Days passed in a blur of tension and defiance. Derek watched me like a predator waiting for his prey to tire, and I refused to give him that satisfaction. But the walls of the estate were suffocating, every breath I took laced with the knowledge that I was trapped.
Then I made my first mistake.
A rare opportunity presented itself late one evening. The guards, usually so vigilant, were distracted by an argument near the main entrance. My heart pounded as I seized the moment, slipping out through the back garden and into the darkness beyond.
The cold night air bit at my skin as I ran, my bare feet barely making a sound against the damp grass. My lungs burned, but I forced myself forward, pushing past the hedge-lined pathways, desperate for freedom. The estate's towering gates loomed ahead—just a few more steps, and I could disappear into the night.
Then, out of nowhere, a strong arm clamped around my waist, yanking me back with brutal force.
I let out a sharp cry, struggling wildly, but Derek's grip was unbreakable. His breath was warm against my ear, his voice dangerously soft. "Where do you think you're going, Elena?"
"No!" I twisted in his hold, kicking, clawing at his arms, but he didn't even flinch. He spun me around, his grey eyes dark with fury.
"You really thought you could run from me?"
My chest heaved. "Let me go, Derek!"
Instead of answering, he threw me over his shoulder with effortless strength. I pounded my fists against his back, but it was useless. He carried me like I weighed nothing, striding back toward the mansion as if my escape attempt had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
I could hear my own heartbeat over the sound of his footsteps. Fear, anger, and something dangerously close to humiliation coiled in my stomach.
When we reached my room, he kicked the door open and stormed inside before tossing me onto the bed. I bounced slightly, gasping as I scrambled to sit up.
Derek stood at the foot of the bed, his broad shoulders rising and falling with measured breaths. The air between us crackled with tension, an unspoken challenge hanging heavy.
"You really thought you could get away?" His voice was too calm, too controlled. That scared me more than his anger.
I met his gaze, my chin lifting defiantly. "You can't keep me here forever."
His smirk was slow, calculated. "Watch me."
A shiver ran down my spine, but I refused to let him see it.
"You don't get to disobey me, Elena." He stalked forward, each step measured, deliberate. "You belong to me."
I clenched my fists. "You don't own me."
Derek stopped in front of me, his towering presence making the room feel smaller. Then, to my utter shock, he reached out and traced the curve of my jaw, his fingers deceptively gentle.
"Then why," he murmured, tilting my chin up so I had no choice but to look into his stormy gaze, "do you tremble every time I touch you?"
I hated him.
I hated the way his presence dominated the room, how his voice sent chills through me, how my body reacted to him against my will.
"You mistake fear for something else," I snapped.
He chuckled, dark and knowing. "Is that what you tell yourself?"
His hand slid lower, fingers skimming the bare skin of my throat. I forced myself to remain still, to not show weakness, but my pulse betrayed me, hammering wildly beneath his touch.
"I'm not afraid of you," I whispered, but the words lacked conviction.
His smirk deepened. "Liar."
Derek pulled back suddenly, stepping away as if he'd already won whatever twisted game this was. "You're not going anywhere, Elena. And after tonight, I'll make sure you never try to run again."
My breath caught. "What does that mean?"
He turned toward the door, his voice casual, but laced with finality. "You'll see soon enough."
Then he was gone, leaving me alone with my pounding heart and the terrifying realization that I had pushed him too far this time.
I had thought I was prepared for battle.
But Derek was about to show me just how wrong I was.