Scarlett’s POV
After we finally collapsed, tangled together in a mess of limbs, sweat, and cum, sleep claimed me in fits. I kept waking up crying, only for one of them to pull me closer, kiss my tears away, and remind me they were still here.
When the first gray light of dawn crept through the windows, my heart shattered all over again.
Leo and Leonard were already moving quietly around the room, pulling on their clothes and heavy boots. Liam stayed in bed with me, his massive body curled protectively around mine, refusing to let me go even as his brothers prepared to leave.
I sat up slowly, the sheet pooled around my waist, tears already spilling fresh down my cheeks. Leo finished buckling a strap on his arm and turned to me, sea-blue eyes filled with a storm of love and determination.
He came over and knelt by the bed, taking my hand. "We’ll be back before you know it, Scar. This war is nothing compared to coming home to you."
Leonard approached from the other side, leaning down to press one last deep, lingering kiss to my lips. "Stay safe with Liam. Let him take care of you. We’re fighting for this — for us." His voice was rough, thick with emotion he rarely showed.
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Liam’s arms tightened around my waist from behind, his chest warm and solid against my back. He was staying. At least one of them would be here, guarding me and the pack. But the thought of Leo and Leonard marching off felt like my heart was being ripped away.
They kissed me one final time — Leo fierce and possessive, Leonard slow and soul-deep — before pulling away. Their wolves brushed against mine through the bond, a silent promise.
"Take care of her, brother," Leo said to Liam, his voice low and serious.
"Always," Liam replied, his grip never loosening.
Then they were gone. The door clicked shut behind Leo and Leonard, leaving the room feeling painfully empty despite Liam’s presence.
I turned in Liam’s arms and buried my face in his chest, sobbing openly now like a child. He held me tight, one large hand stroking my hair, the other rubbing soothing circles on my back.
"I’ve got you, love," he whispered against my temple, his voice thick. "They’ll come back. I swear it. And until then, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere."
His words helped, but the ache in my chest remained. My body was still sore and marked from last night’s emotional lovemaking, a bittersweet reminder of what we had shared. Liam kissed my forehead, then my tear-streaked cheeks, before tilting my chin up to meet his green eyes.
"We should get you cleaned up and fed," he said gently. "Then we’ll wait together. Whatever comes next, we face it as a team — you and me, until the others return."
We bathed together, the warm water washing away the dried sweat, cum, and tears from the night before, but nothing could wash away the heavy dread in my stomach. Liam was incredibly sweet, gently soaping my back and holding me tight under the spray, but we were both too heartbroken to talk much.
As he wrapped a soft towel around me, Liam looked down with serious green eyes. "Scar, I don’t want you staying in this room while they’re gone. It smells too much like all of us, and it’s just going to make you sad. Come stay in my room until they get back."
I nodded slowly, too tired to argue. "Okay."
We moved over to his bedroom, which smelled deeply of his comforting scent. I climbed straight into his bed, pulling his heavy blankets up to my chin. I just lay there, staring at the wall, feeling empty.
Liam bent down and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "I have to go check on the packhouse security and make sure the guards are positioned correctly. I will be right back, love. Try to rest."
"Okay," I whispered. He gave my hand one last squeeze and left, the door clicking shut behind him.
The moment I was alone, a cold wave of fear washed over me. I didn’t know why I felt so incredibly scared, but it felt like a terrible storm was about to break right over my head. I lay there feeling so useless and weak. I was supposed to be a powerful warrior, but here I was, hiding in a bed while my mates went to bleed on a battlefield. I wanted to help. I really, really did.
Unable to take the silence anymore, I opened my mind link and reached out to Leo and Leonard together.
Leo? Leonard? I called out mentally, my thoughts shaking.
Their responses came back almost instantly, their powerful Alphas crashing into my mind.
Scar! Leo’s voice boomed through the link, sounding hyped up and full of energy. We are totally fine, love. We just reached the border.
The fight will start soon, in less than three hours, Leonard added, his calm, tactical voice instantly soothing my panicked heart. Don’t worry, Scar. We have everything under control. We will be back before you know it.
Please... just come back to me, I pleaded through the link, a stray tear slipping down my cheek.
We promise, mate, Leo swore fiercely.
We have to go now, the commanders are waiting. We love you, Leonard said softly, and then the mental connection went quiet.
I took a deep, shaky breath and closed the mind link, burying my face in Liam’s pillow.
Just then, the sound of the doorknob turning cut through the quiet room. My wolf instantly stood up inside my head, her fur bristling with pure hatred. I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was. The disgusting, fake scent of expensive perfume and poison filled the air.
It wasn’t Liam. It was Camila. Liam’s wife.
I kept my back turned to the door, closing my eyes and completely ignoring her. I wasn’t in the mood for her pathetic games today.