**
The night had passed in restless turmoil for both Julie and Lucas. In his grand mansion, Lucas sat at his office desk, the weight of the world pressing down on him. He gripped his glass of wine tightly, the red liquid swirling inside, its sharpness doing little to ease his nerves. He couldn't stop thinking about Julie—how her eyes had haunted him, how her scent lingered in his memory, how his every instinct screamed to be near her, to claim her. The words he had spoken earlier that night—"You belong to me"—were meant to control her, to push her away, but all he wanted to do was pull her close. The very thought of her lips, slightly parted, had him gripping the glass harder, willing himself not to give in. He was the crown prince, the future ruler of a powerful vampire kingdom. He couldn't afford to appear weak. But Julie, with her confusion and the way her presence had unsettled him, was slowly breaking through his defenses.
On the other side of town, in her modest dorm room, Julie tossed and turned in her bed, unable to find comfort in sleep. Her mind raced through the events of the previous night. Lucas' unpredictable behavior left her in a state of turmoil. One moment, he claimed her, the next, he pushed her away. His words echoed in her mind: *"You belong to me."* The intensity of his gaze when he said those words sent a shiver down her spine. She wanted to dismiss it as some kind of joke or prank, but deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was truth in his words. That blue-eyed stranger, the one who saved her, had been someone she couldn't ignore, even if she tried.
She lay there, unable to sleep, the confusion eating at her. By the time sleep finally claimed her, it was already morning, and she had only managed to sleep for a few hours. She groggily woke to the sound of her alarm blaring, pulling herself from the warmth of her blankets with reluctance. Her mind was foggy, and the lack of rest only made it worse.
Julie groggily checked her phone, seeing a flood of messages in the WhatsApp group she shared with Misha, Rebecca, Nathan, and Samuel. She couldn't bring herself to read them all, so she sent a quick "Good morning" in the group and pushed herself to get ready. Today was important. She would finally learn the results of her part-time job application at the university library.
After getting ready, Julie grabbed her things and headed out of the dorm. As she walked, her thoughts drifted back to Lucas, wondering if he was truly done with her—or if she was just caught in his game. She could feel her heart race every time she thought about his proximity, the tension in his gaze when he looked at her. His silence was maddening. Why couldn't he just explain himself?
Minutes later, Julie and Rebecca entered their classroom. Misha was running late, as usual, but it wasn't her that caught Julie's attention. It was the tall figure who followed behind her. Lucas entered the room with his usual commanding presence, his eyes scanning the students before settling on Julie. He walked confidently toward the back of the room, where a student was sitting in the chair behind Julie. One glance from Lucas was all it took for the student to scramble out of the seat, leaving the chair open for him. Julie's stomach churned, her body tense as Lucas slid into the seat behind her, his presence overpowering.
She couldn't focus on the lecture. His eyes burned into the back of her neck, making every part of her skin feel alive, aware of his gaze. The moment she thought she had managed to ignore him, she felt the weight of his stare again, his intensity never wavering.
The professor's voice broke through her haze, announcing the assignment for the class. The students were instructed to form pairs to complete the project, and the list of assigned pairs would be shared on the class WhatsApp group. As soon as the class ended, Julie rushed to gather her things, desperate to escape the suffocating tension. She had to get out of there before Lucas cornered her again.
The moment she and Rebecca stepped out of the classroom, Julie breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. Just as they approached the entrance to the cafeteria, Julie's phone buzzed. She glanced down to see a text from Mrs. Harper, the head librarian.
*"Julie, please stop by the library as soon as you can. I have some news for you regarding your application."*
Her heart skipped a beat. She had almost forgotten about the job, but now that it was front and center again, her nerves kicked in. "I need to head to the library first," she said to Rebecca, trying to keep her voice steady. "You go ahead and grab a table. I'll catch up with you soon."
Rebecca gave her a curious look but nodded. "Alright, see you soon."
Julie made her way to the library, her mind racing. The building was quiet, a sanctuary of sorts, with shelves of books stretching all around her. As she walked in, she saw Mrs. Harper standing behind the counter, a warm smile on her face.
"Julie!" Mrs. Harper greeted. "I'm glad you stopped by."
Julie smiled nervously, stepping up to the counter. "Hi, Mrs. Harper. What's the news?"
Mrs. Harper glanced around to make sure they were alone before leaning forward slightly. "Well, after reviewing your application and the interview, we're happy to offer you the position."
Julie's heart leaped in her chest. "Wait—so I got the job?"
"Yes, you did," Mrs. Harper confirmed with a smile. "You'll be assisting with organizing the archives and helping students with their research. We're excited to have you on board. You can start next Monday."
Julie's mind swirled. She had done it. She had gotten the job. A sense of relief washed over her, but it was quickly replaced by a wave of nervous energy. This was a big step for her, and she had no idea what to expect. "Thank you so much," Julie said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "I really appreciate the opportunity."
"You've earned it, Julie," Mrs. Harper said warmly. "We'll send you the details on Monday. You're all set."
After another quick exchange of pleasantries, Julie left the library, her thoughts spinning with excitement and anxiety. She still couldn't shake the image of Lucas from her mind—his intense gaze, his unsettling presence. She had to see him again, but was she ready for whatever that would bring?
Her phone buzzed again as she was about to head out, and she looked down at the screen. It was a message from the principal's assistant.
*"Julie, the principal would like to speak with you. Please come to his office immediately."*
Her stomach dropped. Why would the principal want to see her now? Was something wrong?
She hurried over to the principal's office, her nerves creeping back up. The door to the principal's office was open, and she stepped inside, expecting to see just Principal parker. But there was someone else seated across from him. The man had a strong presence, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed, his suit impeccable. Julie immediately recognized him as Mr. Smith, a member of the university's board of directors.
"Julie, please, take a seat," Principal parker said, gesturing to the empty chair across from them.
Julie sat down cautiously, her eyes flickering between the principal and Mr. Smith. Something about this meeting felt different, but she wasn't sure why.
"Julie," Mr. Smith spoke, his voice smooth but serious, "I understand you've had a busy time settling into the university. I'm Mr. Smith, a member of the university's board of directors. I wanted to speak with you regarding an offer that was made to you on your first day here."
Julie blinked in surprise. "What offer?"
Principal parker leaned back in his chair, his hands folded calmly in front of him. "On your first day, we spoke briefly about the possibility of you having a guardian during your time here at the university. We understand that being an orphan has its challenges, and as part of the board, Mr. Smith has agreed to offer you his guardianship."
Julie's mind raced. She had already been informed about this, but hearing it again made the reality of it feel so much more… official. She glanced at Mr. Smith, who was watching her carefully.
"I know this might be overwhelming, Julie," Mr. Smith continued. "But the board believes that with my support, you'll be better equipped to handle your time at the university, especially with all the changes that are coming your way."
Julie swallowed, trying to process what he was saying. "But… why me? I didn't even ask for a guardian."
Mr. Smith smiled reassuringly. "It's not about what you asked for. It's about providing you with the right resources. The university wants to see you succeed, Julie. With my guardianship, I can help you navigate this new chapter in your life—whether that's helping you with academic opportunities, housing, or any personal matters that might come up. It's about ensuring you have the support you need to thrive."
Principal parker nodded in agreement. "And we believe it would be beneficial to have someone with experience guiding you, someone who understands the complexities of university life."
Julie sat back in her chair, her thoughts swirling. The offer was unexpected, but it made sense in some ways. She'd been managing on her own for so long. Maybe this would give her the stability she needed. But could she
trust Mr. Smith? Would this arrangement be too controlling?
"I… I'm not sure," Julie said softly. "I don't know if I'm ready for something like this."
"That's completely understandable," Mr. Smith said, his voice calm. "There's no rush, Julie. I'm just offering you the option. You can take your time to think about it. If you'd prefer, we can meet again in the future to discuss it further."
Julie took a deep breath. "I'll think about it. Thank you."
Mr. Smith smiled, standing up from his seat. "Of course. Take your time. We're here to support you."
Julie nodded and stood up as well, her mind still reeling. She had a lot to think about now—about her new job, the potential guardianship, and the confusing, magnetic pull she still felt toward Lucas. There were decisions ahead, and it felt like they were all piling up at once.
As she walked out of the principal's office, Julie couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to change forever.