Entitled

Chapter 137

As you lie in bed that night, the tension between you and Severus is palpable. The room is dimly lit, shadows playing across the walls, but the real darkness seems to stem from the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Severus turns to you, his gaze intense, filled with concern and something deeper—an emotion that simmers just below the surface.

"What did your father say?" Severus asks, his voice low but firm, cutting through the silence. You can tell he's been waiting to ask, that the question has been gnawing at him since you returned from your father's chambers.

You hesitate, the weight of the conversation with your father still heavy on your mind. "Severus, I really don't want to talk about this," you reply, hoping to steer the conversation away from the painful reality you're both facing.

But Severus is relentless, his eyes narrowing slightly as he presses on. "I want to know because I know you're not telling me everything," he says, his voice laced with frustration. "I can see it in your eyes. You're hiding something from me."

You turn away slightly, feeling the tension rise within you. You've always been able to confide in Severus, but this—what your father said, the implications of his words—it's too much. You don't want to burden Severus with it, don't want to see the pain it will cause him.

"I'm trying to save you the horror of it, Severus," you say softly, your voice tinged with desperation. "There are things you don't need to know, things that will only hurt you."

Severus reaches out, his hand gently turning your face back toward his, forcing you to meet his gaze. "You don't have to," he says, his voice tender but firm. "You don't have to hide anything from me. We face everything together, remember?"

His words cut through the walls you've tried to build, and you feel the tears prick at the corners of your eyes. He's right—you've always faced everything together. But this...this feels different, darker, more insidious.

"He just wanted to make sure I would come back at certain times to see him," you admit, your voice trembling slightly. You can see the effect your words have on Severus, the way his jaw tightens, his eyes darkening with anger and something akin to fear.

"That's not all, is it?" he presses, his voice barely above a whisper now, but filled with a desperate need to understand, to protect you from whatever horrors your father has in store.

You shake your head, unable to find the words to explain the full extent of what was said, the implications of being summoned at any time, of the possessive control your father exerts over you. "He... he wants access to me, whenever he calls," you finally say, your voice breaking slightly. "I have to go, no matter what, day or night."

The words hang in the air, and you can see the fury bubbling up inside Severus. His hand tightens around yours, and you can feel the tension radiating from him, the protective instincts battling against the helplessness he feels in the face of your father's power.

"He can't just..." Severus starts, but his words falter as he struggles to contain his anger. "You're not his... his possession. You're not a tool to be used at his whim."

"I know," you say, your voice soft, trying to soothe him even as your own heart aches. "But this is the reality we're dealing with. I'm doing what I can to navigate it, to keep us safe."

Severus's grip tightens around you, his frustration and helplessness evident in the way his muscles tense. His voice trembles with barely restrained anger as he speaks. "It's not right... it's wrong, Violet. Why aren't you protesting this harder? You shouldn't have to endure this, not for any reason."