chapter seventeen

Ralph's POV

The last few days had been tense. Liam had been avoiding me completely, and I didn't blame him. I'd crossed a line, and he had every right to hate me. I knew that. But it didn't make the sting of his rejection any less sharp.

Then came today, during football practice.

I wasn't paying attention at first, focused more on my own thoughts than the game. But when Coach walked in, I felt the shift. He was bringing Liam onto the field. My chest tightened at the sight of him. He didn't look happy more like he was reluctantly dragged into this, forced into another situation where he didn't have a say. Just like the other night, but now, it was on the field.

"Alright, guys," Coach announced, clapping his hands, "Liam's joining the team for today's practice. Let's make sure we show him how it's done."

I saw Liam at the edge of the field, his posture stiff, clearly uncomfortable. He didn't want to be here. I could see it in the way he held himself, the way his eyes kept darting to the ground, avoiding everyone including me. He was being forced into something he clearly didn't want, but there was no way out now.

Liam reluctantly joined the group. His eyes met mine for a moment, and I could feel the tension between us, like a wall that had been built and fortified with each passing second.

"Great, just what I needed," he muttered under his breath, barely audible.

I caught the words, and my lips curved into a smirk. "Looks like the Moon Goddess is on my side," I said, my voice cutting through the tension.

Liam didn't respond. He turned away quickly and joined the others on the field.

The practice continued, but my mind was miles away. I kept thinking about Liam. About what happened. About how he was avoiding me. There was so much left unresolved, and I wasn't sure how to fix it. But I couldn't let it go. I wouldn't let him slip away.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

The ball came flying at lightning speed from across the field. It was a pass gone wrong, fast and with deadly accuracy. Before anyone could react, it slammed right into Liam's face.

The impact was sickening. The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Liam staggered back, clutching his face, his body jerking in response to the sudden blow. The crowd went silent as he staggered, clearly stunned.

I turned toward the source of the shot, my eyes locking with Dante's. There was no mistaking it. The smug look on his face told me everything I needed to know. Dante had done that on purpose. He had messed with Liam's car earlier, and now this was his revenge.

My blood boiled.

"What the fuck, Dante?" I growled, my voice low, furious.

Dante just shrugged, that signature smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oops, my bad. Didn't mean to hit him that hard," he said, but his tone was dripping with sarcasm.

I knew exactly what he was doing. He knew how much it would get under Liam's skin. He wanted to push him, to see him react, and he knew this would do the trick.

I could feel my fists clenching as I stalked toward him, but I didn't lash out. My attention was on Liam, who was still holding his face, his breath coming out in short, sharp gasps. I could see the pain, but there was something else in his eyes too—a depth of emotion that made my chest tighten.

He didn't even acknowledge me. His body was shaking, and his lips were trembling as he struggled to hold it together.

"Liam," I called out, stepping toward him.

But Liam didn't respond. He didn't turn to face me.

What the fuck?

I barely registered what I was doing as I shoved Dante toward an empty classroom, my anger surging through me. The tension was thick, like a storm about to break, and I needed to get this out before I did something worse.

"What the hell was that, Dante?" I growled, my voice low and furious. "Why the fuck did you hit him with the ball?"

Dante blinked, his face draining of color as he took a step back. He wasn't expecting the fury in my voice. Normally, he'd brush off my anger, but this time, he saw something different. My wolf was rising. My whole body was tense, ready to snap.

"Relax, man... he'll be fine," Dante stammered, trying to defuse the situation. "We've always messed around with them. It's nothing serious. Someone messed with my car—"

I didn't let him finish. I slammed him against the wall, feeling the heat of my wolf push against my skin, wanting to take control. "You don't touch him. Ever," I hissed, my voice a dangerous growl.

Dante's face was pale now. He knew it. He could feel my wolf pushing against the surface, threatening to tear him apart if he said the wrong thing. His usual cocky attitude was gone, replaced by fear.

"Ralph... why are you so protective of him?" he asked in a quiet, shaky voice, trying to hold my gaze. "It's just a game... he's fine."

The room felt too small, my wolf's fury closing in. "Don't," I warned, my voice low, each word like a growl from deep inside. "Never touch him again."

Dante coughed, clearly rattled. He'd never seen me like this, not with him and not with anyone. He was starting to understand the shift that had happened between me and Liam. He swallowed hard, his voice now barely a whisper.

"Even your wolf's... protecting him. Shit, Ralph... Is Liam your mate?"

The words hit me like a hammer, like the air had been knocked out of my chest. I stood there frozen for a moment, feeling the weight of his question. My wolf roared in my chest, and I couldn't deny it anymore.

Liam. My mate.

Dante stood there, his breath still shaky from the encounter, eyes flicking nervously between me and the door. He must've seen the shift in my expression because he suddenly froze, a look of realization dawning on his face.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. His voice was laced with panic. "He's your mate... isn't he?"

I felt my wolf stir, even more restless now. I had been trying to avoid this, trying to deny the truth for as long as I could, but now there was no escaping it. Dante's words confirmed everything I had been running from.

"You found your mate... and you didn't tell me?" Dante asked, his voice rising with shock and a tinge of guilt. "Shit, Ralph, what the hell is wrong with you?"

He was pacing now, rubbing a hand over his face like he was trying to clear the fog in his head. "I hurt him... I—"

I cut him off, my tone dark and sharp. "Don't you dare blame this on me, Dante. You know better than anyone that I didn't ask for this."

But Dante wasn't hearing me. His eyes were wide with panic, his hands trembling slightly as he spoke faster, almost tripping over his own words.

"Shit, Ralph, I hurt the Luna. Does anyone know?" he asked, his voice tight with fear. "If Axel finds out... If anyone from the pack knows... Fuck, you could be putting him in danger. We all know what happens to mates when they get caught in the crossfire of pack politics."

I took a deep breath, my fists clenching. The reality of what Dante was saying was sinking in. My wolf was furious at the thought of anyone hurting Liam. But Dante was right, too—if the wrong people found out, it could be the end of everything before it even began.

"Dante, calm the fuck down," I growled, stepping closer, putting a firm hand on his shoulder to stop his frantic pacing. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt him. But we need to figure this out, fast."

Dante's eyes were wide, the panic still evident in his gaze. "But what if Liam runs? What if he rejects you? What if he tells Axel or the pack? What happens then, Ralph? You think you can just keep this quiet?" He was breathing fast now, the weight of the situation crashing down on him, on both of us.

I shook my head, fighting the frustration rising in my chest. "He won't run, Dante. Not from me." But the truth was, I didn't know that for sure. I didn't know what Liam was thinking, or how he'd react when the bond fully took hold of him.

Dante swallowed hard, his gaze turning from fear to something close to disbelief. "You're really in this, huh? All in." He let out a long sigh, then gave a short laugh, as if he couldn't believe it. "You don't know what you're walking into. No one does. Not with the Luna."

I stepped back, trying to calm my breathing. "I don't care what I'm walking into. He's mine. And no one is going to take him from me."

I could see the concern in his eyes, but it was too late. I had already made my choice. Liam was my mate, and nothing—nothing—was going to tear us apart.

But Dante wasn't finished. He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Just... just don't let this destroy everything, Ralph. You're not the only one who's going to suffer if this all goes to shit."