Well Beyond

25

The punch lands with a sickening crack, sending Jasper sprawling backward. He crashes into the side of the bed, his body crumpling to the floor with a pained grunt. For a moment, Jasper just lies there, stunned, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

Erik's breathing is ragged, his chest heaving with barely contained fury. His eyes are still black, the intensity of his anger palpable. He advances toward Jasper with a menacing, predatory grace, every step echoing with the threat of violence. Jasper scrambles to his feet, his face contorted in pain, as he wipes the blood from his split lip.

"You think you can play games with me," Erik growls, his voice low and dangerous. "You have no idea what you're dealing with." 

"Of course, I can," Jasper glares at Erik, before smirking though his expression a mix of pain and anger. He wipes his mouth, his eyes flashing with defiance despite the evident pain. 

"You think you can scare me off? I'm not backing down just because you threw a punch," he challenges.

Erik's eyes narrow dangerously. He takes a step closer to Jasper, his presence overpowering.

"I don't need to scare you," Erik says, his voice a low rumble. "I just need you to understand that you have no place with her."

"Corie, you don't want this man. You need a man like me, a king," Jasper says softly, as if he's trying to convince me - manipulate me. Erik raises a brow at the nickname. 

"Clearly, she doesn't." 

The room is charged with an unbearable tension as the two men face off. Jasper's eyes dart to me, then back to Erik, searching for some sign of reprieve. My heart races, a cold sweat forming on the back of my neck. I feel like I'm trapped in the middle of a storm, unable to escape the fury that's swirling around me.

"Please just stop, both of you," I breathe out, my voice almost pathetic.

Erik's gaze flickers to me briefly, his eyes softening slightly as he takes in my frightened expression. Jasper steps towards me, causing me to tense, which Erik intercepts. Then, with a final, scathing look at Erik, Jasper steps back, his posture relaxing slightly as he lets out a controlled breath.

"You've made your point," Jasper says through gritted teeth. "But this isn't over."

Erik's lips curl into a cold smile. "It doesn't need to be. Just stay away from what's mine."

With that, Erik turns on his heel and strides out of the room, his departure leaving a palpable void behind him. The door slams shut with a resonating finality.

I stand there, stunned, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. My mind is a chaotic mess of confusion and fear. Erik's eyes meet mine, and he takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His anger is still thick in the air, but his gaze holds a new, darker intensity.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his voice strained but concerned.

I nod slowly, unable to find my voice. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, struggling to process the whirlwind of emotions and the violent confrontation that just took place. The room feels as if it's closing in on me, the weight of the recent events pressing heavily on my shoulders. Erik watches me intently, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. 

"We need to talk about this," he says quietly, though his words are barely audible over the pounding in my head. "We need to figure out what happens next."

But as he speaks, all I can think about is the way Erik's eyes looked at me, the intensity of his anger, and the way he fought for me. The realization hits me hard, mingling with the dread and confusion swirling inside me. I have no idea how to navigate the aftermath of this.