Devon froze.
His senses snapped back all at once.
The hunger—
Gone.
Replaced by something else.
Awareness.
He pulled back slowly.
Tania's body went limp in his arms.
Unconscious.
Too still.
Devon stared at her.
At what he had done.
His jaw tightened.
For the first time since she arrived—
There was no control in his expression.
Only something dangerously close to realization.
And it wasn't just about hunger.
It was about her.
Because something about Tania…
Wasn't normal.
And whatever it was—
He had just crossed a line.
—
Far away, in another part of the palace—
Jeremy smiled to himself.
Completely unaware…
That things had already begun to spiral out of control.
Tania woke up slowly.
At first, it felt like she was floating. No weight. No pain.
Then everything rushed back.
Her head.
Her neck.
Her body.
"Ah—" she gasped, her hand flying to her throat.
It hurt.
Not just sore—burning. Like something had been taken from her.
Her eyes snapped open.
Same room.
Devon's room.
She was lying on the bed now, not standing. The soft sheets didn't make her feel better.
If anything, it made it worse.
"What the hell…" she whispered.
Her fingers pressed lightly against her neck again. She winced. There was no mirror nearby, but she didn't need one.
She remembered.
The way he grabbed her.
The way he didn't listen.
The pain.
Her chest tightened.
"That psycho…"
The door opened.
Tania's head turned instantly.
Devon walked in.
Calm. Composed. Like nothing had happened.
Like he didn't just—
Her anger came back fast.
She pushed herself up, ignoring the dizziness.
"You're insane!" she snapped.
Devon stopped a few steps into the room, watching her carefully.
"You're awake."
"That's what you have to say?" she shot back. "You attacked me!"
His jaw tightened slightly.
"You shouldn't have been brought here."
Tania blinked once.
"What?"
He didn't answer directly. Instead, he walked over to the table and poured himself a drink.
Casual.
Too casual.
Like she wasn't even there.
That annoyed her more.
"You don't get to ignore me," she said, her voice sharp. "You dragged me here, called me your slave, and then tried to—"
She stopped.
The word stuck.
Because she didn't even understand what he did.
Devon turned to look at her.
"I lost control," he said.
Just like that.
No excuses.
No apology.
Tania stared at him.
"And that's supposed to make it okay?"
"It explains it."
She let out a short laugh.
"No, it doesn't."
Silence filled the room for a second.
Then she swung her legs off the bed and stood up.
Bad idea.
The room tilted slightly.
Her knees almost gave out.
Devon moved fast, grabbing her arm before she could fall.
"Careful."
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, jerking away from him.
He let go immediately.
Tania steadied herself, breathing slowly until the dizziness passed.
"I'm fine," she muttered.
"You're not."
"I said I'm fine."
Devon didn't argue.
But he didn't look convinced either.
That irritated her.
Everything about him irritated her.
She looked around the room again, then back at him.
"So what now?" she asked. "You just… keep me here?"
"Yes."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You really think I'm going to obey you?"
"I don't need you to obey," Devon replied. "I need you to stay alive."
That made her pause.
"Why?"
Another silence.
Longer this time.
Then—
"Because you're useful."
Tania frowned.
"For what?"
Devon didn't answer.
Instead, he walked past her toward the door.
"I'll send someone to bring you food."
She stared at his back.
"That's it?"
He stopped, but didn't turn around.
"For now."
Then he left.
Just like that.
Tania stood there, fists clenched.
"Unbelievable…"
She looked down at her hands.
Still a little shaky.
Her body felt weaker than usual. Slower.
And she hated it.
"I'm not staying like this," she muttered.
Her eyes moved to the door.
Then the window.
Then back to the door.
She needed to figure something out.
Fast.
—
Across the palace, Jeremy was already moving.
He didn't wait.
Didn't hesitate.
If something annoyed him, he dealt with it.
Simple.
Two guards stood outside Devon's wing. They straightened immediately when they saw him approaching.
"My lord."
Jeremy didn't slow down.
"Move."
"My lord, the Crown Prince gave strict—"
"I said move."
The tone changed.
The guards looked at each other.
Then stepped aside.
Jeremy smirked slightly as he walked past them.
"Good choice."
—
Tania had just started pacing the room when the door opened again.
She turned immediately, ready to snap at whoever it was.
Then paused.
It wasn't Devon.
It was someone else.
Tall. Sharp features. Same royal arrogance.
Different energy.
Jeremy.
He closed the door behind him slowly, his eyes scanning the room before settling on her.
"So," he said, tilting his head slightly, "you're the problem."
Tania crossed her arms.
"And you are?"
He smiled.
"Jeremy."
She waited.
Nothing else.
"Okay… and?" she said.
His smile thinned.
"I'm the one who's going to teach you how things work here."
Tania scoffed.
"Good luck with that."
Jeremy walked closer.
Not rushing.
Just confident.
"You hit royal guards," he said. "Talk back to Devon. Refuse orders."
"Yeah," she said. "And?"
He stopped in front of her.
"People have been punished for less."
Tania met his gaze without flinching.
"Then punish me."
That caught him off guard.
Just for a second.
Then his expression shifted.
Interested.
"Careful what you wish for."
"I'm not wishing," she said. "I'm telling you I don't care."
Jeremy studied her face.
Looking for fear.
Hesitation.
Anything.
He found nothing.
That annoyed him.
A lot.
"You will," he said quietly.
Tania's lips curved slightly.
"Maybe," she replied. "But not today."
The air between them turned sharp.
Heavy.
Then—
Jeremy stepped back.
Slowly.
His smile returned.
But it wasn't friendly.
"Fine," he said. "We'll take our time."
Tania didn't like the sound of that.
Not one bit.
He walked toward the door, then paused.
"Oh," he added casually, glancing back at her, "you might want to be careful around Devon."
Her expression didn't change.
"Why?"
Jeremy's smile widened.
"He bites."
Then he left.
—
The room felt different after that.
Quieter.
But not in a good way.
Tania exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair.
"Great," she muttered. "One psycho wasn't enough."
She walked back to the bed and sat down, staring at the floor.
Her body still felt off.
Weaker than she liked.
But her mind?
Still sharp.
Still working.
"Slave…" she said under her breath.
Her fingers curled into the sheets.
"No."
Her gaze lifted toward the door again.
"I'm getting out of here."
—
That same night, in another part of the palace—
Scott leaned against a pillar, watching the guards outside Devon's wing.
Trinidad stood beside him, arms crossed.
"You think she'll survive this?" she asked.
Scott didn't answer immediately.
His eyes stayed on the door.
Then he shrugged slightly.
"She's stubborn."
Trinidad smirked.
"That's not enough."
Scott's lips curved faintly.
"It might be."
Trinidad glanced at him.
"You like her already."
Scott looked at her, unbothered.
"She's interesting."
Trinidad laughed softly.
"Devon doesn't do 'interesting.'"
Scott's expression didn't change.
"He does now."
They both looked back at the door.
Neither of them said it out loud.
But they were thinking the same thing.
Tania wasn't going to fit into this palace.