5. Liam

"Bodyguard...?"I repeated, the word feeling odd on my tongue.

At first, I didn"t fully grasp what Shane was telling me. Then, like a wave crashing over me, it all sunk in—the phone call from my mother, telling me that Sheriff Owen had assigned a fox shifter to watch over me.

Adding to the tension was the awkwardness of the morning, when Shane and I found ourselves in a compromising situation and me foolishly assuming we had done something more than kiss.

The mere memory made me want to sink into the floor and disappear forever.

It didn"t help that Shane was giving me a concerned look, as if he actually cared how I felt. But deep down, I knew better.

Wasn"t I just a job to him? A responsibility handed down by Owen, nothing more?

The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken tension. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the weight of Shane"s gaze bearing down on me like a physical pressure.

And in that moment, I couldn"t help but feel a pang of bitterness and resentment toward him, toward my mother, toward the entire situation.

Our kiss, though... That was something.

The memory of Shane"s lips on mine sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn"t shake the sensation of how good it felt.

His touch was electrifying, igniting a fire within me that I hadn"t known existed.

But before I could dwell on the moment any longer, a flash went off.

Instinctively, I turned to follow the source of the light, my heart sinking as I recognized the man behind the camera.

Tom Pierce from Mage Daily.

My blood boiled with rage as I abruptly rose from my seat, the need to confront that reporter consuming my thoughts.

Tom gave me a mocking smile and a casual wave, as if taunting me with his presence.

"Hey!" I blurted out, my voice laced with anger and frustration. I got up from my seat.

"Liam, where do you think you're going?" Shane demanded.

I didn't answer him. Instead, I stormed out of the diner.

The need to break that damn camera was the only thing on my mind, and I was determined to do whatever it took to make it happen.

I was so angry, I could barely see straight. But as I raced through the parking lot, a single thought echoed in my mind: I already felt completely helpless about this entire scenario.

The least I could do was not let Tom Pierce invade my privacy. But it seemed like it was too late for that.

I numbly watched as Pierce climbed into an ugly olive windowless van and drove off, my heart sinking with defeat.

Out of breath, I put my hands on my knees, panting heavily as I tried to process what had just happened.

Footsteps echoed behind me, and I stiffened, knowing without looking that it was Shane.

I didn"t want to speak to him right now, didn"t want to face the mix of emotions swirling inside me.

"Hey, Liam, wait up," Shane called behind me, his voice filled with worry

"Leave me alone!" I yelled, my words ringing out sharper than intended. "I don"t need your help."

Shane didn"t give up, his footsteps echoing in the empty parking lot as he finally caught up to me.

"Hey," he said softly, his eyes searching mine. "I"m just doing my job."

The reminder that he was assigned as my babysitter only fueled my frustration. Neither of us were happy about the arrangement, so why bother pretending otherwise?

"I need some space," I said, finally meeting his gaze. "Please."

That last word seemed to strike a chord with Shane. He said nothing, his expression unreadable as he watched me retreat to my car.

Climbing in, I slammed the door shut. As I drove off, the anger that had consumed me began to ebb away, replaced by a gnawing sense of guilt.

Shane was just trying to do his job, after all. And here I was, pushing him away when all he wanted to do was help.

Whatever, Shane would understand, or I"d apologize to him later... unless he decided to give up on me and begged his lead alpha to assign another shifter to replace him.

The mere thought of Shane abandoning me made the pit in my stomach deepen, adding another layer to my growing sense of despair.

I drove aimlessly through town for a few minutes, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

Pierce had taken a shot of me and Shane eating together. Harmless enough, right?

Except Pierce could easily twist what amounted to a simple breakfast and misunderstanding into something more sinister.

The headline of his news article could be something like... "McGowan Embarrassment Caught Fraternizing with a Shifter" or something even worse.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the disturbing images forming in my mind. I needed to escape, if only for a little while, from my thoughts, from reality.

And then, an idea struck me like a bolt of lightning.

There was always one place I went to find solace, to lose myself in another world for a few precious hours.

With newfound determination, I changed course and drove straight to the town library.

As I stepped into the library, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood washed over me, comforting in its familiarity.

It was early, and the library was empty, save for the librarian at her desk near the entrance.

At home, in the family library, I would immediately lose myself in the old magical tomes that lined the shelves. But here, in the town library, I had a different destination in mind.

In my room, hidden away from prying eyes, I kept a shelf full of my favorite smutty romance novels.

Today, I felt drawn to them, craving the escape they offered from the complexities of my own life.

With no judgmental eyes here to scrutinize my choices, I headed to the romance section of the library.

After scanning the shelves for a moment, I picked out an intriguing gay romance fantasy novel and found myself a quiet corner to settle into.

Hours slipped by unnoticed as I lost myself in the pages of the book, the outside world fading away as I immersed myself in the fantastical world of the story.

But then, like a prickling sensation at the back of my neck, I felt it—the unmistakable sense of someone watching me.

My heart lurched in my chest. Pierce? The thought of the reporter"s intrusive presence made anger flare up inside me, hot and fierce.

This was my safe space, my sanctuary away from the prying eyes of the outside world. How dare he intrude upon it?

But then, a flicker of hope ignited within me. Could it be Shane? The mere possibility sent a surge of warmth through me, removing some of the tension that had been building inside me.

I glanced around the library, studying my surroundings for any sign of the watcher. But as my eyes swept over the rows of bookshelves and empty tables, I saw no one.

With a resigned sigh, I shook off the feeling of unease that had gripped me.

It must have been my imagination, playing tricks on me in this quiet, deserted library.

With that thought, I returned my attention to the book in my hands, determined to lose myself in its pages once more.

As my ringtone suddenly blasted out, shattering the peaceful silence of the library, I felt a pang of embarrassment wash over me.

Fumbling in my pockets, I desperately searched for my phone, my cheeks flushing as the librarian shot me a stern look.

I offered her an apologetic smile before finally locating my phone nestled in one of the pockets of my jacket.

With a sigh of relief, I set my book aside and quickly made my way toward the nearest exit.

Stepping outside into the cool air, I found myself in a narrow but quiet alleyway, away from the prying eyes of the library patrons.

Glancing down at the screen, I saw that it was my mother calling, undoubtedly checking up on me again.

While I appreciated her concern, there were times when I wished she would give me a little space to breathe.

With a resigned sigh, I answered the call, bracing myself for the inevitable barrage of questions and reminders.

But then, a thought occurred to me. This was a good opportunity to tell her about Pierce and express my concerns about the situation with Shane.

Maybe it wasn"t such a good idea to have us working together, especially with the reporter lurking around.

"Mom," I interjected, not giving her a chance to speak first. "Something unexpected happened."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself before I launched into the story of Pierce"s intrusion and the photograph he had taken of Shane and me.

She listened attentively as I explained the situation, telling her about the potential repercussions of having Shane and me partnered together.

But even as the words left my mouth, I knew I was lying to myself. Despite the complications and risks, being with Shane felt right in a way I had never experienced before.

I had always been guarded with my feelings, keeping them tightly locked away where no one could see them. But with Shane, it was different.

Being with him made me feel safe, like I could finally let down my walls and be myself.

It was a feeling I had never had before.

Shane was more than just a good listener; he was someone who understood me in a way that no one else ever had.

"This is good," she said, her tone surprisingly upbeat.

My mother"s voice suddenly broke my train of thought and her words caught me completely off guard.

Confusion knitted my brow as I struggled to comprehend her perspective.

"Wait, what? I don"t understand. If that photo gets out along with some made-up article that Shane and I are in a relationship or something, wouldn"t that put a stain on our family"s reputation?" I questioned.

"Normally, one would think that, yes," my mother replied, her tone oddly calm. "But the publicity is good. It would help the brand-new image we"re trying to establish."

Her words made no sense to me. "What image?" I pressed, feeling a growing sense of unease creeping over me.

"That we"re a progressive family, allied to a shifter pack," she explained matter-of-factly.

My mind reeled at her revelation. All of a sudden, my family was pro-shifter? It didn"t make sense.

There had to be more to this than what she was telling me. Maybe the attack during the event had damaged our family"s reputation more than I realized.

Perhaps they were now desperate to paint themselves as strong, even if it meant working with shifters.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

If the other mage families believed that the fox shifters were on our side, then the culprit who attacked grandfather and me would think twice about attacking us again.

I silently shook my head in disbelief, grateful that my mother couldn"t see the expression on my face.

It was moments like these that made me question the lengths my family would go to in order to save their own skin.

Sometimes, their actions seemed ridiculous.

Not for the first time, I found myself envying Ollie for choosing to distance himself from our dysfunctional family.

But then, a bitter realization washed over me—I was practically in the same boat as him.

I could detach myself from the family that had cast me aside over a single incident, just like he had. But was I brave enough to take that step?

"Keep at it," were my mother"s parting words as we ended our conversation.

Not once did she ask me how I really was or how I was faring. It was as if my feelings and well-being were of little consequence to her.

I stared at my cellphone glumly for a few seconds.

Before I could dwell on them any longer, something hard was pressed against my back, causing me to freeze in place.

My heart began to race as I realized what it was—a gun.

Fear coursed through me as I stood frozen in shock. My mind raced with a million thoughts, each more terrifying than the last.

Was I being mugged? In broad daylight, here in Fox Haven? The very idea seemed silly, but the reality of the situation was undeniable.

Panic set in as I tried to rationalize the events unfolding before me.

"I"ll give you my phone and wallet, no need for that gun," I blurted out, my voice trembling with fear. But the mugger only pressed the gun harder against my back, sending shivers down my spine.

Sweat dripped down my forehead as I struggled to keep my composure.

After everything that had happened, was I really going to die like this? Shot in the back by some random mugger?

Just as defeat began to set in, a low growl reached my ears, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps. Shane?