Chapter 0009

All day at school, my eyes tracked her every move. I tried to approach her multiple times, but fate had other plans—either some girl dragged me into a conversation about tonight's dance, or by the time I reached her spot, she’d vanished. Never before had I been so frustrated by female attention. This mystery girl consumed my thoughts, and the fact that I couldn’t get close to her was driving me insane.

By the time I got home, my mood was foul. Training with the pack became my outlet. The warriors limped away afterward, grumbling under their breaths. I didn’t care. My irritation simmered beneath the surface.

Chase, however, was relentless. He insisted we hit the club tonight, already eyeing some redhead he planned to take home. Normally, I’d be game, but tonight? All I could think about was a certain green-eyed brunette. Theron, my wolf, had been unusually quiet, but his frustration mirrored mine.

I dressed in dark jeans and a fitted black shirt, then headed out with Chase. The bouncer let us skip the line, and we stepped into the pulsing heart of the club. The place was packed, bodies moving under neon lights.

We made it to the bar before a swarm of girls surrounded us. Chase bought drinks while I leaned against the wall, pretending to listen to their chatter. His redhead clung to him, while another girl—Natasha, I think—pressed against me like she was marking her territory. A third girl had one hand on my ass, the other stroking Natasha’s arm.

An invitation to a threesome. Normally, I’d be all in. Tonight? It felt desperate.

Then I saw her.

She was here. Laughing with three of my warriors—Nathaniel included. They didn’t look like a couple, but I couldn’t be sure.

Her gaze swept the room before locking onto mine. That electric jolt shot through me again. She quickly looked away, downed a shot, and turned to Nathaniel.

Theron growled in my head, his possessiveness flaring. Easy, I warned him. They’re just talking.

But then Nathaniel glanced at me.

They were talking about me.

A smirk tugged at my lips. Good. If she was discussing me, I was already in her head.

Natasha mistook my smile for encouragement and slid her hand under my shirt. I caught her wrist and pushed her away without a word. Unfazed, she leaned in closer.

Desperation reeked.

Then my mystery girl hit the dance floor with Genevieve. The moment the music pulsed, her hips swayed in perfect rhythm. Damn. She was fire. Theron paced inside me, agitated by the way every guy in the room watched her.

Genevieve whispered something to her. Her reply made Genevieve’s eyes widen before she shot me a disappointed look.

What the hell?

I was about to storm over when she headed back to the bar where Nathaniel and Julian stood.

"Excuse me, ladies," I muttered, pushing through the crowd. Chase noticed and fell into step beside me. "Everything okay?"

"I don’t know," I admitted. "But I’m finding out."

Chase smirked. "Need backup?"

"I’m good."

Every few steps, another girl stopped me. I brushed them off, but it took too long. By the time I reached the bar, she was downing another shot.

Then the DJ’s voice boomed: "This one’s for Blackthorn’s own Little Badass!"

The pack erupted. My warriors howled.

She froze, shook her head, then grinned when Who Runs the World blasted through the speakers. With a blown kiss to the DJ, she joined a group of girls in the center of the floor.

They owned the space, singing, sassing the guys, mimicking the music video’s choreography. I leaned against the bar, ordering another beer.

Alpha Sebastian appeared beside me, his gaze fixed on her. "She’s something, isn’t she?"

My grip tightened on my bottle. He knew her too?

"Yeah," I said casually, like I wasn’t the only one in the dark.

His smirk was infuriating. "Good. Maybe I still have a shot, then." He set his drink down as a slow song started. "That’s my cue."

I watched, jaw clenched, as he approached her.

Her smile for him stole my breath.

She slid her arms around his neck. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him. Theron snarled, clawing at my control.

Chase sidled up, his girl draped over him. "That her? With Alpha Sebastian?"

"Yeah," I gritted out.

Chase frowned. "You okay?"

No. I wasn’t.

They danced through multiple songs, lost in each other. When he finally led her toward the exit, my vision tinted red.

I moved to follow, but my warriors blocked me.

Sebastian—one of my best—stepped into my space. "What the hell, Alpha?"

Chase tensed beside me, ready for a fight.

Julian, who’d been with her earlier, spoke up. "You seriously don’t know who Evelyn Sinclair is?"

I scoffed. "Of course I know Evelyn Sinclair."

"Then why’d she tell Genevieve you had no clue?"

Ice flooded my veins.

No.

No, no, no.

My mystery girl—the one who hadn’t submitted, the one I’d insulted by not recognizing—was the Broken Warrior’s daughter.

My Guardian.