(Elena POV)
I should've stayed in my room.
That was my first mistake.
The second?
Thinking last night meant nothing.
Morning came too fast.
Too normal.
Too quiet.
Like the world hadn't almost fallen apart just hours ago.
I got dressed for school anyway.
If I stayed here, I'd lose my mind.
If I stayed here… I'd start thinking about him again.
And I didn't want that.
By the time I stepped into the living room, he was already there.
Of course.
Silas stood near the window, phone in hand, speaking in a low voice.
"…I don't care how long it takes. I want every name."
A pause.
Then colder—
"And when you find them… don't touch them."
Another pause.
"I will."
My stomach tightened.
I shouldn't have heard that.
But I did.
And something about it—
It wasn't just anger.
It was personal.
He ended the call and turned.
His eyes found me instantly.
Sharp.
Assessing.
"You're going somewhere."
Not a question.
"I have school."
"You're not going today."
I frowned.
"Excuse me?"
"It's not safe."
"I'm not skipping my life because someone tried something last night."
"They didn't try," he said, stepping closer. "They will try again."
"And I'm just supposed to hide?"
"Yes."
The answer came too fast.
Too firm.
Too… him.
I shook my head.
"No."
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
"You don't get to decide that for me."
His jaw tightened.
"And you don't get to put yourself in danger because you're too stubborn to listen."
"I'm not scared of them."
"You should be."
"I'm not."
His eyes darkened.
"Then be scared of me."
That stopped me.
My breath caught slightly.
Not because of fear.
Because of the way he said it.
Like a warning.
Not to hurt me—
But to make me understand.
"You're not keeping me here," I said, quieter now—but just as firm.
A long pause.
Then—
"Fine."
I blinked.
"What?"
"You'll go."
Suspicion hit immediately.
"And the catch?"
"You don't leave my sight."
My heart skipped.
"What?"
"You're not going anywhere without me."
"That's insane."
"That's happening."
The Car Ride
The tension in the car was unbearable.
Worse than last night.
Because now—
It wasn't fear.
It was something else.
Something that sat between us, unspoken and heavy.
"You don't trust me," I said, staring ahead.
"I don't trust anyone around you."
That was… different.
I turned slightly.
"And what about you?"
His gaze shifted to me briefly.
"You don't need to."
That didn't answer anything.
At School
The moment we stepped out—
Everything changed.
People stared.
Of course they did.
Silas didn't blend in.
He didn't try to.
He walked beside me like he owned the ground we were standing on.
And somehow—
No one came close.
No one even tried.
"I can go to class on my own," I muttered.
"No."
"You're not seriously going to follow me inside."
"I am."
I turned to him, frustrated.
"This is ridiculous."
"What's ridiculous," he said quietly, stepping closer, "is thinking I'd let you out of my sight after last night."
My breath caught.
Again.
God, this was getting annoying.
The Threat
It happened fast.
Too fast.
One second, everything was normal.
The next—
Silas went still.
That same stillness from the club.
Dangerous.
Deadly.
"What?" I whispered.
"Don't turn around," he said quietly.
So of course—
I did.
Big mistake.
A man stood near the entrance.
Watching.
Not a student.
Not a teacher.
And the moment our eyes met—
He moved.
Fast.
My heart jumped—
But before I could react—
Silas stepped in front of me.
Blocking.
Completely.
I didn't even see him move.
One second he was beside me—
The next—
A wall.
A shield.
A warning.
"Run," he said under his breath.
"I'm not leaving—"
"Elena."
The way he said my name—
Sharp.
Commanding.
Terrifying.
I froze.
The man lunged—
And everything snapped.
Silas moved first.
Always first.
A blur of motion.
Controlled.
Violent.
Efficient.
The man didn't stand a chance.
Within seconds, he was on the ground.
Not moving.
My hands trembled.
Again.
But this time—
Not just from fear.
From realization.
Silas turned to me slowly.
His chest rising and falling.
His eyes—
Dark.
Not calm anymore.
Not controlled.
Raging.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head quickly.
"No."
He stepped closer.
Too close.
His hands hovered near me—
Like he wanted to check.
Touch.
Make sure.
But he didn't.
His jaw tightened instead.
"You're done arguing with me," he said quietly.
I blinked.
"What?"
"You don't walk alone. You don't go anywhere without security. You don't—" his voice dropped slightly, "—put yourself in a position where I have to see that again."
Something in my chest shifted.
"You don't get to control me just because—"
"Because what?" he cut in, stepping closer.
"Because I almost lost you?"
My breath caught.
That—
That wasn't what I expected.
Silence.
Heavy.
Then softer—
"I won't let that happen again."
The way he said it—
Wasn't a promise.
It was a vow.
Later — Back at the Penthouse
The tension followed us home.
It didn't fade.
Didn't ease.
If anything—
It grew.
"You're not leaving again without telling me," he said.
"That's not your decision—"
"It is."
I stepped closer this time.
Not backing down.
"Why?" I demanded. "Why do you care so much?"
Silence.
For a second—
He didn't answer.
Then—
"Because they don't get to touch what's mine."
The words hit hard.
Too hard.
"I'm not yours."
A pause.
Then he stepped closer.
Slow.
Intentional.
"Maybe not," he said quietly.
"But you're under my protection."
His hand lifted—
Hovering near my face—
Not touching.
But close enough that I felt it.
"And I don't lose what I protect."
My breath caught.
Again.
Always him.
For a moment—
We just stood there.
Too close.
Too aware.
Too much.
Then he stepped back.
Breaking it.
Like he always did.
"Get some rest," he said.
And just like that—
The moment was gone.
But not really.
Because later that night—
As I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling—
I couldn't stop thinking about one thing.
Not the danger.
Not the attack.
Not even Valentina.
Just him.
And the way he said it.
I won't let that happen again.
And for the first time—
I believed him.