Lurgard.

It was strange, I mean completely strange.

But instead of anger rising within me...instead of the fury I should have felt..I liked it.

No.

I loved it.

The sting of her slap still lingered against my skin, her imprint burning faintly on my cheek, and rather than igniting rage, it sent something else coursing through me.

A sharp, electrifying surge.

It traveled down my spine, spreading through my body in a way that made my breath hitch slightly.

"You like it tough?" I asked, one brow lifting almost instinctively.

But the moment the words left my lips, everything shifted as Theresa recoiled.

Her body moved backward quickly, her arms wrapping around herself as though trying to shield her own form. Her shoulders trembled slightly, her eyes wide...not with defiance this time..but fear.

And that was when it hit me hard, I had gone too far.

The realization struck deep, cutting through whatever haze my wolf had pushed me into.

"Theresa, I’m sorry," I said immediately, my voice losing its edge as I reached out toward her.

But she pulled away again, further this time. It was as though my touch would burn her.

"Sorry?" she echoed, her voice shaking, barely holding together.

Tears streamed freely down her face now, each one tightening something painfully in my chest.

"Did you all bring me here so I could be your... release outlet?" she asked.

The accusation landed heavily and I felt my chest clenched instantly, the weight of her words pressing down on me as guilt surged in its place. I dragged a hand through my hair in frustration, my breath uneven as my thoughts scattered.

What had I done?

How had I let it get to this point?

Would she... hate me now?

The thought alone unsettled me more than I cared to admit.

"Theresa... I... actually..." I tried to speak, tried to explain, but the words refused to come together.

They failed me, every single one of them.

Her expression—so fragile, so broken—made it impossible to think clearly.

"Stay away!" she suddenly yelled, the force behind her voice startled me, her fear no longer hidden. "Don’t you dare come any closer."

But even then, as though I wasn’t hearing, I didn’t move back.

I just couldn’t.

The idea of creating distance now, of stepping away and letting her shut me out completely...It didn’t sit right with me.

I couldn’t afford that, especially not now, not after everything.

"You aren’t that deaf, Lurgard," she continued, her breathing uneven, her body tense."Stay away."Her voice cracked slightly on the last words.

I could see it clearly.

The fear.

The dread in her eyes wasn’t hidden anymore, and that alone told me everything I needed to know.

I had messed up.

Badly.

A heavy weight settled in my chest, tightening painfully as the reality of it sank in. For once, I didn’t have an answer. No immediate reaction, no sharp words, no dominance to fall back on.

Just one question echoing in my mind...

How do I fix this?

How do I get her to forgive me?

"Okay... fine," I muttered finally, the words leaving my lips with a quiet sigh of defeat.

My hands moved almost automatically as I began buttoning my shirt, trying to regain some form of composure, even though I felt anything but composed. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"I will leave the room."

It wasn’t what I wanted but it was what she asked for and this time... I listened, because I wouldn’t want her hating me more.

I stood up without another word, turning away from her before the look in her eyes could hit me any harder. Each step toward the door felt heavier than it should, like I was dragging something behind me.

Just as I reached it, the door opened, it opened on its own and Lawrence stepped in.

Our eyes met briefly, then his gaze shifted.

Straight to her.Everything about him changed instantly.

Concern.

Urgency.

He moved past me without hesitation, heading straight toward Theresa, crouching slightly beside her as though she was something fragile that needed immediate protection.

And for some reason...

That hurt.

More than it should have.

"Lurgard, did you hurt Theresa?" he asked, his voice low but filled with anger as he turned to look at me.

The accusation was clear.The anger in his eyes... even clearer but I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t bring myself to because, what I was feeling in that moment... wasn’t something I could easily put into words.

Frustration.

Guilt.

Something darker.

Something possessive.

I didn’t want him near her.

Not like that.

Not looking at her like she was his to protect.

My jaw tightened, my fists clenching at my sides, but instead of answering, I turned and walked away.

Silently, leaving them behind.

Each step down the corridor felt heavier than the last, my thoughts spiraling uncontrollably.

None of this made sense.

Why did she react that way with me?

Why did she look at me like that?

She had kissed Leonard, stayed close to him without pulling away. I saw it in her expression, how she wanted more from him. She had even responded to Lawrence before.

But when it came to me...

It was different.

Completely different.

Why?

The question burned through me, unanswered, frustrating.

"Arrghhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The scream tore out of me before I could stop it, echoing loudly through the corridor. I didn’t care who heard it, didn’t care if anyone was asleep or watching.

Nothing mattered in that moment.

I slammed my fist against the wall, the impact sending a sharp jolt through my hand, but I barely felt it.

Again.

And again.

The pain was nothing compared to the storm inside me.

My breathing was uneven, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I tried to steady myself.

"Just you wait, Theresa..." I muttered under my breath, my voice low, almost dangerous as my fists tightened once more. "I will make you love only me."

The vow settled deep within me, unshaken.