Strength to Find Her Way

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Liam POV

We pulled up to the restaurant twenty minutes later. I got out and ran around the side of the car but did not open Quinn's door. As much as it was ingrained in me to do so, I know Quinn does not appreciate the gesture. I waited patiently for her to get out and I grabbed her hand to lead her inside.

I chose a quiet Italian restaurant for us. There are a few private rooms and I reserved one for us so we could chat freely without the fear of being seen or overheard. After speaking with the host, he led us to the back of the restaurant where we'd be dining.

"Your server will be with you momentarily," he said, with a lingering glance at my mate.

Quinn of course was oblivious. She never noticed when other males were checking her out. I loved that about her but it also worried me. I don't want her to get into a dangerous situation without knowing it.

'She can take care of herself, you know?' my wolf jumped in.

'Aren't you usually the one whose ego gets wounded every time she beats us?' I mocked.

'When it comes to her safety, she has proved she is more than capable,' he added. 'It's those wolves I can't trust,' he growled.

I noticed Quinn was staring at me and I smiled awkwardly. "Done having a conversation with your wolf?" she giggled.

Ugh, I love her laugh so much. "Erm, yeah," I said. "Let's sit down?" I asked more than said. Quinn took her seat and I took the one across from her.

"So," we both started at the same time.

"You first," I said. I wonder what she wants to talk about.

"Um, okay," she started. "Tell me more about your family. What's it like to grow up a prince? I feel like the only things I know are what you told me briefly this morning or from word of mouth. I've never met anyone from the royal family before so I don't know much about you all."

"That's my fault. I haven't mentioned them much. My father's name is Silas as you probably know and my mother is Genevieve. Father is a tough but caring man. He wants the best of me and pushes me to achieve what is expected of me. He has been slowly giving me more and more of his work in order to prepare me for taking over in a few months once I turn twenty-two."

I stopped to see if she was following along and I could tell she was listening intently so I continued, "As I mentioned earlier, mother is kind and wonderful but strong in her own way. She can bring a man to his knees just by a look alone. She came from one of the outlying packs. Father met her when he was off on business visiting her pack one day. He was only nineteen at the time and was shadowing his father just like I've done numerous times. She tells me that meeting my father was the happiest day of her life. It had nothing to do with him being the prince or the life she currently had at her pack. She was happy before meeting him. She tells me she did not know true happiness until she laid eyes on my father though. I never understood her. That was until I saw you in the garden that night at the ball. I thought I'd known happiness before but now I know my life was a miserable existence before meeting you."

I saw Quinn shift uncomfortably. I felt bad for putting those strong emotions onto her. I got carried away though.

"Sorry," I said. "Got a little lost in thought there."

She smiled encouragingly so I picked up where I'd left off, "Mother and father had me about two years later. They wanted lots of children but for some reason were unable to have another after me. This devastated my mother but father was there for her. He told her that he needed nothing more in life besides her and me."

I started to get a bit emotional thinking about the love my parents share. It is a beautiful love story and I only hope that Quinn and I can have even a fraction of that.

"That's beautiful," Quinn said, pulling me back to the present. "It reminds me a lot of my mother and father. They were so in love. I envied them so much when I was younger. I was only able to see it for a few years that I remember but even at a young age I wished to have what they had someday."

"And what's stopping you?" I asked, knowing I was pushing things asking her this.

She paused for a moment, not meeting my gaze. I hoped she wouldn't be upset and leave. I desperately wanted to know though.

"Fear," she finally admitted. "Fear that I'll lose it just like my father did. I've seen him at his lowest when he thinks no one else is around. He is a broken man. He says my brothers and I are enough but I know it isn't true. He's wounded and I don't want to end up like him. If I don't let anyone in, then there's nothing to lose."

It broke my heart to hear her admit this but I finally understood. Quinn has lost so much and seen the people closest to her break into a million pieces. She never wanted to experience that ever again. I don't know how I'm going to convince her I'm never going anywhere. I don't even know if I can.

It would be an empty promise of course. No one ever knows what life has in store for them. For the first time, I felt a bit helpless. How am I going to fix this? How can I reach her and convince her to give us a chance? To take a chance on possibly being hurt again?

The helplessness started to sink in when I felt sparks traveling up my hand. I looked down to see Quinn's hand over mine.

"Hey," she said softly. "I still haven't given up on you." I forced a smile. "I promise, Liam. I haven't given up on us. I just need to figure out if I'm strong enough to take all this on. It's a lot and I just don't know if I'm ready. I never expected to meet you at my first mating ball. I thought I'd have a few years to come to terms with everything. Just know that I'm still fighting. I'm trying to give this a real chance."

Her words soothed my nerves. She is willing to put her fears aside to give me a chance. I can't mess this up. I decided to push those thoughts to the side. We're going to have the best first date ever.

At that moment the waiter entered the room. He was a wolf, just like I requested. He bowed slightly in my direction and I nodded. He then turned to Quinn and he bowed again. She looked at him perplexed and I looked at her raising my eyebrow. Does she really not know that she'll be queen one day? As my mate, she's basically royalty already.

We gave the waiter our orders and he left.

"You're going to have to get used to it, you know?" I said.

"Get used to what?" Quinn asked.

"The bowing and respect. Personally I hate it. I want to be respected because I'm a good ruler who takes care of my people and treats everyone as they deserve to be treated. I don't appreciate people bowing and my feet and bending to my will simply because I have a title."

"That surprises me," Quinn began. "You'd think growing up with it you'd just be used to it. You've never known any different."

"I have with you," I smiled, thinking about our interactions. "You treat me like any other person. I love that about you. You don't see me as better than anyone else just because I was born into a title. You still knocked me on my ass just like anyone else. You don't let me push you around. Heck, you push me around more often than not. I find it so refreshing, honestly Quinn. You bring light into my life where there was only darkness. I can't get enough of you."

Quinn blushed. "You need to stop doing that," she said.

"Doing what?" I asked.

"Making me fall for you," she admitted while looking down at her lap.

This made my insides do a backflip. She's falling for me.

"Sweetheart, I'll never stop trying to make you fall for me. I'll make it my life's work every day of my existence to make sure you know how much I cherish you. No matter what, there's one thing you can be sure of and that is my love for you."