Ronan pov
The night air was crisp, the scent of damp earth thick after the evening's storm. I moved silently through the shadows, my paws pressing into the soft dirt as I padded through the dense forest that bordered Raine's house.
My wolf had been restless all night. The meeting had ended hours ago, but no matter how much I tried to ignore it, the instinct still burned deep in my bones—I had to see her.
I had to make sure she was safe.
I had to breathe in her scent, see her chest rise and fall with sleep, confirm that nothing had taken her away from me while my guard was down.
Pathetic.
I clenched my jaw, shaking the thought away as I emerged from the trees, stopping just within the shadows at the edge of her home.
The house was dark except for the faint glow of a lamp from her bedroom window. I lowered myself to the ground, ears twitching, watching.
Just one look. That was all. Then I'd leave.
Except my wolf wasn't satisfied with just watching.
I didn't realize I had moved closer until my front paws pressed lightly against the outer wall beneath her window. My wolf stirred, his possessiveness curling through my chest like wildfire.
She's ours. Protect her. Stay close.
I ignored him, but my resolve wavered when I saw her.
She was sitting at the edge of her bed, her knees drawn to her chest. Her face was half-hidden by her arms, and even in the dim light, I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers curled into the fabric of her sweater.
She wasn't asleep.
She was afraid.
A sharp pang hit my chest.
Was she scared of what happened tonight? Or…was she scared of me?
I exhaled slowly, about to turn away, to leave before I did something stupid.
But then her head snapped up.
Our eyes locked.
And I knew—I was fucked.
Raine was on her feet in an instant. She moved toward the window, her breath coming fast as she pushed it open with shaking fingers.
"Who's there?" she whispered.
Shit.
I took a step back, but it was too late. Her gaze dropped to me, her brown eyes widening as she took in the massive black wolf standing below her window.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she exhaled sharply. "Ronan."
I froze.
She knew.
Of course, she knew. She had grown up around wolves. She wasn't an idiot. She had probably seen me shift before.
The panic that flared in my chest was immediate, but my wolf?
My wolf was thrilled.
He wanted to move closer, wanted her to reach out, to touch him. To let her feel the warmth of our fur, to let her know that we would protect her.
I forced myself to stay put, but she wasn't letting this go.
Her grip tightened on the windowsill. "Why are you here?"
Silence.
Her heartbeat pounded, her scent laced with lingering fear and something else—frustration.
She stepped back suddenly, as if something had clicked in her mind. As if she understood.
A bitter laugh escaped her. "You're checking up on me."
My ears flattened. My wolf growled.
I shifted.
The change was violent, bones cracking, muscles stretching, fur retracting into skin. And the moment I was human again, I was furious.
Not at her.
At myself.
At this fucking need inside me. At the way my body betrayed me every time she was near.
At the fact that she had seen through me.
I stepped toward the window, my voice cutting through the night like a blade. "Do you think I care enough to check up on you?"
Her lips parted slightly, but I didn't let her speak.
I scoffed. "You're being delusional."
Something in her expression flickered—like I had just slapped her. But I wasn't done. I had to end this now before my wolf ruined everything.
I gave her a cruel smirk, one that felt like poison in my mouth. "Maybe I just like watching pathetic little girls cry."
Her breath hitched.
Fuck.
I clenched my fists, my wolf snarling at me inside my head, his fury clawing at my chest. He wanted me to take it back. He wanted me to close the distance, to apologize, to do anything but this.
But I couldn't.
I wouldn't.
Raine's face twisted with something sharp and cold, her eyes flashing with rage. Good. Hate me. Hate me enough to stay away.
She scoffed, crossing her arms. "And yet, here you are, lurking outside my window in the middle of the night like some obsessed freak."
My wolf let out a pleased growl. She's fighting back.
But I shoved him down. I forced myself to laugh, the sound empty, cruel. "Don't flatter yourself, Hayes. I was patrolling the area. You just happened to be in the way."
A bitter smile curled her lips. "Right. Of course."
Something burned behind her eyes. Something raw. But she didn't let it show for long.
She turned away from the window, her voice flat. "Then leave."
I should have been relieved. I should have walked away.
But my feet wouldn't move.
Not until she muttered under her breath, barely a whisper—"God, I hate you."
My chest tightened, my wolf howling in agony at the words.
Good.
Hate me.
Hate me so much that you never look at me the way I want you to.
Because if you do, if you ever start seeing me the way my wolf sees you—
I don't think I'll be able to stop myself.