5
1284 Words
ELLA
Contrary to what many would think, Liam didn’t like a lot of people
It didn’t matter that he was incredibly popular, or that he couldn’t walk ten steps through the hallway without someone calling to him. There were people he just didn’t like. And one of them happened to be Carden. Not like the guy had done anything to him. He just…didn’t like him for some reason.
And he’d made a point of telling me as best as he could.
“Hey,” he called out to one of the guys in front of the club. “Is Ella still in there?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I think she is.”
Liam sent him a nod before heading in. Of course, the person he found there instead was Caden. The guy hadn’t noticed Liam yet, too focused on swinging at the punching bag before him. His hands were trembling, wrists flat-out bruised. But the one thing that stuck out to me because Liam would later tell me was that look of determination in his eyes. It burned without relenting.
It made Liam’s stomach churn. I didn’t have to hear him say it to know my brother sensed something dangerous in the BlackMoon heir. Maybe it was just his wolf’s instinct to sense danger before it came. But he could feel it.
And he wasn’t happy.
That was the whole story of how he’d gone to the club to find me only to see ‘shitty’ Carden in there. His words.
“Could you stop humming?”
I didn’t know how many times he had said that to me. I had been happily munching away at some gummy worms he got me while humming out a pop song.
“How about no?” I stuck out my tongue.
Liam grimaced. “You’re too old for this, weirdo.”
“I’m not that old,” I retorted. “Besides, if I keep thinking that way, I’ll start getting wrinkles like you do.”
I half-expected him to take another jab at me. Instead, he looked pretty serious. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he already began to speak.
“That guy,” he went on. “Caden. I don’t like him.”
“You’ve made that pretty clear already.” I sighed. “Why?”
Liam turned to me. “Something about him rubs me off. He just transferred here and he’s already trying to buddy up with you?”
“Is that jealousy I smell?”
He didn’t smile at my joke. “I’m serious, Ella. He’s too smart. And don’t think I’ve missed how observant he is. I don’t like how interested in you he is.”
I contemplated what he was saying. Liam had always been protective of me right since we were kids. He’d fight off any guy that tried to approach me and was the one who introduced me to the Thunder Boxing Club in the first place.
I understood why he was always so worried about my well-being, but it didn’t make it any less exhausting.
“He’s harmless,” I argued. “I feel he’s just trying really hard. He wants to learn how to fight and defend himself, and honestly, I want that for him.”
Liam’s jaw tightened. He turned away, not saying anything more. He knew how jealous he sounded and how overprotective he seemed. But he’d be damned if he just threw his instincts aside.
Sarah’s eyes remained fixed on me from the other end of the hallway. I spent the majority of the time ignoring her glare.
We were laughing at something she didn’t know. And she hated it. Every second longer she watched us only added to her anger.
“Stupid Ella always depriving me.”
She wanted Liam. She hated that I was so good at fighting and every other thing I put my mind to. There were other reasons too, but honestly, I didn’t think I cared to know. Suffering through her torments at home was enough. She could suck it for all I cared.
“What are you looking at?”
Elizabeth’s voice broke through her thoughts. She tried to follow Sarah’s gaze and immediately frowned when she spotted the two of us.
I pretended not to hear them even though my sharp hearing made it difficult not to. Sarah’s gaze lingered for a while. Then she turned away.
“Let’s go.”
“Who actually likes broccoli?”
Caden blinked innocently. “I do.”
I stared at him with a dumbfounded look. Slowly, I shook my head. “It’s no wonder you’re not like the rest of us.”
“Come on, now.” Caden chuckled. “Don’t be like that.”
I wasn’t amused. “You—”
“Hi, Carden,” Elizabeth cut me off, nudging me aside so she could sit comfortably.
Caden’s smile dropped a little. Elizabeth paid no heed to it, or to the fact that there were different eyes on us now.
“Hi.”
She smiled sweetly. “I don’t believe we’ve gotten to meet yet. I’m Elizabeth.”
Caden nodded slowly. “Pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth.”
“Oh, it’s more mine.” She leaned her head. “It’s not every day one gets to be in the same school with someone on your level, your charisma.”
She brushed her knee against his. “And your looks.”
Caden nodded, taking another spoonful of broccoli beef. Elizabeth smiled again, clearing her throat.
“It interests me that you decided to join the boxing club,” she continued. “There’s lots of other clubs that’ll be more suiting to you than that.”
He swallowed. “I prefer the boxing club. Boxing in itself provides a way of maintaining mental balance, self-control and resilience.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Never one to give up, Elizabeth continued to push. “So, is there anybody you like? Surely, you must have seen someone that’s caught your eyes.”
I was too focused on taking the skin off my chicken to notice Caden’s eyes shift to me. It had been involuntary, but Elizabeth didn’t miss it.
Her smile faltered a little, but in less than a second, her composure was back. It didn’t matter that he was looking at me now.
Soon, those eyes would be on her and her alone.
“Thanks for sticking around to help me clean.”
I tossed the rest of the dirt into the trash bag. Liam smiled, helping me put away the rest of the supplies.
“Glad I could help.”
I spotted one last glove on the floor. I reached for it at the same time as Caden, our hands brushing against each other.
It sparked something in me. My chest felt warmer and something seemed to stir low in my stomach. Caden stepped back. He knew about mate bonds and when to realize when they had manifested.
I stared at my hand in confusion, different questions stirring in my head. Questions I needed to ask Carden.
“Ella—”
The door swung open, revealing a confused Liam. The confusion immediately bled into anger when he noticed the closeness.
Without hesitation, he stepped in between us. His anger was mostly at Caden, livid at the fact that he’d try to get so close to me.
“Stay away from my sister,” he warned. “I won’t repeat myself on this.”
I waited for Caden to shrink back. But seconds went by and he didn’t. Instead, he lifted his chin, voice soft but sending a chill down my spine.
“I don’t think I can.”
- Writer
