MIA’S POV
I folded my arms and stared at Xavier with growing irritation as he
blocked the path. His audacity was astounding. Standing there, his
posture rigid and authoritative, he acted as if he had some right over me.
“Tristan, leave,” Xavier demanded, his tone harsh and absolute.
I clenched my fists, my patience snapping like a brittle thread. “Excuse
me?” I stepped forward, my eyes locking with his. “Who do you think
you are to tell me or my guest what to do?”
Xavier’s jaw tightened as he looked at me, the possessive glint in his eyes
making my stomach churn. “I’m just looking out for you. You don’t
know him like I do,” he said, his voice firm but layered with frustration.
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “Looking out for me? Don’t
flatter yourself, Xavier. You’re nothing to me, and you don’t get to
dictate who I spend time with.”
Tristan placed a hand lightly on my arm, clearly sensing the rising
tension. “Mia, it’s alright. I don’t want to cause trouble,” he said calmly,
though his eyes were locked on Xavier in silent defiance.
But I wasn’t done. Xavier’s presence and his arrogance ignited a fire
inside me that I couldn’t extinguish. “Trouble?” I repeated, glaring at
Xavier. “He’s not the one causing trouble. You are, Xavier. You’re
standing here, acting like you have some claim over me. Let me make
this perfectly clear: you’re not my mate. Thank the Goddess for that, or I
would’ve died of misery by now.”
I could see the way his body stiffened at my words, but I didn’t stop.
“You’re nothing but a guest here, Xavier. And as a guest, you’re crossing
a line. Know your place.”
Xavier’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his lips pressing into a
tight line. “Mia, I’m only trying to protect you,” he said through gritted
teeth.
“Protect me?” I scoffed, taking a step closer. “From what? I can protect
myself if needed. DON’T EVER TELL ME.”
I let out a frustrated sigh, turning to Tristan. “Let’s go. I can’t deal with
this right now.”
Tristan followed me as we walked away from the scene, but I could feel
his frustration simmering just below the surface. Once we were far
enough from Xavier, he stopped and turned to face me.
“Mia, you need to do something about him,” he said, his tone serious.
“This isn’t going to stop unless you put an end to it.”
I frowned, crossing my arms defensively. “And what exactly do you want
me to do, Tristan? He’s part of my life whether I like it or not.”
Tristan’s jaw tightened, and he looked at me with a mix of concern and
exasperation. “You could tell your uncle about this. Let him deal with
Xavier and his brothers. They don’t have any right to treat you like this.”
I hesitated, my mind racing. The idea of involving my uncle was
tempting, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not yet. “I can handle this
on my own,” I said, assuring him.
Tristan didn’t look convinced. “Mia, they’re not going to stop. You need
to draw a line before they cross it again.”
I looked away, the weight of his words settling heavily on my shoulders.
“I just need time,” I murmured. “I need to figure out how to handle this
without making things worse.”
Tristan let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. But if this
keeps happening, I’m going to step in, whether you like it or not.”
I looked back at him, my expression softening.”Thank you, Tristan. For
caring.” I don’t want to spoil my uncle and brother friendship with
them; I want to silently handle them.
He nodded, his frustration easing slightly. “I just want you to be safe,
Mia. That’s all.”
I assured Tristan with a small nod that I had everything under control.
He hesitated, studying me with concern, but eventually turned to leave.
Watching him walk away, I felt a pang of guilt. He cared, and yet I
couldn’t let him in. Not fully.
Once alone, I let out a deep breath. Ima had been restless all evening,
urging me for a run, and I decided to give in. The forest was quiet
tonight, the moonlight filtering through the trees like a soft, comforting
blanket. This was the escape I needed.
Stepping deeper into the woods, I began to prepare to shift when a
sudden rustling stopped me in my tracks. My instincts kicked in, and Ima
growled in my mind. Three rogues appeared from the shadows, their
predatory grins sending a chill down my spine.
“Well, what do we have here?” one of them sneered, his eyes roaming
over me.
I squared my shoulders, refusing to show fear. “Turn around and leave
while you still can.”
The rogue in the middle laughed, his tone mocking. “A princess with
bite. How cute.”
They fanned out, surrounding me. My heart raced, but I focused on my
training. The first one lunged, and I ducked, my fist connecting with his
ribs. He stumbled, but the second rogue came at me from behind. I
twisted away, managing to land a solid kick to his knee.
Ima urged me to shift, but I held back. Shifting meant revealing my
secret, and I couldn’t risk that-not here, not now.
“You’re tougher than you look,” one of them remarked, wiping blood
from his lip.
I didn’t respond, my eyes darting between them, looking for an opening.
But they were coordinated, and I was tiring quickly. Every strike and
dodge drained more of my energy, and I knew I wouldn’t last much
longer.
One rogue grabbed my arm, yanking me toward him. I used his
momentum to throw him off balance, but another grabbed my hair,
pulling me back. Panic surged as I realized I was running out of options.
A deep, menacing growl cut through the chaos, freezing everyone in
place. From the shadows, Xavier appeared, his glowing eyes locked on
the rogues. His presence was commanding, and for the first time that
night, I felt a sliver of relief.
“If you value your lives, leave,” Xavier warned, stepping forward.