Maria.
I didn’t realize how long I had been sitting there, lost in my own thoughts, until my mind started spiraling again.
Ti had passed without aning. Minutes and maybe more. Everything around had faded into the background, leaving only the noise in my head—loud, relentless, impossible to quiet.
Everything felt... wrong.
Not just confusing, not just complicated but totally wrong.
Adrien’s mark burned faintly beneath the scarf wrapped around my neck, a subtle heat against my skin that refused to be ignored. It wasn’t painful, not exactly, but it was there. Constant. Persistent. Like a reminder etched into that sothing irreversible had already happened.
Sothing I couldn’t undo.
Davian’s actions ca right after, tangled with that mory, making everything even harder to understand. His presence, his choices they blurred whatever clarity I thought I had left, leaving behind nothing but questions I couldn’t answer.
And Noah...
My chest tightened slightly at the thought of him.
Noah, who made my heart soften in ways I didn’t understand, in ways I didn’t want to admit. There was sothing about him that felt different, sothing that didn’t fit with the chaos surrounding everything else, and yet, even that only made things more confusing.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Who was I even bound to?
The question echoed in my mind, heavier each ti it surfaced.
Who was telling the truth?
Or...Was I just being played by all of them?
The thought made my stomach twist.
My fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the kitchen counter, the cool surface grounding just enough to keep from getting completely lost in it.
Frustration built slowly inside , sharp and restless. I really needed to think this through. I needed to sort through this but every ti I tried, the pieces refused to fit.
"Hey, Damsel... what’s going on with you?"
The familiar teasing voice cut through my thoughts like a blade, sudden and sharp enough to pull back into the present.
"...You look like you could kill soone."
I didn’t turn, didn’t even spare him a glance.
Vincent.
Normally, I would have reacted.
Rolled my eyes or thrown a sarcastic remark his way, anything to flow with him.
But not today.
Today, I didn’t have the patience.
"Not now, Vincent," I muttered flatly, my gaze fixed ahead, my tone leaving no room for humor.
There was a brief pause behind and a shift in the air.
"Co on, Maria..." his voice softened slightly this ti, losing that usual teasing edge. "How about you flee with ?"
That made turn.
Slowly.
My brows furrowed as my eyes t his, sothing inside tightening at the change I imdiately noticed.
Sothing was off.
Vincent wasn’t smiling.
There was no teasing glint in his eyes.
No playful arrogance.
Nothing.
He was... serious.
Completely serious.
For a mont, I just stared at him, my mind trying to catch up with what I was seeing, what I was hearing.
"...What?" I asked, my voice lower now, cautious, uncertain.
"I an it," he said, stepping a little closer, his gaze steady, unwavering. "Let’s leave this place. You and ."
My heart skipped slightly.
"Vincent..." I started, my voice barely above a whisper, unsure of what to say.
My throat felt tight, my thoughts jumbled, and yet the words pushed their way out. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t defiance. It was just... uncertainty. I didn’t know how to begin, didn’t know if I even should.
His gaze didn’t waver. Not an inch. Not a flicker of amusent, not a trace of doubt. He stood there, steady, unshaken, and sohow that made the weight of everything pressing down on feel even heavier.
"There’s nothing here for you, Maria," he said, his voice low but carrying a sharp edge that made my chest tighten. "You’re stuck in the middle of sothing ssy. Dangerous. And it’s only going to get worse."
I swallowed hard. The words hit harder than I expected. Because a part of already knew he was right. Deep down, a small voice whispered the truth I didn’t want to face: he wasn’t exaggerating. I was tangled in sothing I couldn’t control, sothing I wasn’t ready for. Sothing that could hurt in ways I wasn’t prepared to handle.
But still... I forced out a small laugh, shaking my head as I stood up. The sound was light, airy, like I was brushing off the tension that clung to the room.
"You’re being ridiculous," I said lightly, forcing my shoulders to straighten, trying to act as if his warning didn’t land anywhere near my core. I brushed past him, keeping my pace brisk, deliberate, hoping to cover up the way my heart still thumped against my ribs. "I don’t have ti for this."
He called again, his voice firr this ti. "Maria."
I paused. Just for half a second. My steps faltered, but only slightly. I didn’t turn back. Couldn’t. My instincts told not to.
"I need to go give Luna Vanessa water," I added quickly, my tone casual, almost dismissive, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The words felt hollow even as they left my lips. It was an excuse. A weak one. But I didn’t want to stay there any longer, didn’t want to face whatever seriousness Vincent was trying to pull into. Not now. Not when my head was already spinning, tangled with questions I couldn’t answer. Not when my heart was already overburdened with too much.
For a long, tense mont, there was silence behind . His presence lingered, like a shadow in the room, heavy and unyielding. I felt a shiver run down my spine. A small part of feared I had pushed too far, that in trying to escape the weight of the conversation, I might have lost him. Lost a friend. Lost a connection I wasn’t ready to let go.
"...Alright," he said quietly after what felt like an eternity.
I glanced back just enough to see him, to check, to breathe, and caught the faintest nod. One single, deliberate motion. He stepped aside to let pass, giving the space I demanded without breaking the hold of his presence entirely.
And just like that, I left. Disappeared into the hallway, letting the door between us feel larger than it was. Every step felt heavy with relief, yet edged with guilt. My shoulders loosened only slightly, my mind still spinning with Vincent’s words, with the weight of the warning he had given .
But I kept moving. Forward. Away. For now. Because whatever ss I was caught in, whatever danger he spoke of, I wasn’t ready to face it—not yet. Not with my thoughts in the state they were in, not with my heart still tangled in everything that had co before.
I left. But his words stayed with , lingering like a shadow I couldn’t shake as it kept replaying in my mind.
Flee with .
Why would he even say that?
And why did he sound so sure?
I exhaled slowly, trying to push it aside.
One problem at a ti.
By the ti I reached Vanessa’s quarters, I was already preparing myself for whatever attitude she or Davian might throw at .
But just as I approached...the door opened and Davian stepped out.
My steps faltered instantly.
His eyes landed on dark, intense, intense and unreadable. For a brief second, neither of us spoke.
Then suddenly...His hand shot out grabbing my wrist.
"Alpha Davian—what are you—"
I didn’t get to finish.
He dragged straight into his room.
The door slamd shut behind us.
"Alpha Davian!" I snapped, trying to pull free. "What is wrong with you?!"
He didn’t answer, instead, he turned sharply and before I could react...his lips crashed against mine.
My eyes widened in shock.
For a split second, my body froze.
As it was flooded with heat, yet confusion lurked around dangerously.
I hated how my body reacted.
How my breath hitched.
How my hands instinctively pressed against his chest instead of pushing him away imdiately.
His grip tightened around my waist, pulling closer like he wasn’t willing to let go.
And for a mont...Just a mont...I almost gave in.
Not until It hit , like a flash.
Davian.
Vanessa.
Together.
The image snapped sothing inside .
My eyes hardened instantly.
I shoved him back with force.
Smack!
The sound echoed sharply as my hand connected with his cheek.
Silence filled the room.
His head turned slightly from the impact.
I was breathing hard.
Angry.
Furious.
"How dare you?" I snapped, glaring at him. "What exactly do you think you’re doing?!"
He didn’t speak imdiately.
Just stared at .
I laughed bitterly, shaking my head.
"What? Did you suddenly forget you’re engaged?"
Still no response.
"Or should I remind you?" I continued, my voice rising. "Your precious Luna is waiting for her water."
That seed to hit sothing in him as his jaw clenched.
But I didn’t stop.
"You don’t get to touch like that," I added coldly. "Not after everything." I stepped back, putting distance between us. "Figure yourself out, Davian," I muttered, turning toward the door.
"And next ti..." I paused briefly, glancing at him over my shoulder. "...keep your hands to yourself."
Then I yanked the door open and stord out without looking back, without stopping.
Just walking away before I could lose control again.
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