Filed to story: Claimed by My Ex’s Alpha Brother
“Oh, yes, that.” He blew on his coffee to cool it, and his lips momentarily distracted me.
Get a grip.
We moved to the side and leaned against one of the walls, so we were out of the way.
“The reason I built this hospital was to help treat people who have been injured from the Rogue wolf attacks,” Liam explained. “At first, I wanted to help with the overflow from WaterLock’s hospital. But that problem was solved by hiring more healers.”
“Who are all these people then?” I gestured around the cafeteria.
“The families of members from other packs around our kingdom-plus Pryegate and Tideridge Kingdoms-that have been injured by Rogue wolves. Most of their hospitals are too overwhelmed with injuries to treat them,” Liam answered, his eyes sliding around the room. “I have a medical helicopter that airlifts them here. Then, their families can fly or drive, depending on how far they come to stay here with them.”
“Oh,” I said and took a sip of my coffee. “And you do all of this along with managing your company and helping run WaterLock?”
“I have a lot of help with everything,” Liam said modestly.
I swallowed as we stared at each other. I had to be the one to look away first.
It was hard to focus when Liam’s green eyes were staring so deeply into mine. I needed to be able to think clearly. There was still something that didn’t make sense to me.
“How did you create a secure compound without anyone from WaterLock joining? No one wanted to join for their safety against the Rogues?” I asked.
This time, Liam was the one to look away.
“No one wanted to move away from their homes. Everyone wanted to stay in Brindle Creek, which I can understand.” There was a note of embarrassment in his tone. But then his voice brightened.
“This place-my compound-is populated by people all over our kingdom, and people from the Pyregate and Tideridge Kingdoms as well,” he continued. “As my compound was being built, I traveled throughout our three kingdoms and met many different people who were either lone wolves or didn’t feel safe against the Rogues in their pack.”
Lone wolves were different from Rogues. The former was born without a pack, but Rogues were wolves who were kicked out of their pack for breaking wolf law.
“I arranged for the people who wanted to come with me to travel to my compound when it was ready. These shifters make up all of the staff at my security company, the guards, the grocery store, the healers at this hospital, even the young lady we just ordered our coffee from-everyone in my compound. Healer Nia had been working in the Pyregate Kingdom. The hospital she worked at had been raided many times by the Rogues-trying to finish off their victims-and one time, Healer Nia nearly died trying to protect her patients.”
I recalled the long, faded scar across Healer Nia’s neck and shuddered.
“She ended up bringing most of her staff of healers and the patients from her hospital to reside in my compound,” Liam finished and smiled.
“So, you created a sort of…safe haven,” I said with awe in my tone.
“Well, I don’t know if I would say that exactly, but…”
“Liam, you’re not only trying to help protect people from WaterLock against the Rogues, but our whole kingdom. And even people from our surrounding kingdoms as well,” I said.
Liam took a small step toward me and my heart rate increased.
“Thank you for saying that, Ella. It means a lot coming from you.”
My hands began to shake around my coffee cup and a few drops of hot liquid spilled onto my hand. I didn’t even register the burn. My heart was already on fire.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” Liam said.
Immediately, my guard came up. I hadn’t even been aware I’d let it down. I shuffled a few feet away from him, needing my space.
“What do you think of the idea of you, your aunt, your mom, and Grayson coming to stay at my house? It’s within walking distance of the hospital,” Liam said.
“No,” I answered briskly and took a step away from him, needing distance. “Liam, I can’t stay with you after everything that’s happened. That’s ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?” Liam repeated, hurt flashing in his eyes for a moment, but then it was gone. “I just thought it would be nice for your family to have a space separate from the hospital. Just to relax and sleep. I thought it could be good for you guys. That way, you aren’t too far from your dad, but you’re not reminded that he’s sick every single moment because you’re in the hospital. And I have enough guest rooms to accommodate you guys.”
I wanted to tell him that I’d rather sleep in my aunt’s jeep than stay under the same roof as him, but then I caught sight of my mom with her back to us, still staring out the window. I remembered Grayson becoming quiet after we left my dad’s hospital room. Would it be selfish to say no to Liam’s offer?
Yes, it would.
“If we’re going to do this, we have to take things slow with introducing you to Grayson,” I warned.
“Of course. Is there anything I can do to make the process easier?”
I remembered Grayson’s broken expression when I told him we couldn’t bring his dog with us.
“You could find a way to get Grayson’s pet here,” I suggested.
“Grayson has a pet?”
“Yeah, Goose,” I said.
“Grayson has a pet goose?”
My lips twitched, but I shrugged and feigned disinterest.
“Anything for Grayson,” he said without hesitation.
Liam POV
Goose turned out to be a well-behaved black lab. The dog was sitting by my feet, staring in the same direction as me, as if he knew that we were both anxiously waiting for his five-year-old owner to arrive.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?