The Beast's Bride: surrendering to the beast within

Sofia’s POV

I swear, people needed a new hobby.

As I walked out of my last cooking class for the day, my phone buzzed with a notification. I barely glanced at it, expecting another pointless email or a TikTok update. But then I saw the message preview, and my eyes narrowed.

"Hey girl, I thought you should know your boyfriend has been messing around."

I stopped mid-step, rolling my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain. Seriously? This again? This was the third random message like this in the past month. Different numbers, same tired accusation.

I sighed and shook my head. Some people just couldn’t stand seeing a happy couple. I wasn’t stupid—I knew Jake. He wasn’t the type to cheat. We spent almost every day together, and when we weren’t together, we were texting, calling, FaceTiming. If he was cheating, he had to be the most efficient multitasker on the planet.

I deleted the message without replying and stuffed my phone into my bag. Some people were so miserable they just wanted to drag others down with them.

Whatever. I had better things to do.

Like grabbing groceries before heading to Jake’s place.

The grocery store was busier than usual, which meant I had to dodge people who walked too slow and couples arguing over which brand of cereal to buy. I grabbed a basket and went into autopilot—pasta, veggies, a couple of those pre-made meals because Jake and I were both too lazy to cook some nights, and, of course, sour gummy worms.

Jake had an unhealthy obsession with them, and I wasn’t about to show up empty-handed.

By the time I finally made it out of the store, my arms were aching from the weight of the bags. The bus ride to Jake’s place was short, but I spent the whole time staring out the window, my mind drifting.

The message from earlier wasn’t bothering me, not really. It was just annoying. I wished people would mind their business.

Jake and I were fine.

Right?

I balanced the grocery bags on one arm while I pressed the doorbell with my elbow.

No response.

I shifted the bags and rang it again. Still nothing.

Okay… maybe he was in the shower? Or asleep? Jake had a habit of taking random naps in the middle of the day, and his phone was always on silent.

I pulled out my phone to text him, but then I remembered—I had the passcode.

I punched in the numbers and pushed the door open.

The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.

Something felt… off.

I stepped inside, balancing the grocery bags as I nudged the door shut with my foot. The apartment was dark, the only light coming from the soft glow of Jake’s gaming setup in the corner. The air smelled like his cologne...fresh, a little woody...but there was something else. A weird stillness, like the place had been empty for hours.

“Jake?” I called out, setting the bags down on the kitchen counter. No answer.

Okay, weird.

I walked past the living room, glancing at the couch. His blanket was still thrown over the armrest from the last time I was here, but the TV was off, and there was no sign of him.

Maybe he was asleep?

I headed for his bedroom, my footsteps almost too loud against the hardwood floor. The door was slightly open, and I pushed it wider.

Empty.

His bed wasn’t even messy. Normally, there’d be at least a hoodie or a pair of socks tossed somewhere, but it looked… untouched. Like he hadn’t been here at all today.

I frowned, my stomach tightening in a way I didn’t like. Pulling out my phone, I tapped on his contact and hit call.

It rang once. Twice.

Then straight to voicemail.

I swallowed, staring at the screen. My brain tried to stay rational...maybe his phone died, maybe he went out for a walk...but something wasn’t sitting right.

I walked back into the living room, glancing at the coffee table. No keys. No wallet. The sneakers he always wore were missing from the door.

Where the hell was he?

I tried calling again. Straight to voicemail.

A weird sense of unease curled around my chest. I wasn’t the type to jump to conclusions, but this? This was off.

let out a deep breath, trying to shake off the weird feeling settling in my chest. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Jake had just stepped out and forgot to text me.

Still, something wasn’t sitting right.

I grabbed my phone and dialed his neighbor, Noah. It rang twice before he picked up.

“Yo, what’s up, Sofia?”

“Hey, Noah. Have you seen Jake?” I tried to keep my voice casual, but my grip on the phone was tight.

“Nah, haven’t seen him today. Why?”

I hesitated. “I just stopped by his place, and he’s not here. His phone’s off too.”

“Hmm. Weird. Want me to let him know you came by if I see him?”

“Yeah. Just tell him I was here.”

“Gotcha. I’ll text you if I see him.”

I mumbled a quick thanks and ended the call, running a hand through my hair. This whole thing was throwing me off, and I needed to clear my head. I decided to head back to my apartment, change into something more comfortable, and get some things done before figuring out my next move.

As I walked down the street, my phone vibrated again. Another unknown number.

I sighed, unlocking my phone.

" Hurry home."