The car slowed as they reached one of the lecture halls. But the tension didn't dissipate.
It only deepened.
When they stepped out of the car, the atmosphere had changed.
The attention was a hundred times worse than when they left the Dorm.
Because now—everyone had seen and spread news about the "Abduction."
The whispers were a physical weight. The stares were like needles.
"Did you see them at the Dorm?"
"He literally forced her into the car…"
"Is she dating both of them? Is she playing with fire?"
Seraphina's cheeks burned with shame. She lowered her head, trying to hide behind her hair. "I hate this," she muttered under her breath.
Damon didn't respond with words.
Instead, he stepped closer. Too close.
As they walked toward the main hall, his hand moved. He didn't grab her, but his palm brushed against the small of her back.
It was a guiding touch. A claiming touch. Utterly possessive.
He was marking his territory in front of the entire world.
