Elara woke up with the strange feeling that something was wrong.
The silence wasn't soft anymore.
It was sharp.
She sat up in bed, her fingers curling around the sheets like she could hold on to safety.
A sound.
Not footsteps.
Paper.
She turned her head.
There was an envelope placed carefully on her bedside table.
Her heart skipped.
She hadn't seen anyone enter.
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up.
It was sealed with black wax.
Broken.
Inside was a single card.
Three words.
You don't belong.
Her breath caught.
She stared at it.
Over.
And over.
Then the sound of the door opening pulled her out of her shock.
Dominic.
He took one look at her face.
"What happened?"
She held up the card with shaking hands.
Silence exploded between them.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes turned cold.
Protective.
Dangerous.
He didn't react loudly.
He reacted quietly.
Which was much worse.
He walked across the room and gently took the card from her fingers.
He looked at it once.
Then crushed it in his fist.
"Pack a bag," he said.
Her heart dropped.
"Am I being sent away?"
"No," he replied instantly.
"You're being moved closer to me."
She looked at him.
Confused.
"You'll stay in the room next to mine."
Her voice came out soft.
"You're scared for me?"
He didn't answer with words.
He walked closer.
Reached out.
Stopped.
Then gently brushed his thumb under her eye where a tear had slipped out.
He froze after doing it.
Like he'd broken his own rules.
"I won't let anyone touch you," he said quietly.
She believed him.
She packed slowly.
And by nightfall, she slept closer to the man who scared the world.
And someone in the shadows realized:
Threats wouldn't scare the girl away.
So they would hurt her instead.