Adelina's POV
I woke up with a headache clawing at the back of my skull.A dull, throbbing pain that felt all too familiar by now.
The room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains drawn, and I was wrapped in warmth I didn't remember pulling over myself. The sheets smelled faintly of cedarwood and something darker—him.
For a second, I stayed still. My body felt heavy, but not from exhaustion. From safety.And that was… strange.
My lashes fluttered open, and I realized I wasn't alone last night.Lukas.
The memory hit in pieces—me waking up screaming, trembling, gasping for air, and then…His arms.Around me.The way he held me like I'd fall apart if he let go.
It was the first time anyone had ever touched me without demanding something in return. The first time a man held me without trying to own me, and yet, with Lukas…It still felt like possession.Silent, steady, and terrifyingly comforting.
I sat up slowly, my fingers pressing against my temple.
"Fuck," I whispered under my breath. Another migraine. My body wasn't healing. No matter how hard I worked, how far I pushed, the ghosts never left. And last night proved it—my nightmares were getting worse.
I glanced toward the door, half-expecting him to be there. Watching.Because that's what he did.He always watched. Silently. Darkly. Like he could see straight into my soul.
And part of me hated it.But a deeper, quieter part of me—Wanted it.
I wrapped the sheets tighter around me, grounding myself before standing. My knees felt weak, not just from the pain, but from something else. Something I refused to name.
I didn't want to face him yet.Not when my skin still remembered the way his fingers brushed my waist.Not when my heart wouldn't stop stuttering like a teenage girl with a crush.Not when I was afraid I'd want him to do it again.
So instead, I walked to the mirror, ran my fingers through my hair, and whispered to my reflection—
"Get a grip."
But even my voice didn't sound convinced.
I loved the way he hugged me.God, I wanted more.
It was supposed to be just comfort. A moment of safety in the storm I couldn't control. But the second his arms wrapped around me, something inside me cracked open—something I'd buried long ago beneath layers of control, composure, and denial.
I wasn't supposed to feel like this.Not for him.Not for the man who could destroy me without even lifting a finger.
But the way his chest felt against mine, the way his body caged me without hurting me… it was addictive. I hated to admit it, but I wanted to be held like that again. I wanted to feel small, soft, protected. I wanted him.
My fingers instinctively touched my arm, remembering how gently he helped me lie down, how he didn't say anything, didn't ask questions, just gave me what I needed—peace.
And maybe it was wrong. Maybe it was dangerous.But I wasn't ready to let go of that feeling.
Not yet.Not when his scent still clung to the sheets.Not when my body still buzzed with the phantom memory of his touch.
I bit my lip, hard, trying to stop the ache building low in my stomach. This wasn't just about needing comfort anymore. This was deeper. Darker. A desire I didn't want to acknowledge… because once I did, there would be no turning back.
And knowing Lukas…He'd never let me go.
I shook my head, trying to clear the spiral of thoughts, but of course—fate had other plans.
My phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with our group chat.
Selene:Sleepover tonight at your place. No excuses.Aurelia:Already packing my skincare and wine.Iris:You need this, Adelina. Don't even try to say no.Ariella:If you lock the doors, I'll climb in through a window.
I rolled my eyes, but the corners of my lips betrayed me with the faintest twitch. They didn't ask. They never did. They just… told me. Probably because they knew I wouldn't say yes if they gave me the choice.
And they were right.
I tossed the phone on the bed with a sigh. Maybe they could drag me out of my head for a night. Maybe the sound of Selene's clumsy laughter, Iris's gentle questions, Aurelia's off-key humming, and Ariella's savage jokes would keep the darkness at bay for a few hours.
Maybe.
But part of me still tensed at the thought—because I wasn't the same Adelina anymore. The cracks were showing. And I didn't know how long I could keep pretending I wasn't falling apart.
Especially with him around.Lurking in my shadows.Making me feel things I had no business feeling.
I stood up and texted back one word:
Fine.
Then whispered to myself, "Let's just survive tonight."
It had been a long time since I felt this... human.
The kind of night where you laugh so much your stomach aches.The kind where the world slows down just enough to let you forget who you are — and what's chasing you.
My friends never asked for permission anymore. Maybe because they knew I wouldn't give it.Maybe because they knew, deep down, I needed this more than I'd ever admit.
Selene threw open the doors around 7 PM, dramatically tossing her overnight bag like a storm had arrived. "If I hear you declined one more party invite, I'll commit violence."
Iris, her calm contrast, walked in behind her, glasses sliding down her nose, already on the phone with someone — probably one of her therapy clients. She nodded at me like she could read every thought I didn't speak aloud.
Aurelia, vibrant and chaotic, danced into the house with a karaoke mic and a portable speaker blaring old school pop. "Tonight," she sang, "we exorcise your sadness!"
And Ariella — the one who always saw me before anyone else — hugged me tight. "We're sleeping here, and you can't say no. Say yes or suffer."
I gave in with a small laugh. "Fine. One night."
They cheered like I'd agreed to a proposal.
We made frozen pizza.We painted each other's nails and made messy cocktails.Selene forced us into a TikTok dance.Aurelia told ghost stories until we screamed.For a while… my mask melted.
I almost forgot I was still being watched.
Because I always was.
From the far end of the hallway, leaning against the doorframe like a shadow carved in stone, Lukas stood.
He didn't speak much around my friends. He rarely needed to.His presence said enough.
Stoic. Dangerous. Sharp-jawed and sharp-eyed.My bodyguard.And something far more complicated.
His eyes never left me.
Not even once.
Later that night, as our snacks dwindled and the girls demanded more sugar and soda, Ariella nudged me. "Let's run to the store. Five minutes, max."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't trust Selene with the snacks?"
"She'll poison us for fun."
I grabbed a hoodie and slid on my sneakers. Lukas was already by the door.
"I'll drive," he said simply, no room for argument.
Ariella and I shared a glance. "We're just walking," I said.
He looked at me. "Then I'm walking with you."
The air outside was crisp, too still for midnight. We passed street lamps that flickered like they couldn't decide between light and dark. Lukas trailed just a few steps behind, silent but coiled — like a storm on a leash.
The convenience store was nearly empty.
Too empty.
The bell above the door jingled as we entered. Ariella darted off to the drinks aisle, leaving me alone by the snacks.
That's when I felt it.
That pull.
Like gravity had turned sideways.
Like something was watching.
Then—
A bump.A hand brushing mine.A voice too soft to be heard — but I felt it.
I turned sharply.
An old woman.
Hair in tangled knots. Skin pale, ashen. Eyes… hollow and alive at once.She stared at me like she knew things no one should.
"Excuse me—" I began.
She didn't move.
She just smiled.
And in that instant, my lungs collapsed.
The air thickened. My skin burned — literally. A sharp sting bloomed across the back of my hand as if a cigarette had just been pressed there.
Flash.A woman, younger, burning something into my skin.Flash.Hands on my neck.Flash.Smoke. Screams. A locked room.Flash.That same woman — older now — watching me with glee.
My knees buckled.
I collapsed forward.
She leaned in as I fell, whispering,"You're late, little lamb."
I gasped for breath. Ariella screamed from somewhere behind me. The cold tiles met my knees. My hands trembled. My vision blurred—
Then he was there.
Lukas.
One second he wasn't.
The next he had me in his arms.
"Adelina," he growled low, voice sharp, controlled but barely. "What happened?"
The woman was gone. Vanished like smoke.
My body trembled in his arms, and I didn't even realize I'd buried my face into his chest. For the first time in forever, I wasn't scared of the shadows. I was scared of the memories they carried.
He lifted me like I weighed nothing. "We're leaving. Now."
"Wait," Ariella called, "who was that—what just happened?"
Lukas didn't answer. His eyes scanned the store like a predator.
And behind us, on the shelf where the woman had stood—
A cigarette.
Still burning.
No one asked any more questions.
They didn't need to.
Instead, they moved around me like quiet shadows — soft blankets, water, someone dimming the lights. I heard Aurelia in the kitchen, clinking mugs. Selene brought one over, steam curling from the top like a ribbon.
"Chamomile," she said gently. "Iris said it'll calm your nerves."
I took it with both hands, still trembling. My fingers barely wrapped around the ceramic without spilling it.
I wasn't sure I could even swallow.
Lukas hadn't left my side. His hand rested near mine, not touching, but close enough. That was all it took — a silent promise. He didn't have to say a word for me to know: I was safe here. With him.
"I'm staying the night," he muttered, almost to himself.
"Obviously," Ariella said from across the room, arms folded. "None of us are leaving her."
I looked at them — my girls — these pieces of my life I'd been pushing away for weeks, months even, out of fear and work and pressure.
They stayed anyway.
"I'm sorry," I croaked, surprising myself.
Iris looked up. "For what?"
"For not letting you all in," I whispered. "For acting like I didn't need anyone."
Ariella kneeled in front of me, placing a hand on my knee. "Addie… You don't have to explain. We know. We just want you to rest."
She smiled — tired, soft, the way only someone who truly loves you can. "Let us be your lifeline for once, yeah?"
I nodded, unable to speak.
Selene started gathering extra pillows and blankets for the sleepover. Iris sat beside me on the armrest, brushing a stray hair out of my face. She didn't say much — just kept me grounded.
But Lukas…He watched me like a storm ready to move. Like if he blinked, I'd disappear.
I finally glanced up at him. "You can rest too… I know I freaked everyone out."
"I don't care if you scream every night for the rest of your life," he said lowly. "I'm not going anywhere."
I didn't know how to reply to that.
So instead, I leaned against him — not fully, just enough for my head to rest on his shoulder.
And for the first time that day… I felt the chaos start to fade.
Not gone.
But quieter.