Page 25 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he takes a step closer, his hand tightening around the weapon at his side. “Last chance, Liv,” he says, his voice a dangerous whisper. “Come with me. Or watch him die.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. My gaze flicks to Derek, who is now practically vibrating with barely restrained fury. His eyes meet mine, and in them, I see everything he’s not saying. Trust me. Don’t do this.

But I can’t let him get hurt.

“Fine,” I say, my voice shaking just enough to sound convincing. “I’ll go with you. Just... don’t hurt anyone.”

“Olivia, no—” Derek growls, but I cut him off with a look.

Ben smirks, lowering his weapon slightly. “Smart choice,” he says, stepping closer. “I knew you’d—”

I don’t let him finish. In one swift motion, I grab the heavy flashlight from the truck’s dashboard and swing it with everything I’ve got. The metal connects with his wrist, and he lets out a shout of pain, dropping the weapon.

Chaos erupts.

The hunters raise their weapons, but before they can fire, Derek shifts mid-leap, his massive wolf form barreling into the nearest hunter. The sound of snapping bones and snarling fills the air as he tears through them with terrifying precision.

I dive behind the truck for cover, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it might burst. Gunshots ring out, and I peek around the corner just in time to see Derek take down another hunter, his jaws clamping around their arm and tossing them aside like a ragdoll.

But there are too many of them.

A hunter breaks away from the chaos, charging toward me with a knife glinting in the dim light. Adrenaline surges through me, and I grab a discarded metal pipe from the ground. I swing it, the impact jarring my arms as it connects with the hunter’s side. They stumble, and I shove them away, my breathing ragged.

“Olivia!” Derek’s voice—human again—cuts through the noise. I turn just in time to see him tackle a hunter who was aiming a silver-tipped dagger at me. The blade sinks into Derek’s side instead, and he lets out a guttural growl of pain.

“No!” I scream, rushing to his side.

Before I can reach him, a deep, commanding voice cuts through the chaos. “Enough!”

Theo.

The Howling Pines Pack charges onto the scene, their presence a whirlwind of fur and fury. The hunters don’t stand a chance. Within moments, they’re overwhelmed, retreating or subdued under the pack’s relentless assault.

But I barely register any of it. All I can see is Derek, slumped on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. The howls of wolves and fading gunfire blur into the background as I drop to my knees beside Derek. Blood pools beneath him, dark and terrifying against the cracked asphalt of the parking lot.

“Derek!” My voice is frantic, trembling, barely recognizable. I press my hands against the deep gash on his side, sticky warmth coating my fingers. The smell of copper is sharp in the cold night air, mixing with the lingering scent of smoke and sweat. “Stay with me, okay? Don’t you dare leave me.”

His eyes flutter open, those steel-gray eyes that have always seemed so unshakable. Now they’re glassy, heavy with pain, but they still manage to lock onto me with a force that makes my breath catch.

“I’m fine,” he rasps, his voice rough and strained. “It’s... just a scratch.”

“A scratch?” I snap, my fear sharpening into anger as I press harder against the wound. My hands are slick with blood, and it’s coming too fast, spreading across his shirt like an unstoppable tide. “You’re bleeding out, Derek. Don’t you dare downplay this.”

The faintest ghost of a smile tugs at his lips. “You’re bossy when you’re scared. I like it.”

“Derek, stop!” My voice cracks, and tears blur my vision. I can’t lose him. Not him. I press harder, ignoring his wince, desperateto keep him here. “This isn’t the time to joke. Just... just stay with me. Please.”

His hand moves, slow and unsteady, until it covers mine. His palm is warm, steady despite the tremor I can feel in his fingers. The gentleness of the gesture breaks something inside me, and the tears I’ve been holding back spill over, hot and relentless.

“Olivia,” he murmurs, his voice softer now, almost tender. “Look at me.”

I do. I can’t help it.

“I told you I’d protect you,” he says, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that makes my chest tighten. “I’ll always protect you.”

There’s something in his tone—something raw and unspoken—that sends a shiver through me. It’s not just a promise. It’s more than that.

“Derek…” My voice trembles as I lean closer, searching his face for answers. “Why? Why do you care so much?”

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