Liam- Dark Corner

The week dragged on like an endless loop, each day blending into the next. Normally, my gym sessions were the one thing I could count on to clear my head, to keep me grounded. But not this week.

Not with Alex avoiding me at every turn.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew what he was doing.

The sudden switch to Brandon as my trainer, the polite but distant way he addressed me when we passed each other, and the way he always seemed to find a reason to stay on the opposite side of the gym.

It was deliberate.

And it pissed me off more than it should have.

I didn’t understand why it bothered me so much. Alex was just a trainer, someone I worked out with a few times a week. It wasn’t like we were friends, and we certainly weren’t anything more than that. But every time I saw him laugh with another client or walk past me like I didn’t exist, it felt like a punch to the gut.

By Friday, I was ready to snap.

I’d finished my workout with Brandon. It was not that it had done much to improve my mood and was heading toward the locker room when I heard it.

"Come on, Alex," one of the younger trainers was saying. "You never come out with us. Just this once, hit the club. You deserve to let loose a little."

"I don’t know," Alex replied, his voice hesitant. "I’m not really a club person."

"That’s exactly why you should come," the trainer insisted. "You need a break, man. Forget about work for a night and have some fun."

I froze, lingering just out of sight of their conversation.

"Fine," Alex finally said with a soft chuckle. "I’ll think about it."

That was all I needed to hear.

The thought of Alex out at a club, surrounded by people, laughing, drinking, and maybe even—God forbid—dancing with someone else, sent a surge of something primal through me.

I didn’t recognize it at first, but the longer it burned in my chest, the more I realized what it was.

Jealousy.

I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening, and I made my way toward the back exit of the gym. But when I turned the corner, I saw him—Alex.

He was standing by the towel rack, wiping his face with a small towel. He looked relaxed, like he didn’t have a care in the world, while I felt like I was coming apart at the seams.

Before I could stop myself, I crossed the distance between us.

"Alex," I said, my voice low.

He looked up, startled, his green eyes widening slightly when he saw me. "Liam? What’s up?"

I didn’t answer. Instead, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the back hallway, away from the main gym floor.

"Wait—what are you—"

"Just come with me," I muttered, not letting go.

The hallway was dimly lit, quiet, and deserted. I didn’t stop until we were in the far corner, where no one would see us.

"Liam, what the hell—"

His words were cut off, and I pressed him against the wall, my body crowding his space.

For a moment, I hesitated. This was reckless, stupid even, but I couldn’t stop myself. The frustration, the tension, the jealousy, and it all boiled over at once.

Before I could think better of it, I leaned in and kissed him.

It wasn’t soft or gentle. It was desperate, raw, a clash of need and frustration that I couldn’t hold back anymore. His lips were warm and soft against mine, and for a split second, he didn’t push me away.

But then I pulled back, my breath ragged, my heart pounding like I’d just run a marathon.

Alex stared at me, his eyes wide with shock, his chest rising and falling while he struggled to process what had just happened.

"I—I’m sorry," I muttered, taking a step back.

"Liam, wait—"

I didn’t let him finish. I turned and bolted, the sound of his voice chasing me down the hallway.

I didn’t stop until I was outside, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap.

My wolf was howling inside me, restless and wild, clawing to be let out. I needed to shift, to run, to let it all out before I lost control completely.

Without a second thought, I headed for the woods on the outskirts of town, my pulse racing, and my thoughts a chaotic mess.

I didn’t know what I’d just done or what it meant for Alex or for me.

All I knew was that I couldn’t face him right now. Not after that.

The forest stretched out before me, dark and quiet, the cool air biting against my skin, and I ran.

My pulse thundered in my ears, each step carrying me farther from the gym, from Alex, from the kiss that I couldn’t stop thinking about.

But no matter how far I ran, I couldn’t escape the storm raging inside me.

This wasn’t just about Alex or the kiss. It was about everything—the frustration, the loneliness, the way my wolf clawed at the edges of my control, demanding to be let out.

By the time I reached the clearing deep in the woods, my breathing was ragged, my body trembling. I dropped to my knees, fingers digging into the damp earth and the fire in my chest built to an unbearable intensity.

And then it happened.

I felt the shift start, that familiar pull deep in my core, but this time, it was different.

The full moon wasn’t hanging in the sky. This wasn’t the usual, predictable cycle I’d lived with my whole life. This was raw, uncontrollable, and it terrified me.

Pain shot through me when my bones began to crack and reshape. I gritted my teeth, groaning, my muscles stretched and shifted; my skin burning like it was being torn apart.

But beneath the pain was something else—something freeing.

For the first time, I wasn’t bound by the moon’s call. This was my choice, my wolf responding to my emotions, my need to let go.

The transformation happened faster than usual, and when it was over, I stood on all fours, my paws sinking into the soft earth, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

I shook out my fur, the familiar weight of my wolf form grounding me. The night smelled sharper, clearer, the damp leaves, the faint scent of rain in the air, the musky odor of distant wildlife.

But even in this form, my mind was a mess.

I paced the clearing, my claws digging into the dirt, and I replayed the kiss over and over. Alex’s shocked expression, the way his lips had felt against mine, the way I’d bolted before he could say anything.

Why had I done it?

I let out a low growl, the sound echoing through the trees. My wolf didn’t understand restraint, didn’t care about consequences. It wanted what it wanted, and tonight, it had taken over.

This was supposed to be impossible. Shifting outside of the full moon went against everything I knew about myself, about my kind. It wasn’t natural.

But here I was, standing in the middle of the woods, my wolf stronger and more alive than it had ever been.

I let out a howl, long and mournful, the sound carrying through the night. It was a release, a way to expel the chaos in my chest, but it didn’t help.

Nothing helped.

Because no matter how far I ran, no matter how loudly I howled, one thought kept circling back.

I’d kissed Alex. And I didn’t regret it.

What terrified me wasn’t that I’d kissed him. It was that I wanted to do it again.

Another howl ripped from my throat, this one more frustrated than the last.

I couldn’t go back, not yet. Not until I figured out what the hell was happening to me.

The wolf inside me surged forward, taking over completely, and I surrendered to it, letting instinct guide me while I disappeared deeper into the woods.

After my run, I was drained. Every muscle in my body ached, my limbs heavy and trembling as the adrenaline faded.

The wolf’s energy, so vibrant and consuming moments ago, had left me hollow, like a fire reduced to smoldering embers.

By the time I reached the edge of the woods and saw the lights of my house in the distance, I wasn’t sure I’d make it. Each step felt like it took more from me, the gravel beneath my bare feet scraping against my raw skin.

The shift back to human form had been slower than usual, the pain lingering like an unwelcome guest. My body wasn’t meant to shift outside the full moon. And it had taken everything I had to force it, and now it was demanding a price.

I stumbled up the driveway, my breath coming in ragged gasps, my vision blurring at the edges. The house loomed ahead like a distant beacon, the porch light spilling across the dark yard.

Just a few more steps.

I reached the stairs, my legs buckling beneath me while I climbed. My knees hit the wooden steps, the impact jarring but muted against the overwhelming exhaustion.

When I finally reached the door, I collapsed, my back against the frame, my head lolling back, and I tried to catch my breath. The cool night air brushed against my sweat-soaked skin, but it did little to soothe the burning in my muscles.

I was completely spent.

The wolf inside me was silent now, retreating into the depths of my mind, but its presence still lingered. A quiet hum beneath the surface.

For the first time in years, I felt… vulnerable. The powerful, controlled mask I always wore was cracked, and I was too tired to piece it back together.

I leaned my head back against the door, my eyes fluttering shut, and the exhaustion pulled at me, dragging me toward unconsciousness.