CHAPTER NINE: THE GOLDEN CAGE AND THE FOURTH RULE

Ariana

​“Be careful for the love of God!” I barked, grabbing the door handle as the SUV lurched around a corner with a reckless speed.

​I turned to scold him, my heart drumming against my ribs, but the words died in my throat. The moment our eyes met, the lethal tension in the car seemed to settle into something thicker...something heavier.

He looked… better when I was looking at him. It was the weirdest thing. The more I glared, the more the shadows in his expression seemed to drift.

​“When we get to your place, pack up,” he said, his voice dropping into that low, vibratory growl that always made my toes curl. “You’re moving in with me.”

​My eyes widened. I stared at him, my hands trembling as I tried to process the sheer audacity of his tone. “Live with you? What does that even mean?”

​“Exactly that,” he replied, his eyes fixed on the road.

​“Why? Why on earth do I have to?”

​“Should I let you go unsupervised? Or would you prefer to repeat last night?”

​“Why do I need to be supervised at all?” I demanded, utterly frustrated. I felt trapped, like a bug under a glass jar. “You’re all-powerful. Where could I possibly run to? Even if I told the world what you are, no one would believe me. Are you telling me I’m going to live with you for the rest of my life?”

​A wave of despair settled into my bones. I was watching my freedom evaporate right before my eyes.

​“The situation is much more complicated than that,” he said, his jaw tightening until the veins in his neck stood out. “Don’t even get me started on the fact that this is your fault!”

I threw my head back, stunned.

​“What did I do?” I shouted back. “I was the victim of a cheating fiancé and a sociopathic cousin! How am I the villain in your story?”

​“I’ll explain at my place. Pack quickly,” he ordered, his voice brooking no argument.

​“How long do I stay? What about my rent?” I started.

​“You’ll save on rent living with me.”

​I shut my mouth. The anger pulsing off him was almost physical. It felt like a low frequency hum that made my skin prickle.

I spent the rest of the ride staring out the window, shutting him out as the world blurred into expensive suburbs and looming iron gates

.

​When we arrived at my apartment, the silence followed us up the stairs. I wanted to scream, to protest, to call the police...but what the hell would I say?

“Oh, oh, officer, the smoking hot CEO who is actually a werewolf is kidnapping me into his mansion.”

I rolled my eyes at my own delusion.

Yeah right, that would end well.

​I packed only essentials into two suitcases. Every time I looked over, Lucien was just sitting there, watching me with a stoic gaze. He looked restless, shifting in my small armchair as if he couldn’t stand being more than three feet away from me.

​“I’ll send a mover tomorrow. Just take the essentials,” he said.

​“No need. I’ll handle it.”

​“At this pace, you won’t finish.”

​“Give me a few minutes!” I snapped, my shoulders slumping as I shoved a stack of books into a bag. “I just need to finish the kitchen.”

​“Where are your bags?” he asked.

I pointed to the suitcases, but before I could move, he’d already hauled them to the door. When he came back, he didn't wait for me to walk. He scooped me up into his arms as if I weighed nothing more than a bundle of silk.

​“What are you doing? Put me down!” I squirmed, my face flushing a deep, humiliated red.

​He paused at the door, fixing me with a glare that could have withered a forest. “Want to keep thrashing, or do you want to lock your door?”

​I stood stiffly in his arms, my heart racing a bloody mile a minute, and locked my apartment with a shaking hand. He didn't put me down in the hallway, nor in the elevator. I could feel the neighbors staring, their eyes wide as they saw the girl from 4B being carried out by a man who looked like he’d stepped off a billionaire’s yacht.

​“Stop moving!” he warned, his voice a low vibration against my chest.

​I stopped struggling instantly. His scent was doing something terrifying to my brain, calming me down even as I tried to stay angry. By the time he set me in the car, I felt like I was in a trance.

​The ride ended at an estate that made the office headquarters look like a shack. Lush lawns, stone walls, and a staff that bowed as we entered. I hated it. I hated his territory, where I had even less or absolutely no control.

​Lucien sensed my fear. He must have heard my heartbeat through the floorboards. Without a word, he scooped me up again to carry me over the threshold. I gasped, but could barely protest.

“I can walk,” I insisted, feeling the eyes of the staff on my skin crawling like insects.

​“Stay still. Someone will bring your things.”He marched into the massive living room and dropped me onto a velvet couch. He looked like he was vibrating with a strange, frantic energy.

​“Put her things in the room next to mine,” he ordered the butler, dismissing the staff with a flick of his wrist.

​Once we were alone, the silence returned, sharper than before.

​“What now? How long must I stay?” I asked, my voice seething with irritation.

​“You just arrived and want to leave already?” he sneered. “Remember, you caused this.”

​“How is this my fault?” I stood up, my hands balling into fists. “I only came to your office to apologize for the kiss! Is that why I’m a prisoner?”

“You must stay close,” he said, stepping into my personal space until I was forced to look up at him. “Close enough to touch. We need rules.”

​“Rules?” I scoffed. “Fine. Let’s hear your manifesto.”

​“Rule one, my room’s off-limits unless I allow it. Two, Be quiet. I hate noise. Three, No guests without my permission. Four...I’ll sleep in your room every night.”

As if the others weren't absurd! My heart skipped a beat.

​“Stop! Stop right there!” I shouted, “I get the first three, but what’s with the fourth? You are not sleeping in my room!”

​“Want to know why this is your fault?” He moved even closer, his shadow swallowing me whole.

​“Why?” I whispered.

​“You kissed me that night and took my energy. Now, you’re my mate.”

​I stood abruptly, my mind reeling. “Wait… you said you’ve kissed others before! Why would you bind to my kiss? And what do you mean, Mate? This isn't a movie!”

​“Why not?” He grabbed my shoulder, his grip firm but not painful. “You kissed me and took my energy. You’re scared? Then why did you do it? Because of this forced binding, I can’t control my energy. I feel like a young wolf again, vibrating out of my skin unless I’m near you.”

​He looked down at me, his eyes glowing with that terrifying golden light. “You’re bothered by being my mate? Have you considered me? We aren’t dating. If I can’t break the bond, I’m stuck with you forever. You’re my weakness now, Ariana. You think I’m satisfied with this?”

My words dissolved in my mouth. The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow. He wasn't just being a jerk, he was literally losing his mind because of a stupid choice I’d made in a moment of spite.

​“Rule four stands,” he said, his voice calmer now that the truth was out. “I’ll sleep in your room nightly. I need the contact to keep control.”

​He grabbed my arm, not to hurt me this time, but to lead me. As he dragged me toward the grand staircase, I realized that my "massacre of words" had finally met a silence I couldn't break.

​I was his anchor. And he was my cage.