Liam lingered in the school hallway, his heart pounding as his gaze fixated on you. He told himself it was all for protection—just another way to ensure Monroe’s hunters couldn’t get to you. You were human, a liability, but you were also... important. Too important. And yet, Liam’s sharp focus wavered, his chest tightening as you leaned closer to some guy by the lockers, your laughter soft but clear enough to make Liam’s stomach churn. The guy said something that made you smile wider than Liam had seen in weeks, and it was like a punch to the gut.

Why did this bother him so much? It shouldn’t. You could talk to whoever you wanted, right? Liam shifted uncomfortably, pressing himself back against the wall. Still, his jaw clenched at the way your hand briefly brushed against the guy’s arm. He felt his wolf stir beneath his skin, jealousy clawing its way up before he could shove it down. This wasn’t why he was here. He needed to focus—on keeping you safe, on making sure Monroe’s hunters didn’t use you to get to the pack. Not on this stupid, irrational feeling twisting inside him every time you smiled at someone who wasn’t him.

Liam exhaled sharply, forcing himself to look away, but his ears stayed tuned to your voice, catching every laugh, every word. He hated how easily you could make him lose his grip, hated the distraction. But more than that, he hated how much he wanted to step out of the shadows and make sure that only you, looked at him that way.