"…once you're inside," Rowan whispered near my ear, "you're under our protection. Fully."
A small shiver rolled down my spine—not from the cold this time, but from the weight of his voice. Elias paused at the doorway, head turning slightly as if hearing something only he could detect.
"Rowan," he said quietly, "don't overwhelm her."
Rowan smirked. "I'm not overwhelming her. I'm reassuring her."
Elias gave him a flat look before pushing the door open.
Warm light spilled out from inside. Soft. Golden. Safe.
I stepped forward slowly, and the moment my foot crossed the threshold, I felt it this strange shift in the air. Like the house recognized me. Like it had been waiting.
Rowan closed the door behind us, locking it with a quiet click.
Elias stepped ahead and flicked on another light, revealing a wide living room with high ceilings, deep brown sofas, and shelves lined with books, not decorations. It felt lived-in. Personal. Private.
"You live here," I breathed.
"Yeah," Rowan said, brushing past me. "Don't look so shocked. We're human."
Elias's voice came from behind me. "Mostly."
I turned sharply, but he was already walking toward the hallway, pulling off his jacket.
Rowan dropped onto the couch, patting the space beside him. "Come here. You need a minute to breathe."
I hesitated. Not because I didn't want to sit but because sitting beside Rowan meant being close. And being close to Rowan always did something to me.
Then Elias's voice floated in from the kitchen, calm but firm. "Rowan, give her space. She's still shaken."
Rowan sighed and lifted his hands in surrender. "Fine. I'll behave."
I slowly made my way to the couch and sat on the edge. Rowan kept a respectful distance, though his eyes warm, watchful never left my face.
Elias returned with a glass of water and handed it to me.
"Drink," he said softly. "Your adrenaline hasn't settled yet."
I wrapped my hands around the glass. "Thank you."
He didn't move away. He stood close, as if he were studying the tiny tremble in my fingers.
"Whoever he is," Elias said, voice calm but edged with steel, "he won't step foot anywhere near you. Not while you're here."
Rowan nodded. "We're locking this place down tonight."
I looked between them. "Why do you care so much? You barely know me."
Rowan leaned forward. "That's not true. Elias has been watching you for weeks."
"Rowan," Elias snapped, voice low. "Not now."
My heart skipped. "Watching me?"
Elias held my gaze. "Not in the way you think. Not invasively. Just… observing."
"Why?"
He didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened a little.
Rowan answered for him.
"Because he noticed the pattern before anyone else."
"The pattern?" I asked.
Elias finally spoke. "How someone has been circling your life for a long time. Too long. And you didn't see it."
The room went silent.
"I didn't tell you earlier," Elias continued, "because I needed proof. Now I have it."
Rowan shifted, suddenly serious. "You're not dealing with some random guy, Ava. This is someone who's been planning."
A cold weight settled in my stomach. "Planning what?"
Elias stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"To get close to you."
The room felt smaller. Tighter.
"But why me?" I whispered.
Rowan looked at me with something like frustration and concern tangled together. "Because you're the kind of girl people want to keep."
Elias added quietly, "And he wants to keep you in the wrong way."
My fingers tightened around the glass. "So what happens now?"
Rowan straightened, eyes focused on me. "Now? You stay here tonight."
Elias nodded. "Here, you're protected."
"And tomorrow?" I asked.
Elias's eyes held mine steady, dark, unwavering.
"Tomorrow," he said softly, "everything changes."
I swallowed. "Changes how?"
Rowan gave a slow, careful smile. "You'll learn. But for tonight… you're safe."
Elias motioned toward the hallway. "Come. I'll show you where you'll sleep."
Rowan stood too. "I'm coming with."
Elias shot him a look. "No, you're not."
Rowan raised a brow. "Why not?"
"Because," Elias said, "you make her nervous."
Rowan stepped closer close enough that I could feel the warmth from him.
"She's not nervous," he murmured, eyes flicking to mine. "She's aware."
Elias's jaw flexed. "Exactly."
Another charged silence filled the space.
And in that moment between Rowan's intensity and Elias's calm fire
I realized something terrifying and thrilling:
Whatever was coming next…
I wasn't just stepping into safety.
I was stepping into them.