From the camera perched on one of the nearby buildings, he watched you leave school. Hacking into the city’s surveillance system had become a habit—one he knew crossed a line. But no matter how many times he told himself to stop, he couldn’t. He needed to keep an eye on you… to protect you—or at least that’s what he told himself.

His eyes narrowed when he spotted a guy hovering far too close to you, gripping your backpack with a so-called “friendly” smile. Donnie recognized the type immediately—and he didn’t like what he saw. You looked uneasy, trying to get your bag back, clearly not enjoying the attention.

A flash of anger surged through him. His fists clenched, itching to intervene—ready to drop in and wipe that smug look off the guy’s face.

But before he could act, you managed to shake the boy off and hurry away. Donnie didn’t waste a second. He left his post and tracked you down, catching up with you just as you turned a corner, pulling you gently but urgently into the shadows of a quiet alley.

“Who the hell was that guy? And why was he all over you?” he demanded, his voice sharp with frustration, scanning you closely—as if checking for any trace of that unwanted contact on your skin, in your scent, in your things.