The Pup

Liliam

Owen had been gone for a week, attending a training session in Washington. The house had been unusually quiet without his presence, and I had grown used to the calm. Shadow had settled in nicely, and his presence had been a comfort, especially at night when the loneliness crept in.

I was lying in bed, Shadow curled up beside me, his small body warm against mine. The house was dimly lit, the only sounds were the occasional creaks of the old building settling and Shadow's gentle breathing. I was drifting off to sleep when I heard the front door open softly.

My heart skipped a beat. Owen was back.

His footsteps were gentle as he approached, and I heard the bedroom door open quietly. Owen stood in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room before they landed on me and Shadow. At first, his expression was one of relief and warmth. But then he noticed Shadow, and his demeanor changed instantly.

"What the fuck is that, Liliam?" he demanded, pointing at Shadow.

I sat up quickly, my heart racing. Shadow lifted his head, sensing the tension. "Owen, calm down," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "This is Shadow. He's a pup I found near his dead mommy. I couldn't just leave him there."

Owen's eyes widened with shock and fury. "You brought a wolf into our house? Are you insane?"

Shadow growled softly, his body tensing as he sensed Owen's hostility. I placed a calming hand on Shadow's back, feeling the rumble of his growl under my palm. "He's just a pup, Owen. He needed help."

Owen took a step closer, his face contorted with anger. "Get rid of it, Liliam. Now."

"No," I said firmly, surprising myself with the strength in my voice. "Shadow stays. He's harmless."

"Harmless?" Owen scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "That thing is a wild wolf. You have no idea what you're dealing with."

I stood up, feeling a surge of protectiveness for the little wolf. "He's not dangerous, Owen. He's just a pup. And he's staying."

Owen's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with anger. "You always have to do things your way, don't you? You never listen."

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I'm listening, Owen. But I can't abandon him. He needs me."

"Where did you even find it?" Owen asked, his voice dripping with suspicion.

"In the woods," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. "I was hiking with Zeff-" I stopped, realizing what I just said, scared of Owen reaction.

Owen's expression darkened even more. "With Zeff? You went hiking with Zeff?!"

"We met halfway-"

"Of course, it was with Zeff. It's always about Zeff, isn't it?"

His words stung, and I could feel my own anger rising. "This is about helping a helpless creature."

Owen's face twisted with jealousy and anger. "You think I don't see what's going on? You think I'm blind? He's always there, always interfering."

"Interfering? Owen, he's my friend. He cares about me. " Maybe a little too much, I thought.

Owen took another step closer, his face inches from mine. "Friend? Don't be naive, Liliam. He wants more than friendship."

"And what if he does?" I shot back, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and defiance. "At least he respects me. At least he doesn't try to control me."

Owen's eyes blazed with rageand jealously, and for a moment, I thought he might hit me. But instead, he turned away, fists clenched. " That thing causes any trouble, and it's gone. And you better think long and hard about what you're doing with Zeff."

Owen turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, closing the door behind him. Shadow whimpered softly, and I reached down to pet him, feeling his body relax under my touch.

"It's okay, Shadow," I whispered.

I lay back down, pulling Shadow close. The confrontation with Owen had left me shaken, but I knew I had made the right choice. Shadow needed me, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to him.

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held. With Owen's anger and the mysterious bond I shared with Zeff, my life was becoming more complicated by the day. But one thing was certain—Shadow was a part of my life now, and I would do whatever it took to protect him.

Over the next few days, Owen barely spoke to me. We were like strangers living under the same roof, our interactions reduced to mere formalities. It felt like living with a roommate who had no interest in knowing me. The only time we shared a space was during the car rides to and from work, and even then, the silence between us was palpable.

Owen's annoyance with Shadow was evident. The small pup followed me everywhere, even into the bathroom. I had set up a special spot for him in the living room with a bed and food bowl, but Shadow always ended up sleeping in my bed. I was beginning to understand dog owners; my phone was now filled with pictures of Shadow. I had even bought a pet cam to monitor his activity while I was away.

It broke my heart sometimes. Shadow would spend most of his time sitting by the front door, waiting for me. He completely avoided Owen, which only added to the tension in the house.

"Why does he do that?" I asked Zeff one day as I watched the camera feed, showing Shadow patiently waiting for my return.

"You are his Alpha," Zeff explained, glancing up from the papers he was organizing. "Omegas are loyal to their Alphas."

"Really? But I don't want him to feel like he has to wait for me all the time," I whispered, feeling a pang of guilt. "How do you know all this?"

Zeff's back tensed slightly. "I live in the woods in the Reservoir. A lot of wolves pass by, so we tend to study them."

"Ah, so you're a wolf expert," I said with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Zeff chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit. "You could say that." His eyes met mine, and for a moment, it felt like he wanted to say more, but he just smiled.

Shadow's loyalty to me and his aversion to Owen only highlighted the growing divide between us. Owen's irritation was becoming harder to ignore. One evening, as Shadow and I were curled up on the couch, Owen walked in and stopped in his tracks, glaring at the pup.

"Why do you let that thing on the furniture?" Owen snapped, his tone sharp.

I sighed, trying to keep my voice calm. "His name is Shadow, Owen. And he's not hurting anyone."

Owen's face darkened. "It's a wolf, Liliam. Not a pet."

"He's a part of my life now, whether you like it or not," I replied firmly.

Owen shook his head in frustration, muttering under his breath as he stormed out of the room. I felt a knot of sadness tighten in my chest. Things between us had never been this bad.

Later that night, as I lay in bed with Shadow nestled beside me, I couldn't help but think about how much things had changed. The tension with Owen, the unexpected bond with Shadow, and the comforting presence of Zeff in my life—it was all so different from the life I had envisioned.

The morning light filtered through the kitchen window, casting soft shadows across the room. I moved around, gathering ingredients to make breakfast, my mind half on the tasks ahead for the day. Shadow was right at my heels, following my every step like a little shadow of his own. He'd become my constant companion, and I couldn't help but smile at his devotion.

"Shadow, you're going to trip me," I teased, nudging him gently with my foot as I reached for the eggs. He wagged his tail, eyes bright, watching my every move as if he understood everything I said.

I was so engrossed in my morning routine that I didn't hear Owen come in from his study. He stepped into the kitchen, and before I could react, he was beside me, his arm snaking around my waist. I gasped in surprise, the bowl of eggs almost slipping from my fingers.

"Owen!" I exclaimed, but he didn't give me a chance to say more. He pulled me close, his grip firm, and pressed his lips to mine in a rough kiss. It caught me off guard, the intensity of it. His kiss was demanding, his hands gripping me tighter than necessary.

For a moment, I stiffened, the unexpectedness of it making me uneasy. But then I eased up, reminding myself that this was Owen—my boyfriend. I tried to relax into the kiss, tried to remind myself of what we used to have, the connection we once shared.

Just as I was starting to relax, a low growl rumbled from below. Shadow, who had been patiently watching, was now bristling, his small body tense. His growl grew louder, a protective, almost feral sound that made my heart skip a beat.

Owen pulled back, breaking the kiss with a look of irritation. "Is that thing growling at me?" he asked, his voice laced with annoyance as he glanced down at Shadow.

I looked down at Shadow, his teeth bared, his little body tense as if ready to pounce. "Shadow, no," I said softly, trying to calm him, but his growl didn't waver. He kept his eyes on Owen, his hackles raised.

"What's wrong with him?" Owen demanded, his grip on my waist tightening. "Why does he keep doing that every time I'm near you?"

"He's just… he's protective," I tried to explain, though I wasn't sure how much sense it made. Shadow had been more sensitive to Owen's presence lately, and I couldn't quite figure out why.

Owen's expression darkened, and he released me, stepping back with a huff. "It's just a damn animal, Liliam. You shouldn't let it act like this. You need to train it or get rid of it."

The harshness of his words stung, and I felt a wave of defensiveness rise in me. "He's not just a animal, Owen. He's been through a lot. And I'm not getting rid of him."

Owen scoffed, turning away. "Whatever. Just keep it away from me."

I watched him walk away, my heart sinking a little. I glanced down at Shadow, who had stopped growling but was still tense. He looked up at me with those big, trusting eyes, and I sighed, reaching down to scoop him up. "It's okay, Shadow," I murmured, holding him close. "It's okay."

But as I held him, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were far from okay. The tension between Owen and Shadow was just another symptom of the growing distance between us, a distance that seemed to widen with every passing day. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Whatever was happening, I needed to figure it out. And soon.