His Trouble Maker

hapter 12

Chapter 12

GRAYSON

“Dude, she’s gonna cry again tonight.”

Pierce nudges my elbow like that’s something I want to hear. I don’t even turn to look at him. My eyes are still locked on the woods. The path she tore through, all wild breath and rage. He keeps talking.

“You could’ve eased up. One more lap? She was dead on her feet.”

“She needed to learn.”

“Grayson-”

“I said she needed to learn.” My voice is low. Final. And if he says her name again, I swear to the fucking Moon I’ll snap.He doesn’t get it. No one gets it. She’s not just some omega. She’s my Luna. And my Luna doesn’t get to be weak. She doesn’t get to fall apart in the middle of a battlefield just because someone hurt her feelings. Not even when that someone is me.l exhale through my nose, hands flexing at my sides like they’re itching for something to hold. ]

My cock’s still half–hard. Still aching from that goddamn kiss earlier–when her body pressed into mine and she moaned against my mouth like she was made for me.That sound wrecked me. I can still taste her. Still feel the way she arched. How her fingers trembled. The way her throat pulsed when I licked it.

Fuck

And now I’m the villain.

Now she’s running through a storm like I didn’t just humiliate her in front of the pack. Because I did. I had to. Because love doesn’t matter if she’s not strong enough to survive what’s coming. Because no one gets to break her–but me and I’ll rebuild her after.Stronger. Sharper. Mine.

“You’re cruel sometimes, man,” Pierce mutters.

“Good,” I say. “She’ll remember it.”

After a few minutes, Pierce gave up waiting beside me. He muttered something I didn’t bother listening to, then walked off across the field, leaving me alone in the middle of the storm like some goddamn fool.

The others are already gone–tucked into dorms, hiding from the cold, from the thunder that’s been crawling closer with every breath–but I’m still here. Sitting on the soaked grass, elbows resting on my knees, eyes fixed on the edge of the woods like she’s going to come running out of them at any second.

I told her one more lap.

She agreed.

So where the fuck is she?

I drag a hand down my face, pushing rain away from my eyes as the wind shifts and another crack of thunder tears

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Chapter 12

through the sky. The downpour gets harder. Louder. It pelts my shoulders, soaks through my shirt, seeps into my boots-

but I don’t move. I can’t.

She’s out there.

Jessica. My omega. My goddamn Luna.

I let my gaze scan the treeline again. Nothing moves. Not a single branch. Not a sound. Not even the faint rustle of her breath trying to hide from me.

What the hell is taking you so long, baby?

You’re not that slow. You’re not that weak.

a lap in a storm and curse me

probably look insane–sitting here in the pouring rain, waiting for a girl who wouldn’t even look at me an hour ago without wanting to slap me–but I

to finish it. And now every second she doesn’t come out of those woods, my gut twists tighter and my jaw

and I finally exhale, sharp and rough, dragging my ass off the

Enough waiting.

and decided to detour to her room without telling me, I swear I’ll find her and put her on her fucking knees. I’ll drag her right back out here and make her do ten

No.

Something’s wrong.

once–no sound, no sign–but I feel it like a punch to the chest. The kind of stillness that doesn’t mean peace. The kind that means danger. That means silence right

take one

Then another.

start walking–fast–toward

“GRAYSON!”

in air too fast. My foot slips in the dirt, catches, launches forward again. Rain pelts my face, my arms, my chest.

trees,

jerks toward

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Chapter 12

“Fuck. Jess–fuck.”

My feet launch forward.

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shoulder–slamming branches out of the way, ducking under limbs, boots pounding into the earth as rain slices across

“Grayson!”

“Damn it, baby. Where are you?” My vision tunnels. The trees blur past me–shadows and bark and soaked leaves slapping against my

I see is her. All I hear is her voice echoing in my skull

one more.

scream again,” I mutter, breath tearing out of me. “Let

boots skid through a patch of

like they’ll split open and show me what’s

I breathe, mouth dry, throat tight. “I swear to the

chest heaves. My ribs ache from the

second–just one second–and try to feel her. Fuck. My eyes fly open. She’s not alone. I run. I fucking tear across the field like my bones are fire and my blood is knives.

She’s scared.

She’s terrified.

is

across my face. Thorns rip my arms open. Bark shreds my knuckles

Jessica.

are kicking, but not fast enough. Her hands are scratching the earth like she can dig her way

screams, voice cracking. “Fuck–please! Get off

I see red.

so sharp

1 fucking lunge.

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Chapter 12

in a tangle of claws and teeth, mud exploding around us as the storm beats down. The bastard growls, tries to get leverage, but I’m already swinging, already slashing for his

He bites me.

tearing through skin–and I roar. Not in

want a

bone crunching under my knuckles. He lets go, and I grab the back of his head and slam it into the mud until it dents around his skull. He kicks–tries

down, hard, my hand locking around his throat. I drive my knee into his ribs, feel the crack underneath me, my claws already

fucking want her?” I growl

force his face to mine–blood already gushing, mixing with rain–and I drag my claws down his cheek in one