Olivia’s POV

Before Logan could react, Lennox was already there, moving so fast it was almost a blur. One second, Logan was standing tall; the next, he was on the ground, Lennox’s fist driving into his face with inhuman force. The air filled with the sickening crack of bone as Lennox hit him again. And again.

“You dare lay a hand on my mate?” Lennox’s voice was a deadly growl, his wolf barely subdued.

Logan tried to scramble away, but Lennox grabbed him by the throat, slamming him back down into the dirt. Blood dripped from his nose; his eyes were wide with panic.

“Luna or not, she is mine,” Lennox’s voice was low, dangerous. “And I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting her, let alone hitting her.”

I touched my cheek, feeling the lingering sting, but my focus was on Lennox. His fury was almost palpable; his entire body was tense as he loomed over Logan, ready to rip him apart.

Lennox lifted Logan up from the sand and slammed his face into the wall. Gasps filled the air. I swallowed hard as I watched the scene before me. Lennox’s anger was suffocating—no one dared to go near.

“I’m… sorry… Alpha…” Logan tried apologizing, but Lennox hit his face against the hard wall again. His face was already damaged, and I knew I had to do something before Lennox killed him.

“Lennox,” I called his name softly, stepping closer.

“Stay back!” Lennox snapped at me and punched Logan in the face. Logan fell to the ground and collapsed. Lennox moved to pick him up again, but I ran and blocked him. I knew Lennox—if no one stopped him, he would kill Logan right here.

“Stop it, please,” I pleaded desperately.

Lennox, whose green eyes were now gray, glared at me. I could see he was doing his best not to push me aside and attack Logan again.

Growling animalistically, he turned away from me, his hands trembling with rage. My heart pounded as I watched Lennox’s shoulders rise and fall with his ragged breaths. The raw fury rolling off him made it difficult to breathe, but I forced myself to stay between him and Logan’s bloodied, motionless body.

As I stared at the enraged Lennox, a memory resurfaced in my mind. It was three years ago. I was fifteen. My father had just been accused of stealing, and my mother and I were demoted to the rank of Omegas. It was another day at school, and I had just gotten a new sketchbook—a gift from Mama. I was so proud of it, clutching it tightly to my chest as I hurried down the hall, eager to draw during lunch break.

But then, they showed up—three older boys, probably the same age as the triplets, who always found pleasure in picking on weaker students. Their leader, Jax, grinned wickedly when he saw me.

“Hey, thief’s daughter!” he sneered, grabbing my sketchbook from my hands.

“No! Give it back!” I protested, reaching for it, but he just held it higher, laughing as I jumped and missed.

“Oh, look at her! Desperate little Omega,” one of his friends taunted.

“Maybe she stole it,” another one chimed in.

My heart pounded, and I bit back tears, trying not to let them see how much it hurt. Jax flipped through my sketches carelessly, his dirty hands smudging the pages.

“These are trash,” he mocked before tearing out a page and crumpling it.

“Stop!” I cried, shoving him in a desperate attempt to get my sketchbook back. He barely moved but looked down at me with a glint of anger in his eyes.

“You dare push me?” His hand lashed out, shoving me so hard I stumbled back and fell on my hands and knees. I barely had time to process the pain when he moved closer, raising his fist to hit me.

But he didn’t get the chance. A low, menacing growl froze everyone in place. Lennox stepped into the hallway, his eyes blazing with unrestrained rage.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His voice was deadly calm, and the boys paled instantly.

Jax tried to put on a tough front. “Just teaching the thief’s brat a lesson—”

He didn’t finish the sentence. Lennox’s hand shot out, grabbing Jax by the throat and slamming him against the lockers so hard the metal dented.

“You think it’s brave to pick on someone weaker than you?” Lennox snarled, his grip tightening. Jax gasped and clawed at Lennox’s hand, his face turning red. The other two boys were too scared to help their leader.

“Please… Alpha’s son… let me go…” Jax wheezed.

Lennox’s lips curled into a snarl. “You’re pathetic.” With one swift motion, he threw Jax to the floor. Jax scrambled to his feet and bolted down the hall, not daring to look back.

I stayed on the floor, still shaken, clutching the crumpled sketch in my hands. Lennox knelt beside me, his expression softening as he looked me over.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice gentler than I’d ever heard since my father was accused of being a thief.

I nodded, wiping away a stray tear. “You saved me…”

His jaw tightened. “You need to train. Stop being weak.” He spat the words before rising to his feet and walking away.

Where I sat, I wondered what had happened to him and his brothers—why the sudden change in attitude toward me? But I concluded then that it was because my father was no longer a respected warrior but now carried the tag of a thief, and I was an Omega. They didn’t want to associate with someone like me.

The memory faded, and I was back in the present. I glanced at Lennox now, his back to me as he fought to control his anger. He was trembling, fists clenched, jaw tight. It seemed that despite how much he hated me, he still had that protective trait in him.

“Alpha Lennox,” I whispered.

He didn’t turn around, but I could feel his tension ease slightly.

“I’m okay,” I said softly. “Thank you.”

He let out a shaky breath, and finally, his shoulders relaxed. Slowly, he turned to face me, his eyes no longer wild with rage but filled with something I couldn’t name.

For a long moment, we just stared at each other. Then I broke the silence. “I’ll be going now.” I turned to leave, but his hand closed around my wrist, stopping me.

His touch sent a wave of warmth and shivers through me, and my wolf stirred inside of me. “Come. Let me take care of that face.”