Chapter 8; Hold Me, Let Me Go

Brielle POV.

My gaze drifted upwards, catching his profile in the dim light. He was walking, his steps steady and sure, even on the uneven gravel. The rain had lessened to a drizzle, but it still clung to his dark hair and the shoulders of his jacket. He was carrying me.

My mind, still groggy, struggled to catch up. We had arrived. The imposing gates, the dark house… it all came flooding back. He must have carried me from the car. I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen asleep. A faint blush warmed my cheeks.

He didn't say anything, just continued walking, his focus entirely on navigating the path to the house. The silence between us was different now, not charged with tension, but with a quiet, almost tender intimacy that both soothed and unsettled me. 

He was fulfilling his promise, in his own way, by carrying me, protecting me even in my unconsciousness. But the thought of my plan, of leaving, still lingered, a quiet rebellion against the comfort of his arms.

Elion let go of my hand as we stepped inside, his touch lingering for just a second too long. I pulled away, that brief contact still sending a jolt through me. It was a reminder of him, of how he held my fate, and my heart, in his hands. We stepped into the huge space, the door closing with a soft thud. I felt the weight of the house settle on me.

"Go on up," Elion said. His voice was softer, but still had that bossy edge. "Your room's ready. I'll be down in a bit."

I just nodded, couldn't really speak, and turned toward the big staircase that went up into the dark. ‘He's watching me,’ I thought, a shiver going down my spine. ‘Always watching.’ I guess that’s part of his promise, right? To keep me safe.

My room. My little sanctuary. For the past year, this has been my hiding place. Ever since the tragedy with my family, I’ve had this… thing. Seeing people just makes me sick. It’s like a panic attack waiting to happen. But Elion… he’s different. With him, it’s okay. I feel safe.

He bought this house, just for the two of us. As if that would fix everything. I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, like the answers were written up there.

‘I need to keep my head straight… my eighteenth birthday is coming up. After that, maybe Elion will finally agree to let me live on my own.’

Just to be sure, I decided to keep my distance from Elion. Not that it’s hard. A guy like him, he’s always swamped with pack stuff and his business. He probably wouldn’t even notice if I disappeared for a while.

Then, a knock on the door. But before I could even say anything, it swung open.

"Hey, dinner's ready," Elion said, a smile playing on his lips.

‘Seriously? He just walks in?’ My stomach did a little flip, not of hunger, but of annoyance. ‘Doesn't he know I need my space? That seeing him, even just him, can be… a lot sometimes?’ I tried to keep my expression neutral, but inside, I was already bracing myself. This was going to be harder than I thought.

"I'm not really hungry," I mumbled, pulling the blanket tighter around me, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. ‘Just leave me alone. Please.’

He walked further into the room, his presence filling the space, making it feel smaller. "Brielle, you need to eat. It's been a long day."

‘A long day for you, maybe,’ I thought, rolling my eyes internally. ‘You don't know the half of it.’ "I'm fine, Elion. Really."

He sighed, a low sound that vibrated through the floorboards. "Brielle, we need to talk about this. About you. About… us."

Us? The word hung in the air, heavy and loaded. My heart started to pound. ‘What does he mean, 'us'? He's my guardian. That's it. That's all it can be.’

I forced myself to look at him, trying to keep my voice steady. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm fine."

He took another step closer, his eyes, usually so intense, now held a flicker of concern. "You're not fine, Brielle. And I can't keep pretending you are."

;Did he see it? Did he find out?’. The realization sent a shiver through me, a mix of fear and something else… a tiny spark of hope. But then the fear took over. If he saw how messed up I was, would he just lock me away? Would he decide I was too much of a burden?

"I just… I need some space," I said, barely a whisper. "Please, Elion. Just let me have my room. My sanctuary."

He stood there for a moment, his expression unreadable, the smile completely gone. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words and the drumming of the rain outside. Then, he turned, his shoulders slumping just slightly.

"Fine," he said, his voice flat. "But we will talk. Soon."

He left, closing the door softly behind him. The click of the lock echoed in the sudden quiet. I sank back against the pillows, the relief of his departure warring with a new, gnawing anxiety. 

Brielle's sleep was disturbed when she felt the bed shift. The faint scent of rain and old leather still clung to her, a damp reminder of the storm outside. No one else was home, so she knew it had to be Elion.

‘What is he doing?’ Her breath hitched when she felt a hand on her blouse, the smooth silk of his pajama sleeve brushing against her skin. ‘Shit! He's changing my clothes!’

Then she remembered her clothes were soaked from the rain, clinging uncomfortably to her skin. And because of her stupid heart, she couldn't bring herself to change.

‘Damn it! Does he really think I'm still some little girl who needs her hand held?’ Brielle gasped when she felt Elion's hand wrap around her back, his touch warm against her cool, damp skin, pulling her closer. The steady thrum of his heartbeat against her ear was a jarring contrast to the frantic beat of her own.

Unable to bear it any longer, Brielle opened her eyes. The dim light of the room did little to soften the sharp angles of Elion's face, his brow furrowed with a concern that felt both genuine and suffocating. The top three buttons of his silk pajama top were undone, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of his chest.

"What do you think you're doing?" Brielle whispered in Elion's ear, her voice trembling, the words barely audible above the distant drumming of the rain against the windowpane.