Tension in the Lecture hall

The air in the lecture hall was unusually tense, even before the incident unfolded.

But thus time, every breath being drawn in felt more like stone.

The room, once filled with young wolves preparing for future leadership roles, that had buzzed with low chatter and the sound of pens against notebooks with the occasional murmurs of students exchanging notes was beginning to feel like a place that was too constricted.

However none of that mattered to Lily.

She was painfully aware of the hand resting on her arm.

Ethan.

He was too close—close enough that she could feel his breath against her skin, could smell the faint mix of spice and arrogance that always clung to him.

He leaned toward her, whispering something she didn’t even register.

All she could focus on was the possessive grip on her arm and the fire growing in her chest.

She could feel the eyes of her mates staring at then with anger.

Across the room, Lucas and Liam stood side by side at the edge of the hall, their eyes fixed forward, jaws clenched, and their rage trained on the scene with growing intensity.

Lily gritted her teeth, then pulled her arm out of Ethan’s grasp with a swift, precise motion.

"Don’t ever touch me again," she snapped, her voice slicing through the room like a blade.

Ethan chuckled, clearly amused by her outburst.

"Relax, Lily. You act like I hurt you. I was just saying hello" he said as if he had done something completely normal.

She turned to him fully now, her eyes matching the intensity on Lucas and Liam's faces.

"You don’t get to touch me, Ethan. You lost that privilege the moment you almost ran me over then instead of apologising, you decided to play games with me."

Ethan cocked his head lazily.

"Games? I never said I was playing. Everything I do is deadly serious. Especially when it comes to you."

Her fingers curled into fists.

"You don’t respect boundaries. You think because you’re strong, because you wear your arrogance like a second skin, that everyone should bow to you. But newsflash: I’m not interested. I never was" Lily said harshly, her tone cutting deep.

The room had gone totally quiet, with the air charged with an unmistakable energy.

Lucas and Liam moved closer to protect Lily but she wasn't done standing up for herself.

She looked straight at him, her voice rising with fury and defiance.

"You think you can touch me, talk to me like I’m yours, even when you know who I am—who I belong to. You're way over your head" She said.

She hated the annoying look on his face but more importantly, she knew if she let him speak to her like this and she did nothing, Lucas and Liam will assign her bodyguards and never let her out of their sight again.

And she couldn’t let that happen.

"Oh, so this is about proving a point?" Ethan asked, mockingly. "About showing your Alphas you can bark on your own?"

"No," she said, her eyes burning. "It’s about respect. Something you clearly lack."

At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall as Lucas and Liam approached.

The air seemed to shift with their arrival.

Their Alpha aura rolled across the room like thunderclouds on the horizon.

Ethan, however, didn’t even flinch.

Lucas stood beside Lily, his eyes locked on Ethan.

Liam stood on her other side, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Is there a problem?" Lucas asked, his voice low and cold.

"Just a friendly chat," Ethan said, smirking. "Though your Luna seems a little wound up."

Liam narrowed his eyes.

"Step away from her. Now."

Ethan turned his body slightly, angling it between them like he was ready for a challenge.

"Are you two always this possessive? Or is it just that you’re afraid of what I can offer her that you can’t?"

Lucas and Liam exchanged a look.

It was brief, silent, but filled with something dangerous.

Lucas took a step closer, his voice still low but carrying enough force to make even the boldest wolf fear.

"Stay away from Lily. We’re warning you."

Ethan laughed, his eyes never leaving Lily’s.

"Warning me? That’s cute. But I’m not scared of you two. You may be Alphas, but you can’t control what Lily wants."

Lily turned her head sharply, but before she could speak, Ethan stepped forward.

"You deserve someone who knows how to make you feel like a woman, Lily," he said, his voice dipping into a tone that suggested seduction. "Someone with real strength. Someone who doesn’t hide behind titles."

A loud crack filled the room.

Lucas’s fist had connected with Ethan’s jaw.

The impact echoed through the silent lecture hall as Ethan stumbled backward, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

Gasps rang out from several students who were still around as they watched in shock.

Lily’s breath caught in her throat.

Ethan straightened slowly, wiping the blood off with the back of his hand.

He looked up at Lucas, and then Liam, who now stood with murder in his eyes.

Lucas spoke first, his voice like steel.

"This is your final warning. Speak to her like that again, and I won’t stop at a punch."

Liam followed, stepping forward.

"Keep testing us, little wolf. I dare you."

Ethan spat blood to the side and gave a slow, arrogant smile.

"She’ll come around. You can only keep her in chains for so long."

Lily flinched.

Lucas grabbed her hand.

"Let’s go."

Liam placed his hand protectively on her lower back as they turned toward the exit.

As they walked away, Lily glanced over her shoulder one last time.

Ethan stood there, his mouth bloodied, his face bruised, and yet, somehow, still smiling.

He lifted his hand and waved.

"This isn’t over, Lily," he said. "Not by a long shot."

Lily’s stomach turned. But she didn’t look back again.

She walked out with the twins, her head held high, their presence like walls of protection around her.

And even though something flickered in the shadows of her heart, she knew one thing for certain.

She had to do all she can to avoid Ethan.