Page 3 of Falling for My Shifter Enemy

Theo.

My wolf stirs, sitting up inside me, alert and focused.

He stands in the doorway, his presence commanding the space like a force of nature. His clothes are torn, and his eyes gleam with barely contained rage. A shiver runs down my spine, but it isn’t from fear. It’s something deeper, something I can’t quite explain.

Theo doesn’t spare me a glance. His focus is entirely on Mark, who has recovered from his shock and is now sneering at the sight of the Howling Pines Alpha.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the big bad alpha of Howling Pines,” Mark taunts, his voice dripping with mockery. “Come to play hero, Theo?”

I glance at Theo, wondering how he’ll respond. For a moment, his face is unreadable, and a flicker of doubt creeps into my mind. What if he isn’t here to save us? What if—

Theo’s voice, low and deadly, cuts through my thoughts like a blade. “You know what I despise even more? Cowards who abuse women, regardless of their species. You disgust me, Mark.”

His words send a shiver through me, the tension in the room rising to a fever pitch. Theo’s gaze sweeps over me and Zoe, and in that brief moment, our eyes meet. Something unspoken passes between us, something I can’t quite put into words.

But then Mark lunges, grabbing me with a speed that takes my breath away. His arm clamps around my throat, and I feel the cold, sharp press of a knife against my skin. I freeze, my heart pounding so loudly I think it might burst from my chest.

Everything happens so fast after that. One moment, Theo stands there, his body coiled like a spring. The next, he shifts, his body exploding into the form of a massive wolf. His fur is a deep, rich brown, streaked with gold, and the sheer size of him takes my breath away.

Mark is forced to release me as Theo lunges, his jaws snapping with deadly precision. I stumble away, my legs shaking as Zoe pulls me back toward the wall. I watch in terrified awe as the two wolves clash, their growls filling the basement like something out of a nightmare.

Mark shifts as well, his sleek black form twisting and contorting as he tries to fight Theo off. But he’s no match for Theo’s raw power. The room is a blur of fur and claws, the sound of snarls and yelps filling the air.

I don’t know how long it goes on—time blurs, my mind struggling to keep up with the chaos around me. But then, I hear a name.

“Zoe!”

I whip around to see Marcus standing in the doorway, his face pale with worry. Relief floods through me at the sight of my pack beta, and I feel my knees go weak.

Marcus is there in an instant. First he helps Zoe. Then he helps me to my feet, his touch steady and reassuring. Zoe is already free, and Marcus quickly ushers us toward the stairs. “We need to get you out of here,” he says, his voice urgent.

“But what about—”

“Theo can handle himself,” Marcus interrupts Zoe, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Our priority is getting you two to safety.”

As we make our way up the stairs, I sneak a glance back one more time.We should stay... help him.My wolf's voice is soft, almost pleading. But I know the truth. Ican’thelp. I can’t shift, can’t fight like the others.

The last thing I see is Theo’s massive form, his jaws closing around Mark’s throat. My wolf stirs, a ripple of longing.Power... we should have that power.

But I turn away, my chest tightening, and then there’s silence.

The silence that follows is suffocating, wrapping around me like a heavy blanket. I shudder, knowing what that silence means. Mark is gone. For good. And Theo—he’s the one who did it.

Marcus guides us up the stairs, his movements quick and purposeful. I feel Zoe’s presence beside me, her breathing ragged but steady. The cold night air hits us as we step outside, and I blink against the sudden brightness. The moon hangs low in the sky, casting an eerie light over the scene. Several cars are parked haphazardly in the driveway, and I recognize some as belonging to pack members.

Marcus glances around, his eyes scanning the perimeter. “The others are securing the area,” he says, his voice tight with focus. “We need to make sure there are no other threats.”

I nod, trying to ground myself in the present. But my mind is still reeling, still stuck in the basement, watching Theo shift, watching him fight. The image of him in wolf form—so powerful, so terrifying—keeps replaying in my mind. And the way helooked at me, before it all went to hell, like I was the only thing in the room. It shakes something loose inside me, something I don’t know how to name.

Just then, Ryan appears from around the side of the house, his face set in grim lines. Relief softens his expression when he sees us. “Thank the Moon,” he mutters, striding over. “Are you both alright?”

Before Zoe or I can answer, the sound of soft footfalls reaches us, and I turn to see Theo emerging from the house. His massive wolf form pads silently across the ground, his presence commanding even in the quiet aftermath of the fight. His fur is matted with blood—Mark’s blood, I realize—but his eyes are locked on me.

I swallow hard, my heart doing that strange, erratic thing again.He’s close.Without thinking, I take a step forward, my hand instinctively reaching out.Touch him. We need him.My wolf’s voice, soft but insistent, urges me on. My fingers brush against his fur, and Theo leans into my touch, a low rumble vibrating through his chest. It isn’t a growl—it almost sounds like a purr.

The warmth of his body, the sheer force of his presence, settles something deep inside me. For the first time since this nightmare began, I feel safe.

"Thank you," I whisper, my voice barely audible. My fingers tangle in his fur, and for a moment, the world narrows to just the two of us. My wolf’s desire pulses through me, a primal yearning I can’t quite suppress.

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