

Ollie found out first.

"Liam." He grabbed my shoulders, his face deadly serious. "I think you have fangirls."

I frowned. "What are you—"

"Liam." He turned me toward the group of giggling girls.

I stared.

They stared back.

One of them squeaked and covered her mouth.

"Oh, no," I breathed.

"Oh, yes," Ollie grinned.

Mai, of course, thought it was hilarious.

"You’re famous," she teased, nudging me. "I knew you had it in you."

I groaned. "This is awful. I don’t know how to handle this kind of attention."

"You could always accept it."

I turned to find Eldur leaning against a tree, arms crossed, his usual lazy smirk in place.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Eldur tilted his head, his silver eyes flashing. "You act like admiration is a burden, but maybe you should stop complaining and start enjoying it."

I scowled. "Says the guy who makes people cry for fun."

He grinned. "Exactly. I’d kill for a fan club."

Mai snorted. "No, you wouldn’t. You’d set them on fire just for the fun of it."

Eldur’s smirk widened. "Well. Maybe just a little."

Ollie clapped me on the back, nearly knocking the breath out of me. "Face it, Liam. You’re a big deal now."

I groaned again, dragging my hands down my face. "I hate this."

Mai leaned in, her lips brushing my ear. "I love this."

I shot her a glare, but she just laughed.

For the first time in my life, people looked at me and saw something more.

I wasn’t just the quiet, scarred kid who stayed in the background.

I was somebody.

And it was overwhelming. Terrifying.

But also... nice.

And then there was Mai.

Mai, who dragged me into this mess.

Mai, who ignored every rule, climbed into my bed every night, and smirked when I tried to tell her to stop.

Mai, who was my mate, and somehow, even with all the chaos, even with our insane families and my ridiculous new fan club—made my life feel perfect.

I didn’t deserve her.

But I wasn’t letting her go.

Not ever.

********

Two Weeks Later

The full moon hung heavy in the sky looking as stunning as ever. Golden lanterns swayed gently in the night breeze, their light flickering against the backdrop of the dense forest. A massive bonfire roared at the center, illuminating the gathered pack members who stood in a wide circle, their voices hushed in reverence.

I stood among them, heart hammering like a drum inside my chest.

Tonight was the night.

Tonight, I would finally, irrevocably, unshakably be bound to Mai Blackwood.

I turned my head slightly, and there she was—walking toward me with the confidence of a queen, her long, curly brown hair glowing like fire in the moonlight. She wore a flowing silver dress that clung to her curves in a way that had my mouth going dry. The dress was delicate, but Mai was anything but. She was strength wrapped in beauty, wildness concealed in grace.

She was everything.

Her beautiful green eyes locked onto mine, and for a second, the world around us blurred.

"Breathe, Liam." Ollie nudged me from behind, his voice dripping with amusement. "Try not to pass out before the ceremony even starts."

I sent him a weak glare, but my fingers were trembling. Not from fear—no, never fear—but from the sheer weight of it all.

I was about to make a vow that would tie me to Mai for the rest of my life.

The other twelve couples stood nearby, each pair caught in their own bubble of anticipation, but I barely noticed them. I barely noticed anything other than Mai and the way she was looking at me—like I was the only thing that existed in her world.

Then the ceremony began.

Alpha Lucian’s deep, authoritative voice echoed across the clearing, commanding everyone’s attention. He stood before the bonfire, his eyes glowing with pride. Luna Teresa stood beside him, her expression softer but just as powerful. My parents were there, too—my mother wiping tears from her eyes, my father standing straighter than I had ever seen him.

They were proud of me.

I never thought I would see the day when my parents looked at me like this—like I had become someone worth admiring. They love me yes, but I had never seen them look at me like this.

Master Adrian and Gamma Juliette stood nearby, nodding at me with approval. The weight of their recognition made my heart swell. I had spent so long in the background, unseen, unnoticed. But now... now I was standing in the center, with the woman I loved, and I wasn’t just existing.

I was living.

Alpha Lucian raised his hands, silencing the murmurs.

"Tonight, under the full moon, we gather to witness the sacred union of these mates," he announced, his voice filled with power. "The Moon Goddess has chosen them for each other, and they will now pledge their souls as one."

A soft murmur of excitement rippled through the pack.

I barely heard any of it.

Mai stepped closer, standing directly in front of me, and my breath hitched.

Then it was time for the vows.

My throat felt tight as I reached for her hands. Her skin was warm—so warm it sent tingles shooting up my arm.

I swallowed hard. I had rehearsed my words a hundred times, but now, standing before her, they felt too small.

But I spoke anyway.

"Mai," I said, my voice raw with emotion, "I spent most of my life believing I was invisible. A scarred shadow lurking in the background. But then you came crashing into my world, and suddenly, I wasn’t invisible anymore. I was yours. I’ve tried to fight it, I’ve tried to make sense of it, but the truth is—I don’t want to fight it. I don’t want a life without you. You terrify me. You infuriate me. You challenge me. And you make me feel alive in a way I never thought possible. So, under this moon, in front of our pack, I vow to stand beside you. To fight for you. To love you for every single day that I breathe. Even when you steal all the blankets. Even when you drive me insane. Even when you break the rules and sneak into my room at night. You are my mate. My home. And I am yours."

The pack exhaled collectively. Some sniffled. Some chuckled at my mention of the blankets.

But all I saw was Mai.

Her green eyes shimmered with something I rarely saw—vulnerability. She squeezed my hands, drawing in a shaky breath before speaking.

"Liam," she whispered, "I don’t deserve you."

My heart clenched, but she wasn’t done.

"I have done things I regret. I have hurt you in ways I can never take back. And yet, you still look at me like I’m something worth loving. I don’t know why you do, but I promise you—I will spend the rest of my life proving that I am worthy of you. I vow to be your strength when you feel weak, your shield when you feel unprotected. I vow to love you, even when you frustrate me. Even when you say ridiculous things in your sleep. Even when I want to throw you off a cliff, I will still choose you. Because I love you, Liam. And I always will."

A lump formed in my throat.

Someone sniffled loudly in the crowd. I was pretty sure it was Ollie.

Alpha Lucian stepped forward, his eyes shining with something suspiciously close to warmth. "Then let the bond be sealed."

The moment the words left his mouth, the energy in the clearing shifted. The air grew thick with power, buzzing with the undeniable force of the mate bond.

Mai and I moved instinctively, leaning toward each other.

And then, she bit me.

Her teeth sank into the side of my neck, and fire rushed through my veins—scorching, brilliant, unstoppable.

I didn’t even think. I bit her back, marking her as mine, and the connection between us exploded.

It was like lightning.

Like an unstoppable current of power and love and belonging crashing into my soul, binding me to her in a way that no force in this world could break.

Mai gasped against my skin, her grip on me tightening, and I knew—she felt it, too.

The pack erupted into cheers.

And then, just like that, we weren’t just Mai and Liam anymore.

We were mates.

I barely had time to process it before strong hands clapped my shoulders, voices congratulating us from all directions.

People embraced us—my mother, my father, even Alpha Lucian, who muttered something about not breaking his daughter’s heart before squeezing my shoulder with approval.

The celebration stretched into the night, with laughter, dancing, and endless congratulations. The other twelve couples shared in the joy, each lost in their own world of newfound love.

Then, as tradition dictated, we were escorted to the secluded cabin nestled deep in the woods.

It was meant for newly mated wolves, a sacred space where they could spend their first night together, uninterrupted.

My face was burning as the pack howled behind us, their cheers ringing in the night. Mai, of course, found it hilarious.

She turned to me with a smirk as we reached the door. "Ready, husband?"

I swallowed hard. "Not if you keep looking at me like that."

Her laughter rang in my ears as she pulled me inside.

And as the door closed behind us, I realized something.

I wasn’t afraid.

Because I wasn’t alone.

I was hers.

And she was mine.

Forever.