LIAM'S POV
I walked through the palace hallways, my hands clasped tightly behind my back. My head was tilted up, but my feet felt like lead with every step. The silence in the air was awkward, thick and heavy, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
My gaze fell on a small male wolf sitting on the cold floor. He was hunched over, silently wiping away tears. As I drew closer, I saw the jagged injury on his foot.
"What happened to you?" I asked softly. He looked up at me for a long moment, then buried his face in his hands and sobbed. I swept my wolf sense across the hallway sixty-five feet in every direction. But the air was clear. No danger.
"I'll bet you did this playing," I said, lifting him gently into one arm. "I'll take you to the healer's quarters".
He stopped crying immediately. Leaning into me as I carried him toward the healers. A small, sad smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
As we got to the healer quarters I knocked on the door and was greeted by the smile of one of the healers. "My lord you should have just sent for someone to do this, he is the child of one of the warriors which died in battle" with her held lilted low and her hands wiping her forehead she continued "ever since the loss of his parents he has been training none stop, we have tried to stop him countless times but he eventually hides and trains harder".
I could see that she whipped the tears off her eyes as she spoke making it look like she had whipped her forehead.
"After he's healed, send him to the Betas chambers". I commanded. The healer's hands shook as she took the boy from me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
I retreated to my patio, the weight of the kingdom pressing on my shoulders. The war between us and the Southern border Kingdom had already taken so many lives. We have been in a tug-of-war all these years. Each side not going into a full scale war but we have lost a number of wolves. Sending letters of peace talk or so was not on part with Meta's personality and going out on a full scale war not knowing their might would be disastrous.
I had dispatched some spies but over two months I've not heard from any. Knowing Meta's personality, the witches in his Kingdom have already detected and killed them. Their magic spells are high and his spiritual sense is on par with mine if not higher by this point. His ego was something even my father feared so much in his lifetime. Maybe I could say for sure that fear eventually ended him.
"Liam, here's a glass of chilled red wine".
Kelly appeared out of the shadows, handing me a glass.
"You need to visit the human world more often," he joked, leaning against the wall. "The ladies there... they'd help you freshen up. You're too buried in work, Liam!!. You'll burn out."
I took a sip. The wine was cold and strong, sliding down my throat like liquid silk. I stared out at the water, watching the sunset over my kingdom.
"God of enjoyment" I mocked. "You've detached yourself from the affairs of the kingdom very often to make mere sense of the world" I said with a straight face.
"And you are too engrossed in the affairs of the kingdom if you don't take care of yourself you will fall fast and you know that". He said as he sluggishly tossed his feet on the walls and crossed them. Then, his voice dropped, losing its playful edge. " Liam, about her execution?". He stared at me, placed the glass cup on his hands in the wall and moved his chair in front of mine. " Can you reconsider it, we could strip her of everything and turn her to a mere servant".
"Is that so?" my voice cut sharp like an edged sword.
"Oh no no no no!!!! Liam, that will be too harsh!!!" he jumped on his feet. His chair clattering to the floor. "I mean we could find another punishment. How could you have the heart? She is just a helpless omega. She hasn't even been able to transform completely…"
My eyes sharply hit his gaze. I didn't let him finish, "you suggested," I said in a low tune while my head nodded in rhythm.
"Yes I did but I'm only trying to find an option that's better than killing her, she is already in the prison cell. Block D if I'm right and that is the harshest cell block to send an omega not to talk of a female omega" he kept on scrambling for words from one end to another.
I sat there with the glass of red wine in my hand, which had almost finished. I stared at the red wine beside him and stared into his eyes. He looked around and looked at me again, this time my gaze was already facing front. He began to look around then with a burst of laughter he raised the bottle and refilled my cup. While still mumbling words.
"Prepare for her execution by hanging on the gate of the border this evening".
He stared at me with the glass bottle still in his hand. No movement, he had become a statue In front of me
"You wouldn't".
A sharp voice followed. The footsteps were light but fast. The jewelry dangling around as the presence drew near made loud noises.
"Liam, you dare not".
"Oh mother greetings" I bowed slightly.
"Are you aware that she is your half sister?"
The world stopped. The wine bottle slipped from Liam's hand, shattering on the floor. The sound was like a gunshot. A weight, heavier than any spiritual pressure I had ever felt, slammed into my chest. My clothes felt too tight, my skin too hot. Inside me, my wolf roared, trying to claw its way out of my soul to face the truth.
I raised my head, staring at my mother, the air between us vibrating with words that just came out of her mouth.