Chapter 5: Reed Draven

The SUV moved silently through the massive black gates while the outside world kept burning somewhere far behind her but all of it felt distant now.

Anabella leaned back against the seat and finally closed her eyes properly for the first time that day, one hand resting lazily against her temple while exhaustion settled quietly into her bones.

It was the kind that came after dealing with too many idiots in a single day.

The estate lights slowly appeared ahead through the darkness.

Home or at least the closest thing she had to one.

Nyx stretched lazily inside her head.

"You lasted longer than I expected"

“I was trying to behave.”

"Disgusting, now you see, trying to lower yourself to fit among them was stupid."

A faint smile almost appeared on her lips.

The estate came fully into view as the car curved through the final path, and even after years of living there, it still looked intimidating enough to make strangers nervous.

The architecture was old money mixed with quiet violence, dark stone walls, towering glass, silver-lit gardens and hidden security posts buried into the landscape, and enough armed guards watching from invisible positions to start a small war. Nothing about the place looked welcoming and that was intentional.

The car stopped.

One of the guards immediately stepped forward to open the door, but Anabella was already stepping out before he reached her.

The cool night air brushed against her skin and for the first time all day, her body loosened slightly.

The place was quiet, no fake crying, manipulative speeches, Alex or Vivienne.

It was just the silence she loves

Nyx hummed approvingly.

"See? This is why murdering people is healthy sometimes."

Anabella ignored her and started walking toward the entrance, heels clicking softly against the stone path while the estate lights reflected faintly against the silver details on her coat.

Then suddenly, fast movement and by the time her instincts reacted, someone was already behind her.

A strong arm locked around her waist while another trapped both wrists instantly, dragging her hard against a muscular chest before she could properly counter.

The movement was fast enough to catch even her off guard and the pressure behind it was overwhelming in the worst possible way.

She cursed sharply and twisted hard, silver power flaring hot under her skin.

The man only laughed softly against her ear, low and amused, like her rage was the best part of his night.

Anabella knew that laugh.

“Reed Draven,” she snarled. “Get your filthy hands off me before I rip your throat out.”

Silver magia flared violently beneath her skin as she struggled hard against the hold, but the man behind her chuckled again, completely entertained instead of threatened.

Nyx groaned dramatically.

"Oh great. The mentally unstable one is here."

Anabella stopped fighting for half a second and sighed deeply.

“Of course it’s you.”

Reed tightened his hold slightly, amused by the irritation in her voice.

“You sound disappointed, sweetheart.”

“You broke into my estate.”

“You canceled your wedding before I could ruin it myself,” he replied calmly. “We’re both upset tonight.”

Anabella twisted sharply, trying to break his grip, but Reed only pinned her tighter against him with insulting ease.

“I should kill you.”

“That’s usually how foreplay starts with us.”

Nyx gagged loudly.

"I hate him."

"You literally said you missed him last month" Bella snapped in her head and Nyx rolled her eyes,

"That is irrelevant to the conversation."

Anabella elbowed Reed hard enough to crack concrete if it landed properly, but he caught her arm easily.

“That was rude.”

"What the fuck do you want?" She struggled

“Told you before, you can't escape my grasp and you canceled the wedding before I could ruin it myself. Rude, Bella. I had a whole plan. Black suit, silver cuffs, even booked the rooftop for the kidnapping. You stole my moment.” He smacked her butt lightly

She hissed and struggled harder. “Touch me again and I’ll make sure the next headline is your body floating in the river.”

He groaned and spun her around effortlessly and kissed her hard and deep without warning.

Fury exploded in her chest. Anabella bit his lip, cursed violently against his mouth, but he only kissed deeper, one hand sliding into her hair like he had every right.

“Psychopath,” she hissed against his lips.

“Coming from you, that means a lot.”

Anabella struggled again but then she knew she couldn’t overpower him like this so she softened for half a second, just enough to fake surrender and Reed loosened his grip.

Big mistake.

Her knee drove straight into his groin hard enough to force a curse out of him before she twisted free instantly, grabbed his arm and slammed him straight onto the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath him.

Nyx screamed in excitement.

"YES. BREAK HIM! Knee him again. Then maybe bite his stupid face. He’s strong as hell though… annoyingly your type."

Anabella barely got one solid hit in before Reed grabbed her waist mid-motion and flipped them both effortlessly.

The next second she was pinned beneath him instead, one wrist trapped above her head while his other hand gripped her thigh firmly, his body pressed heavily against hers while he grinned down at her like a complete lunatic.

“You know,” he said casually, slightly out of breath, “normal couples usually just hug.”

Anabella tried to knee him again but he pinned both legs instantly.

“Oh, absolutely not.”

Nyx sounded offended.

"Why is he so annoyingly strong?"

"Because unlike Alex, this one actually survives near us," Anabella replied coldly.

That seemed to please Nyx greatly but Anabella glared up at Reed.

“What do you want?”

Reed looked genuinely surprised by the question.

“You.”

“That answer alone should get you executed.”

“I came to take my future wife home.”

She stared at him flatly, blinked once, then stared again.

“You’re serious.”

“Very.”

Nyx burst into hysterical laughter.

"Oh goddess. He’s actually insane."

Reed nodded toward the estate casually.

“I already had everything prepared for the wedding kidnapping too. Routes, extraction teams, fake explosions, helicopter backup...”

“You planned what?”

“I was going to look very romantic doing it.”

Anabella looked genuinely disturbed now.

“You need professional help.”

“I had custom rings made.”

“You were planning a felony.”

“I was planning marriage with my love.”

“That’s somehow worse.”

Reed grinned.

“You ruined everything, by the way. Do you know how difficult it is organizing a dramatic wedding kidnapping for you?”

Anabella stared up at him, expression ice-flat. “I would rather die than marry you.”

Reed’s grin widened, unhinged and delighted.

“That’s what you said some years ago too. Then you let me fuck you in the back of my car for five hours. Memory’s selective when you’re mad, Bella.”

Ivy howled with laughter. "He’s not wrong. But still an idiot. Tell him we’ll skin him next time."

Anabella exhaled slowly, calculating.

Reed Draven wasn’t just any alpha, he's an underground king of territories he built himself, Shadowfang ally when it suited him, and the only man alive so far who could match her power and still treat her like a game he enjoyed losing on purpose.

Reed Draven was a dangerous psychopath, playful and completely insane.

She met his eyes, voice low and venomous.

“The next time you say shit without permission, I won’t stop at a knee. I’ll carve my name into your chest so every woman who looks at you knows exactly who owns the corpse.”

Reed laughed again leaning closer until his breath brushed her lips. “There she is. My favorite monster.”