Liam's POV
I tried everything I could to round up with the training so I could go see what they were both up to, but it took longer than expected, almost 5 hours training, though, on a normal day, training takes 6 to 7 hours daily. But those 5 hours seemed like an eternity to me, I just don't like seeing her close with any males, even if that male is her best friend. Cole doesn't like it either. When I was through with the training I rushed up to the room.
Not hearing any voices, I thought they were both engaged in something they shouldn't. So I quickly rushed in only for me to see them both playing board games. It's just a board game, thank goodness.
Liam breathed out a sigh of relief.
Then to make it look less suspicious I had to walk in, towards them as I did, I heard her heart beating fast.
'Whoa is she like checking me out? That was when I realized I was with just pants. This is huge progress, I am glad she will be living with me here. So if she likes my chest that much, I will show it to her every day.'
Then I asked a question asking how she was feeling, I guess she was really affected by my looks. Then Gabe shook her, bringing her back from whatever thoughts she might have been thinking of.
She just muttered a little fine.
So I excused myself into the bathroom but I activated my hearing sense to listen in on their conversations. Ever since Gabe came, I have been eavesdropping lately. And I heard them say
"I didn't you just thought I did"
"Oh no, I am imagining things isn't it?"
"Yeah"
"Saw you staring at his bare chest" I am sure Gabe said that in a whisper cause it seemed lower than the other conversations so I crossed my fingers while listening to what she had to say about it she then said,
"What? No way, why would you say that?"
"See, you are blushing I caught you, I better go down and leave you two love birds alone, so I can prepare your orange juice and candy"
I smiled knowing I was right. She did like looking at my bare chest, now I have something to woo her with. Hopefully, she'll come running to us (Cole and me) soon enough.
After a while, Liam walked back in wearing a singlet a shorts. Only to see Clara on the couch sulking.
'What could be bothering her now?'
"Clara, what's wrong?"
"Nothing"
"Then why are you sitting here all alone sulking?"
"Nothing"
"Are you sure?" Liam asked and she just nodded
"Stop it, don't say that. I know something is wrong"
Liam spoke up feeling offended that she doesn't want to open up to him.
"I feel stuffed in here, it's like I am a prisoner here. I want to go out, I don't like being locked up, and I want to be free to explore your world. Is that too much to ask?" Clara finally said.
"Clara no one said you are a prisoner here, you only assumed you were. I never withheld you from going out. You can go wherever you want to, but the only thing is you will be assigned a guard to go with you"
"But you didn't want me to go with you to see the training ground earlier," Clara said, pouting like a kid.
Liam walked up to her and sat on the couch beside her, that was the first time in months that he is seated that close to her while she is awake. But then something next happened that threw him off balance. She leaned on his shoulder, Liam couldn't believe this, and he thought he was daydreaming but feeling her skin on his broad shoulders made him so happy. But he needed to soothe her at the moment and reminisce on what just happened later.
'She can't be sad on her birthday. She needs to know the truth. It's because I care about her that's why I told her not to.'
"Come on Clara I did that for your good, remember that night Gabe and I came to your room and I transformed in front of you, you were very terrified by my form. And that was just me, now we have hundreds in each section and you seeing them transform might make you fall sick because you aren't fully recovered yet"
"But how can I get used to them if I don't see them more often?"
"Clara, be practical. Okay, you can see my form any time you want to."
"Hmm, not enough"
"But I already promised you earlier to take you with me next time, when you are ready"
"I just feel stuffed Liam so please take me out of here right now"
"Okay I will"
"You will? Yeah so let's go now" Clara said excitedly
"Wait a little bit, I will take you somewhere only I know about later tonight"
Clara's face lit up and she stopped pouting and sits upright smiling now.
~~~~~~~~~
"Eric, stop making a whole lot of noise, you are distracting me," Gabe said while trying to bake a chocolate cake for Clara himself.
"Why? Should I just stand like a statue all because you are baking a cake that doesn't look like one?"
"Don't mock me, young man, I googled it online one day"
"Oooh who would have thought? Gabe the caterer, Gabe the baker Gabe the...."
"Okay enough Eric"
"One question though"
"Go ahead not like if I told you not to ask you would"
"Ha-ha catching on brother, anyways *coughs* after you googled how to unbaked cake, have you actually practicalities it? No offense"
"None taken... But um I haven't"
Eric busted into a roar of laughter. He began rolling on the floor due to this revelation.
"What?" Gabe asked with all seriousness like there is nothing wrong with what he just said.
"Well, not to say much but if this, is what you are making for Liam's woman on her birthday, don't be surprised he might make you his dinner tonight instead"
"What do I do? It's almost 6:30 PM Eric, it's getting pretty late for a cake to get ready."
"That's why I am way ahead of you, the cake is being designed by my cool chef this instance as we speak"
"Why didn't you tell me earlier that you had already gotten that sorted out? You made me mix eggs, look at me I smell like margarine and baking powder"
"Who was the one who went to the kitchen and packed 10 cups of flour, 1 crate of eggs, and 4 rolls of margarine into my kitchen to make God knows what without telling me about it? So I just watched you. It was when you started soaking the eggs and splashing them all over your body did I know you had no idea of what you were doing Gabe. You googled it, isn't that wonderful?"
"Come here, come give me a hug Eric"
"There is no way, I am coming close to you Gabe, and you look like a disaster"
"Oh really"
"Yeah, catch me if you can"
"Oh you just run Eric you better not stop because if I get you, you will hug this disaster alongside me"
So they began chasing themselves
Eric and Gabe have become close during the little time they've spent together.
At last, the cake was ready and Gabe held it and wrapped it up in a transparent wrap. At least he wouldn't be needing online classes for this one.
Though it was just to make her day special it wasn't a grand party just an indoor kind of stuff.
Gabe held the cake after he was signaled through the window to come up
While Liam had already gotten Clara into a short and lovely gown she looked beautiful. Being beautiful is an understatement when you look at her. Not giving her a heads up that he knows today was her birthday and since she didn't tell him herself, he pretended not to know.
"Must I wear this dress to the place we are going tonight?"
"Yeah, you have to. If you don't dress formally you can't get inside take a look at me. I am wearing a formal suit. If I don't I won't be allowed in even if I am the Alpha, so that's how it is." Those were Liam's words to Clara that made her wear the dress quickly because she wants to feel the wind in her ears. She needed to go out.
"Okay let's go"
"Yeah sure," Liam made his way to go out when there was a knock on the door, what great timing.
Gabe and Eric came in all dressed up as well with things hidden behind their backs. So Clara was a bit confused and asked Liam
"Are they coming with us too?"
"Not really, am sure they have their own plans," Liam said not letting on that he knew what was going on.
Gabe and Eric both counted in unison
"1...2....3... Go"
They all chorused,
"Happy birthday"
"Awwn, Gabe, Liam, and Eric you were all in on this?"
They brought what they were holding behind them and Clara gasped due to the surprise.
Gabe brought out the huge cake while Eric brought out the wine.
"A two-step chocolate cake, Gabe thank you"
"Eric, thank you so much"
"Liam, you did this, didn't you? Thank you"
After that, they sang
"Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy... Birth... Day...to you Clara...
Happy birthday to you
How old are you now?
How old are you now
How old are you now Clara? How old are you now?
Gabe started with "she is 19 years old"
With a funny ascent, it got everyone laughing.
Clara couldn't stop laughing, she could readily say it was her best birthday yet.
She didn't know being away from her family on her birthday could be this fun. She thought it would be an awful day, but here she was, she has never been happier on her birthday. Thanks to these three guys.
"Pi... pi... iii... Hu...err...ah....."
Bringing her from her thoughts...
She hugged them all and so they ate and laughed like teenagers, they did everything she wanted, it was her day so whatever she says goes.
"Gabe stop stuffing your mouth with that huge cake of yours you may get a running stomach Buddy" Eric scolded Gabe
"Hey dude come on, stop scolding and nagging me I am not you're wifey"
"Oh really, well since unlike someone we don't have a mate, I thought maybe you are my fated one"
"Keep dreaming love, it might come true" they kept teasing each other making Clara and Liam laugh heartily.
The wine tasted really good, after which they (Gabe and Eric) went out after bidding them goodnight.
"So Liam, I am all dressed up, or was that beautiful place of yours an imagination?"
"For you my lady, it isn't come on let's go we may not come back tonight but tomorrow"
"Whoa!! Where is this place? I am getting more and more curious. I want to go, it sounds so extra and I love it. Come on, let's go."
"You seem impatient my lady"
"Why do you keep calling me your lady?"
"For tonight you are my lady" Liam stretched out his hand to Clara and she held it with no hesitations.
So they both went outside and began walking towards the valley.
A place filled with water and trees since she hasn't been able to leave her room. She began running, her long hair flew backward and Liam couldn't stop but admire her from behind. She is everything a man would ever want in a woman. In his case, she is everything an Alpha wolf would ever want in his Luna mate.
Seeing that she was going farther away from him, he increased his pace and within seconds he caught up with her.
When Clara was getting tired of running, she stopped and asked
"Why are you being so nice to me even after everything I said to you?"
"Because I knew you were angry"
"But I did mean that you were a monster Liam"
"I know"
"So why?"
"There are some things one just can't explain Clara, I wish I could but am not sure you would understand"
"Try me, Liam"
*sighs* "Clara, you are my mate, and I feel drawn to you so I can't get mad at you even if I wanted to"
"So you wanted to be mad at me?" Clara asked concerned.
"Yes, Clara the truth was I couldn't get over the fact that the only woman I have ever truly loved for decades viewed me as a monster. It hurt me so much beyond imagining and the fact that you were terrified by my other self to hurt me more than a thousand injuries sustained from a sword fight on a battlefield"
"I am still not used to the fact that I am fated with you Liam and the fact that you are a werewolf, makes me uneasy. I am a human and you not being a human like myself is hard to fathom."
"I know Clara and I would not rest until you accept us"
"Us? What does that mean Liam?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yeah I really do"
"I am two one part is Liam the other part is Cole"
"I don't follow"
"The human part of me, the one you know is Liam, the other part the one you saw that night in your room is Cole he really wants you to accept him too"
"That is a lot to take in for one night Liam"
"Okay I will stop"
"So tell me, where is the beautiful place you were talking about?"
"Close your eyes Clara"
"Why? I want to see everything"
"You will but first, close your eyes," Liam said, immediately she closed her eyes he said "no matter how you feel don't open those cute eyes until I tell you to"
Clara nods and in one swipe he carried her in a bridal style and began running as fast as a werewolf could
"Hmm... Liam...what are you doing... Hey," Clara yelled, still closing her eyes.'' The wind is too loud in my ears and this place seems dark, where are we going?" She asks in a high-pitched voice.
"You will see Clara believe it or just for tonight trust me it's your birthday and I want to make it the perfect day for you"
After about 30 minutes they got to the special place Liam dropped Clara down and said
"You can open your eyes now... We are here."
