Owned by the triplet のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

​Alaric had dropped me off at my dorm earlier that evening. He had been surprisingly gentle after our talk, making sure I was tucked in before he left. I managed to sleep for a few hours, but I woke up at midnight feeling like my skin was too tight for my body. My head was spinning with thoughts of the three of them.​I needed to clear my head. I walked into the small communal bathroom down the hall, thankful it was empty at this hour. I let the cold water run over my body for a long time, trying to wash away the scent of sandalwood and the feeling of being watched.​When I finished, I wrapped a thin white towel around myself and walked back to my room. I stepped inside and locked the door, leaning my back against the wood. I just wanted one night of peace.​"You’ve been making it very hard to find you, Elena."​I screamed, my hand flying to my chest. Killian was sitting in my desk chair, his heavy boots propped up on my bed. He was wearing his leather vest, and

​I found a corner in the back of the third-floor library, tucked away in a cubicle that smelled like old paper and dust. I needed to focus. My law textbooks were open, but the words were blurring together. Every time I blinked, I saw Silas’s cold eyes or felt the ghost of Killian’s hands on my skin.​I was a mess, and my grades were paying for it. I forced myself to write a few lines about contract law, trying to drown out the guilt. I had been hiding for a week, and the weight of it was crushing me.​"Focus, Elena. Just focus," I whispered to myself.​I reached for my highlighter, and that’s when I felt it. That prickling sensation on the back of my neck that told me I wasn't alone. I slowly looked up, peering over the edge of the cubicle.​Across the room, standing near a shelf of thick legal encyclopedias, was a man. He wasn't a student. He was much older, maybe in his fifties, wearing a sharp grey suit that looked like it cost more than my tuition. He wasn't

The drive felt like it lasted forever. As soon as we left the city limits, the streetlights disappeared, replaced by the thick, oppressive darkness of the forest. The only thing I could see was the stretch of road illuminated by the car’s headlights. Alaric didn't say much. He kept his eyes on the road, but his presence filled the small space of the car, heavy and suffocating.After about twenty minutes of silence, Alaric reached over. He didn't look at me, but he rested his large, warm hand on my thigh. His thumb brushed against my skin through my jeans, a slow, possessive movement. I should have pushed him away. I should have been angry. But the heat of his palm was the only thing keeping me from shaking apart."We’re almost there," he said. his voice was low, vibrating through the car."Why is it so far away?" I asked, staring out at the trees. "What are you hiding out here?""Privacy, Elena. Safety," he answered. "The world is a loud place. We prefer the quiet."

​The stone walls of the estate felt like they were closing in on me. After the slaughter outside, Alaric had carried me back into the house. I hadn't fought him. I didn't have the strength. I just sat on the edge of a massive four-poster bed in a room that looked like it belonged in a castle, watching the three of them.​They had cleaned up. They were dressed in soft, expensive lounge clothes now, but it didn't matter. I could still see the beasts under their skin. I could still smell the copper tang of blood in the air.​"Drink this," Alaric said, handing me a glass of water.​I ignored it. I looked at the three of them standing near the fireplace. "What am I doing here? Why won't you let me go home?"​"You don't have a home anymore, Elena," Silas said. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. "Marcus cleared out your dorm room before he led the Fangs here. Your life as a student is over."​"Because of you!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Everything wa

​The sunlight was too bright. It poured through the gaps in the heavy curtains, mocking me. I had spent the entire night huddled in a chair by the window, staring at the door. I didn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the sound of bones snapping and saw the silver beast tearing the throat out of that man.​The lock clicked. It was a heavy, final sound. I stiffened, my fingers digging into the velvet fabric of the chair. The door swung open, and all three of them walked in. They didn't look like monsters now. They looked like the men I had met—the professor, the businessman, and the biker. But I knew better.​Silas was leading the way, carrying a silver tray. The smell of fried eggs and buttered toast filled the room, and for a second, my stomach growled. I hated it. I hated that my body still wanted to live while my mind was screaming.​"Good morning, Elena," Silas said. He sounded so normal. So polite. He set the tray down on a small table near my chair.