Multifandom X Reader Stories

Fractured Loyalties (Eric Coulter)

You'd always been good at blending in, at surviving. You knew how to manipulate the system, how to make it look like you fit in, but this? This serum coursing through your veins felt different. The moment the needle pierced your skin, something inside you had screamed that this was wrong.

Now, as you stood amidst the Dauntless soldiers, the vacant expressions on their faces made your heart race. They were lost—puppets in this deadly game—while you, as a Divergent, could still feel your mind resisting the serum's effects. Fear and confusion swirled within you, but you couldn't let it show. You had to act like you were one of them.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. The training yard was quiet, a sea of motionless bodies awaiting orders. From the corner of your eye, you saw him—Eric Coulter—his sharp gaze scanning the crowd. He was as ruthless as they came, a soldier of the highest order, and he never missed a thing.

You had done everything to stay off his radar. Eric wasn't just dangerous because of his strength or position. It was his intelligence, the cold calculation behind every move he made. And now, if he realized you were Divergent...

"Fall in line!" Eric barked, his voice cutting through the eerie silence.

You forced yourself to stay still, to not flinch under his scrutiny. You couldn't draw attention to yourself, not now. He walked down the line of soldiers, inspecting each one like a predator eyeing his prey. His boots echoed on the concrete, sending a shiver down your spine. Every step he took toward you felt like another second closer to discovery.

Eric stopped right in front of you, his intense gaze locking onto yours. You swallowed hard, keeping your expression as blank as you could. But something about the way his eyes narrowed told you that he sensed something was off.

"Report," he demanded, his voice low, almost like a threat.

Forcing yourself to speak, you recited the words you'd been trained to say. "Ready for orders, sir."

His eyes searched your face, and for a moment, you were sure he knew. That cold smirk tugged at his lips, like he was enjoying watching you squirm. He took a step closer, the heat of his presence making it even harder to maintain your composure.

"You don't look ready," he said, voice dropping to a near whisper, meant only for you.

Panic flared inside you, but you shoved it down. Don't break. Don't let him see. You stared straight ahead, trying to appear as vacant and obedient as the others. But Eric wasn't buying it.

He leaned in even closer, his breath brushing against your ear. "I know what you are."

Your heart plummeted.

Eric stepped back, his gaze never leaving yours. He tilted his head slightly, as if studying how you'd react. The world around you seemed to fade, the only sound your heartbeat thundering in your ears. If he knew you were Divergent, this could be the end. The serum might not control you, but Eric Coulter could.

Without another word, he turned sharply on his heel and barked orders to the rest of the Dauntless. The soldiers began moving as if nothing had happened. But you were frozen in place. What had just happened? Why didn't he expose you right then and there?

You barely had time to process before Eric grabbed your arm roughly, pulling you out of line. His grip was firm but not painful, his pace quick as he dragged you into one of the nearby, empty corridors. As soon as you were alone, he shoved you up against the wall, eyes blazing with intensity.

"I should turn you in," he said, voice cold and laced with menace. "You're Divergent."

Your chest tightened, fear settling deep in your bones. You had no defense. No lie you could spin that would make this go away.

"But..." he continued, eyes narrowing, "I'm not going to. Not yet."

You blinked in confusion. "What?"

He stepped closer, his body almost pinning yours to the wall, and you could feel the tension radiating off him. "You think I don't know what you've been doing? Hiding, pretending to fit in." He scoffed, but there was something more behind his voice. "You're not as invisible as you think."

You didn't know what to say, or even how to react. He was right. You'd been hiding your Divergence for so long, but somehow Eric had noticed.

"Why are you protecting me?" you asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Eric's jaw clenched, and for the first time, you saw a flicker of something in his eyes—something you couldn't quite place. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against your cheek.

"Because I don't want you dead. Not yet." His voice was sharp, but there was an edge of something else—something darker, more personal. "You're different, but that makes you useful."

Useful. The word sent a chill down your spine. You didn't know what he meant by it, but the weight of it was enough to make you uneasy. Eric wasn't the type to protect anyone out of kindness. If he was keeping you alive, it was because he saw an advantage in it.

But what scared you more was the way he looked at you, like he was intrigued by you, like you were some puzzle he wanted to solve. There was danger in his gaze, but something else too—something that made your pulse quicken.

"Keep pretending," he ordered, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "But know this—I'll be watching. Every move you make."

You nodded, unable to tear your eyes away from his. His grip on your arm loosened, and he stepped back, giving you space to breathe. The tension in the air between you was almost suffocating, but there was no denying the strange connection that had sparked in that moment.

Eric turned away, leaving you standing alone in the corridor, your mind spinning. He could have turned you in. He could have let the others know you were Divergent. But he didn't.

And that terrified you more than anything.