Eighteen

Livia’s POV

“I need to leave… right now,” I muttered to myself, already turning on my heel.

After a few seconds, my phone buzzed again, again and again.

I stopped walking and stared at the screen as it had personally offended me.

“Is he seriously calling me again?” I hissed.

The name flashed boldly.

Zachary, as I declined it.

It rang again instantly, and I laughed bitterly. “Does he not have a pack to run? Isn’t he supposed to be the Alpha? Or is he just jobless?” I asked, looking at the phone in my hand.

The phone kept vibrating in my palm.

“Maybe Perry does all the actual work,” I scoffed under my breath. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

It rang again. “Unbelievable,” I muttered, expressing my frustrations.

I shoved it into my pocket and started jogging.

“Bella should be the one on his neck, not me,” I muttered between breaths. “She’s the one pregnant. She’s the one he chose.”

My chest tightened. “And yet I’m the one he won’t stop chasing.”

The thought alone made my stomach twist.

I picked up speed, my feet pounding against the gravel path. 

The wind whipped against my face, urging me forward. “I should just shift,” I whispered to myself. “Run it out. Let my wolf take over.”

My body tingled at the idea as the fields would be empty this late. The moon was bright enough, and the freedom would be intoxicating, but fear crept in.

“If I transform…” I swallowed. “What if it triggers the mate bond?”

My steps slowed. “I denounced it,” I reminded myself firmly. “I rejected it. I buried it.”

A painful laugh escaped me. “But he didn’t.”

That was the problem, as he never did.

“And that’s why he keeps calling,” I whispered. “That’s why he won’t let me breathe.”

My phone buzzed again.

I stopped completely this time and pulled it out, staring at the persistent name lighting up my screen.

“Why won’t you let me go?” I murmured, my voice breaking slightly as I declined it again.

“I have no one,” I muttered, resuming my jog.

My chest felt hollow.

“I can’t call Perry again.”

I shook my head. “That might just complicate everything.”

My breathing grew uneven.

“I just… I just want someone,” I whispered. 

“Someone who isn’t connected to him. Someone I can lean on, someone I can tell that I’m scared of everything happening.” 

The word scared lingered bitterly on my tongue.

“I hate that I’m scared.”

By the time I reached home, my legs were aching, and my mind was a battlefield.

The door creaked open.

“Livia?” Hayden’s voice called from the living room.

I forced a neutral expression before stepping inside.

He looked up from his laptop, his brows furrowing immediately.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “You look… tense.”

I shrugged, dropping my bag. “It’s nothing, just tired from the long walk,” I replied.

He closed the laptop slowly. “That’s a lie,” he replied as he looked at me.

I sighed. “It’s just the jewelry issue,” I added.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “The one with the supplier?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I nodded quickly. “It’s just messy.”

If only he knew, but he studied my face for a few seconds too long.

“You are sure that’s it?” he asked as I could see doubt in his eyes.

I forced a small laugh. “What else would it be?” I asked calmly, trying to form a smile 

Zachary’s name flashed across my mind, and I felt stupid.

He had inserted himself into my business, too, into my peace, and into everything.

I hated that it still affected me.

Hayden stood up and walked toward me slowly.

“You are shaking,” he murmured.

“I’m not,” i defended 

“You are,” he insisted as he looked at me closely.

He reached out and brushed his fingers lightly against my arm, and my breath caught.

“See?” he said softly. “Cold.”

“I just jogged home,” I replied quickly. “That’s all.”

He tilted his head slightly, studying me in a way that made my pulse skip.

“Do you want to continue where we left off?” he asked, his voice dropping lower.

This made my heart thud.

He looked unfairly attractive, standing there relaxed, confident and his shirt slightly unbuttoned. 

His gaze darkened as it lingered on me more than I expected.

“Maybe,” I replied coldly, stepping closer.

His lips curved slowly. 

“Maybe?” he asked, staring at me.

“Convince me.” I replied, trying to play hard to get.

His eyes flashed with something wicked, but I could see the hidden smile behind it.

“You are dangerous tonight,” he murmured.

“And you are staring,” I shot back, feeling shy as I stood close to him.

He laughed softly. “Can you blame me?”

I stepped even closer, letting my fingers trail lightly down his chest.

“Still thinking about the jewelry?” he asked, his voice rougher now.

“Not anymore,” I whispered softly.

He exhaled sharply. “You are trying to distract yourself,” he said quietly.

“Maybe I just want you,” I countered.

I watched as his jaw tightened. “That’s not fair,” he muttered silently.

“Why?” I challenged, smiling.

“Because when you look at me like that,” he said, his voice thick, “I forget how to think.”

“Then don’t think,” I murmured, grinning all round. 

He dropped his laptop onto the couch without breaking eye contact.

“You are playing a dangerous game, Livia,” he said, stepping closer until our bodies were inches apart.

“Am I?” I whispered as I tried teasing him by rolling my eyes.

 

His hand moved to my waist slowly.

“You are trembling again,” he said softly.

“Maybe it’s you,” I replied without breaking eye contact.

His lips hovered near mine. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured, but I didn’t. Instead, I leaned closer and then my phone rang.

The sound sliced through the air like a blade, and we both froze, disrupting the emotional moment we were sharing.

I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who it was, as I already knew who the person is.

Hayden’s jaw tightened. “You are not going to answer that?” he asked quietly.

I stepped back, my chest rising and falling.

“It’s nothing,” I muttered, trying to hide the identity of the caller.

The phone kept ringing. “It doesn’t sound like anything,” he replied.

I grabbed it and glanced at the screen. Zachary called again.

Hayden’s eyes darkened immediately he saw the name on the screen.

“Is that him?” he asked coldly, but I didn’t answer.

The phone stopped ringing after a few seconds.

There was silence, and then the phone rang again immediately.

Hayden let out a slow breath. “He’s not going to stop, is he?” he asked.

“No,” I whispered.

“Do you want me to answer it?” he asked.

My head snapped up. “No!” I replied as I trembled at his request.

He studied me carefully. “You are scared of him,” he asked silently.

“I’m not scared,” I snapped.

“Then why does his name make you look like that?” he asked, his eyes fixed on me.