Unlawful Shadows | +18

Chapter 22

Elowen's POV

I was in the house, in the same place where everything had changed. My body felt heavy, as if weighed down by the memories of the night before. I could still see the looks on their faces—the concern, the anguish—as they had hovered over me. But the memory of their anger loomed larger, a dark shadow in the corners of my mind.

Zander's presence broke the tranquil, pulling me from my thoughts. He stood in the doorway, his expression guarded yet soft. I didn't respond, my heart racing as I felt the instinctive urge to recoil from his presence. He was beautiful, strong, but the fear still bubbled beneath the surface, unyielding.

"Hey, Elowen," he murmured, stepping into the room with a measured caution, as if he was afraid of startling me. "How are you feeling?"

I didn't want to answer. I didn't want to think about how I felt. The words caught in my throat as I fought against the memories of their anger, their overwhelming presence that had felt suffocating. But I also noticed the way he shifted his weight from foot to foot, the worry etched on his face. It made my heart ache a little, and I could feel the tension in my chest begin to crack, just a little.

"Do you want some water?" he asked, his voice softening. I nodded slowly, still wary of his approach. He moved toward the small table in the corner of the room and poured a glass, his back turned to me.

As he filled the glass, I couldn't help but notice the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt, the strength that radiated from him. It was both intimidating and comforting, and I felt a twinge of guilt for the fear that clung to me like a shroud.

"Here you go," he said, turning back to me, holding the glass out with careful hands. I took it, our fingers brushing together for a brief moment, and I fought the urge to pull away. "You need to stay hydrated."

I glanced at the water, then back up at him, searching for a sign that would reassure me. But all I saw was concern, a deep worry that threatened to drown him as well. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. I raised the glass to my lips, taking a small sip, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat.

As I set the glass down, Zander shifted his weight, his eyes searching mine. "I know things were... intense last night," he began, hesitating as if choosing his words carefully. "But we're trying to take care of you. We want to make sure you're okay."

I wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that their intentions were pure, but the memories of their anger still haunted me. "I... I'm fine," I managed to say, my voice trembling. The lie felt heavy on my tongue, a bitter taste I couldn't shake.

"Liar," came Zephyr's voice, cutting through the air like a blade. I turned to see him leaning against the doorframe, his expression tight, frustration etched into his features. "You're not fine. You look like you've seen a ghost."

I flinched at his tone, the sharpness of his words a reminder of the night's chaos. "I said I'm fine," I snapped, the heat of anger sparking within me as I tried to assert my boundaries. But the moment the words left my mouth, I felt the fear return, cold and heavy, weighing me down.

"Bullshit," Zephyr shot back, his voice low and edged with frustration. "You're terrified of us, and that's not okay."

I clenched my fists, the anger boiling just beneath the surface, mingling with the fear that threatened to drown me. "I'm not scared of you," I lied, my voice shaky. But even I could hear the cracks in my resolve.

"Yeah? Then why are you flinching every time one of us moves?" Zephyr's voice softened slightly, but the tension remained. "We're not here to hurt you. We want to help, but you need to let us."