The moment that summer smell hit me like a slap, I knew it was her. That same girl who had the audacity to step into my territory. What the hell was she doing here? I couldn't help but stare at her, locking onto her as if my life depended on it. There was this... pull inside me, like a spark, something electric. When she looked up and caught my eye, I wanted to tear my gaze away, but I couldn't. It was like my body was moving in slow motion, heart pounding in my ears like I'd run ten miles, and every nerve was lit up.

I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself.

Imani. I called out to my wolf, but all I got was a grunt from her. She was curled up in the back of my mind, completely uninterested. Wake up, dammit. I need you. Another grunt. Figures. Since I'd left the pack, she'd been in some kind of fucking mood, like I'd personally pissed her off by taking her away from everything she knew.

  If you're waiting on me to apologize, that's not happening. You can't just stay silent forever, Imani.

Nothing. She might as well have been asleep.

Treyvon's voice snapped me out of it. "We gotta get heavier dumbbells," he said, like he hadn't noticed the way my entire body had gone rigid.

"You see her?" I pointed, unable to stop myself. I could still feel her eyes on me. Like a weight. Treyvon followed my finger.

"Yeah, so?"

"That's her. The girl I told you about." I couldn't let it go. I had to know what she was doing. Why she was in my space.

"You're not about to go over there." Treyvon shook his head like he already knew how this was going to play out.

"I just wanna talk to her."

"Nah, you're gonna do more than talk, and that's the problem."

He wasn't wrong. I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, the way my muscles tensed, ready for whatever. We went back and forth until her scent hit me again, stronger this time. Almost choking. Summer. That sun-baked heat, saltwater, and coconut, with a twist of something sharp, like fresh-cut grass. God, it was too much.

And then, like she had no fear in her, she walked right up to me.

"Do we have a problem?" she asked, bold as hell.

I grinned. Oh, so she wanted to act tough.

"Nah, you got a problem?" I straightened up, towering over her. But she didn't back down. Her eyes stayed locked on mine, full of fire. I could see it, though—the flicker of fear beneath the bravado, like she was forcing herself to stand her ground. Still, she wasn't like most who would've tucked tail and run by now. She held steady.

"You were pointing at me," she said, her voice steady, but I could hear that tiny edge of defiance. "So yeah, I do."

I laughed, deep and loud. "You gonna kick my ass because I was pointing at you?" I cracked my knuckles, eyeing her up and down, ready for whatever she had to throw at me. If she swung first, it'd give me a reason to let loose.

In my head, Imani stirred. You aren't really going to fight her, are you?

Oh, so now you wanna chime in? If she wants a fight, I'll give her one.

Imani grunted, unimpressed.

"Dominic, chill," Treyvon said, grabbing my arm, but I shook him off. I wasn't about to let her think she could step to me and not get a response.

She didn't blink, just stood her ground like she belonged here, even though I knew she didn't. "I "I just wanna know why you were pointing at me?" she demanded.

"You don't need to know shit, lil girl," I jabbed my finger into her chest. "You gonna kick my ass for pointing at you? Do it."

I could see it—she was teetering on the edge, deciding whether or not to swing. And I was waiting for it. Hell, I was hoping for it.

"What I thought," I said, my voice low, challenging. "Scary-ass lil' girl."

She clenched her fists. "Just answer the damn question."

"I don't owe you shit. You don't even belong here."

"I can be here if I want."

I let out a low growl. 

Imani whined inside my head, her energy shifting from indifferent to something else entirely. Playful.

What the hell are you doing? I asked her.

She's adorable. I wanna play.

Play?! Not now. This isn't a game.

Imani pouted and went quiet again. Fine.

Suddenly, another girl came up behind the summer girl—Jas, I think the other one called her—and yanked her back. Jas shot one last look at me as they hurried out of the gym. That look sent a shock down my spine.

Imani whined again. Go after her.

No. We're not going after her. But my feet were already moving, and I knew it wasn't me in control. It was my wolf.

Imani, stop. Give me back control.

Just a little fun, Dom. Relax.

Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back. Treyvon.

"Ma, you good?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"It's not me," I muttered, pushing Imani back with everything I had. "It's Imani. She was trying to—"

"Go after her? Yeah, I could tell." Treyvon sighed, letting me go, but I could still feel his eyes on me. "Y'all need to get your shit together. Therapy, maybe."

"We're fine," I muttered, but even as I said it, I knew that wasn't true. I needed to figure out what the hell was going on with Imani, with this girl... and with me.

I leaned against her car, my arms crossed, waiting for her. The cool metal pressed against my back as I shifted slightly, trying to find a comfortable spot. I could feel the tension in the air before she even reached me. Her scent hit me first—saltwater air and citrus, that distinct summer child smell that had been gnawing at my senses since I first saw her. It wasn't like the others. It was too damn strong, lingering in my head like an echo I couldn't shake.

Jas slowed her steps when she saw me, her body stiffening like she knew this wasn't a coincidence. She looked ready to snap, which honestly, only made me more curious.

"Do you just lurk by people's cars now, or is this a new hobby?" Her voice had that same attitude as before, sharp and edgy, like she was daring me to cross a line.

I shrugged, pushing off the car and stepping forward, making sure to keep just enough space between us so she wouldn't feel like she could escape easily. "It's not a hobby. Just happened to be in the area."

"Sure," she said, rolling her eyes. "So you're stalking me now?"

I let out a low chuckle. Stalking? Please. If I wanted to stalk her, she'd never see me coming. But I wasn't here for games. Imani was pacing in the back of my head, restless and pushing me toward her like some damn magnetic force was pulling us together.

"You think pretty highly of yourself if you think I'd waste my time stalking you." I leaned down slightly, bringing myself closer to eye level with her. "But I do want to know why the hell you've been popping up in places you don't belong."

Her lips tightened, and I saw that flicker of defiance in her eyes again. She wasn't backing down, and I didn't expect her to. That was part of the problem. It made her more interesting than I wanted her to be.

"Popping up?" she echoed, crossing her arms. "I didn't know your gym and this parking lot were your territory. Should I ask permission to breathe next?"

"Don't play dumb. You were in my territory before. Now you're here again. I don't believe in coincidences."

She stared up at me, unflinching. That quiet boldness of hers set something off in me. She wasn't scared of me, even though she should be. Most people with a brain would've turned and walked the other way by now. But no, she stood there, looking up at me like she could take me down if she wanted to.

"You really think I care about your territory? I don't even know you."

I took a step closer, letting the weight of my presence settle between us. Her breath hitched, and I could see her fighting not to take a step back, like she refused to show me any kind of weakness. Good. Let her stand her ground.

"Maybe you don't know me," I said, my voice low, "but I know you're not just here by chance. So why don't you tell me what you're really doing?"

She narrowed her eyes, her body tense, like she was getting ready to throw a punch or something. As much as I wanted to push her, get under her skin, I had to pull back. I could feel Imani scratching at the surface, hungry for more than just this confrontation.

"Why do you care?" she shot back. "Maybe you're the one who needs to back off."

Her words hit harder than I expected. She wasn't wrong. I didn't need to care, but I did. Something about her was making me reckless. Her scent, her attitude, the way Imani wouldn't shut the hell up in my head. It all stirred something primal in me, something I didn't want to deal with.

I leaned in close, enough to feel the heat radiating off her skin. Her breath hitched again, but she didn't move. "You think you can handle me?" I whispered.

She clenched her jaw, not backing down. "I don't have to handle anything. Just stay out of my way."

Imani growled low in the back of my mind, eager for more, but I shut her down, tightening my grip on control. "You should be the one who stays out of my way," I said softly, stepping back with a slow smirk.

I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there in the dim light of the parking lot, heart pounding in my chest, feeling the pull between us like an invisible thread.