Chapter 170 170

Chapter 170 170
  MILLICENT
  A Thursday at SilverFang institute has never felt more gloomy. I was halfway down the hallway, when I spotted Fiona leaning against the railing outside the dorm wing. She lifted her head when she heard my footsteps. She tried to smile, goddess, she really did but it was the kind that didn’t make it past her mouth. Her eyes looked tired, like she hadn’t slept well, and something about the way she held her bag strap made my chest sink.
  “Hey,” I said softly.
  “Hey.” Her voice didn’t match her face. She sounded small, almost careful. I stopped in front of her, shifting my weight. “Are you okay?”
  She shrugged, eyes darting away. “Yeah. I’m fine.” Lies. It was written all over her. And maybe I’d been dancing around this long enough.
  “I feel like…” I swallowed. “Like our friendship is starting to feel one-sided.” Her mouth twitched. Not surprised. Not defensive. Just… sad.
  “And yesterday,” I continued, “what you said in the hall… what were you trying to insinuate?”
  That clicked something in place. Her whole posture changed, shoulders stiffening, gaze sharpening with this cold distance that punched straight through me.
  “I don’t want to say,” she whispered. My breath hitched. “Why? Fiona, what’s wrong?”
  She exhaled hard, chest rising and falling like she was trying not to cry or scream, or maybe both.  “I’m not comfortable around you, Milicent.”
  The words cut deeper than I expected. “What? Why?”
  “Because I see it.” She looked right into me, right through every lie I’d told myself. “I see Liam has feelings for you.”
  My heart dropped.
  “And yes,” Fiona added, voice filled with so much hurt now, “I know Liam is the stalker that has been writing to you since last semester. And yes, you had time to tell me but you didn’t.”
  My mouth dried out instantly. “Fiona—”
  She lifted a hand to stop me from speaking. “And I don't get it. You didn't’t think I’d want to know that the guy I’m madly in love with was sending my best friend love notes while ignoring my texts. How was I supposed to face the fact that you knew about it and didn't tell me without dying inside?”
  Shame slammed into me so fast I actually stepped back. Everything inside me scrambled for words but all I found was the truth—ugly and choking.
  I messed up. I hid things. I expected her to spill her wounds while I kept mine bandaged tight. I'm such a hypocrite. That was the only word that made sense.
  My eyes burned with unshed tears before I could stop it. “Please don’t cry,” she whispered immediately, panic rising in her voice. “Millie, don’t. Don’t do that.”
  “I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I should’ve told you. I should’ve said something. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I wasn’t trying to compete with you or take him or—”
  “You didn’t take anything,” she cut in, wiping at her cheek. “You didn’t. I just… I didn’t know how to handle it.” I wiped my face with my sleeve and took a shaky breath. “Come with me.”
  “Why?” She looked wary, confused.
  “Because, don’t you want to know the full truth?” Fiona hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yeah. Okay. Lead the way.”
  We walked to my dorm. My legs felt heavy, like each step carried every guilt I’d refused to look at. When I pushed open the door, Zayne and Xander were sitting on the edge of my bed, both deep in thought. Their heads snapped up the second they realised I wasn’t alone.
  “What’s Fiona doing here?” Zayne asked, brows raised. She shot him a look. “Hi to you too, Zayne.”
  Xander grinned at her. “Hey pretty.” She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Heyyy.”
  It eased some of the tension in the room. Not all, but enough to breathe. I closed the door and my eyes immediately caught the box from my dad. The reason Xander and Zayne were here because my dad just won a dad of the year award with this gift. Then I turned to all three of them.
  “So… something happened.”
  And I told Fiona everything. Everything. From Liam’s stalker letters to what Fiona knew to my own mess of secrets. Every word felt like peeling off layers of guilt. Fiona listened with her arms wrapped around herself, eyes filling again, but she didn’t interrupt. When I finished, she moved straight into my arms, yanking me into a hug so tight it nearly knocked the air out of me.
  “I’m sorry for being so distant,” she whispered. “I didn’t realise everything was happening all at once.” I hugged her back just as hard. “No, I’m sorry. I should’ve trusted you more. You deserved honesty.”
  When she pulled away, she sniffed and wiped under her eyes. “So… how’s your wolf? Still giving you trouble?”
  I blew out a long breath. “Still the same. Kyra’s angry. Really angry. And it might get worse before it gets better but…” I grabbed the box, opened the lid, and tilted it toward them. Old documents, files, research papers, even symbols I didn’t recognise filled it.
  “This,” I said, “is everything my father gave me. Turns out the mind needs to be strong enough to handle the wolf. Not the body. And holding her back only pisses her off more.”
  Fiona’s face scrunched up with worry. “Please don’t turn rogue.” I smiled weakly. “Never. Someone has to stand between you and Zayne before one of you decides to throw hands.”
  Zayne scoffed. “I don’t throw hands at Fiona.” She raised a brow. “You threw a desk at sophomore year because I ate one of your muffins.”
  “I don't remember.”
  “I do.”
  Xander clapped his hands once. “Did any of you know today was Milicent’s birthday?”
  “What?” Fiona gasped. “No!” Zayne looked straight at me. “You didn’t tell me.”
  “I’m sorry,” I muttered. “It’s just… it’s also my mum’s death anniversary so… I don’t really do birthdays. I don't want to celebrate this day.” Their faces softened instantly. Fiona reached for my hand. Xander nudged my shoulder. Zayne looked like he wanted to wrap me in a blanket and lock me away from the world.
  Silence settled for a moment before Fiona asked quietly, “So… what’s the plan? How do we bring Liam fake face Quinn down?”
  Zayne leaned forward. “I want to infiltrate Dranox pack. Make more findings.”
  “No,” I said immediately. “Zayne, that’s insane. They’re a rival pack. And you’re the Alpha’s son.” Xander nodded. “Which is exactly why I’m going with him.”
  I whipped my head toward him. “Xander—no.”
  “It’s a good plan,” he replied. “Dangerous, but good.”
  Fiona folded her arms. “Agreed. If Liam’s hiding something big, it has to come from his pack.” My heartbeat hammered in my chest. “So what about me?”
  Zayne looked at me, eyes dark and steady. “You still have your part to play.”
  And something inside me told me the hardest part of this mission hadn’t even begun.
  The next day unrolled itself exactly the way we planned it, like the universe was smoothing the ground beneath my feet just so I wouldn’t trip while walking straight into danger. 
  Liam had started texting me before first bell; little check-ins, pointless updates, random compliments that felt too sweet, too sharp-edged, like someone dipping honey in poison and hoping I wouldn’t notice.
   I mirrored his energy, casual but curious, asking him soft questions that sounded like I cared without ever letting him see the hand I was playing. He answered everything with this strange eagerness, never too much, never too little, just enough to keep me guessing.
  By the time PE rolled around, my nerves were a mess. And “shockingly,” Liam showed up for ping pong, the one sport he’d never touched the entire semester. The girls whispered. The boys lifted their brows. And Coach blew his whistle so loud my wolf twitched.
  “New guy,” he barked, pointing at Liam. “You spar Milicent today.” My stomach dipped. Of all people, of course it had to be him.
  I picked up a paddle and tried to focus, but everything felt off. I hadn’t practiced in weeks, my form was messy, and my brain refused to shut up. Meanwhile Liam handled his paddle like someone who’d spent his whole childhood hitting bouncing balls for fun. He didn’t even try to hide how amused he was.
  “You’re distracted,” he murmured, stepping behind me as I missed another return. “Let me help.”
  “No, I’m fine—”
  His hand slid over my wrist, adjusting my grip. Too gentle. Too warm. Too intentional.
  “There,” he whispered close to my ear. “Your hold was sloppy.”
  I stiffened. “I said I’m fine.”
  He hummed like he didn’t believe me for a second. “You’re special, you know that?” My breath hitched. His voice wrapped around the word like it was a vow.
  He guided my arm through a motion. His chest brushed my shoulder. His other hand settled on my waist, low, steady, like it belonged there.
  “Relax,” he said softly. “Your wolf feels nervous. Why is that?” I froze. “What?” I whispered.
  He tilted his head, eyes glowing faintly under the gym lights. “Is she restless? Agitated? Does she fight you?”
  My pulse crashed so hard I nearly dropped the paddle. He smiled like my fear entertained him. “Golden wolves are delicate. Temperamental. But yours must be powerful… right?”
  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered, heat rising under my skin.
  “Sure you do.” His fingers brushed my hip again. “Tell me—does she hear me? Can she sense me? Wolves like yours tend to—”
  “Okay, that’s enough.” Xander’s voice hit us like a thunderclap.
  I spun around just as Xander grabbed my arm and yanked me behind him, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it would crack. His eyes were a wildfire ready to swallow the gym whole.
  “What the hell do you think you’re doing touching her like that?” he snarled. Liam lifted both hands like he was innocent. “Relax. Just helping.”
  “You don’t get to help her,” Xander shot back, stepping closer. “Don’t look at her. Don’t talk to her. Don’t breathe near her.”
  I tugged on Xander’s arm, feeling the heat vibrating off him. “Hey—Xan—” But he wasn’t listening. His wolf was already pressing against his skin, wanting blood.
  Students stopped pretending not to stare. Coach looked ready to blow his whistle again. And Liam… Liam looked entertained. Not scared. Not even cautious. Thrilled. His eyes gleamed like he was witnessing the beginning of something delicious.
  Zayne showed up a second later, moving with that quiet storm energy that made everyone back up at least five steps. He went straight for Liam, cutting off his path like a predator blocking prey.
  “You keep touching her,” Zayne said, voice low and deadly, “and I’ll rip your throat out.”
  Liam leaned forward. “Do it.” Zayne’s jaw flexed. “Don’t test me.”
  Liam’s gaze flicked to me, lingering too long, like he could see past my skin and into the panic twisting inside. “Oh,” he murmured, smile curling. “By the way, Milicent… Q stands for Quinn.”
  I swallowed hard. My mouth went dry. He chuckled, like he loved the anxiety he caused. “But you already knew that, golden beauty.”
  Xander growled. Zayne’s whole body tensed. Liam didn’t back away—not even a little. He locked eyes with Zayne again, and his voice dipped into something dark and thrilled.
  “She’ll be mine.”