✦ EIRA POV ✦
I stood alone in the corner of the hall, clutching a glass of ice-cold juice so tightly my fingers hurt.
The grand announcement was over.
The engagement was official.
And I felt sick.
The ballroom glittered beneath crystal chandeliers as couples moved gracefully across the dance floor. Laughter echoed around me. Music filled every corner of the room.
Everyone looked happy.
Everyone except me.
Because I knew the truth.
And Peter knew that I knew.
Almost as if sensing my thoughts, his eyes found mine across the room.
His arm was wrapped around Tessy's waist.
His lips curled into that same wicked smirk.
That same mocking smile.
That same smile that seemed to say:
Try.
Tell her.
Nobody will believe you.
My stomach twisted violently.
I looked away.
Immediately.
And that's when my eyes collided with another pair.
Adrain.
My breath caught.
He stood on the opposite side of the ballroom.
Tall.
Still.
Dangerously silent.
Watching me.
Not blinking.
Not looking away.
Just watching.
The intensity of his gaze made my pulse stumble.
Standing beside him was an unbelievably beautiful woman.
Her skin was pale as moonlight.
Her dark hair flowed over her shoulders like silk.
Beside her stood a strikingly handsome man whose presence alone seemed to command the entire room.
Power.
Wealth.
Authority.
Everything about them screamed it.
His parents.
There was no doubt.
But what truly unsettled me wasn't who they were.
It was where they were looking.
Me.
Both of them.
As if I were some strange puzzle they couldn't solve.
As if they were trying to see beneath my skin.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I quickly looked away.
Only to feel someone touch my shoulder.
Tessy.
Her smile instantly brightened the darkness inside me.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
I forgot everything else.
✦ ADRAIN POV ✦
I had no interest in this gathering.
No interest in Peter.
No interest in his family.
No interest in whatever announcement Mr. Dawn wanted to make.
Then I heard Tessy's name.
And everything changed.
Because Tessy meant one thing.
Eira.
My eyes immediately searched the ballroom.
Nothing.
No sign of her.
Then—
Her scent.
Soft.
Sweet.
Dangerously familiar.
It wrapped around me like fire.
My body reacted before my mind did.
My head turned.
My eyes followed it.
Straight toward a partially opened door.
And what I saw made something inside me snap.
Eira.
Trapped.
Peter's hands on her.
Tears in her eyes.
Fear on her face.
Pain.
My vision went red.
The next few seconds became a blur.
One moment I was standing across the room.
The next I was tearing her away from him.
As if his touch itself disgusted me.
My hand brushed her cheek.
She flinched.
The tiny movement hit me harder than any weapon ever could.
Bruises.
Again.
That bastard.
The same bastard.
The one who hurt her wrist.
The one she lied for.
The one she protected.
Rage exploded through every vein in my body.
I grabbed him by the throat.
Lifted him effortlessly.
His feet left the ground.
His eyes widened in terror.
Good.
Let him be terrified.
Let him feel helpless.
Let him feel what she felt.
"How dare you touch her?"
The words came out like a growl.
A predator's warning.
A promise of death.
His hands clawed desperately at mine.
Worthless.
Pathetic.
He couldn't breathe.
Couldn't speak.
Couldn't escape.
And for one horrifying moment—
I wanted to kill him.
Right there.
In front of everyone.
Only one thing stopped me.
Her voice.
"Adrain! Stop!"
Her hands struck my chest.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Desperate.
Terrified.
Begging.
Not for herself.
For him.
Even now.
Even after everything.
Damn her.
Damn her stupid heart.
I finally released him.
Peter collapsed onto the floor gasping for air.
Pathetic.
I looked down at him with pure disgust.
"Stay away from her."
The warning was simple.
But we both knew what it meant.
The next time...
There would be no mercy.
I grabbed Eira's hand and walked away.
Before I changed my mind.
Before I finished what I started.
Then I saw them.
Mike.
Elisa.
Watching.
Not me.
Her.
Our joined hands.
Damn it.
"Who is she?"
Mike's voice sliced through the air.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
I immediately released her hand.
Too quickly.
Too obviously.
"No one."
The lie tasted bitter.
Mike's eyes narrowed.
"It doesn't seem like that."
"She's nothing to me."
Every word felt forced.
Heavy.
Wrong.
Mike smirked.
"Good."
His voice hardened.
"She should always be nothing."
Something dark stirred inside me.
Elisa remained silent.
Her eyes never left Eira.
"She's different."
She spoke softly.
Almost thoughtfully.
"Not like every human."
My jaw tightened.
"She's human."
Elisa tilted her head.
"No."
A pause.
Then—
"Something about her feels unusual."
My stomach sank.
Because despite my denial...
A small part of me agreed.
There was something different about Eira.
Something I couldn't explain.
Something I couldn't understand.
And that frightened me more than it should have.
✦ EIRA POV ✦
The music began again.
The ballroom slowly returned to life.
People laughed.
Danced.
Celebrated.
As if nothing had happened.
As if my entire world wasn't falling apart.
Then suddenly—
Peter appeared in front of me.
My stomach dropped.
"Dance with me."
The smile on his face made my skin crawl.
I wanted to refuse.
Wanted to scream.
Wanted to expose him.
But then I saw Tessy.
Still smiling.
Still happy.
Still completely unaware.
For her.
Only for her.
I nodded.
The moment his hand touched my waist, disgust surged through me.
Every instinct screamed to get away.
To run.
To escape.
I tried.
His grip tightened immediately.
Possessive.
Cruel.
Painful.
His smirk widened.
As if he enjoyed my discomfort.
As if he enjoyed my fear.
Then suddenly—
His expression changed.
Pain.
Shock.
Confusion.
His grip loosened.
I turned.
And froze.
Adrain.
His hand was wrapped around Peter's wrist.
Squeezing.
Hard.
Too hard.
Peter's face had gone pale.
Adrain's eyes burned with murderous fury.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Murder.
The kind that made your blood run cold.
Then his gaze shifted to me.
For one brief second.
Our eyes met.
I shook my head desperately.
No.
Please.
Not here.
Not now.
His jaw clenched.
The muscles in his neck tightened.
Every part of him looked ready to explode.
Then—
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
He released Peter.
Relief flooded me.
Only briefly.
Because the next second—
His hand wrapped around mine.
Firm.
Unyielding.
Possessive.
And he pulled me away.
Out of the ballroom.
Out of the crowd.
Out of the mansion.
Away from everyone.
My heart pounded violently.
The entire walk.
I couldn't tell if I was frightened.
Or something far more dangerous.
🚘 Car Confrontation 🚘
The cold night air hit my face the moment we stepped outside.
Neither of us spoke.
Not a single word.
But the silence felt louder than any argument.
More dangerous.
More intense.
The moment we reached his car—
Everything happened at once.
He spun me around.
My back hit the car door.
A startled gasp escaped my lips.
His arms slammed against the car on either side of me.
Trapping me instantly.
Caging me in.
My heart stopped.
Then started racing twice as fast.
"W-what are you—"
His face lowered.
Closer.
Closer.
Dangerously close.
His eyes were dark.
Burning.
Wild.
Filled with something I couldn't name.
Something terrifying.
Something that made it impossible to look away.
"What does he want from you?"
His voice trembled with restrained fury.
Every word sounded dragged through clenched teeth.
My throat tightened.
"It has nothing to do with you."
For a second his entire body went still.
Then a low growl escaped him.
The sound sent chills racing down my spine.
Not because it was loud.
Because it sounded real.
Primal.
Dangerous.
His jaw clenched.
His stare burned straight through me.
"Will you ever answer my question?"
My hands pushed against his chest.
Strong.
Solid.
Warm.
I needed space.
Needed air.
Needed distance.
But he didn't move.
Not even an inch.
Beneath my palms, I could feel his heartbeat.
Fast.
Violent.
Completely out of control.
Just like mine.
"Get inside."
The command left no room for argument.
Before I could protest, he opened the passenger door.
And guided me inside.
The lock clicked.
A sharp sound.
Final.
Terrifying.
He walked around the car and slid into the driver's seat.
Silence swallowed us whole.
The tension became unbearable.
Every breath felt too loud.
Every heartbeat felt exposed.
Then slowly—
His eyes turned toward me.
Darker than before.
Sharper than before.
More dangerous than before.
"Will you answer me now?"
His voice had softened.
Which somehow made it worse.
Far worse.
Because quiet Adrain was infinitely more frightening than angry Adrain.
I crossed my arms.
Trying to ignore how fast my heart was beating.
Trying to ignore how close he was.
Trying to ignore him entirely.
"No."
I lifted my chin.
"I will not."
For a moment he simply stared.
Then—
That smirk appeared.
Slow.
Dark.
Dangerous.
The same smirk that always meant trouble.
Real trouble.
"You will, Eira."
His voice dropped lower.
Each word deliberate.
Certain.
Unavoidable.
"Tonight..."
His eyes locked onto mine.
And suddenly I couldn't breathe.
"You'll answer all of my questions."
A violent shiver ran down my spine.
Because it wasn't a threat.
It was a promise.
And somehow...
The terrifying part wasn't that I was alone with Adrain.
It was his evil smirk that terrify me.
Oh God.
What is he going to do to me?