Page 8 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian (Wild & Forbidden Mates #5)

Olivia

My hands tremble, nails biting into my palms as I pace the length of my tiny apartment. The walls feel like they’re closing in, my frustration boiling over with every unanswered question Derek left me with. He didn’t even look back when he walked away. Just dropped his cryptic warning like a grenade and left me standing there, stunned and shaking.

“Stay away from the pack. Stay away from me.”

I can still hear the raw edge in his voice, the crack that betrayed something deeper beneath all that stoic indifference. And the way his fingertips lingered against my cheek, just for a second—long enough to make my heart stutter, long enough to make me hope—and then he was gone.

I let out a growl of frustration and tug at the end of my braid, pacing faster. He’s always like this. One step closer, two steps back. Warm one moment, ice-cold the next. It's maddening. And now, after everything, after three years of him lurking on the edges of my life, watching me like some silent sentinel, I’m supposed to just stay away ?

No. Not this time.

I grab my phone off the coffee table with more force than necessary and scroll through my contacts until Maya’s name pops up. If there’s anyone who can give me a straight answer, it’s her. She’s been dropping hints for weeks, always stopping just short of saying too much.

The phone rings twice before her voice filters through, soft and familiar. “Liv? What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you,” I say, barely managing to rein in the sharp edge to my voice. “It’s about Derek. And…the pack.”

There’s a pause. A long one. Long enough to make my stomach twist with unease.

“What about them?” Maya’s tone is careful, guarded.

“Don’t play coy with me, Maya,” I snap, pacing again. My feet feel like they’re magnetized to the hardwood floor, unable to stop moving. “There’s something going on, isn’t there? Something dangerous. Derek told me I need to stay away from the pack, and you’ve been hinting at things for weeks. I want the truth.”

She sighs, and I can almost hear her shifting uncomfortably on the other end of the line. “It’s complicated, Liv. I don’t think—”

“Don’t give me that,” I cut her off, my voice rising. My chest feels tight, like I’m holding in too much air. “I’ve been in the dark for too long, and I’m not just going to sit here and wait for something bad to happen. If you care about me at all, you’ll tell me what’s going on.”

Silence stretches between us, heavy and tense, and for a moment, I think she’s going to hang up. But then she exhales, the sound resigned. “The hunters,” she says finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

The word lands like a punch to the gut. “Hunters?” I repeat, my voice shaky.

“They’ve been moving closer to Whispering Pines,” she continues, her tone more clipped now, as if forcing herself to get the words out. “The pack knows they’re planning something big, but we don’t have all the details yet. Derek’s just trying to keep you safe.”

The way she says it— keep you safe —makes my pulse quicken. “Who are they? And why do they care about the pack?”

“They’re… an organization,” Maya says carefully. “They think shifters are a threat to humans. They’ve been targeting packs for years, hunting them down like animals. That’s why Derek’s on edge. Why he’s been so protective of you.”

The air feels heavier, pressing against my chest. My head is spinning, trying to piece together this new information. Hunters. Shifters. It sounds like something out of a bad movie, but the seriousness in Maya’s voice leaves no room for doubt.

“Why would they come after me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not… I’m not a shifter.”

“You’re close to us,” she explains, her voice softening. “That makes you a target. And Derek…he’s not just trying to keep you safe because of some promise to your dad. It’s more than that.”

Her words spark something in me—hope, confusion, frustration—but before I can press her for more, a loud knock cuts through the air, freezing me mid-step.

“Liv?” Maya’s voice sharpens. “You still there?”

“Yeah,” I murmur, my eyes locked on the door. My heart is pounding now, each knock reverberating through my chest. “Someone’s at the door. I’ll call you back.”

“Be careful,” she says quickly, but I’ve already hung up.

When I crack the door open, I’m greeted by Ben’s familiar face—or at least, a version of it. His blue eyes, once warm and full of boyish charm, are sharp and cold now, his jaw set in a way that makes him look older, harder. His hands are stuffed into his jacket pockets, but the tension in his shoulders is impossible to miss.

“Ben?” My voice comes out tentative, confused. “What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?” he asks, but the way he says it doesn’t leave room for a no.

I hesitate, gripping the edge of the door. Something about him feels… off. There’s an edge to his tone, a weight in the air that makes my stomach twist.

“It’s not really a good time,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “What’s going on?”

Instead of answering, Ben pushes past me, brushing against my shoulder as he steps inside. The door swings open wider, and I’m left standing there, caught off guard.

“Uh, sure, come on in,” I say reluctantly, stepping aside to let him in fully. I close the door behind him, the soft click louder than it should be in the uneasy silence.

Ben moves into the small living room, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. He doesn’t sit, doesn’t relax—he just stands there, like he’s waiting for something. It’s strange, seeing him like this. The boy who used to make me laugh until my sides hurt now feels like a stranger, his presence heavy and uncomfortable.

“So,” he says finally, his voice tight. “How was your night?”

The question catches me off guard. “My night?” I repeat.

“Yeah.” His tone is casual, but it doesn’t match the hard set of his jaw or the sharpness in his eyes. “What did you get up to? Game night, right?”

I nod slowly, trying to gauge where this is going. “Yeah, it was nice. Everyone was really welcoming. It was... fun.”

“Fun,” he echoes flatly. His lips twitch into something that might’ve been a smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He starts pacing, his movements stiff and controlled, like he’s holding something back. “So, what? You had a great time with them , huh?”

I frown, crossing my arms over my chest. “Ben, what’s this about?”

He stops abruptly, spinning to face me. His blue eyes lock onto mine, and for a second, I see a glimpse of the friend I used to know—uncertain, searching. But the moment passes, and his expression hardens into something colder, something I don’t recognize.

“What have you been up to, Olivia?” he asks, his tone sharper now, the edge unmistakable.

“Up to?” I blink, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with him ,” he spits, the words laced with venom. “With Derek. And the rest of them .”

The word “them” hangs in the air, heavy and bitter.

I sigh, trying to keep my irritation in check. “Derek’s been helping me,” I say carefully. “That’s all.”

“Helping you?” Ben’s laugh is cold, humorless. “Helping you with what? Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?”

His words sting, but I force myself to stay calm. “You don’t get to talk to me like that, Ben. And you sure as hell don’t get to tell me who I can and can’t spend time with.”

“You think I don’t know what’s going on, Olivia?” Ben’s laugh is bitter, a sharp, mocking sound that echoes through the room. His lips curl into a sneer as he steps closer, his voice dripping with venom. “I’m trying to protect you, Olivia. From them. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”

My patience snaps, the anger bubbling inside me finally spilling over. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Derek has done nothing but protect me—”

“Protect you?” Ben cuts me off, his voice rising to an almost frantic pitch. “You’re so blind, Olivia. They’re not human. They’re monsters. And you’re too busy batting your eyelashes at Derek to see it.”

I can’t stop the sharp intake of breath, but I force myself to stand my ground. “You’re wrong,” I snap, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and disbelief. “Derek has never—”

“Never what?” Ben interrupts again, his tone turning cold as his eyes narrow. “Never lied to you? Never manipulated you? Wake up, Olivia! You don’t see it, but I do. People like Derek, like all of them—they’re parasites. They take and take until there’s nothing left.”

I glare at him, my fists clenched at my sides. “You’re letting your hatred blind you, Ben. Derek hasn’t done anything to deserve this. He’s—”

“Deserve?” Ben laughs again, but this time, there’s no humor in it. “You think they deserve anything? I've been barely scraping by since we moved to this godforsaken town. Last month, I lost out on a promotion to a shifter who cozied up to the boss. And while I'm stuck struggling to pay rent, they live like kings, hoarding everything Whispering Pines has to offer.”

I feel the weight of his words settle over me like a heavy fog, but I refuse to let him shift the blame. “That’s not Derek’s fault. That’s not the pack’s fault.”

Ben’s jaw tightens, his voice turning sharp and accusatory. “Isn’t it? They’ve got everyone in this town fooled, Olivia. They act like they’re just people trying to live their lives, but they’re not. They’re predators. And the hunters—” He pauses, his expression hardening. “The hunters are the only ones willing to stand up to them. To protect people like us.”

The words hang in the air, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. “You’ve been talking to them,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “The hunters. That’s where all of this is coming from.”

Ben doesn’t deny it. Instead, he sneers, his eyes flashing with something dark and unrecognizable. “They opened my eyes. They showed me the truth. While you’ve been busy cozying up to Derek and his pack, they’ve been working to keep people safe.”

I take a step back, shaking my head as I try to process everything. “Safe? You call this safe? Threatening innocent people, spreading lies—”

“Innocent?” Ben’s voice rises, his anger boiling over. “You think they’re innocent? They’re killers, Olivia. They don’t belong in our world, and the sooner you realize that, the better.”

The words hit me like a slap, and my cheeks flush hot with anger—and something dangerously close to guilt. How had I missed this? How had I not seen the bitterness festering inside him? The boy I grew up with, the one who always had a joke or a smile to lift my spirits, was gone. Replaced by this stranger standing before me.

“Ben,” I say, my voice softening despite myself. “This isn’t you. You don’t have to—”

“Don’t,” he snaps, cutting me off. “Don’t pretend you know me anymore. You’ve changed, Olivia. Ever since we moved here, you’ve been different. You don’t see it, but I do. They’ve gotten to you.”

I swallow hard, my throat tight with unshed tears. “No, Ben. You’ve changed. You let them fill your head with lies, and now you’re so caught up in your hatred, you can’t see the harm you’re causing.”

“Harm?” Ben steps closer, and I instinctively take another step back. His voice drops to a low, menacing growl. “I’m trying to save you, Olivia. But if you keep siding with them, you’re no better than they are.”

There’s something in his eyes I don’t recognize—something dark and twisted. For the first time, I feel a flicker of fear. Not for myself, but for the boy I thought I knew. The boy who used to be my best friend.

“Stop it,” I say, my voice trembling. “Just stop.”

But he doesn’t. His words come faster now, sharper, cutting into me like jagged glass. “You think I haven’t noticed? The way you look at him? The way you defend him? You’re so desperate for someone to care about you that you’re willing to trust a monster over me.”

“Ben…” My voice shakes as I take another step back, my mind racing. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What you’re doing?”

“I’m saving you,” he snaps. “Even if you’re too stupid to see it.”

His words cut deep, but anger flares hot and sharp in my chest. “This isn’t saving me, Ben. This is—this is betraying me. Betraying everything we’ve ever stood for.”

His face twists with anger, and before I can react, his hand shoots out, grabbing my arm in a bruising grip.

“You don’t get it, do you?” he hisses, his voice low and dangerous. “You think you’re so smart, so independent. But you’re just a stupid little girl who doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

Fear spikes through me, sharp and cold. But underneath it, something stronger burns—anger, determination.

“Let me go,” I say, my voice firm despite the tremble in it.

When he doesn’t, I yank my arm back with all the strength I can muster, stumbling a few steps away.

“Stay the hell away from me,” I spit, my voice shaking but steady.

Ben’s face darkens, but before he can say anything else, I bolt. I fling the door open and run, my heart pounding in my chest.

The cool night air hits me like a slap, and I don’t stop until I’m outside, breathless and trembling.

That’s when I see it—a familiar truck pulling up to the curb, its headlights cutting through the darkness.

Derek.

Relief rushes through me like a tidal wave, my legs already moving before my brain can catch up. I run toward the truck, my heart pounding in my chest. Derek barely has time to slow down before I yank open the door, throwing myself inside without waiting for him to park.

I’m still shaking when I climb into the passenger seat, my hands trembling so badly that I fumble with the seatbelt. Derek’s sharp, concerned gaze flicks to me as soon as I settle into the seat, his jaw tightening. The moment the door slams shut behind me, the weight of everything that just happened crashes down. My chest aches, tight and heavy, like I can’t quite get enough air. Ben’s voice echoes in my head—the anger, the betrayal, the way he looked at me like I was the enemy.

Derek doesn’t say a word as he starts the truck, his jaw tight and his knuckles white on the steering wheel. The tension radiating off him fills the cab, but it feels more like a shield than a threat. He’s angry, I can tell, but not at me. It’s the kind of anger that simmers just beneath the surface, controlled and contained, but no less dangerous.

I stare out the window as the truck rumbles down the quiet streets of Whispering Pines, the streetlights casting long shadows over the road. The silence between us is thick, but I can’t bring myself to break it. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, and I don’t even know where to start. Ben. The hunters. The awful things he said. The way he… gods, how did I not see this coming?

“Olivia.”

Derek’s voice is low, rough, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. I realize we’ve stopped, the truck idling in the parking lot of a small park. The familiar sight of the swings swaying gently in the breeze tugs at something in my chest. This place used to feel safe, comforting. Now it feels like everything else in my life—unsteady.

He turns to me, his steel-gray eyes locking onto mine. “What happened?”

His tone is firm, but there’s something else in it too—something softer, almost desperate. For a second, I can’t speak. The words are stuck in my throat, tangled up with the tears I’ve been holding back since the moment I ran out of my apartment.

“I—” My voice cracks, and I look away, blinking hard. “It’s Ben. He… he’s not who I thought he was.”

Derek doesn’t say anything, but his entire body tenses, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly I half-expect it to snap in half. I take a shaky breath, forcing myself to keep going.

“He’s been lying to me,” I whisper. “About everything. He’s… he’s working with the hunters.”

Derek’s growl is low, barely audible, but I feel it vibrate through the truck like a distant thunderstorm. His hands leave the wheel, one of them reaching out to grip the back of my seat like he’s trying to anchor himself. The other hovers near me, like he wants to touch me but isn’t sure if he should.

I swallow hard, the words spilling out faster now, like once I’ve started, I can’t stop. “He tried to convince me they weren’t dangerous, that they were just… trying to protect people. But then tonight, he—he said things, Derek. Awful things. About shifters. About you.”

His hand finally lands on my shoulder, warm and solid, grounding me in the chaos of my thoughts. I glance up at him, and his expression makes my breath catch. I’ve never seen him like this before—so raw, so completely unguarded. His eyes are dark, filled with something I can’t quite name, but it makes my heart skip a beat.

“Did he hurt you?” His voice is a low rumble, his thumb brushing lightly against my shoulder. “Tell me the truth, Olivia.”

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.