My head couldn't help but replay what he said awhile ago. The place suddenly felt so hot.
My heart couldn't help but beat loudly in my chest. His piercing blue gaze didn't leave my green eyes, and in the silence of the great hall, it felt deafening.
The place was too quiet. Just hours ago, screams and snarls had filled these stone walls, but now it was eerily clean. The blood had been scrubbed away, the broken bodies removed, yet the memory of what had happened still clung to the air like a ghost. The faint metallic tang of iron lingered beneath the heavy scent of burning torches. The emptiness only made Alexander's smirk sharper, his presence more overwhelming.
"Elena," I heard my name behind me, and I stiffened before turning.
Donald stood a short distance away, his broad shoulders tense, his eyes flicking between me and the man holding my wrist.
I looked back at Alexander and saw the playful curve of his lips deepen. Without hesitation, he tugged me closer, forcing me to stumble into the hard line of his chest. I gasped, instinctively trying to wrench my hand free, but his grip was iron. No matter how I twisted, he held on with ease, his fingers warm and unyielding around my wrist.
Donald strode closer, his boots clicking against the marble floor, and came to stand directly before us. I offered him a weak, awkward smile, hoping he would intervene. My silent plea must have been obvious, but Alexander seemed amused by it.
"Hello, dear brother," Alexander drawled. His tone was casual, but the way he stretched out the word brother was deliberate, like a knife being dragged along stone.
My gaze darted between them, Brothers? That word felt strange coming from Alexander, like it carried more weight than I could understand.
I knew that Donald and Alexander were step brothers but they had always treated each other as strangers but hearing the word brother from Alexander felt so weird and awkward.
Donald didn't bother returning the greeting. His eyes, sharp and dark, fell to where Alexander's hand was still locked around mine. For a moment, nothing was said, just the heavy weight of silence, and then, as if suddenly realizing he'd been caught, Alexander let go.
He lifted both hands in mock surrender, his grin widening. "Oh dear. Looks like I've been caught red-handed." His voice was dripping with false innocence. "You have the look of a jealous lover who just found his girlfriend cheating."
I blinked, heat flooding my cheeks. Girlfriend? What on earth was he talking about?
I quickly stepped back, creating space between us, trying to shake off the strange warmth that lingered where his fingers had been.
I still felt flustered by what Alexander had done just seconds ago and the fact they Donald had seen us in that position made me want to scream out loud.
'What the f**k did I get myself into?'
All I wanted to do right now was to flee from the two brothers.
"I need to speak with you Elena,"I heard Donald's voice break into my thoughts but I was too flustered to stand and speak to him.
So, I turned around like a drenched kitten and fled the height of the stairs to my disarrayed bedroom.
I stayed in my room for like twenty minutes and decided to wash my face for like the thousandth time I came into my room, I wiped my face with a face towel.
I inhaled deeply, steadying myself as I stared at myself in the mirror. Leaving home was harder than I expected. Every breath seemed heavier, as if the walls of my pack house were clinging to me, begging me not to go.
When I walked downstairs, I found Donald and Jared already waiting in the living room. The air felt strangely silent, filled with unspoken words none of us wanted to say aloud. Jared noticed me first and gave me a reassuring smile, then walked me outside. My steps echoed faintly against the wooden floor as if marking the end of one chapter of my life.
Outside, Alexander was standing beside a sleek black car that looked almost identical to Jared's car. He wasn't alone. The vampire I had spotted earlier was there too, his pale face unreadable, along with Carolina, whose calm presence always felt like a wall of strength. Alexander was deep in conversation with them, his posture firm, his tone low and commanding.
When his eyes lifted and met mine, his expression softened into a faint smile. That single look sent my heartbeat quickening. I hated that about him—how he could make me nervous without even trying.
I walked closer just as Carolina's voice drifted through the cool morning air.
"We'll set to Palgrim by morning."
Alexander gave her a curt nod. "Return to the pack when you're done with the job." His tone was final, and as though dismissed, Carolina and the vampire bowed their heads slightly and began to leave.
Carolina's gaze caught mine as she passed. Her lips curved into a small smile, one that carried something unspoken—reassurance perhaps, or a warning I couldn't decipher. Then she disappeared back into the mansion.
"They're staying behind?" I asked curiously, glancing at their retreating figures.
"They're here to help out," Alexander replied, his voice casual but edged with authority.
I nodded in understanding, though my mind wandered. Palgrim… what exactly is happening there? I wanted to ask but swallowed the question, afraid the answer might be more than I was ready for.
Jared broke the silence, his gaze flicking to my neck. "Isn't it a bit painful?"
Confused, I frowned. "What?"
He tilted his head slightly, and I realized he was staring at the red marks around my throat—the wounds left by the Red Wolf's grip last night. My hand flew instinctively to the tender skin. I had forgotten about them, forgotten the moment my life had nearly slipped away.
But strangely, there was no pain. My fingers brushed over the bruises, and all I felt was warmth, no sting, no ache. The same went for my back where shards of glass had pierced through during the chaos. Even after changing into a simple green top and black pants earlier, I'd felt… nothing.
"It isn't painful at all," I admitted softly.
"It isn't?" Jared's brows knitted, his tone full of disbelief.
I shook my head, a little unsettled by it myself.
"Alright then," Jared said finally, though his expression suggested he didn't quite believe me. "You guys should start going."
I glanced around and realized Kathy was missing. "Where's Kathy?"
As if in answer, the window of the black car rolled down. Kathy was inside, seated comfortably in the backseat. She gave me a reassuring smile, her eyes telling me not to worry. Relief washed over me at the sight of her.
Before leaving, I hugged Jared tightly. He pressed a quick kiss against my cheek and whispered, "Take care of yourself." His warmth was steady, grounding, and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than to stay.
I looked over his shoulder and saw Donald leaning against the front door. His smile was faint but filled with weight, like he wanted to say a thousand words but chose silence instead. Our eyes held for a heartbeat before I turned away, afraid of what I might read in them.
Facing the house one last time, I let out a long sigh. Memories flashed—every laugh, every scolding, every little corner I had grown up in. I memorized the image in my heart before turning back to the car.
I reached for the door handle, intent on sliding in beside Kathy, but Alexander's voice stopped me.
"You can't ride in here," he said, his tone smooth, almost teasing.
I froze and turned to him, one eyebrow raised. "Why not?"
"Because I'm riding in here." He smirked, pointing casually to another vehicle parked behind the black one—a pristine white car that looked elegant but less intimidating. "You get to ride in that."
My jaw dropped. "You're serious?"
He only shrugged, lips curved in amusement.
I rolled my eyes at his childishness. "Unbelievable." I only wanted to ride with Kathy, but of course, Alexander had to make it complicated. If I pushed further, he'd probably come up with some smug remark that would annoy me more. So I let it go.
Climbing into the white car, I settled in the back seat. The driver nodded politely at me before starting the engine. As soon as the black car rolled forward, ours followed. My heart squeezed painfully as the packhouse grew smaller in the distance.
Jared waved from the front yard. I pressed my palm against the window and waved back until he disappeared from sight.
It felt like something inside me had been ripped out as we drove further away. My chest ached, as if my heart was caught in my throat. This was it. There was no going back.
I had never been to the Dark Blood Pack before. All I knew were rumors—whispers of power, of bloodlines, of Alexander's ruthless reign. What kind of place was I heading into? What kind of life awaited me there?
The journey stretched on for six hours. At first, I stared out of the window, watching forests blur into valleys and mountains roll by in the distance. The morning sun climbed higher, painting the sky in brilliant shades of blue. But soon exhaustion pulled at my eyelids. Last night's chaos still haunted me, the screams, the blood, the suffocating grip of death. I hadn't closed my eyes all night, and now my body demanded rest.
My head sank against the seat, and before I knew it, sleep dragged me under.
The next thing I felt was someone gently tapping me.
"Miss, we're here," the driver said.
I rubbed my eyes groggily, blinking at the sight of towering gates just outside the window. Massive iron bars loomed high, their design etched with ancient patterns. Beyond them stretched a mansion so vast and darkly majestic that it made my packhouse look like a cottage.
"We're here?" I yawned.
A different voice answered. "Do you want me to carry you inside?"
Startled, I turned. Alexander stood by the open car door, his tall figure framed by the sunlight. My heart lurched.
"What are you—" I began, but the words died on my lips as he leaned down and, without warning, scooped me up in his arms.
I gasped, eyes flying wide. "What are you doing? Put me down!" My fists pressed against his chest as he carried me with infuriating ease.
He ignored me, striding confidently toward the mansion as if I weighed nothing. My legs kicked uselessly, and my cheeks burned when I realized several people had stopped to stare at us. Some bowed, some whispered, but all their eyes followed us.
"Put me down, Alexander!" I hissed again, squirming.
"You really like to resist," he said, his lips curling into that familiar playful smirk.
Frustrated beyond words, I yanked off
one of my sneakers and hurled it at him.
My eyes widened in horror at what I had just done.