Welcome to My World

Lyra sat in the back of the black car, her hands pressed tight together. The city lights blurred past the windows as they left the Fringe behind. Her side still hurt from the gunshot, but the medicine they gave her made it bearable. What hurt more was leaving Toby without a proper goodbye.

Xavier sat across from her, typing on his phone as if she were not even there. His face stayed hard: no smile, no warmth. The scar over his eyebrow looked darker in the low light.

"They took Toby to a safe house," he said without looking up. "Doctors are with him now. The debt is gone. Marcus Kane will not touch him again."

Lyra let out a shaky breath. Part of her wanted to thank him. The bigger part wanted to slap the calm look off his face. "I signed your paper. That does not mean I like you."

"Good," he replied. "I do not need you to like me. I need you to act the part."

The car pulled into an underground garage beneath the tallest building in the city. Vance Citadel. Guards nodded at Xavier and stared at her as if she did not belong. She lifted her chin and stared right back. She had cleaned their floors for months. She knew exactly how little they thought of people like her.

An elevator took them straight up. No stops. When the doors opened, Lyra stepped into the penthouse and stopped short. It was huge. Glass walls showed the whole city sparkling below. Simple furniture, but everything looked expensive. Still, she kept her face blank. She would not give him the satisfaction of looking impressed.

"Your room is on the left," Xavier said. He took off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. The bandage on his shoulder showed through his shirt. "Mine is on the right. Stay out of it. My office is off-limits unless I say so."

Lyra walked to the big window. "Thirty days, and then I take my brother, and we disappear. That is the deal."

He came to stand beside her, close but not touching. "Correct. Tomorrow we go public. A quick press statement. You will smile. Hold my arm. Look happy to be here."

She turned to face him. "I am not your doll. I will play along, but do not push me too far."

For the first time, something like amusement crossed his eyes. "Most girls from the Fringe would kill for this chance. Money. Safety. A rich man on their arm."

"I am not most girls." She stepped closer, even though he towered over her. "I grew up watching men like you take whatever they want. I know your type. Cold. Empty. You only care about power."

Xavier's jaw tightened. "You know nothing about me."

"I know enough," her voice stayed steady even as her heart beat fast. "You almost died tonight, and the first thing you did was look for a way to use me. That says everything."

He stared down at her. The air between them felt thick. For a second, his eyes flashed silver, then went back to ice blue. He turned away fast.

"Food will be brought up. Eat. Sleep. We start early." He walked toward his side of the penthouse, then stopped. "One more thing. Your scent blocker. Stop wearing it around me. I need to know what you really smell like if we are going to sell this."

Lyra's stomach dropped. "No. It stays."

He looked back at her. "It is not a request. My wolf already knows something is different about you. If you wear that thing, people will notice the mismatch. Take it off tonight."

She wanted to argue, but the thought of Toby being safe stopped her. "Fine. But if your wolf gets any ideas, I will leave. Contract or not."

Xavier gave a short laugh. "My wolf does not get ideas. It wants blood and control. Nothing else." He paused. "Until you showed up."

He left her standing there.

Lyra found her room. A big bed, clean clothes laid out, and a note with a new phone. She changed out of her bloody uniform and removed the scent blocker with shaking fingers. The moment it came off, she felt lighter. Freer. But also scared.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her amber-gold eyes stared back. She would need new contacts tomorrow. For now, she left them as they were.

A soft knock came at the main door. She opened it to find a woman in a neat suit holding a food tray.

"Mr Vance said you might be hungry," the woman said.

Lyra took the tray. As she turned back, she heard voices from Xavier's side of the penthouse. Low. Angry.

She set the food down quietly and moved closer to the wall. The door between their spaces was slightly open.

"...she is the one from the attack. Yes. Keep her under watch. If she tries to run, stop her," Xavier's voice was cold. "And double the guards on the boy. If the board finds out what she can do, they will use her against us."

Lyra's blood ran hot. He was still treating her like a prisoner. Even after she saved his life.

She stepped back, fists tight. This man thought he could own her for thirty days. He thought she would stay quiet and grateful.

Never.

She ate quickly, then sat on the bed thinking. She needed a plan. Ways to protect herself and Toby if things went badly. Information. She had access to the top floors now. She would use it.

A sudden loud crash came from Xavier's room. Glass breaking. A deep growl followed that, shaking her bones.

Lyra jumped up. She ran to the connecting door and pushed it open without thinking.

Xavier was on his knees near the broken window. His hands gripped the floor. Sweat ran down his face. His eyes were full of silver now, wild and in pain.

"Get out," he growled through clenched teeth.

She should have listened. Instead, she moved closer. "What is happening to you?"

"The curse." His voice sounded broken. "It comes at night. Leave. Now."

But Lyra saw the way his shoulders shook. The same man who had just threatened to lock her down looked ready to fall apart. For one moment, he was not the cold billionaire. He was just a man fighting something inside him.

She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder without thinking.

The moment her fingers touched him, warmth spread from her palm. His whole body went still. The silver in his eyes faded a little.

Xavier looked up at her, shock clear on his face. "What did you do?"

Before she could answer, his phone lit up on the table. A message flashed across the screen.

Board emergency meeting. Now. They know about the girl with power.

Xavier read it, and his face changed. He stood up fast, pulling away from her touch as it burnt him.

"They are moving against me already." He looked at Lyra, eyes hard again. "And they are coming for you too."