Page 9 of Falling for My Shifter Guardian (Wild & Forbidden Mates #5)

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. Too close. 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 facade. “Everything I’ve done?” he repeats, his voice rising. “Everything I’ve done has been for you, Olivia. To protect you. To save you from them .” 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 to kill —”

“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. What he’s capable of.” He jabs a finger in Derek’s direction, his hand trembling slightly. “They’re not like us. They’re not human . 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 sure he and 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?”

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he takes a step closer, his hand tightening around the weapon at his side. “Last chance, Liv,” he says, his voice a dangerous whisper. “Come with me. Or watch him die.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. My gaze flicks to Derek, who is now practically vibrating with barely restrained fury. His eyes meet mine, and in them, I see everything he’s not saying. Trust me. Don’t do this.

But I can’t let him get hurt.

“Fine,” I say, my voice shaking just enough to sound convincing. “I’ll go with you. Just... don’t hurt anyone.”

“Olivia, no—” Derek growls, but I cut him off with a look.

Ben smirks, lowering his weapon slightly. “Smart choice,” he says, stepping closer. “I knew you’d—”

I don’t let him finish. In one swift motion, I grab the heavy flashlight from the truck’s dashboard and swing it with everything I’ve got. The metal connects with his wrist, and he lets out a shout of pain, dropping the weapon.

Chaos erupts.

The hunters raise their weapons, but before they can fire, Derek shifts mid-leap, his massive wolf form barreling into the nearest hunter. The sound of snapping bones and snarling fills the air as he tears through them with terrifying precision.

I dive behind the truck for cover, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it might burst. Gunshots ring out, and I peek around the corner just in time to see Derek take down another hunter, his jaws clamping around their arm and tossing them aside like a ragdoll.

But there are too many of them.

A hunter breaks away from the chaos, charging toward me with a knife glinting in the dim light. Adrenaline surges through me, and I grab a discarded metal pipe from the ground. I swing it, the impact jarring my arms as it connects with the hunter’s side. They stumble, and I shove them away, my breathing ragged.

“Olivia!” Derek’s voice—human again—cuts through the noise. I turn just in time to see him tackle a hunter who was aiming a silver-tipped dagger at me. The blade sinks into Derek’s side instead, and he lets out a guttural growl of pain.

“No!” I scream, rushing to his side.

Before I can reach him, a deep, commanding voice cuts through the chaos. “Enough!”

Theo.

The Howling Pines Pack charges onto the scene, their presence a whirlwind of fur and fury. The hunters don’t stand a chance. Within moments, they’re overwhelmed, retreating or subdued under the pack’s relentless assault.

But I barely register any of it. All I can see is Derek, slumped on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. The howls of wolves and fading gunfire blur into the background as I drop to my knees beside Derek. Blood pools beneath him, dark and terrifying against the cracked asphalt of the parking lot.

“Derek!” My voice is frantic, trembling, barely recognizable. I press my hands against the deep gash on his side, sticky warmth coating my fingers. The smell of copper is sharp in the cold night air, mixing with the lingering scent of smoke and sweat. “Stay with me, okay? Don’t you dare leave me.”

His eyes flutter open, those steel-gray eyes that have always seemed so unshakable. Now they’re glassy, heavy with pain, but they still manage to lock onto me with a force that makes my breath catch.

“I’m fine,” he rasps, his voice rough and strained. “It’s... just a scratch.”

“A scratch?” I snap, my fear sharpening into anger as I press harder against the wound. My hands are slick with blood, and it’s coming too fast, spreading across his shirt like an unstoppable tide. “You’re bleeding out, Derek. Don’t you dare downplay this.”

The faintest ghost of a smile tugs at his lips. “You’re bossy when you’re scared. I like it.”

“Derek, stop!” My voice cracks, and tears blur my vision. I can’t lose him. Not him. I press harder, ignoring his wince, desperate to keep him here. “This isn’t the time to joke. Just... just stay with me. Please.”

His hand moves, slow and unsteady, until it covers mine. His palm is warm, steady despite the tremor I can feel in his fingers. The gentleness of the gesture breaks something inside me, and the tears I’ve been holding back spill over, hot and relentless.

“Olivia,” he murmurs, his voice softer now, almost tender. “Look at me.”

I do. I can’t help it.

“I told you I’d protect you,” he says, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that makes my chest tighten. “I’ll always protect you.”

There’s something in his tone—something raw and unspoken—that sends a shiver through me. It’s not just a promise. It’s more than that.

“Derek…” My voice trembles as I lean closer, searching his face for answers. “Why? Why do you care so much?”

The question hangs in the air between us, heavy and fragile. His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he won’t answer. But then his grip on my hand tightens, his eyes softening in a way I’ve never seen before.

“Because you’re mine,” he says, the words barely more than a whisper.

The world tilts. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat as his words sink in. “What... what do you mean?”

He exhales shakily, his head leaning back against the cold asphalt. “I’ve been fighting it for years, Olivia. Fighting what I feel. Fighting this .” His free hand gestures weakly between us. “But I can’t anymore. Not when I almost lost you tonight.”

My pulse pounds in my ears, my thoughts a chaotic mess. “Fighting what?” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Derek, just tell me.”

His eyes meet mine again, and for the first time, I see something raw and unguarded in them. Vulnerability.

“You’re my mate,” he says, his voice breaking like a dam. “My fated mate.”

Mate.

The word echoes in my mind, unfamiliar and yet... not. Pieces of the puzzle start snapping together—the way he’s always been there, watching over me, protecting me, even when I didn’t know I needed it. The way my heart feels like it’s tethered to his, even when he tries to push me away.

“I don’t understand,” I whisper, my hands still trembling against his wound.

“It’s a shifter thing,” he says, his voice growing weaker. “A bond... deeper than anything you can imagine. From the moment I met you, I knew . But you were so young, and I...” He swallows hard, his jaw clenching. “I swore to your father I’d protect you. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do. Protect you. Even from me.”

My father. Derek’s best friend. The man who trusted him with my life.

“You’ve been... fighting this? Fighting us ?” My chest feels too tight, my emotions a tangled mess of confusion, anger, and something else—something that feels dangerously like hope. “Why?”

“Because you deserve more,” he says, his voice breaking. “More than a life filled with danger. More than someone like me.”

Tears blur my vision as his words sink in. He’s been carrying this—this bond, this love—for years, all while protecting me from things I didn’t even know existed. And he’s been doing it alone.

“Derek,” I whisper, leaning closer until my forehead brushes his. “You’ve been fighting for me all this time. Now it’s my turn to fight for you.”

His breath hitches, and for a moment, I think he might argue. But then his eyes close, and he exhales a shaky, almost relieved breath. “Olivia...”

Before he can say anything else, the sound of approaching footsteps pulls my attention. I glance up to see Theo and Ethan charging toward us, their faces grim but determined. Behind them, the rest of the Howling Pines pack is finishing off the last of the hunters, their victory clear but hard-won.

Theo kneels beside us, his sharp gaze flicking between Derek and me. “How bad is it?”

“He’s lost a lot of blood,” I say, my voice steadier now, though my hands are still shaking. “We need to get him out of here.”

Theo nods, his expression unreadable. “Ethan, help me get him up.”

As they move to lift Derek, he lets out a low growl of protest. “I can walk,” he mutters, though his pale face and trembling limbs say otherwise.

“Shut up, Derek,” Theo snaps, his tone gruff but laced with concern. “You’re not proving anything by being stubborn.”

Derek doesn’t argue, which tells me just how bad it is. As Theo and Ethan haul him to his feet, I stay close, one hand on his arm to steady him. He leans into me more than I expect, his weight a reminder of just how vulnerable he is right now.

“I’m not leaving your sight,” I tell him firmly, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Not now. Not ever.”

Derek’s lips twitch into the faintest smile, and he murmurs, “Bossy.”

But this time, there’s no teasing in his tone—only a quiet, unspoken gratitude.

As we make our way toward the waiting cars, the reality of what’s just happened begins to settle over me. The hunters are still out there, the packs are still in danger, and Derek’s wounds are far from healed.

But for the first time, I don’t feel powerless.

Because now I know the truth.

And no matter what comes next, I’ll fight for him. Just like he’s fought for me.