Olivia POV
Not again, I screamed inside my head.
I had already braced myself to fall hard and probably injure some part of my body.
I was even in a dilemma, trying to decide which part would suffer the most — my back, my arm, my neck, or worse, my head.
But instead, I fell into something solid.
A beating heart.
Strong arms.
“Careful, dear. I’ve got you,” a musky voice whispered.
Low.
Tender.
Worried.
For a brief second, I felt safe.
And at the same time, scared.
My eyes stung, tears gathering before I could stop them.
I wasn’t used to people showing me care or concern.
Because of that, I always found myself getting emotional whenever someone did.
It felt unfamiliar.
Unsettling.
I was still resting in David’s strong arms, my head pressed against his hard chest.
I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear.
It was loud, powerful, almost grounding.
For a moment, I got lost in it.
Lost in the warmth.
Lost in the steadiness.
“Mm… thank you,” I murmured softly, trying to pull myself together.
I shifted slightly, attempting to get up.
We were too close.
Too intimate.
I didn’t want anyone walking in and misunderstanding what was happening.
As I stood up awkwardly, I brushed off my clothes and tried to walk toward the restroom to compose myself.
“Ah—”
My ankle twisted sharply.
A snapping pain shot up my leg.
I cried out in pain as my other foot failed to support me.
This time, I truly braced myself for a hard fall.
But strong hands caught me again.
David pulled me back into him, using his body weight to steady mine.
His arms wrapped around me, one around my back and the other firmly around my waist, supporting me so that no weight rested on my injured ankle.
He held me close — too close — and adjusted his stance so I wouldn’t collapse again.
Bang.
The gym door suddenly flew open with a force that made several heads turn.
“Take your filthy hands off her. Now.”
A deep, muscular baritone voice thundered from behind.
The air shifted instantly.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Heavy.
Dark.
Savage.
Dominant.
Even without turning around, I knew that voice.
Lucy surged inside me, almost howling.
“Mate.”
The pressure in the room became suffocating.
His aura expanded, oppressive and commanding, pressing down on everyone present.
It felt as though the oxygen had been sucked out of the space.
And he was angry.
No — furious.
I panicked.
Quickly, I tried to disengage from David’s arms.
I didn’t want any misunderstanding between him and Kingsley.
But the moment I attempted to put weight on my injured ankle, pain shot through me again.
I winced and nearly collapsed.
David instinctively stepped forward to support me once more—
But Alpha Kingsley was faster.
It was almost as if he teleported.
One second he was by the door.
The next, he was in front of me.
Strong arms wrapped around me.
Possessive.
Tight.
Protective.
I inhaled sharply as his familiar scent surrounded me — dark woods, spice, something uniquely him.
It did something strange to my mind.
Heat pooled low in my body, spreading beneath my skin.
My fingers moved before I could stop them.
They traced the firm lines of his muscles, sliding up toward his chest.
I think I heard a low groan escape his lips.
His arms were strong and toned.
Not as bulky as David’s, but more refined.
More structured.
Like something carefully sculpted rather than roughly carved.
His chest, even beneath his clothes, felt solid.
Crafted like art.
He suddenly lifted me off the ground, snapping me out of my wandering thoughts.
I gasped softly as he carried me bridal-style in his arms.
My head naturally rested against his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat.
It was raging.
Fast.
Unsteady.
And without realizing it, my own heartbeat began to match his rhythm.
For a second, everything else faded.
The gym.
The people watching.
The tension hanging thick in the air.
It was just the two of us.
He turned his head slightly and glared at David.
The look in his eyes was not friendly.
Not neutral.
It was territorial.
David stood there, silent and still, his jaw clenched but his posture controlled.
He didn’t speak.
He didn’t move.
But something passed between them — something unspoken and sharp.
A warning.
A challenge.
Kingsley didn’t say another word.
He simply adjusted his hold on me and walked away, his strides confident and deliberate.
Every step echoed in the suddenly silent gym.
I closed my eyes, my heart beating nervously in my chest.
Lucy purred softly inside my head, almost content.
“Mine,” she whispered.
And I didn’t know if she meant him.
Or if she meant me.