Page 18 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian

The word twists like a knife in my gut. Because I know better. Safety is an illusion, especially now. The hunters are circling. Their shadows are stretching longer every day, and the diner might as well be a neon sign—an easy target.

My wolf pushes against my control, a low growl rumbling in the back of my mind. He wants her out of there. Away from the diner, away from Whispering Pines, away from everything that could hurt her. Somewhere isolated, where only I can watch over her. Protect her.

Claim her.

I shove that thought down hard, but it lingers, an ember refusing to extinguish.

“Derek.” Theo’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts like a blade, sharp and commanding.

I glance up to find him watching me, his dark eyes heavy with that particular brand of scrutiny only an Alpha can wield. His auburn hair is tied back, his tattoos visible where his sleeves are rolled up. He looks relaxed, but it’s a deception. Theo doesn’t relax—not when his pack is at risk.

“You zoning out on me?” he asks, his tone calm but edged.

“No,” I reply, my voice tight.

Theo leans back in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight as he crosses his arms. “You sure about that? Because I can’t have my Beta distracted right now.”

I bristle at the implication, but I keep my expression neutral. He knows me too well. Knows exactly where my head is. And I hate that I can’t lie to him—not convincingly, anyway.

“I’m focused,” I say, forcing the tension from my shoulders.

“Focused on what?” His voice lowers, his words deliberate. “Her?”

My jaw tightens, and I look away, but it’s too late. The flicker of guilt across my face betrays me.

Theo leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. “You think I don’t notice? I see it, Derek. Every damn day. She’s got you tied in knots.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snap, the growl in my voice sharper than I intend.

He doesn’t flinch. “Don’t I? Because from where I’m sitting, you’re distracted. And that makes you dangerous—to yourself, to her, and to this pack.”

His words hit harder than they should. Maybe because they’re true. Maybe because I’ve been telling myself the same thing for weeks now.

He doesn’t stop. Theo never stops when he knows he’s struck a nerve. “Whatever’s pulling you toward her, you’d better figure out how to handle it. Because if you don’t, someone’s going to get hurt.”

Someone.

The word echoes in my mind, but all I hear is her name. Olivia.

I grip the edge of the table, my knuckles whitening. “I’ve got it handled,” I say through clenched teeth.

Theo doesn’t look convinced, but he leans back again, his expression softening—slightly. “Make sure you do,” he says, his tone quieter now. “We can’t afford mistakes. Not with the hunters this close.”

I nod once, curtly, and leave the room before he can press further. The tension in my chest feels like a live wire, sparking and snapping as I step into the cool evening air.

It should calm me, the crispness of the night. It doesn’t. My wolf is too agitated, pacing and growling inside me, his instincts screaming louder than my logic.

I climb into my truck and grip the steering wheel so tightly the leather groans under my hands. I don’t think. I don’t plan. I just drive.

My body moves on autopilot, guided by instinct. By the bond.

Byher.

**

Last night.

It replays in my mind, vivid and unforgiving. The way her lips parted under mine, soft and warm. The way her breath hitched when I pulled her closer, my hands on her waist, her body pressed against mine.

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