03.

Ava’s POV

At eleven, I was a bundle of energy, eager to please, and full of dreams. My world revolved around the pack, my family, and, lately, Liam. At sixteen, he was already so much more than the rest of us. Everyone looked up to him, even if he didn’t seem to notice. He was quiet, distant, and always focused—so different from the other wolves his age who spent their time teasing and joking around.

Liam was a mystery I desperately wanted to solve.

---

The morning I ventured to the training grounds, I told myself it was just curiosity. I’d overheard some of the older wolves talking about sparring matches, and I wanted to see what it was all about. But deep down, I knew the real reason: Liam.

He stood in the center of the clearing, facing off against a much larger opponent. His movements were sharp and calculated, each step measured. He dodged a strike, spun, and landed a blow that sent his opponent stumbling. The sun glinted off his dark hair, damp with sweat, and his muscles tensed with every movement.

I hid behind a tree, my heart pounding. I wasn’t supposed to be here, but I couldn’t tear myself away. There was something mesmerizing about the way Liam moved—so confident, so sure of himself.

When the match ended, Liam’s opponent clapped him on the back, laughing. Liam offered a small nod in return, his expression unreadable. But then, for the briefest moment, he smiled. It was just a flicker, but it was enough to make my chest tighten.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

I jumped, spinning around to see one of the younger wolves standing behind me with a teasing grin.

“I-I’m not hiding,” I stammered, stepping out from behind the tree. My cheeks burned as I realized Liam had turned to look in my direction.

His gaze lingered on me for a moment—dark, intense, and completely uninterested. Then, just as quickly, he turned away, picking up his water bottle as if I didn’t exist.

That should’ve hurt, but instead, it only made me more determined.

---

A week later, I was sent to the packhouse library to fetch some records for my father. The library was one of my favorite places, but that day, it felt even more magical because Liam was there.

He sat at one of the long wooden tables, a massive book open in front of him. His brow was furrowed in concentration, his hand resting on his chin. I hesitated in the doorway, unsure if I should disturb him.

“Liam,” I said softly, finally finding my voice.

His head lifted, and his dark eyes met mine. For a moment, there was no recognition, and my stomach dropped. But then he said, “Ava,” his tone calm and polite.

I clutched the stack of books I was holding, trying to steady my nerves. “Are you... studying?”

“My father,” he said with a sigh, closing the book in front of him. “He thinks I need to know everything about the pack, even though Jack is the one who’ll be Alpha.”

I stepped closer, setting my books on the table. “Maybe he just wants to make sure you’re prepared. Second-in-command is important too.”

He raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Do you always defend the unreasonable?”

I laughed nervously, surprised by the hint of humor in his tone.

"Only You." I should have said that, but I didn’t.

“Only when I think they’re right.”

For the first time, I felt like I was talking to Liam, not the cold and distant figure everyone else saw. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep me thinking about him long after I left the library.

---

A few weeks later, I found Liam by the lake. It was a quiet spot, far from the rest of the pack, and I didn’t think anyone else knew about it. But there he was, skipping stones across the water.

I hesitated, unsure if I should approach him. But then he spoke, his voice breaking the silence.

“Do you ever feel like you’re living someone else’s life?”

I stepped closer, my heart pounding. “Sometimes,” I admitted. “But maybe it’s not someone else’s life. Maybe it’s just... not the one we expected.”

He turned to look at me then, his dark eyes searching mine. For a moment, I thought he might say something more, but instead, he nodded and turned back to the water.

We sat there in silence for a while, the sound of the water lapping at the shore filling the space between us. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

Over the months, I found myself noticing the little things about Liam.

Like the way he always stayed behind after training to help the younger wolves, his patience never wavering. Or the way he listened quietly during pack meetings, offering quiet support to Jack when no one else did.

Once, I saw him stop to help an elderly wolf carry a heavy basket. He didn’t say much, just nodded when she thanked him and went on his way.

And then there were the moments when he didn’t realize anyone was watching—like the time I caught him in the garden, sitting under a tree with a book in his lap. He looked so peaceful, so different from the cold and distant Liam I thought I knew.

Each of these moments made my feelings for him grow. Even though I knew he didn’t see me the way I wanted him to, I couldn’t help but hope.

---

The annual pack celebration was one of the biggest events of the year, and I spent weeks planning my outfit, hoping Liam might notice me.

When the night finally arrived, the packhouse was buzzing with excitement. I watched Liam from across the room, my heart fluttering as he stood by Jack.

He didn’t dance, of course. Liam never did. But when the music slowed and Jack dragged him onto the dance floor, I saw a flicker of something in his expression—annoyance, maybe, or resignation.

For a moment, I imagined what it would be like to dance with him, to feel his hand on mine.

But then the song ended, and he disappeared into the crowd, leaving me standing there, wishing for something I knew I couldn’t have.

---

As the months passed, I realized something important. Liam might never notice me the way I wanted him to. He was too focused on his duties, too wrapped up in his own world.

But even if he didn’t see me, I would still care for him. Because he was more than just the second in line to the Alpha. He was Liam—steady, kind, and completely unaware of the way he’d captured my heart.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough. For now.

And maybe I was developing a crush on him, well, who wouldn't? Afterall, it's Liam I am talking about.