After she ended the call with her friend, Liana wiped her eyes and took a shaky breath.
Kael moved closer.
"Let's go."
"Go where?" she whispered.
"Away from this place."
"I need to go home first. I have to pack my clothes."
"I'll take you," Kael said simply.
She didn't argue. Something in his voice felt too steady, too commanding to resist.
They left her cheating boyfriend's apartment. Moments later, once they were gone, the door slammed on its own—Kael's unseen power sealing the place behind them.
---
AT LIANA'S HOUSE
Liana unlocked her door.
Kael stayed close, scanning everything.
"You can wait in the living room," she said. "I'll pack upstairs."
"No," he replied calmly. "You're not going upstairs alone."
"Kael, it's my house."
"Danger doesn't care whose name is on the door, Liana."
She swallowed and turned toward the stairs.
Before she even took the first step—
Her bedroom door creaked open by itself.
Liana froze. "Kael… I didn't open that."
"You didn't," he said quietly.
His eyes slowly glowed gold.
"It opened for me."
She felt a chill run down her spine.
"Why?" she whispered.
Kael stepped closer, his presence overwhelming.
"Because your emotions tie you to my power. When you're scared… your house reacts to me."
Her heart thumped. "I'm not scared."
He tilted his head slowly.
"Then why is your heartbeat trembling like that?"
Before she could respond, another sound echoed upstairs—
footsteps.
But Liana lived alone.
Kael's eyes darkened.
"Stay behind me," he whispered.
She obeyed without thinking.
---
MEANWHILE… AT HER EX'S PLACE
Her ex-boyfriend arrived at his apartment, completely confused.
"What happened…?"
He didn't remember leaving.
Did he sleepwalk?
Did he black out?
Everything looked the same—but felt wrong.
Uncomfortable.
Cold.
His phone buzzed.
He picked it up.
A sudden, strange whisper echoed behind him.
He spun around—
No one.
His chest tightened.
"What is happening to me…?"
---
BACK WITH LIANA & KAEL
Kael slowly stepped into her bedroom.
The door shut behind them on its own.
Liana grabbed his coat in fear, voice shaking.
"Kael… what is happening to me? Why are things moving?"
Kael turned to her, his face soft but intense.
"Because you're with me now," he whispered.
"And the bond has already begun."
Liana's bag was zipped and ready.
Kael had carried it downstairs for her, setting it gently near the door.
But the moment they reached the living room, the air shifted.
Evan stood there.
Her ex-boyfriend.
The man she had just seen cheating.
His eyes were dark, confused, almost… lost.
"Liana…" he breathed out.
"I—I don't know what happened. One minute I was home, the next…"
He held his head like it hurt to think.
"I ended up here."
Liana stayed behind Kael without realizing it.
Kael didn't move an inch.
He stood tall, blocking her completely from Evan's view.
Evan blinked, noticing him for the first time.
"And who the hell are you?"
Kael didn't respond.
He just stared—calm, deadly, in control.
Evan took a shaky step forward.
"Liana, can we talk? I… I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know what came over me."
Liana opened her mouth to speak, but Kael raised one hand slightly.
A silent warning:
Don't.
Evan noticed the gesture and scoffed.
"Oh, I get it."
His voice sharpened.
"You moved on already? That fast?"
Liana swallowed, anger and humiliation hitting her again.
"I didn't move on. I'm moving away."
Evan laughed weakly.
"Liana, baby, I swear I didn't mean to cheat—"
Kael finally spoke, his voice low and sharp.
"You did. And you'll stay away from her."
Evan's eyes widened.
"And who are you to tell me that?"
Kael stepped forward.
Liana felt the room's temperature rise slightly.
Not hot—
Just charged.
Like energy humming under the walls.
"Her protector," Kael said simply.
Evan snorted.
"You? Protector? Bro, get out of her house."
Kael tilted his head slowly, eyes glowing the faintest shade of gold.
"This house doesn't want you inside it," he said calmly.
"What the hell does that mean—"
Before Evan could finish, the lights flickered.
A deep creak rolled through the floorboards.
The front door—without being touched—swung half shut again, as if pushing Evan away.
Evan stumbled back in shock.
"W–What was that?!"
Liana's heartbeat raced.
She didn't understand the energy around Kael… but she felt it.
Kael didn't break eye contact with Evan.
"That was your last warning."
Evan looked between them, panic rising.
"Liana… what is going on? Why is everything weird today? Why can't I remember things?"
Liana stepped out from behind Kael just enough to speak.
"Because you're changing," she said quietly.
"And I'm not staying to find out what you're becoming."
Evan's breath hitched.
"Liana… please—"
Kael cut him off sharply.
"She's leaving."
Evan clenched his fists.
"You can't take her from me."
Kael's eyes flashed gold—fully this time.
Liana felt the energy blast through the room.
"I don't need to take her," Kael said softly.
"You already lost her."
Evan froze.
Something inside him cracked—
confusion
jealousy
fear
and something dark
something he didn't understand
flashed in his eyes.
He backed away slowly toward the door, his voice trembling.
"This isn't over."
Kael stepped forward, just one step—
And Evan's body jerked like he'd been pushed by unseen force.
The front door swung fully open.
Then slammed behind him the moment he stepped outside.
Silence filled the house.
Liana's breath shook.
"Kael… did you do that?"
Kael turned to her, eyes calming back to human gold.
"I told you," he said softly.
"My presence reacts to your emotions. When you wanted him gone… the house obeyed."
She swallowed hard.
"He looked scared."
"He should be."
Kael lifted her bag effortlessly.
"Let's go."
Liana stared at him for a long moment.
"Where exactly are we going?" she finally asked.
Kael held her gaze.
"To somewhere safe," he said.
"Because this is just the beginning."
He opened the door, waiting for her.
And despite not knowing him…
despite everything terrifying happening tonight…
Liana walked toward him.
Because anywhere felt safer than staying behind.