EIRA'S POV
I was running.
I didn't know where I was going. All I knew was that I had to get away.
The forest stretched endlessly around me, its towering trees blocking out almost every trace of moonlight. Twisted roots clawed at the earth, threatening to trip me with every hurried step. Above me, the branches swayed, their eerie whispers blending with the sound of my ragged breathing.
My lungs burned. My legs ached.
But I couldn't stop.
"Mom!"
My voice echoed through the darkness.
"Mom, where are you?"
No answer.
I turned desperately, searching between the trees.
"Adrian!"
His name escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
Nothing.
Only silence.
A sudden chill crept down my spine.
Then—
A howl tore through the forest.
I froze.
It was deep, chilling, and unnaturally close. The sound reverberated through the trees, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
My heart began pounding violently.
Slowly, I turned towards the bushes.
Two yellow eyes stared back at me.
They were barely visible through the darkness, yet their gaze remained fixed on me.
Unblinking.
Unmoving.
Watching.
I took a hesitant step backwards.
The eyes shifted.
A branch snapped somewhere behind me.
I spun around, my breath catching in my throat.
Something was there.
Something was following me.
"Who's there?" I whispered.
My voice trembled.
The yellow eyes vanished.
For one brief second, the forest fell completely silent.
Then a shadow moved between the trees.
It was coming towards me.
I tried to run, but my feet refused to move. My body felt frozen, as though an invisible force had rooted me to the ground.
The shadow drew closer.
Closer—
"Eira!"
I jolted awake.
My eyes flew open, and I instinctively jerked backwards.
"Eira! Wake up!"
Claira was standing beside my bed, gripping my shoulders.
I stared at her, struggling to catch my breath. My heart was racing so violently that I could feel every beat against my ribs.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, her brows knitted together. "I've been calling your name for ages."
I pressed a trembling hand against my chest.
"Water..." I managed.
Claira immediately reached for the glass on the bedside table and handed it to me.
I drank hurriedly, my fingers trembling around the glass.
"Are you alright?" she asked, studying my face. "You're sweating like crazy. And you were shaking in your sleep."
I lowered the glass.
"It was just a nightmare."
"What kind of nightmare?"
"Nothing. I don't even remember."
The lie came out too quickly.
Claira narrowed her eyes but didn't press further.
I pushed the blanket aside and got out of bed.
"We're getting late for college."
She glanced at the clock.
"You're changing the subject."
"I'm not."
"Clearly."
I ignored her and headed towards the bathroom.
Whatever I'd seen in that forest, I wanted to forget it.
Especially those eyes.
The morning passed more slowly than I expected.
Mr. Robert was already explaining the assignment when my attention drifted towards the window.
"Everyone, listen carefully."
I reluctantly turned towards him.
"Your next assignment will be on the bones of the upper limb. Prepare a properly organised file, including their names, classifications, and important anatomical features. The submission deadline is Tuesday."
A few students groaned.
Mr. Robert adjusted his glasses.
"I don't want excuses on Tuesday. Make sure your work is complete."
The bell rang shortly afterwards.
Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone began gathering their belongings.
I remained seated.
My thoughts had wandered back to the nightmare.
Those yellow eyes.
Why did they feel so familiar?
I shook my head, trying to dismiss the unsettling thought.
I was about to leave when I noticed Claira walking away from the canteen.
I frowned.
She hadn't mentioned going anywhere.
Then it struck me.
The DNA test.
She was probably going to meet Adrian.
I glanced towards the corridor, hesitating.
Adrian had made it painfully clear that I was to stay out of this matter. But I couldn't simply sit around while Claira went through everything alone.
I wasn't planning to interfere.
I only wanted to make sure she was alright.
That was all.
I picked up my bag and followed her.
I kept a reasonable distance, making sure she wouldn't notice me.
Claira turned towards the quieter corridor leading to the administrative block.
I followed.
A few students passed by, but the corridor gradually emptied.
I was just about to turn the corner when—
A hand clamped over my mouth.
My eyes widened.
Before I could react, someone seized me and dragged me backwards.
I struggled, trying to wrench myself free, but my captor's grip was unyielding.
The next moment, I was pulled into an empty classroom.
The door slammed shut.
I was released.
Stumbling forward, I spun around, ready to scream at whoever had just attacked me.
But the words died in my throat.
Adrian Blake.
He stood between me and the door, his expression utterly unreadable.
His dark clothes were immaculate, not a single strand of hair out of place. His eyes settled on me with an unnerving stillness.
"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded, still struggling to steady my breathing.
He didn't answer immediately.
His gaze briefly shifted towards the corridor before returning to me.
"You really never learn, do you?"
I straightened, refusing to let him see how badly he'd startled me.
"I can explain."
"Can you?"
His voice was quiet.
Somehow, that made it worse.
"I wasn't doing anything wrong."
One eyebrow lifted.
"Then why were you following Claira?"
My mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
His expression didn't change.
"That's what I thought."
"I was only making sure she was alright."
"Did I ask?"
I stared at him.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
His tone remained flat, almost indifferent.
I clenched my jaw.
"Look, Adrian. I know you don't want me involved, but Claira is my friend. I'm not going to abandon her just because you ordered me to."
He took one deliberate step towards me.
I instinctively stepped back.
His eyes followed the movement.
"Careful, Eira."
There was no raised voice. No dramatic warning.
Just two words delivered with such cold precision that I stopped moving.
"I know what I'm doing," I muttered.
"Clearly not."
I glared at him.
"Why do you always have to behave like you're in charge of everyone?"
"Because someone has to deal with idiots who can't follow simple instructions."
My mouth fell open.
"Did you just call me an idiot?"
"Would you prefer something more accurate?"
I stared at him in disbelief.
Unbelievable.
Absolutely unbelievable.
"I was trying to help!"
"And I told you to stay out of it."
"That doesn't mean I have to listen to you!"
His expression hardened.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he moved closer.
Too close.
I found myself looking up at him, suddenly aware of how little space remained between us. His gaze held mine, his silver eyes cold and merciless.
"Listen carefully," he said.
Each word was measured.
"If you want to help, do it by staying out of trouble. Stop following people. Stop interfering in matters you know nothing about."
I swallowed.
"But—"
"No."
The single word cut through my protest.
He didn't need to shout. He didn't need to repeat himself.
His expression made it clear that the discussion was over.
I looked away, frustrated.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you keep finding ways to test my patience."
"Maybe because you have none."
Something shifted in his expression, so briefly that I couldn't make sense of it.
Then his gaze dropped to my hands.
Before I could question him, he caught my wrist.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
He ignored me.
A length of rope lay on the nearby desk. He picked it up with the same casual indifference with which someone might pick up a pen.
My eyes widened.
"Adrian?"
He caught my other wrist and brought my hands together.
"Don't you dare—"
He secured my wrists with the rope.
I struggled against his grip, but he didn't so much as falter.
He tightened the knot with one final, deliberate pull before releasing my hands.
I stared at him.
Then at the rope.
Then back at him.
"You tied me up?"
He adjusted his sleeve.
"An observation worthy of a standing ovation."
"Untie me!"
"No."
My jaw dropped.
"What do you mean, no?"
"Exactly what I said."
He picked up his phone from the desk and checked the screen.
"You'll be here for twenty minutes. The peon will untie you when he comes to check the classrooms."
"Twenty minutes?"
I tugged at the rope, but the knot held firm.
"Adrian, this isn't funny!"
He glanced at me.
"Who said it was?"
I glared at him.
"You can't just leave me here!"
"Watch me."
He turned towards the door.
"Adrian!"
He stopped, one hand resting on the handle.
"Untie me right now!"
He looked over his shoulder.
His expression was chillingly calm.
"Next time, remember that I don't repeat warnings."
And with that, he opened the door.
"You're a complete psychopath!" I shouted.
He didn't even bother turning around.
The door closed behind him.
I stood there for a few seconds, staring at it in disbelief.
Then I looked down at my tied wrists.
I pulled at the rope again.
Nothing.
"Oh, I hate him!"
I twisted my wrists, searching for even the slightest bit of slack.
Nothing.
Adrian Blake.
The most arrogant, infuriating, insufferable man I'd ever met.
Who did he think he was?
I sank into the chair, my anger growing with every passing second.
Twenty minutes.
Twenty whole minutes of being trapped in an empty classroom because that arrogant man couldn't tolerate anyone disobeying him.
I clenched my fists as much as the rope allowed.
Fine.
If he wanted to play these ridiculous games, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.
The next time I saw Adrian Blake, I was going to make him regret every single second of this.
And if murder weren't illegal—
I would have happily made an exception for him.