DRENCHED
1139 Words
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
DRENCHED
LIAM'S POV
Elena let out a soft chuckle, a teasing glint in her eyes. "And what would be the alternative if I don’t?"
The way she laughed, almost dismissively, made something flicker inside me. I growled low in my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. "You’ll have to tell me the truth."
She raised an eyebrow, amused. "What truth?" she asked, playing along like it was still all part of the game.
I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Do you feel anything for me?" The words were out before I could stop them, but I needed to know. My heart raced as I waited for her answer.
But Elena just laughed again, brushing it off with a smile. "Liam, come on. We’re just playing a game, right?"
Her laughter, her casual dismissal, hit me harder than I expected. It stung. My chest tightened, my heart silently splintering. I forced a smile, even though it felt like my insides were twisting apart.
"Yeah, just a game," I echoed, though my voice didn’t quite sound like my own. I rose to my feet, needing to escape the suffocating awkwardness between us. "Anyway, it’s… my sprinting time. I usually go for a run about now."
Her face lit up with excitement. "I’d love to join you!"
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I needed space to clear my head, not more time with her after that crushing rejection. "Uh… I think you should stay here, Elena. I usually run alone. It’s kind of… my thing." My words felt hollow, and I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.
But Elena was insistent, her smile unshaken. "Oh, come on, Liam. It’ll be fun. I could use the run, too." She stood up, stretching her arms, already preparing to shift.
I sighed, knowing there was no stopping her. "Alright," I muttered. "Just… try to keep up."
She gave me a playful smirk, clearly not worried about falling behind, and we headed toward the woods together.
The moment we reached the edge of the forest, I felt the familiar pull of my wolf. The tension in my body eased as I began the shift, my muscles stretching and snapping into place. In seconds, I was fully transformed, my wolf’s large frame shaking off the change. Beside me, Elena’s wolf stood, her sleek fur catching the dim light filtering through the trees. She was beautiful—her wolf, that is. Graceful, strong, with a wildness that pulled me in every time.
For a brief moment, we just stared at each other, our wolves sharing an unspoken understanding. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, we both took off, sprinting through the dense forest.
The cool earth pounded beneath our paws as we raced side by side, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. The wind rushed through my fur, and for a moment, the weight I’d been carrying lifted. Out here, it was just us and the wild, the freedom of the run allowing me to forget the tension between us, even if just for a while.
But just as I was beginning to lose myself in the exhilaration of the sprint, the sky above us darkened. A low rumble echoed through the woods, and I glanced up in time to see thick clouds rolling in. The first c***k of thunder split the air, and almost immediately, the rain began to pour.
Heavy drops pelted against my fur, soaking us both in seconds. Elena slowed her pace, and I instinctively followed, turning back toward her. She shook out her wet coat and let out a small, playful yip before she turned and darted toward the pack house.
I chased after her, the rain falling harder with each passing second. We ran through the woods, dodging trees as the storm turned into a full downpour, but instead of feeling tense, something about the rain made everything lighter. By the time we reached the pack house, we were both drenched and immediately I led her into my chambers.
I shifted back into my human forms, I didn’t bother with modesty. The rain had drenched me, and clothes were the least of my concerns and above all it was my room afterall. I turned to Elena, only to find her quickly looking away, her face flushed, even in wolf form. "Liam!" she mindlinked squeaking, turning her back to me.
I chuckled, grabbing a towel from the side. "What? You’ve seen a wolf shift before. It’s not like I’m parading around naked on purpose." I retorted.
She kept her back to me and growled . "Just… put something on."
I wrapped the towel around my waist and tossed another one over my shoulders, my lips curving into a smirk. "All done. You can turn around now."
She peeked over her shoulder, checking to make sure I was telling the truth before finally facing me. "You should change too. Unless you plan on staying like that?" I teased.
Elena’s face flushed even deeper. "I’ll… just use the bathroom," she said, almost tripping over her words as she rushed toward the door.
I laughed under my breath as she disappeared inside, but a moment later, her voice called out. "Liam? Can you… hand me some clothes?"
I smirked, grabbing some of my spare clothes from the dresser. "Sure," I called back, knocking on the door. "I’ll leave them here."
Just as I turned to walk away, the door swung open, and before I could react, I was pulled inside, crashing into her as we both tumbled into the bathroom. My back slammed into the side of the tub, Elena landing on top of me, her eyes wide with shock. For a moment, we just stared at each other, both stunned into silence by the sudden turn of events.
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Elena’s breath was warm against my skin, her face mere inches from mine, her damp hair falling around us like a curtain. My pulse quickened, and I felt an overwhelming urge to pull her closer, to close the distance between us.
But before I could make a move, she scrambled off me, her face flushed as she pulled the towel tighter around her. "I—sorry, I didn’t mean to—"
"No, it’s… it’s fine," I said quickly, sitting up, though my heart was still pounding. "I, uh… I’ll just leave these here." I handed her the clothes and stood up, avoiding her gaze as I backed toward the door.
Elena nodded, not meeting my eyes either. "Thanks."
I swallowed hard, unsure of what to do next, and before I could think too much about it, I turned and left the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
- Writer
