Río walked into the canteen, trying to act like everything was normal. But it wasn't. Not today. His eyes were drawn straight to Ezra, laughing and talking with his friends at the other side of the room. His voice carried across the room, too carefree, too... everything.
Río's fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms as he stared. Every time Ezra's hand brushed one of his friends' shoulders, a surge of anger ripped through Río. His wolf stirred inside him, frustrated, confused. It didn't make sense why seeing Ezra like this felt so wrong.
His heart raced faster. "What the hell is happening to me?" he muttered. The wolf inside him wanted out, wanted to run wild through the woods, wanted to howl out all the anger and frustration boiling up. He couldn't sit still. His leg bounced up and down, foot tapping against the floor loudly as he watched Ezra's stupid, perfect smile and the way he moved so effortlessly, like nothing bothered him.
"I can't deal with this anymore!" The words burst out of Río before he could stop them. He shot up from his seat, his chair scraping loudly across the floor, and started storming toward Ezra. His chest felt tight, his teeth clenched so hard it hurt. He had no idea what he was going to say, but the frustration was too much to keep bottled up.
Ezra barely had time to react before Río was right in front of him, standing just inches away, the tension thick between them.
"You!" Río's voice was shaky with anger, his heart pounding. "You owe me an apology. I didn't hear one, did I?"
Ezra's smile faded, his face hardening. The look in his eyes made Río's chest tighten. "What the hell are you talking about?" Ezra asked, his voice low, challenging.
"What?" Río scoffed, forcing out a bitter laugh. "Not owning up to your mistakes, huh? Typical. Of course, your pack is known for that. You guys are all bitches anyway."
He saw it immediately—the change in Ezra's eyes, the shift from calm to pure, raw anger. Before Río could blink, Ezra grabbed him by the collar and slammed him onto the table, the air leaving Río's lungs in a shocked gasp. Plates clattered to the floor as Río's back hit the cold surface. He stared up at Ezra, wide-eyed, completely thrown off guard.
Ezra's face hovered above him, his breaths coming fast, and his hands tightened in Río's shirt. His gaze was fierce, eyes burning with barely-contained rage. "Say something like that about my pack again," Ezra growled through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with intensity. "And I'll gut you, you bastard!"
Río's heart pounded like a drum in his chest, his wolf stirring wildly inside him. He could feel the heat coming off Ezra's body, his scent—something earthy, something raw—filling the air between them. It hit Río hard, clouding his mind. All he could focus on was the closeness, the way Ezra's breath brushed his skin, the weight of his hands holding him down.
His wolf growled softly in the back of his mind. He smells good...
Río blinked, trying to shake off the thought, but it was there, lodged in his chest. He didn't know if it was the adrenaline from the fight or something more, but his body reacted in ways he didn't understand. His breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering as he stared up at Ezra. He wanted to say something, anything, but his mind was blank.
Ezra let go suddenly, his chest heaving, stepping back as his friends rushed in to try and calm him down. Río stayed on the table for a moment, still feeling the ghost of Ezra's grip on him. His body was tense, his pulse racing. When Ezra finally stepped away, his eyes were blazing, full of an anger that hadn't yet faded.
"Ezra…" one of his friends tried to soothe him, but Ezra wasn't listening.
"He's an ass!" Ezra snapped, shaking his head and storming out of the canteen, leaving everyone in stunned silence.
Río sat up slowly, staring after him, teeth clenched. His pulse throbbed in his ears, but he couldn't decide what hurt more—Ezra's sharp words or the fact that he was already missing the way Ezra had been so close, the warmth of his body, his scent still lingering in the air.
"Damn it," Río muttered, running a hand through his hair. He didn't know if he was furious or just confused. The way Ezra had looked at him, the way his body had reacted—none of it made sense. But one thing was clear: something had shifted between them.
And Río couldn't stop thinking about it.