Chapter 7

Fiona’s POV

“Oh, shut up! I thought I told you to leave already.” Jin reprimanded idly, wrapping the ends of the gauze in a bow before wrapping his hand around mine, holding me captive.

Lyn looked positively red with rage, his body tensed for a fight. He was about leaping for Jin’s throat when Soren and Kai held him back roughly by the shoulders, forcing him in place.

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.” Soren whispered fiercely into Lyn’s ear as they struggled. “Come on, let get some air.” He said, successfully dragging Lyn out of the room while Kai closed the door quietly behind him.

I heard Lyn’s disgruntled argument as they walked away and Soren and Kai’s muted voices, catching the words, “mate” and “Fiona”

My name…

I raked my brain for memories of the four of them fighting and was shocked to find there was none. They rarely fought and seemed to agree with each other on everything.

So why now?

“Thanks.” I whispered, rubbing idly at my sore wrist, lost in thought. Anything to avoid the inevitable and his piercing yet cool stare with I could feel drilling holes into my head. Sliding the Swiss knife on the table between us, I rose to my feet wordlessly.

“Fiona…” Jin began, hastily grabbing my hand as I made to leave.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” I snapped, snatching my hand away in anger.

“At least let me cover the cuts on your fingers.” He pleaded, his dark eyes sincere.

“It will heal just fine.”

“Don’t be foolish.” He spat, rising to his feet. “They will get infected. I’ll just put some ointment and bandage them neatly. Please, I insist.” Reading the reluctance in my eyes, he reached for the Swiss knife again, this time whipping it open before handing over to me. “My earlier offer still stands.”

“And what’s in it for you?” I said, eyeing him warily.

A small smile passed his lips briefly, followed by a hint of sadness? I couldn’t tell. It was gone before I could tell what it was. “Nothing except treating your cuts and hearing what I have to say.”

“I have nothing to say to you!” I snarled.

“I do. You don’t have to say anything. Please, sit down.” He coaxed, sinking back into his seat watching me keenly until I relented and sat down, wordlessly offering my fingers to him. From there on out only silence ensued. Despite my brave act earlier, fear quaked my insides and chilled my heart. I naturally fell silent, focusing instead on Jin cleaning my wounds with alcohol before dabbing ointment over the numerous cuts on my fingers which stung a lot more than the alcohol did. Jin covered the cuts with bow designed Band-Aids which kind of threw me off track but I didn’t comment of it.

“There.” He announced with a triumphant smile. “All done.”

Immediately I shot to my feet, tossing the Swiss knife on my abandoned seat hastily before putting a good distance between us. It was all weird. Jin’s gentleness. Lyn’s outburst earlier, not to mention Kai and Soren’s strange behavior. It was all weird. Something was up. I knew it, and it was none if my business. My life was already shitty enough as it, not to mention the look Luna gave me during that earlier fiasco with Helena.

“Fiona, wait—”

“Excuse me, I have to back to the party. Th-thank you for this.” I stuttered backing away slowly as Jin rose to his feet, reaching for me hesitantly. My eyes widened in fear as he drew closer.

“Wait, I just want to talk to—”

I turned and fled the room like the hounds of hell were at my heels, my heart pounded furiously against its cage, slamming the door hard behind me. Was it my imagination or did I catch him smiling. No, that can’t be right.

I hid by a dark alcove to catch my breath and steady my pounding heart which took quite a while. I stared at my shaky hands and tightened them into fists, pressing my eyes close. It was all too much. Fuck. I wanted nothing more than to sneak into my room and hid under the covers. I knew better than to do that.

Resigned to my fate, I heaved a tired sigh and quickly returned to the banquet hall. The shocked stares and hushed whispers feathering my ears left me unnerved and conscious. The absence of Helena’s group answered the questions to my suspicions. I had found out later that they had been kicked out of the party. I don’t even what to think of would happen when I eventually go back to campus. Jin and his friends had just made my life worse.

I looked up and immediately saw the Luna glaring at me from the rim of her champagne flute and it was all I could do not to shrivel and die from that glare alone. I knew that sooner or later, she’d come for me.

I moved cautiously through the banquet hall, hands trembling ever so slightly as I balanced the tray housing flutes of champagne on my fingertips. Crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, their lights refracting into hundreds of tiny stars that danced across the walls and cast shadows over the bustling crowd. But something was off.

It was like they knew something I didn’t.

My skin tingled. I swallowed hard, resisting the urge to look behind me as I reached to adjust my mask again. And that’s when I felt it—just a faint sensation, but unmistakable— the feeling of being watched. It was dark and predatory. I turned behind me discreetly to see if it was the Luna still glaring at me from earlier, but she was gone. Yet the feeling still remained. A thought entered my head and I latched to it,

Jin...

I spun around, heart hammering, but there was no one there.