Chapter 4: Someone Was Watching Me

Irene’s Point of View

Skylar’s words helped.

Just a little.

It felt… comforting.

To know someone understood.

She gave me a soft smile.

Relieved.

“I’ve been telling her the same thing, Luna Lorraine,” she said lightly.

But I heard it.

The quiet sadness beneath her tone.

I lowered my gaze.

I couldn’t refuse.

Not Luna Lorraine.

Never her.

She had always been kind.

Warm.

Patient.

Like a real mother.

The one I never had.

“Look at this,” Luna Lorraine said gently.

She lifted the dress.

“It’s perfect for you, Irene.”

Her eyes lit up, soft and proud.

“It’s even the same color as your name,” she added with a smile. “I chose it just for you.”

My chest tightened.

The dress was beautiful.

Soft.

Elegant.

But it wasn’t the dress that hurt.

It was her.

Her care.

Her love.

For a second…

a memory rose.

A dream I used to hold close.

Simple.

Quiet.

A life with Eugene.

A family.

Her as my real mother.

A place where I finally belonged.

But that dream,

Was gone.

Shattered.

Gone with him.

A bitter thought slipped in.

Soon…

she would give that love to someone else.

Ruby.

The name burned in my chest.

I hated it.

I hated her.

But more than that,

I hated him.

Eugene.

For breaking everything.

For choosing someone else.

For making it seem like I was the problem.

How could he do that?

How could he destroy us…

And still expect me to understand?

“Come here,” Luna Lorraine said softly.

“Try it on.”

Her voice pulled me back.

I looked at her again.

Really looked.

There was no lie in her eyes.

Only care.

Only concern.

She wasn’t the one who hurt me.

She never did.

She was just trying to help.

Trying to keep me from falling apart.

Even now.

I swallowed.

Then reached for the dress.

My hands felt heavy.

Everything felt heavy.

But I nodded.

I would go.

Just this once.

Even if it hurt.

Even if I had to pretend.

I would go.

,

That night…

I stepped into the party.

And the moment I entered,

Something felt wrong.

The air was thick.

Heavy.

Like a secret was already waiting for me.

Like everyone knew something…

I didn’t.

It was hard to breathe.

This was supposed to be a celebration.

A welcome party for the lycan pack.

The same pack that once fought us.

The same people,

Who took lives.

People I knew.

Warriors who never came back.

My chest tightened.

I looked around.

Everyone was smiling.

Laughing.

Drinking.

Like nothing had happened.

Like no one had died.

Like everything was fine.

But it wasn’t.

Not for me.

The music filled the room, loud, bright, overwhelming.

Tables were crowded.

Food. Wine. Voices.

But none of it reached me.

It all felt far away.

Like I wasn’t part of it.

Like I didn’t belong here.

I felt nothing.

Nothing except the pain inside me.

Deep.

Sharp.

Endless.

No music could drown it.

No laughter could ease it.

Even in a room full of people,

I felt alone.

And beneath everything…

The anger was still there.

Quiet.

Hidden.

Waiting.

The party looked alive.

But to me,

It felt like something was about to break.

“You look beautiful.”

Skylar’s voice pulled me back.

She smiled at me, warm and hopeful.

She had just finished fixing my makeup, her hands gentle, careful.

Trying to bring life back to my face.

I knew she meant it.

But I didn’t feel it.

Not tonight.

Not like this.

People always said I was pretty.

Beautiful.

Even stunning.

And the dress,

It fit perfectly.

Soft.

Elegant.

Like it was made just for me.

But none of it mattered.

Because my eyes…

They told the truth.

The sadness.

The hurt.

The emptiness.

No makeup could hide that.

No dress could fix it.

I didn’t look beautiful.

I looked broken.

“Don’t make that face,” Skylar said softly.

She cupped my cheeks, lifting them slightly.

Trying to force a smile.

“You’ve been sad for a week.”

Her voice turned firmer.

“Show him what he lost.”

My chest tightened.

“Don’t be the one hurting,” she added. “He should be.”

Her eyes softened again.

“It’s his loss. Not yours.”

Her words were kind.

Strong.

But they still hurt.

Because no matter what she said,

The pain stayed.

Fresh.

Sharp.

Real.

I forced a small smile.

Just for her.

But it didn’t reach my eyes.

And deep inside,

I knew.

Tonight wasn’t going to end well.

She didn’t say anything.

She didn’t point out my fake smile.

And somehow…

That made it easier to keep pretending.

So I followed her.

Step by step.

Out of my room.

Out of my safe place.

Back into a world I wasn’t ready to face.

,

The whispers had already started.

I could feel them.

Eyes on me.

Watching.

Measuring.

They noticed I disappeared.

Locked myself away.

And now,

They were waiting.

Waiting for answers I didn’t have.

I hated it.

Every glance.

Every quiet voice.

Every question they were too afraid to ask.

“Don’t worry,” Skylar said softly.

She squeezed my hand.

Warm.

Steady.

“There are too many people tonight. We won’t run into them.”

Them.

Eugene.

Ruby.

Just thinking their names,

hurt.

I swallowed it down.

Forced it deeper.

Buried it.

I couldn’t fall apart here.

Not now.

,

We stepped into the garden.

The noise from the party faded behind us.

The air felt cooler.

Quieter.

But it didn’t help.

Nothing did.

Because this wasn’t just about tonight.

Not just about a party.

It was about the truth.

The one I kept avoiding.

The one that kept finding me anyway.

The night was beautiful.

Stars stretched across the sky.

Soft lights glowed around the garden.

Warm.

Calm.

Peaceful.

But it was all a lie.

The lycans were everywhere.

Walking.

Talking.

Watching.

A quiet reminder of war.

Of blood.

Of people we lost.

Some guests kept their distance.

Some whispered.

Some stared.

No one truly trusted them.

And I could feel it.

That tension.

That unease.

Like something was waiting beneath the surface.

Ready to break.

It was my first time seeing them.

Real lycans.

And they were exactly what I imagined.

Strong.

Powerful.

Intimidating.

The men were tall.

Broad.

Built like they were made for war.

The women,

Just as strong.

Just as sharp.

They didn’t stand behind anyone.

They stood beside them.

“I can’t believe how tall they are,” Skylar whispered.

Her eyes followed one as he passed.

He towered over us.

We barely reached his shoulder.

I glanced at him.

Then looked away.

My mind wasn’t here.

Not really.

It was somewhere else,

Waiting for something to go wrong.

I was still trapped.

In a place I couldn’t escape.

No matter how much I wanted to.

We moved deeper into the crowd.

The noise came rushing back.

Voices.

Laughter.

Music.

Too loud.

Too fast.

It pressed against me.

Against my ears.

My chest.

Everything felt too much.

And deep inside…

Something shifted.

A strange feeling.

Like this night,

Was not going to end quietly.

“I’m tired,” I said softly.

The crowd felt tighter now.

Closer.

My head began to spin.

And again,

I felt it.

Their eyes.

Watching.

Judging.

Wondering.

“I want to sit down,” I added. “You can stay.”

Skylar looked at me.

She hesitated.

Then nodded slowly.

“Okay…”

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

She didn’t want to leave.

I could see it.

“Are you sure?” she asked gently.

I forced a smile.

It felt wrong.

“Go,” I said. “You’ll miss everything.”

She made a small face, trying to lighten the mood.

Then she turned.

Walked away.

Slow at first.

Then she disappeared into the crowd.

And just like that,

My smile faded.

Everything felt heavy again.

Quiet.

Empty.

I moved toward a small drinks stall at the edge of the garden.

It was almost empty.

Only two people nearby.

Good.

Less eyes.

Less noise.

Less pressure.

I sat down.

Finally.

And for a moment,

I could breathe.

“Oh, Irene!”

An old man greeted me warmly.

Too normal.

Too calm.

Compared to the storm inside me.

He spoke.

Simple things.

I barely listened.

“Do you have something sweet?” I asked.

My voice sounded dry.

Unfamiliar.

“Of course.”

He handed me a glass.

Bright red.

Sweet.

I took it.

“Thank you.”

I held it in my hands.

Cold.

Smooth.

Steady.

But my mind…

Drifted again.

Far away.

I stared ahead.

Thinking.

Not thinking.

Time passed.

I didn’t know how long.

Then,

I felt it.

A gaze.

Heavy.

Focused.

On me.

My fingers tightened around the glass.

Slowly…

I lifted my eyes.

Someone was watching me.

From across the stall.

I froze.

My heart skipped.

I shifted slightly,

But didn’t look fully.

Not yet.

Something about it felt…

Different.

Not curiosity.

Not interest.

Something sharper.

Something that made my skin prickle.

Wrong.

Or maybe,

Dangerous.

And for the first time that night…

My pain wasn’t the only thing I felt.

Something else had just entered the room.

And it was watching me.