chapter 9
The Storm Within
The school day started like any other, but an unspoken tension lingered in the air, and Maya could feel it. It was as if the entire pack's energy shifted, growing heavier with each step she took through the crowded hallways. She tried to ignore it, focusing on getting through the day without crossing paths with Liam.
Liam, however, had other plans. He was waiting near the lockers, leaning casually against the cold metal, his sharp gaze scanning the students as they passed. He looked calm on the outside, but beneath the surface, his wolf was restless, seething. The rejection from Maya burned in his chest, not just because she denied their bond but because it felt like a rejection of him—of who he was, of the feelings he kept buried for so long.
When Chris, a quiet, unassuming student, walked past Liam, he became the target. Liam's wolf growled inside him, sensing an opportunity. He didn't care about Chris personally—this wasn't about him. It was about drawing Maya out. Liam knew her too well. She couldn't resist stepping in when she thought someone was being wronged.
"Hey, Chris," Liam called out, his tone sharp and commanding.
Chris froze mid-step, clutching his books tightly against his chest. He turned slowly, his wide eyes meeting Liam's. The tension in the hallway grew thick, students stopping to watch, their murmurs creating a low buzz.
"What… what do you want?" Chris stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liam smirked, pushing off the lockers and strolling toward him. "You've got something that belongs to me."
Chris blinked in confusion, looking down at his books. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Liam leaned in closer, towering over him. "Don't play dumb. You've been looking at Maya, haven't you?" His voice was low, dripping with menace.
The color drained from Chris's face. "N-no, I haven't! I swear!"
Liam grabbed the edge of Chris's collar and yanked him closer, his voice dropping even lower. "Don't lie to me, Chris. I don't like liars."
Gasps rippled through the crowd, and Maya, who had been walking toward her next class, heard the commotion. She stopped in her tracks, her ears perking up at the sound of Liam's voice.
Her heart sank. Not again.
Maya pushed through the growing crowd of students, her anger bubbling to the surface. She broke through the circle just as Liam shoved Chris backward, causing him to stumble and nearly drop his books.
"Liam!" Maya's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
Liam turned to face her, his smirk widening. "Well, well, if it isn't the hero swooping in to save the day."
"Let him go," Maya demanded, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
Chris used the opportunity to scramble away, disappearing into the crowd.
Liam's eyes stayed locked on Maya. "Why do you care so much about him?" he asked, his voice laced with bitterness. "Maybe you should be honest with yourself, Maya. Is he the one you're trying to replace me with?"
Maya stepped closer, her chin lifted defiantly. "This has nothing to do with you, Liam. You don't get to push people around just because you're angry at the world."
"Oh, so now you're my therapist?" he shot back, his voice rising. "You think you know me so well, don't you?"
"I know enough," she snapped. "I know you're a bully who hides behind his arrogance because he's too afraid to deal with his own insecurities."
Liam's wolf growled within him, the insult cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. "And you're a coward, Maya," he fired back. "Running away from what's right in front of you. From us."
"There is no 'us,' Liam!" she shouted, her voice trembling with frustration. "There never will be!"
Her words echoed through the hallway, silencing the murmurs of the onlookers. For a moment, Liam said nothing, his jaw tightening as he fought to keep his emotions in check. But his eyes betrayed him, flashing with a mix of anger and pain.
"Fine," he said finally, his voice low and dangerous. "If you won't acknowledge what we are, then I'll make sure you can't ignore it anymore."
Maya's heart skipped a beat at the threat in his tone. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You'll see," he said, turning and walking away, the crowd parting for him as he passed.
Maya stood frozen, her mind racing. She knew Liam well enough to know he wasn't bluffing. Whatever he was
planning, it wouldn't be good.