Lines in the dust

Back at the house, Liam was waiting on the porch, sipping orange juice. His gaze was sharp when he saw his mother's expression as she returned.

“Mom?”

“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a light laugh as she walked past him. “Don’t give me that look.”

“You don’t seem fine,” he said stubbornly. “Was it… him?” Liam asked, knowing damn well where his mom was coming from.

Selene froze for half a second. “Did you have your breakfast yet, Liam?" She opted to escape his enquiry.

" ..." Liam was silent, knowing his mother too well. He clenched his fist beside him, asking with clenched teeth, " Did he say something to you?"

" Liam!-"

Knock! Knock!

Just as Selene raised a finger to rebuke Liam, there was a sudden knock on the door came. Selene gave him one last warning glance, pulling herself together as she moved to answer the door. Liam shook his head and rushed upstairs to his room.

When she opened it, Kyle was standing there, tall and domineering. His presence filled the doorway like the air itself belonged to him.

Selene’s pulse jumped. “What do you want now?” she asked, her voice rising and dropping with every anxious breathe she took mid-sentence.

“I’m here for Liam,” he said, his deep voice rolling over her like thunder.

Her brows knit. “What?”

“Your son.” His gaze shifted briefly toward Liam inside. “His awakening is close. There are things he needs to understand, things only an Alpha can teach. He’s coming with me for a few hours.”

Selene’s lips parted to argue, but the look in his eyes left no room for debate. Still, her chest tightened with something sharp. Fear, jealousy, and longing all mixed together.

At this moment, Selene’s instinctive reaction was to step between them like a barrier. “You’re not just taking my son off somewhere without me.”

Kyle's eyes, dark and commanding, narrowed slightly. “I’m not asking for permission, Selene. I’m telling you. He’s nearing his awakening, and someone needs to prepare him for what’s coming. That someone is me.”

Selene’s spine stiffened. “Then I’m coming too.” Her voice was firm and stubborn, but underneath it all, there was another reason, one she’d never admit out loud: she wanted to be near Kyle.

She wanted to see him. To figure out if his cruelty from earlier was just an act… or something deeper.

A faint smirk- or was it out of irritation?- tugged at Kyle's lips. “You’ll be a distraction.”

“Then deal with it,” she said quickly, before he could argue. “I’m his mother. I have every right to know what you’re teaching him.”

There was a long pause where Kyle's gaze bore into her like he was trying to read every unspoken thought. Then, finally, he tilted his head slightly. “Fine. But don’t get in the way.”

Liam came into the room just then, his expression guarded. His gaze darted between his mother and Kyle, a spark of defiance in his young eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Liam asked, crossing his arms.

“ Let's go boy, it's time for training,” Kyle said. “It'll take just a few hours so you can continue jerking off afterwards.”

Liam frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line. “ Thanks but I'll decline" He really hated this man's guts.

“Liam—” Selene started, but he cut her off, his eyes flicking toward Kyle like he was a threat rather than a leader, " What? he doesn't have to do anything with me.”

Selene’s heart twisted. Liam didn’t know everything but he’d grown up seeing her struggle, seeing the pain she hid earlier when she came back from Kyle and his rude mannerisms around her which she still tolerated. Of course the teenager resented the Alpha.

" We're leaving. This is for your own good" Selene declared, grabbing Liam who expressed betrayal. " " Mom!" However, Selene didn't care!

The three of them got into Kyle’s sleek black truck which stood modern, polished, but still rugged enough to scream authority outside their home.

Selene sat in the front, refusing to give him the satisfaction of putting her in the back like some subordinate. Liam sulked quietly in the back seat, his eyes fixed on the trees as they drove toward the pack’s private clearing in the woods.

The silence was suffocating. Kyle's hand rested on the wheel, knuckles flexing as if he was restraining himself from saying something.

Selene’s mind ran wild, imagining his silence meant something more. Why did he suddenly come knocking on her door? Maybe he really was thinking about her? Maybe last night wasn’t rejection… just denial?

The thought made her stomach flip.

Soon they arrived at the large but secluded clearing which was just the perfect place for werewolves to train without drawing human attention. Kyle stepped out first, his presence immediately commanding the space.

Liam followed reluctantly, his hands jammed in his pockets.

“Shift control starts here,” Kyle said, his voice firm but not unkind. “Even before your wolf awakens fully, you need to learn to control your instincts. The anger. The speed. The way your senses start to… sharpen.”

“I’m fine,” Liam muttered. “I don’t need help.”

Kyle’s gaze hardened. “Everyone needs guidance, boy. Even me.”

Selene stayed off to the side, leaning against a tree, pretending to watch Liam but really stealing glances at Kyle. The way he moved was precise, powerful. It sent her mind spiraling back to last night, to how much she had wanted him. To the sharpness of his rejection and the fire in his eyes.

She hated him. She wanted him.

' Maybe...'she thought ' this is his way of trying to… connect with me?' Taking an interest in Liam had to mean something, right?

Liam and Kyle went through some basic agility drills, running short sprints, simple reflex challenges. But through Kyle's constant nagging and tutoring, Liam’s frustration kept boiling up.

Finally, it snapped

.

“Why do you even care?” Liam shouted, fists clenched. “You hate my mom. You just hurt her today when she only wanted to thank you!

You're just like everyone else in this goddamned town!”

Selene’s breath caught. “Liam, that’s enough—”

“No, he is!” Liam’s voice cracked. “I can tell you're not happy with him being around, look at you." He then turned to face Kyle, " You make her—”

“Stop,” Kyle said, his voice cutting through the boy’s words like thunder. He didn’t yell, but the weight of his tone silenced everything.

Kyle turned to Liam, his dark gaze then flicking deliberately to Selene. He stepped forward, towering over them both, his voice low but deep enough to send a chill down her spine.

“Sometimes,” he said slowly, “we see things in a way that isn’t true, Liam. Sometimes, the one who is truly hurt… doesn’t look like the victim at all. They are made to look like the villain.”

He didn’t break eye contact with Selene as he said those words. Heavy and astounding, they hit Selene like a punch.

For a moment, she forgot to breathe. Her mind scrambled.

' Was he talking about her? About himself?'

Liam on the other hand frowned, confused. He looked at him as if to discern what he meant but Kyle's gaze stayed locked on Selene, hard and unreadable.

Selene’s throat went dry.

Kyle broke the silence with a clipped tone. “That’s enough for today. We’ll continue next week.” Liam didn’t argue, though his eyes still burned with resentment.

Kyle walked past Selene without another word, his scent was woodsy, sharp, and commanding, lingering like a storm cloud.

Selene just stood there, frozen, trying to make sense of what he’d said. Of the way he’d looked at her like he was both accusing her and… aching for her.