Tyler POV
I couldn't breathe when I saw it.
The photo was grainy, taken from across the street-zoomed in, shaky-but I knew the shape of her. Erica. Head down. Cream sweater. Carrying chai in one hand, her other bandaged. Alexis was beside her, talking too much as always, but the focus of the image was crystal clear.
It was Erica they wanted.
The message came with the photo. Five words.
"We see her. Every time."
No name. No threat. But it didn't have to be.
I grabbed my jacket and keys, ignoring Coach Aster's voicemail and the growing number of texts from Jenkins asking if I'd heard about some "league buzz." I didn't care about buzz. Or my contract. Or the fact that I was one toe over the line with the Board already.
I cared about one thing.
Keeping her safe.
When I burst through my apartment door and saw the envelope clutched in Erica's trembling hands, something inside me cracked.
"They sent me something too," I growled, slamming the door behind me. "A picture. Of you. From yesterday."
Erica's eyes widened. Alexis sucked in a sharp breath beside her.
"They're watching you, Erica. Closely. This wasn't random."
She didn't speak, didn't even blink. I moved toward her, taking the envelope from her fingers. My hands brushed hers, and I felt it-that silent tremor running through her. The fear she wasn't showing but couldn't hide from me.
I opened the envelope and read the note.
"You're in over your head. He's not who you think he is. If you don't walk away, you'll regret it."
My jaw clenched hard enough to ache.
"What does that even mean?" Alexis whispered. "Not who you think he is? Is that supposed to scare her off?"
"They want her isolated," I muttered, voice low. "They want her afraid. Alone. Easy to control."
Erica finally looked up at me. "But who is 'they,' Tyler? Who even cares this much about us being... whatever this is?"
I didn't know how to answer that.
Because the truth was-I had enemies.
Not by name, maybe. But by nature.
Guys who hated that I got a second chance. Guys who thought a violent alpha like me didn't deserve to play again. People in the league who wanted me gone. Hell, half the media vultures would light a match if I handed them the gasoline.
And now I had something to lose. Someone to protect.
They knew it.
I sat beside her, handing the letter to Alexis.
"I need to know everything you saw, Mol. Yesterday. Before the café. After. Anything strange?"
She frowned, clearly thinking. "There was... a car. Parked outside our dorm. I thought it was just waiting for someone, but it was there again when we left."
"Same car?"
"I think so. It was dark blue. Older model. Windows tinted."
I nodded. "You remember the plates?"
She shook her head.
"Damn it," I muttered.
Alexis stood. "I can check the security cam from the café. The guy behind the counter is obsessed with me. He'll let me scroll through footage if I ask nicely."
"Do it." I looked at her. "But don't go alone."
"I'm not stupid," she snapped, grabbing her bag. "I'll take that beta from chem class who's been trying to carry my textbooks all semester."
"Name?"
"Ravi."
"Make sure Ravi keeps his hands to himself."
She smirked. "Yes, Alpha."
Once she was gone, the silence between Erica and me stretched.
She picked at the edge of her sleeve, biting her lip.
"I'm scared," she whispered.
I reached for her hand. "I know."
"I don't understand why they're doing this. Why me?"
"Because you're close to me. And someone out there wants me to lose."
She blinked at me. "That's really all it takes?"
I nodded. "In this world? Yeah."
I saw the thoughts swirling in her head. The doubts. The unspoken question sitting heavy in her throat.
Am I worth this?
I leaned in, brushing her hair from her face.
"You're not a problem," I murmured. "You're the reason I haven't lost my shit yet. You keep me grounded. Focused. They know that. That's why they're trying to pull you away."
"But what if they succeed?"
"They won't."
She exhaled shakily. "Erica, what if they're right? About you. About who you are."
I froze.
That hurt more than I wanted to admit.
But I deserved it. My past wasn't clean. I'd done things I wasn't proud of. Rage, fists, bad decisions. The incident with the ref wasn't my first outburst-it was just the most public.
"I'm not proud of who I was," I said quietly. "But I've spent every day since trying to be better. Trying to be someone who deserves this second chance. Someone who deserves you."
Her eyes shimmered. "You already are."
We sat in silence for a beat.
Then her stomach growled.
She looked mortified. I laughed softly and stood. "Come on. I'll make you something."
"You cook?"
"When necessary."
An hour later, we were halfway through the worst pancakes known to man-burnt on one side, raw on the other-but she was smiling. And that was enough.
"I think I lost some tastebuds," she joked, chasing the edge of a pancake with her fork.
"You're just jealous of my culinary skill."
"Oh, absolutely. What would I do without your rubbery masterpieces?"
I smirked. "Probably live longer."
Her laugh warmed the room. For a second, everything felt normal. Safe.
Then my phone buzzed.
I checked it.
A new message.
Unknown Number: You're too late. It's already begun.
I stood so fast my chair scraped across the floor.
Erica froze. "What?"
"They sent another message," I said. "Something's happening now."
I grabbed my keys. "We're going. Pack a bag. Just essentials."
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere they won't find us."
Ten minutes later, she was in my passenger seat, clutching her duffel like a shield.
"Where is this place?" she asked.
"Friend of mine. Old teammate. He has a cabin two hours from here. No neighbors. No cameras. Off-grid."
Erica looked at me, uncertain. "And we're just... hiding?"
"We're buying time."
She exhaled. "Tyler..."
"I need you to trust me."
"I do."
But even as she said it, I saw the flicker of fear behind her eyes.
We drove in silence for a while, the city shrinking in the rearview mirror. Trees grew thicker, roads narrower.
Just as we reached the forest line, my phone buzzed again.
One image.
Sent from the same anonymous number.
My jaw locked as I stared at the screen.
It was a photo of Alexis.
Tied to a chair.
Blood on her lip.
Eyes wide with terror.
Erica saw the picture.
And screamed.
I slammed the brakes and the car fishtailed on gravel.
"Erica-don't panic. We're turning around."
She grabbed my arm, trembling. "They have her. Tyler-they have Lex."
I looked at the photo again.
And this time, I noticed what was behind her chair.
A jersey. Mine.
Pinned to the wall with a knife through the logo.
They weren't just after Erica.
They wanted to destroy me, piece by piece.
Starting with the people I loved.
