EYES OF FIRE AND ICE

Chapter Eighteen

Without a second to spare, Liam bows his head and closes the door behind him. "You requested my presence, Gamma?"

"Yes," Christian says, motioning towards a leather chair that sits across from him. "Take a seat, Liam."

Liam bows his head once again and sits down. The coffee-coloured, aged chair matches the one that his Gamma sits in. Atop the desk is a closed laptop and a couple of documents which have been placed at opposite ends of the table to leave the centre empty.

"Yesterday there was an operation to eliminate a group of foreign soldiers who infiltrated the Pack Border," Christian rests his forearms against the desk and laces his fingers together. "Valen Volkov was entrusted with this duty and returned early this morning with something—" he tilts his head to the left with a small frown. "Something that I need your help in identifying."

Liam nods and straightens. "Whatever you require, it is yours, Gamma."

Christian smiles at the young wolf's devotion and it has Liam's chest swelling with pride.

He watches as his Gamma looks over his right shoulder and towards the front right corner of the room. "Bring the uniform, Valen."

Liam's head snaps around to look behind his chair. His eyes are wide as he watches Valen's looming figure walk out from the shadowed corner with a small piece of fabric in hand. He spins back around to face his Gamma with wide eyes, who remains watching Valen as he nears the desk.

The air inside his lungs starts to dissipate, and his fingers begin to tremble, so he shoves them in between his thighs and takes a shaky, deep breath. Liam's skin grows warmer with each step and eventually the familiar fiery sensation in his neck starts to make itself known. He tilts his head to the left to bare his neck to the large male and the pain quickly eases. His eyes remain glued towards the centre of the desk.

Christian subtly adjusts the collar of his white dress shirt, tugging the tailored material away from his throat.

Valen stands near the right edge of the desk and places the dark blue, torn fabric in front of Liam. The lamp highlights the multiple pale scars ingrained into his bare arms and Liam swallows at the sight of a white, uneven band of skin that wraps around each wrist. He quickly averts his gaze, suddenly finding his training shoes interesting.

Christian leans forward and orientates the material before asking, "do you recognise this symbol?"

Valen moves away from the pair and leans his right shoulder against the back wall to observe strolling pack members through the closest of the two windows. His arms are crossed as he glances down at their small forms. It doesn't matter who he decides to focus on because they all seem to have the same reaction: peeping over their shoulders before hastily rushing past his view with widened eyes.

Liam lifts the surprisingly coarse item and examines the circular symbol with furrowed eyebrows. He slowly traces the curved lines and frowns.

Christian moves closer to the male, eyes wide with anticipation.

"I think I might have an idea." Liam starts, pausing at the sight of his Gamma's grin. "But, I need a few hours to confirm it."

This makes Christian sit back in his seat with his lips set in a line, eyes narrowing at the piece of fabric. After a few seconds, he briefly glances over at Valen and says "you have until midnight."