Chapter 2: Night 1/ Part 1

Faith's POV:

I leaned back into the soft cushions of the couch, the weight of the last few days pressing down on me. I let out a long sigh of relief as I closed my eyes. Finally.

The house was quiet. The walls, though unfamiliar, offered a sense of peace. It was a fresh start, away from everything. From my parents. From the pressure. From a life that I never chose.

My phone rang, and for a moment, I thought it might be Georga, calling to check in on me. But when I saw my mother’s name flash across the screen, my stomach dropped. I clenched my jaw, hesitating before answering.

"Mum, if this is about the marriage, drop it," I said, my voice thick with annoyance, more to protect myself than anything else.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then her voice came through, sharp and worried. "Where are you?"

I swallowed, not sure how to answer her. She didn’t deserve the truth—not this time. "Far away from you and Father," I replied coldly.

Her voice cracked slightly. "Where are you, young lady?"

I gripped the phone tightly. "As I said, far away. You both did this to me. You split our family apart. I didn't want to marry Cain, but you tried to push my hand, Mother." My words were sharper now, cutting through the air like a blade.

She sighed heavily on the other end, and for a moment, I thought she might say something different. Something that would make me feel like I wasn’t alone in this. But she didn’t. Instead, she asked quietly, "Are you safe?"

The concern in her voice made me falter. I swallowed hard. It wasn’t the kind of question I expected from her. "I'm safe, Mum. You have nothing to worry about."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line before she spoke again, this time in a softer tone, almost pleading. "Can you at least tell me where you are? I won’t tell your father, you know. I've kept a lot from him."

I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. Forestville. It felt like a place so far removed from everything that had ever hurt me, but the words were out before I could stop them. "I’m in Forestville," I said quietly.

The line fell eerily silent. Her breathing was the only thing I could hear now. I straightened up, my stomach tightening. "Mum? Are you there? What’s wrong?"

"F-fine. I love you. Be safe," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"I love you too," I replied, though it felt empty, like I was just saying the words because it was expected. "I will. I'll call you tomorrow."

I hung up, still uncertain of what had just happened. Something was off. There was a strange weight in my chest that I couldn’t shake.

As I sat there, trying to process the conversation, I realized my mind was racing, the pieces not quite fitting together. What was I forgetting? There was something... something I was supposed to do, something I was supposed to remember. I glanced at the clock and my heart skipped a beat.

"Dimitri is coming to pick me up!" I exclaimed to no one in particular. I jumped up from the couch, nearly tripping over my own feet. My hands scrambled to find something decent to wear. Where were my good clothes?

I threw open the closet doors in frustration, clothes flying everywhere as I tossed aside dresses and shirts, searching for something that felt right. I didn’t even know what I was looking for. I just knew I needed to be ready.

---

Alessandro’s POV:

From across the street, I watched her. My beautiful little mate, her movements frantic as she pulled clothes from her closet. Her impatience was almost... endearing. I couldn’t help but chuckle as she fumbled through her outfits, clearly frustrated by the chaos she was creating.

I looked away briefly, shifting my gaze to the house next door. Dimitri was preparing himself, adjusting his tie with a certain air of arrogance that I found distasteful. He paused for a moment, as if sensing something, and then looked directly at me, his gaze piercing through the window.

I leaned back in my chair, irritation bubbling within me. He had the audacity to look at me like that. I watched as he grabbed something from his desk drawer—a stake—and casually slid it into his jacket pocket. The message was clear. He knew. He was aware of what I was, of who I was.

But it didn’t matter. He was just another human. One who would be gone soon enough.

With a snarl, I threw on my leather jacket. My instincts were roaring to life. It was time to make my presence known.

---

Faith’s POV:

I finally found a red crimson dress that felt right. I had no idea why I was suddenly so nervous, but something about tonight felt different. The anticipation thrummed in the air, like the calm before a storm.

I was in the process of slipping on a pair of heels when I heard the knock at the door. My breath caught in my throat as I hurried to answer it. Dimitri stood there, looking as confident as ever, though I noticed a flicker of something in his eyes—something that made me feel like he was hiding more than he let on.

"Hey, beautiful," he said with a grin, his eyes scanning me with approval.

I felt the color rise to my cheeks, but I smiled back, trying to shake off the nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

He stepped forward, offering me his arm with a flourish. "Shall we?" he asked, his voice warm but with an edge of something... darker.

"Let’s go," I replied, looping my arm through his as we stepped into the night.

---

Alessandro’s POV:

I watched her leave the house, her arm linked with Dimitri’s, and a low growl rumbled in my throat. The desire to claim her, to pull her back into my arms where she belonged, was overwhelming. But I controlled it. Barely.

They walked toward town, and I followed, my eyes never leaving her. I had to get closer. I had to let her know who I was. She couldn’t stay in the dark for long.

---

Faith’s POV:

Dimitri led me to a building that seemed out of place in a small town like this. It was massive, with neon lights flashing above the entrance. I could feel the energy in the air, thick and charged. As we walked through the door, a chill ran down my spine. People were staring. Their eyes followed me, some with smiles, others with an unreadable hunger.

Dimitri didn’t seem to notice. Or perhaps he didn’t care. He walked confidently to a booth in the corner, where a group of people were already seated.

"Let me introduce you to everyone," Dimitri said with a proud grin. "This is my younger sister, Ava, my wingman, Dean, Jasmine, a family friend, Axel, my big brother, and Chloe, who I think you’ve met before."

I nodded at Chloe, recognizing her from the house. She smiled at me, a little warmer this time.

"Settling in okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, it’s a wonderful home," I replied, trying to ignore the tension that lingered in the air.

As I spoke with the group, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Everyone seemed to be on edge, watching me carefully, as if waiting for something to happen. And then I saw him.

A man standing across the room, his eyes scanning the crowd. When they landed on me, my heart skipped a beat. There was something dangerous about him. His gaze locked onto mine, and in that moment, I knew. He wasn’t just watching me. He was watching me with purpose.

Dimitri noticed the shift in my demeanor and turned, following my gaze. "Who is that?" I asked quietly, suddenly feeling a knot in my stomach.

But Dimitri’s face darkened. "Don’t worry about him," he said, his voice colder than before.

But I couldn’t stop looking at him. The man who had been watching me, waiting for something. I could feel it in my bones—something was about to change. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.