Puppy Love
Chapter 45

~Josephine~

I was in shock that our parents would call us back so soon. For goddess sake, it was just a wire, something we all could deal with. Why call us

– back?

Liam began to vibrate before Justin completed his words, and even I had to step away from him.

Justin tried to calm him down when we backed away, but he had partially shifted. Alex was on a rampage, and Liam was replaceing it difficult to handle his wolf.

“Li, you need to be calm. Let’s discuss this. We will talk to them. I am sure they will see reason,” Justin said, and it seemed like Justin understood what was going on with Liam, and what we were just experiencing was just on the surface.

“Li, you need to be calm. Worst case, you follow Jo to Gad or Lucland, wherever she will need to be.

You really don’t have to be here, man. We’ll manage,” Oliver said, and I was shocked that Li was losing his shit because of me.

Initially, I had thought it was because he heard the criminals were unto us and because of that, our parents weren’t able to go to Kaizen and rescue Sophia. I was utterly shocked it was because of me.

“Li,” I managed. His wolf was suppressing Onyx, so I was a bit scared, even though I shouldn’t be. I should expect that kind of pressure from an Alpha wolf.

* “Alex, I won’t leave, I promise. I will call my father and refuse whatever reason he has,” I said, and Alex turned to look at me.

I saw the fear in Liam’s wolf’s eyes for the first time. It was a fear and longing and losing.

“I won’t leave, Alex, I promise. I am sure it was a mistake. One we would iron out immediately,” I assured Alex and the transformation stopped, but

Alex remained.

“You need to give Liam control, Alex, please,” I pleaded with Alex and sadness crossed his eyes when I watched him slowly recede and allow Liam to take over.

How the f**k couldn’t Liam control his wolf, but I could? I do not believe Alex lost it because of me.

Had we not done something, he might have gone on a rampage.

Liam finally took over completely, and he remained speechless. He was ashamed, and Justin moved closer and patted him on the shoulder.

“Sorry, Li, I know we will deal with the matter. I will insist,” he assured Liam, and I knew I might be missing something.

Liam had always been able to maintain his cool no matter what. This was the first time Liam would go crazy. I could not believe it.

Liam turned to look at me, and there was a tinge of shame in his eyes. I moved closer to him, and everyone walked away from us.

“Li?” I asked, and the fear in his eyes said it all.

I had no words for him, so I wrapped my arms around him and placed my head against his chest.

“We are together in this, Li. The only time I will leave is when you ask me to. I promise,” I said, and he gradually wrapped his arms around me and breathed me in.

I was shocked at his actions. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions in case I was wrong. 2

“I am sorry, Jo. I am so sorry,” he apologised, and I kept my arms around him, my head against his chest.

“I will deal with it,” I said and broke away to take out my telephone to call my father. I knew my father and Lord Vino were behind this, and I needed to understand what their deal was.

Why will they single me and Charlotte out?

Did they think we were incapable?

I was a freaking Stepanov with the same abilities .as Aunt Amelia. Charlotte is an Alpha alpha, born of two alpha wolves. We were tough, and I felt a bit disrespected like this.

I left Li standing alone while I dialled my father’s number.

My father answered on the first ring.

“Father,” I said to the phone.

“How are you, princess?” he asked, and maybe that was the problem; he must still see me as a little girl.

“Not fine at all. Why will you request they send me. back? Do you think I can’t handle myself?” I asked him.

“Not at all, Princess; we need an investigative team to help us trace where the criminals took the Maguires. Since you and Charlotte have no ranks in Grizlo, we decided to pair you up with Miles, Elaine, Luis, and Gemma under Elisabeth’s guidance as Alpha. That is all. We just want the investigation to move faster. If I felt you couldn’t take care of yourself, I wouldn’t have let you go in the first place. I know how much you love a challenge, and I think there will be more excitement for you here in Mountain,” he said, and I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration.

“You should have asked me, father. Honestly, I do not want to work on Elisabeth’s team. Is it okay?” I asked, and my father sighed.

“This is about Liam, right?” he asked me, and I did not need to hide anything from him anymore.

Liam had confessed and proven his feelings so it was official.

“I do not want to be apart from him, Father,” I confessed, and there was silence on his part.

“Are you sure, Princess? I do not want you getting hurt. Remember why this entire thing started in.

the first place. I do not want you getting hurt,

Princess,” he said.

“Father, I won’t get hurt. Liam did care about Sophia, but what we have is different. He doesn’t feel the same way for her anymore. We have discussed it extensively, and I am satisfied,” I replied, and my father was silent for a bit before speaking.

“She isn’t here now; you are the one he sees. What happens when this mission succeeds? What will happen if his feelings resurface? I do not want to see you hurt. It would have been nice to see you two together, but young love is sometimes fickle, especially if a third party is in the mix,” He said.

“I am willing to take the risk, Father. I trust Liam.

He has given me his words, and I believe him.

Even if I doubted him before, his reaction to the news of me being called back is all the proof I need to know he isn’t lying to me and he means every word he has said. Please, father. Do not spoil what we are trying to do here. Other than the ongoing investigation, I am happy here. I haven’t felt like this before. Everything just feels right. I won’t be able to function in Mountain without Liam. I will replace myself thinking of him all the time. I am being honest with you, father. If anything is going to break my heart, it will be your decision to pull* me out of Justin’s team.” I said, and he was silent.

I waited for a response, but none came. He must be conflicted.

“I am not a baby anymore, father. I will soon be eighteen, and then you won’t be able to order me around or decide where I will be. There is no time that you wouldn’t have to let go. Give me the opportunity to stand on my own. Please,” I pleaded with him.

“Did Liam tell you his intentions?” he asked me something personal that I would rather not divulge, but the truth was, I was willing to give all the required information. To ensure I don’t get pulled out of the team.

“Yes, Father, and I believe him,” I confessed, unwilling to get into the details with him. He wasn’t Elaine. He was my father.

“Have you two…” he said.

“Goddess, no!” I said, b***d rising to my cheek out of embarrassment.

“Liam has been a perfect gentleman, Father,” I said, and he sighed.

“Is he there with you?” he asked me, and I turned to look at where Liam was standing, and there he was, looking at me, hopeful that I would have good

news.

“Yes,” I replied

“Let me speak to him,” my father said, and I tensed a bit. Unsure of what he will want to discuss with Liam. I was worried, but I knew my father never backed down on a request.

“Okay,” I said, walking towards Liam with my phone.

“My father wants to speak to you,” I said, and Liam was calm about it. He seemed unfazed by it. I guess he was sure of something.

I handed him the phone and remained standing there with them just in case there was a need for damage control.

“Yes sir,” Liam said, and I did not know what he was saying.

“Okay, sir,”

“I won’t, sir,”

“Thank you, sir”, he finally said, handing the phone to me. I placed the phone against my ear to continue to speak to my father.

“Hello,” I said to the phone so he would know I was back on.

“Well, I do not know where this thing is headed, but you have my consent. Regardless of the situation, keep your head up, Princess. I guess Charlotte will be the only one returning,” He said, and I knew I had to put in a word for Charlotte.

“I do not think it’s wise to call back Charlotte. I doubt she will answer anyway,” I told my father.

Knowing she was above eighteen and could make her own decisions. But it was crucial that she wouldn’t be at loggerheads with her father.

“Don’t tell me she, too?” my father said, and I could hear that they really needed our expertise on that team. Haper and Luis would do an excellent job, too. I wondered why they did not want to give Harper an assignment. She was a very brilliant student. I suspect the King was protecting his

Princess, too.

“No, Father, I think Charlotte and Caspian of Cain’s Island are fated,” I blurted out, and he exclaimed and started laughing.

“Finally, one of you found the one,” he said, genuinely happy for Charlotte. I guess our folks had been worried about that.

“I am happy for them. I will try to dissuade Vino from calling her back. You know how he is with his girls,” My father said, and we laughed.

“Very well, Princess. I will take your name off the list for the second team. And I wish you all the best,

” he said.

I was so excited that I giggled over the phone and thanked him.

I hung up and looked at Liam; he was happy too.

I did not know what my father told him, but he seemed pretty calm and confident.

“Well, it seems I won’t be in team two,” I said, and Liam embraced me.

• “Thank you, Jo. Honestly, I would have quit and followed you to Mountain,” he confessed.

I was shocked that he would give up his position on Justin’s team and the chance of exonerating

Mike so Sophia could be spared just because he did not want to be apart from me.

I wrapped my arms around him, content with what we had going for us.

“Tell Alex no more display. It was scary,” I said, laughing, and he rubbed my back a bit.

This let me know how serious Liam’s feelings were.

There was no way he was infatuated, and I began to feel that my love was inferior compared to his.