THE ALPHA'S SECOND CHANCE MATE

STANDING MY GROUND

CHAPTER TEN

STANDING MY GROUND

The coffee was gone, but the warmth it left lingered. I heard the clasping if the door getting shut and didn't need to be told Liam left already.

I stared at the coffee, it was really good. A small smile curled on my lips as I gulped down the remaining coffee.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, I placed the coffee cup down and slowly headed for the door, my head trying to figure out who it might be

I flung the door open and there stood a lady, maybe a few years younger than me, was standing by the front steps, her expression a mixture of fury and disdain. Her hair, a wild cascade of dark curls, framed her face like a halo of irritation. She stormed over as soon as she saw me.

“You!” she spat out, pointing a finger directly at me. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing, but you need to stay away from Liam.”

I blinked, caught off guard by her venomous tone. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Her eyes were sharp, full of anger. “Liam is my mate, or he was before he decided to throw me aside for you. I won’t have you sullying his name.”

I bristled at the accusation. “I’m not trying to ‘sully’ anything. I’m just—”

“Just what?” She cut me off, stepping closer until her face was inches from mine. “Just taking over what was mine? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for me?”

I could feel her breath on my face, a mix of anger and something more volatile. I straightened, trying to keep my composure. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I’m just trying to find my place here.”

“You don’t get to just waltz in and take what isn’t yours,” she snapped, her hand shooting out to grab my hair. She yanked me down hard, making me wince in pain.

“Hey!” I protested, trying to pull away. “Let go of me!”

But her grip only tightened, and she sneered, enjoying the power she held over me. “Why don’t you just give up? Go back to wherever you came from and leave Liam to someone who actually deserves him.”

Before I could respond, I heard heavy footsteps approaching rapidly. Liam’s voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. “What’s going on here?”

I looked up to see Liam striding towards us, his expression a storm of anger. His gaze fell on the girl, who had just started to pull my hair again.

“Let her go,” Liam’s voice was like a whip c***k, laced with authority. “Now.”

The girl hesitated, her eyes flicking between Liam and me. But when Liam’s glare didn’t waver, she released me with a scowl, shoving me back a step. I stumbled but caught myself, feeling the sting in my scalp.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Liam demanded, his eyes still locked on the girl. “You have no right to touch her, and you especially don’t have the right to threaten her.”

“You don’t understand,” the girl tried to argue, but her voice wavered under the weight of Liam’s anger. “She’s—”

“Enough.” Liam’s voice brooked no argument. “This is not the way to handle things. If I catch you bothering her again, it won’t end well for you. Is that clear?”

The girl’s face fell, her bravado crumbling under Liam’s fierce gaze. She opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it, turning on her heel and walking away with a mix of frustration and humiliation.

Liam watched her go, his jaw clenched. He turned to me, his expression softening slightly but still marked by concern. “Are you okay?”

I rubbed my head where she’d yanked my hair, trying to ignore the residual pain. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Sorry about that,” Liam said, his voice softer now. “I should have been more aware. I didn’t realize she was going to go off like that.”

I looked at him, seeing the genuine remorse in his eyes. Despite everything, despite the hurt and confusion I felt, there was something comforting about his presence—an unexpected support I wasn’t ready to admit I needed.

“Thank you for stepping in,” I said quietly, looking down at the ground. “I didn’t expect anyone to—”

“Don’t mention it,” he interrupted, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “No one should have to deal with that kind of behavior. I’ll talk to her and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

I nodded, appreciating the gesture. “You really didn’t have to. I can handle myself.”

“I know,” he replied, looking at me with a mixture of respect and something else I couldn’t quite place. “But it doesn’t hurt to have a little backup every now and then.”

We stood there for a moment, the silence between us awkward but not entirely uncomfortable. I was still processing the fact that Liam had not only defended me but had done so with a level of care that was starting to chip away at my walls.