Chapter 286

LIAM’S POV Every morning, before the sun even touched the horizon, I was awake because Natalie shifted in her sleep and I couldn’t help but check if she was comfortable. The bond between us kept me restless. My first thought every day wasn’t about pack business, patrol schedules, or council meetings. My first thought was her. So I got up quietly, headed to the kitchen, and cooked. Me. The Alpha who used to snap at others for wasting time chopping vegetables now stood over a stove like a dedicated chef, burning my hands more than once because I refused to call anyone else. When I carried the tray into our room, she was usually just waking. Her hair was always spilled across the pillow. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep. I lived for that moment when she blinked at me and whispered, “You didn’t have to do that, Liam.” I always set the tray down firmly and told her, “I did. I’ll always do.” Then I sat beside her, making sure she ate every bite. She protested sometimes, smiling at me, bu