Page 24 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian

I shake my head, though the memory of Ben’s hand gripping my arm too tightly makes my skin crawl. “Not… not physically. But he—he said things. Tried to make me feel like… like I was stupid for trusting you. For caring about—” I stop myself, heat rushing to my face. “He’s not the person I thought he was.”

Derek’s jaw clenches, his eyes narrowing. “I should’ve seen this coming,” he mutters, more to himself than to me. “I should’ve—”

“Derek, this isn’t your fault,” I interrupt, my voice firmer than I expect. “I didn’t see it either. I didn’t want to see it.”

He looks at me then, really looks at me, and for a moment, the intensity of his gaze is almost too much. It’s like he’s searching for something, some kind of reassurance or answer that I don’t know how to give.

“I won’t let him hurt you,” he says finally, his voice rough but steady. “Not him. Not the hunters. No one.”

The conviction in his words sends a shiver down my spine, but it’s the way he says them—like a vow, like a promise carved into stone—that leaves me breathless. I open my mouth to respond, but the words catch in my throat. Instead, I do the only thing I can think of—I lean into him, letting his strength and warmth wrap around me like a shield.

His arms come around me almost instantly, pulling me close. I feel his chest rise and fall beneath my cheek, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed. For a moment, everything else fades away—the fear, the betrayal, the uncertainty. It’s just Derek and me, and the unspoken connection that’s been simmering between us for years.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admit quietly, my voice muffled against his chest. “I feel like my whole world is falling apart.”

“You don’t have to face this alone,” he says, his voice a low growl that I feel as much as hear. “I’m here, Olivia. I’ve always been here.”

Something in his tone makes me pull back just enough to look up at him. His eyes meet mine, and the emotion in them takes my breath away. It’s not just concern or protectiveness—it’s something deeper, something that makes my heart race and my stomach twist in a way I don’t fully understand.

“Derek…” I whisper, but I don’t know what I’m trying to say.

Before either of us can speak, a loud noise cuts through the quiet night—the roar of an engine, followed by the screech of tires. A truck barrels into the parking lot, its headlights cutting through the darkness like daggers.

Derek’s entire body goes rigid, his arms tightening around me protectively. “Stay here,” he growls, his voice laced with a dangerous edge I’ve never heard before.

“Derek, wait—” I start, but he’s already moving, his hand reaching for the door handle.

Chapter 9

Olivia

The night air feels like it’s holding its breath, heavy with the kind of silence that comes before chaos. My pulse thrums in my ears, drowning out everything but the sound of Derek’s steady breathing beside me. He’s in front of me, a wall of muscle and unrelenting resolve, his broad shoulders squared and ready for whatever comes next. His scent—cedar and leather, earthy and grounding—is the only thing keeping me from spiraling into panic. But even that feels tenuous, a thread stretched too thin.

Across the empty parking lot, Ben stands flanked by three hunters, their weapons glinting under the dim glow of the streetlights. My childhood friend, the boy who used to laugh with me until our sides hurt, now looks like a stranger. His bright blue eyes are cold, sharp as knives, and his lips curl into a smile that doesn’t reach them. It’s a predator’s smile, not the boyish grin that once made me feel safe.

“Olivia,” Ben says, his voice deceptively soft, the way you’d coax a frightened animal. “This doesn’t have to end badly. Come with me. Now. Willingly. And no one has to get hurt.”

Derek growls low in his throat, and the sound is enough to send shivers down my spine. It’s a warning, primal and raw, and I know without looking that his wolf is close to the surface. Tooclose. His entire body is taut, like a spring wound too tight, ready to snap.

I place a hand on Derek’s arm, feeling the heat radiating off him, but he doesn’t relax. If anything, he grows tenser. His steel-gray eyes flick to me, a storm brewing in their depths, but I can’t let him take the lead on this—not this time.

Before I can second-guess myself, I step out from behind him. His arm shoots out, trying to block me, but I duck under it. “Olivia,” he growls, his voice a sharp command, but I ignore him.

Ben’s smile widens as I step forward, and it makes my stomach churn. “There’s my girl,” he says, his tone dripping with condescension. “I knew you’d see reason.”

I grit my teeth, clenching my fists so tightly my nails bite into my palms. “Don’t you dare call me that,” I snap, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands. “You don’t get to act like you care about me after everything you’ve done.”

Ben’s smile falters, a flicker of irritation breaking through his smug façade. “Everything I’ve done?” he repeats, his voice rising. “EverythingI’vedone has been for you, Olivia. To protect you. To save you fromthem.” His gaze flicks to Derek, dismissive, as if Derek is nothing more than an obstacle in his way.

“Protect me?” I laugh bitterly, the sound hollow and sharp. “You’ve been lying to me. Manipulating me. And now you’re standing here with people who want tokill—”

“Innocent?” Ben cuts me off, his voice dripping with venom. “You think they’re innocent? You have no idea what they’re capable of, Olivia. Whathe’scapable of.” He jabs a finger in Derek’s direction, his hand trembling slightly. “They’re not like us. They’re nothuman. They’re dangerous, and if you can’t see that, then you’re blind.”

Derek takes a step forward, his presence like a shadow looming over me, but I hold up a hand, stopping him. “I’m not blind, Ben,” I say, my voice quieter now, steadier. “I see exactly what’s happening here. You’re the one who’s dangerous. You’re the one who’s changed.”

For a moment, something flickers in Ben’s eyes—hesitation, maybe regret—but it’s gone as quickly as it came. His jaw tightens, and his expression hardens. “You don’t understand,” he says, his tone low and menacing. “But you will. If you don’t come with me right now, I’ll make sureheand everyone like him suffer. I’ll make sure they’re wiped out for good.”

My stomach twists, and I feel the icy grip of fear clawing at my chest. “You’re threatening to kill people, Ben. How is that protecting me? How is that love?”

---