THE ALPHA'S SECOND CHANCE MATE

FIRST KISS

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

FIRST KISS

LIAM'S POV

I had barely taken a step out of the bathroom when the sound of approaching footsteps stopped me dead in my tracks. Derek. My heart thudded in my chest, the familiar scent of his presence filling the room before I even saw him.

I spun around, heading back into the bathroom in a rush, slamming the door shut as softly as I could, and without thinking, I pushed Elena back against the tiled wall. The coolness of the ceramic tiles pressed against her back, and she let out a small gasp, her eyes widening with surprise. I pressed a finger to her lips, locking eyes with her as my heart raced. "Keep quiet," I whispered urgently.

Elena trembled under my intense gaze. I could feel her body tensing against mine, her breathing shallow and rapid. I wanted to reassure her, to tell her everything would be fine, but I couldn’t afford a sound. My entire focus was on Derek’s movements outside the door.

I sensed him moving around the house, pacing, listening—trying to grasp any hint of noise. He was close, far too close for comfort. If he found us in here together, like this, there would be no way to explain it. My mind was racing with ways to handle the situation, but none of them seemed to matter when Derek suddenly called out my name.

"Liam?"

Elena’s eyes snapped shut, her whole body going rigid as she pressed herself harder against the wall, as though trying to become invisible. Her fear was palpable, but I couldn’t afford to react. I had to stay calm, had to ignore him. My jaw clenched as I held my breath, waiting for Derek’s next move.

The silence between us was deafening. My wolf stirred within me, agitated by the proximity of danger and by the sensation of Elena being this close. Every muscle in my body was tense, straining to hear Derek’s movements.

And then… his footsteps stopped.

I didn’t know whether that was a good sign or a bad one, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. My eyes slowly trailed back to Elena’s face, her expression still tight with fear, her lips pressed into a thin line. And then, almost as if sensing my gaze, her eyes fluttered open.

We were so close. Just inches apart. Her breath was shallow, fanning against my face, and I could feel her heartbeat racing through the thin space that separated us. The intensity of the moment gripped me, the air between us thick with tension—tension that had nothing to do with Derek standing just beyond the door.

My eyes flicked down to her lips before I could stop myself. They were so close, just a breath away. A surge of desire hit me, making my resolve weaken for the briefest moment. My wolf howled inside me, urging me to close the distance, to taste her. But I fought it. I couldn’t. Not now. Not here.

But damn, I wanted to.

Before I could even process what was happening, the bathroom door was suddenly yanked open with a force that startled both of us. In an instant, my instincts kicked in. Without a second thought, I grabbed Elena, pulling her to the side, hiding her from sight as I slammed my lips against hers.

The moment our lips touched, it was like a wildfire igniting between us. The kiss was rough, frantic, and fueled by desperation. I pressed her against the wall, my hand slipping to the back of her neck as I held her close, my body shielding hers from view.

Elena gasped into the kiss, her hands instinctively grabbing onto my arms for support, but she didn’t push me away. Instead, she melted into me, her fingers gripping my arms tightly as I deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth like I’d been starved for it.

The world outside of this bathroom vanished. There was no Derek, no danger, no threat. There was only her—her warmth, her taste, the feel of her body pressed so intimately against mine. Every part of me was screaming to take her, to make her mine right then and there. But even in the madness of the kiss, I knew this wasn’t the time.

I pulled back slightly, enough to break the kiss but still close enough to feel her breath against my lips. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted as she looked up at me in shock, confusion, and something else I couldn’t quite place.

We stayed like that, our breathing heavy, the air thick with the weight of what had just happened. I didn’t want to move, didn’t want to break the moment, but the sound of Derek’s footsteps moving again brought me crashing back to reality.

I could hear him leaving, his footsteps fading down the hallway. My body relaxed slightly, but I didn’t pull away from Elena. Not yet. Not when her lips were still so close to mine.

"Liam…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the way she said my name sent a shiver down my spine.