𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐔𝐒

32

"Just go with the flow." Eren whispered to you, while placing his best foot forward. Passing through the small crowd with gentle smiles and nods, you two arrived at one of the tables. Blackjack, poker, baccarat being laid out on the table with men's laughter fills the area.

The smoke that was being released in the air made you a bit nauseous while you inhaled some bits of the gas through your nose.

As you two approached further into the halls, your eyes were laid on a sign with arrows pointing towards opposite directions. "Men" to the left, "Women" to the right. Your eyes widened in horror and disbelief that Eren forgot this part out, that the two of you would be separated.

Fragments of memory from when Eren told you that he would stick by your side before you both entered the venue, slowly began to turn into blood-lusting lies. Without hesitation, you swung your palm against his cheek, causing an echo between the air-resistance from your hand to his cheek.

Eren placed his hand on his cheek while he let out a quick gasp to your sudden response. "What was that for?" He winced in pain while trying to remove the red imprint of your hand away from his cheek. You stood there motionless while you tried to remain calm, but couldn't hold back the feelings what you kept bottled up. "You lied."

"You let out the part where you tell me that we would be separated during your foolish family meeting." You hastily spoke, meaning every word coming out your mouth as you wished he would provide closure to the mess he dragged you in.

Eren eyes shimmered, staring right at yours while he stood completely frozen. "Awh, want to be on my side forever?" He huskily whispered, his voice tingled every inch of your spine as his voice emitted radiance and tease. Yet, you couldn't let his charm defeat you.

Picking up your arm for another strike across his face, but was stopped by his large arm wrapping your wrist with his fingers. "I'm sorry-"

"I'll make sure to tell you to calm down as well when I drag your name down during the meeting." You hissed, lashing out your arm away from his grasp and walking towards the women's section of the so-called meeting. Eren watched you storm away, raising his hands up before dropping them in annoyance.

EREN'S POV:

Shit,

Someone must've made this decision last minute, this wasn't supposed to happen. The things Y/N will hear isn't supposed to be heard without me present. They knew she would be attending, if anything bad happens it would stall me from getting to her. My stress levels increased while I sat down by the nearby chairs, anticipating on what steps I should take next.

Skipping the meeting and staying out here waiting for something to happen would result to my automatic death as my attendance is mandatory would solve nothing, and the only solution is to alert Armin on the situation. Luckily, we were quite early as the meeting didn't start for another hour and a half which gives me time to prepare.

I picked up my phone from my pocket, and began dialing Armin's number and putting it by my ear. Anxiously waiting around, I stood up and began to walk in circles for what felt like an eternity before he answered. "Hello?" Armin on the other line greeted. "Where are you?" I answered while I began to walk deliberately around the area like a maniac.

"I'm by the library." Armin declares and that gives me a clear signal to walk over there. Hanging up the phone, I sped past the crowds, not afraid of pushing the wrong person.

As I made out the secret room, the area became less crowded which indicated the casualties would increase by people heading into different sections of the meeting rooms. My footsteps echoing against the wooden paneled floors while I drew closer to the library which stood on the venue's grounds.

"Eren!" Armin called out from behind me, with a large book clasped in his hands. Without wasting time, I rapidly approached him while I looked at his confused expression on his face. "Someone switched up the seating arrangements, women and men are seated at different sections of the meeting which means Y/N is in danger since I'm not there to help." I replied urgently yet quietly to make sure no one else could hear, backing away slowly while Armin processes this information.

He took a moment of thinking before he spoke up on what to do. "Stand outside the women's area cautiously, preparing for anything that could possibly happen." Armin said as he urgently walked towards the secret room to accompany your new plan.

I nodded without hesitation and followed Armin into the secret room by pulling the book that was the handle. The bookshelf echoed and rumbled before it let us in. I stepped in as quickly as I could, not a single thing that held me back from protecting the women that had nothing to do with my life. She was never originally supposed to get stuck in a loop of my own troubles.

She was only meant for a one time thing that turned her life around so quickly that barely had time to debrief on about. She deserved so much explaining to do, so much answers which I didn't have the correct way to describe. The woman that deserved every ounce of my protection, is never going to get hurt by my actions.