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

1/5

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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.

you to finish a lap in a storm and curse me out

look insane–sitting here in the pouring rain, waiting for a girl who wouldn’t even look at me an hour ago

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

finally exhale, sharp

Enough waiting.

to detour to her room without telling me, I swear I’ll find her and put her on

No.

Something’s wrong.

feel it like a punch to the chest. The

take one step

Then another.

start walking–fast–toward the

“GRAYSON!”

in the dirt, catches, launches forward again. Rain pelts my face,

voice rips through the trees, high

jerks toward the sound so fast

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Wed, 30 Jul Gti

Chapter 12

“Fuck. Jess–fuck.”

My feet launch forward.

71%

+28

shoulder–slamming branches out of the way, ducking under

“Grayson!”

vision tunnels. The trees blur past me–shadows and bark and

hear is her voice echoing in my skull like it’s carved there. Scream

one more.

out of me. “Let

skid through a patch of mud,

now–eyes scanning the trees like they’ll split open and show me what’s hurting

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

heaves. My ribs ache from the pressure building in

run. I fucking tear across the field like my bones are fire and my blood is knives. I don’t care if I break something. I don’t care if I bleed.

She’s scared.

She’s terrified.

woman is

trees at full speed. Branches whip across my face. Thorns rip my arms open. Bark shreds my knuckles

Jessica.

back. In the dirt. Shirt ripped open. Chest heaving. Mud smeared across her stomach. Her legs are kicking, but not fast enough.

me!” she screams, voice cracking.

I see red.

vision narrows so sharp I nearly

1 fucking lunge.

12:43 Wed, 30 Jul

Chapter 12

mud exploding around us as the storm beats down. The bastard growls, tries to get leverage, but I’m already swinging,

He bites me.

forearm–teeth tearing through skin–and I

a fucking

into the

into his ribs, feel the crack

fucking want her?” I growl through

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