Chapter 3: His Offer, Her Choice

Lena’s pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out the city’s distant hum. The world around her faded—nothing but the cold night air, the gleam of silver eyes, and the weight of a choice she didn’t fully understand.

Be mine, Lena.

Adrian’s words hung between them, thick with meaning. He stood perfectly still, waiting, watching, his presence an invisible force that pulled at something deep in her chest.

She forced herself to breathe. “What exactly do you mean by ‘be mine’?”

His smirk was slow, deliberate, like he was savoring the moment. “I don’t need a servant,” he said smoothly. “Nor a pet, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He stepped closer, voice dipping to a near whisper. “I need a companion. A woman who will stand by my side.”

Lena scoffed, trying to ignore the strange heat curling through her at his nearness. “So… you want a girlfriend? That’s your big offer?”

Adrian chuckled, the sound low and knowing. “Not quite.” His gaze flickered over her, unreadable. “I want you—but I won’t lie, Lena. If you agree, your life will never be the same.”

The way he said it sent a shiver racing down her spine. There was something in his voice, something that held more than a simple offer. It was a warning. A promise. A door opening to something unknown.

She swallowed hard. “And what if I say no?”

His smirk faded. For the first time, amusement slipped from his expression, leaving behind something colder. Calculating.

“Then you walk away,” he said simply. “And you’ll never see me again.”

The words settled between them, heavy with unspoken meaning.

But then, his gaze darkened, a flicker of something far more dangerous surfacing. “That said… the world is full of predators, Lena. And not all of them ask permission before taking what they want.”

A chill ran through her.

She couldn’t tell if he was warning her about himself—or against something worse.

A part of her wanted to turn and run. To pretend this conversation had never happened. But another part—the part that had felt lost for so long—stood frozen in place, curiosity and fear tangling together.

What am I doing?

“What happens if I say yes?” she asked, barely recognizing her own voice.

Adrian stilled, as if he hadn’t expected her to even consider it. Then, with a measured slowness, he reached out, his fingers tilting her chin up—just enough to make her meet his gaze.

His touch was cool against her skin, but it sent a searing warmth rushing through her.

“Then you become mine,” he murmured. “Protected. Untouchable. And bound to me in ways you can’t yet imagine.”

His voice was velvet over steel. A claim wrapped in temptation.

Lena’s head spun.

This was insane. Completely, utterly insane.

And yet… something inside her whispered that this wasn’t just about tonight. That she’d already been pulled into Adrian’s world long before she ever knew he existed.

She searched his silver eyes for a lie, a trick, anything to tell her she was walking into a trap.

She found nothing.

The weight of his gaze settled over her, dark and expectant.

She sucked in a slow breath. “One condition.”

His brow arched. “Do tell.”

“I’m not some pawn for you to control.” Her voice wavered, but she steadied herself. “If I agree, I keep my freedom.”

For a moment, Adrian said nothing. Then, something shifted in his expression—something pleased.

“Fiery,” he murmured, almost to himself. The corner of his lips lifted in a slow, indulgent smile, as if he had just confirmed something he already suspected.

Then, with the kind of grace that made her stomach tighten, he extended his hand.

“Do we have a deal, Miss Carter?”

Lena hesitated.

She stood at the edge of something unknown—something dangerous, something thrilling.

Logic told her to walk away. That nothing about this made sense. That she was making a deal with a man who had fangs, a man who spoke in promises laced with threats.

But logic hadn’t saved her from drowning under the weight of normal life.

And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was standing on the precipice of something more.

Her breath caught.

And then, slowly, she reached forward and placed her hand in his.

The second their fingers touched, a sharp shock crackled between them—like static, but deeper, stronger. It shot up her arm, racing through her veins like a spark catching fire.

She gasped, instinctively trying to yank her hand back, but Adrian’s grip tightened—not harshly, just firm enough to keep her from pulling away.

His silver eyes darkened, his smirk faltering for the first time.

He felt it too.

Lena’s heart pounded as his gaze burned into hers, no longer teasing or amused.

Something had changed.

Something neither of them had expected.

Adrian’s fingers curled around hers, his thumb brushing over her skin with the kind of slow precision that made her breath hitch.

“Interesting,” he murmured.

Lena swallowed, the weight of his words settling into her bones.

What had she just agreed to?