Chapter 36

[ 763 words ]

The villain

36: 36.

The villain Liam

They circle each other first, testing boundaries, movements light and playful.

Then it escalates—she darts forward, nipping at his shoulder before bounding away, daring him to follow.

He does.

Of course he does.

We chase her across the clearing, paws thudding against the earth, the wind rushing past as everything else falls away.

No politics.

No danger.

No complicated bonds.

Just this.

What we’ve been missing since I was forced to walk away from her and mom.

She’s fast—faster than I expect—and clever.

She doubles back, tries to flank him, and even manages to knock into his side once with a triumphant little growl.

He lets her.

Mostly.

They tumble once, a tangle of black fur and snapping jaws that never quite bite down, and when they separate, her wolf looks… happy.

Really happy.

It hits me in the chest.

She needed this.

After a while, I pull back, slowing.

She notices immediately, tilting her head.

Time, I tell her gently.

She hesitates, then nods.

We shift back together.

The return is always easier.

When I stand again in human skin, Aria is already there, breathing hard, her face flushed, but her eyes—

Bright.

“Did you feel that?” she asks, almost breathless.

I grin.

“Yeah.

I did.”

“That was… insane.”

“That was you,” I correct.

“Or at least part of you.”

She laughs softly, then wraps her arms around herself again, grounding.

“Okay,” I say, clapping my hands lightly.

“One more thing to try before we call it.”

Her expression shifts.

“The fire?”

“Yeah.”

I lead her to a fallen log, gesturing for her to sit.

“You said you can feel it, right? Under your skin?”

She nods.

“Like… heat.

Pressure.

But it won’t come out.”

“Alright,” I say.

“Close your eyes again.”

She does.

“Don’t try to force it out,” I continue.

“Focus on where it is. Imagine it moving. Flowing.”

Minutes pass.

Her brow furrows.

“I feel it,” she murmurs.

“It’s right there…”

“Good. Now guide it.”

She inhales sharply.

Nothing happens.

Again.

Nothing.

Frustration builds, clear in the tension of her shoulders.

“I can’t,” she snaps finally, eyes flying open.

“It won’t listen.”

I sit beside her.

“It’s not about making it listen.”

“Then what is it about?” she demands.

“Trust,” I say simply.

She lets out a humorless laugh.

“That’s helpful.”

I nudge her shoulder lightly.

“Hey.

You shifted today.

First try.”

“That was different.”

“Was it?” I raise a brow.

“Or was it just something you didn’t overthink?”

She goes quiet.

I soften my voice.

“This is new. It’s not gonna click in a few hours.”

She looks down at her hands.

“I just… I feel like I should be able to do more.”

“You will,” I say.

“And when you do? I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be scary as hell.”

That earns a small smile.

“Especially if you figure out how to use it in wolf form,” I add.

Her eyes flick up.

“You think that’s possible?”

“I think,” I say carefully, “you’re a lot more than any of us understand yet.”

She exhales slowly.

After another hour of trying—with no real progress—I finally stand.

“Alright. Break time.”

She doesn’t argue.

Good sign.

***

The Starlight Diner looks the same.

But it doesn’t feel the same.

I hold the door open for her, watching as she steps inside, her gaze sweeping the space like she’s seeing it for the first time.

Which, in a way… she is.

“She owned this?” she asks quietly.

I nod.

“Yeah.”

Our mom.

The thought sits heavy and warm all at once.

We slide into a booth, ordering without much thought.

The familiar rhythm helps—grounds us.

But I didn’t bring her here just for food.

I study her for a moment.

“Something’s been bothering you.”

She stiffens slightly.

“I know you,” I add.

A long pause.

Then she sighs, leaning back.

“It’s my friend, Hazel.”

“The one from the city?”

She nods.

“I just… left. No real explanation. And now I have to lie to her every time she calls.”

Guilt laces every word.

“She saved me once,” Aria continues softly.

“From this guy who wouldn’t take a hint. Got a little too… handsy.” Her jaw tightens.

“She stepped in. Didn’t even hesitate.”

My hands curl into fists under the table.

“And after that,” she says, “it was just us. We had each other’s backs through everything.”

She looks up at me, eyes shining.

“And now I’m just… gone.”

Silence stretches.

I hate that I wasn’t there for that.

That she went through any of it alone.

“I should’ve been there,” I mutter.

Her expression softens.

“You didn’t know.”

“Still.”

I shake my head, forcing the guilt down.

“Listen to me.”

She does.

“Sometimes,” I say slowly, “we have to be the villain in someone else’s story to protect them.”

She flinches slightly.

“I’m not saying it’s fair,” I continue.

Or easy.

But if the truth puts her in danger… then yeah.

You lie.”

Her gaze drops to the table.

“It doesn’t make you a bad person,” I add quietly.

Another pause.

Then, softer— “I’m sorry.”

I blink.

“For what?”

“For not giving you a chance before,” she says.

“For assuming the worst.”

I lean back, studying her.

The distance that used to sit between us… It’s not gone.

But it’s smaller.

Manageable.

I huff out a breath.

“Yeah. That pissed me off.”

She winces.

“But,” I add, “I get it.”

Her eyes meet mine again.

And this time—

There’s no wall.

Just my sister.

Finally.

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