Evander's POV
"Are you alright?" I asked as I gently wrapped my hand around her shoulder. She flinched and stiffened at my touch! I couldn't tell if she was uncomfortable or just scared of me.
"I... I am fine," Claire muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to pull away. I tightened my hold to keep her close.
"Do not move." My voice came out cold and unyielding, no matter how hard I tried to soften it. Tenderness didn't come naturally to me; it felt foreign and uncomfortable. This was how I had been taught and raised.
Claire froze as if immobilized by fear. I could sense her uneasiness, but I set it aside for now but I couldn't focus on that right now. My gaze shifted to the man standing across from us, his face pale, his eyes wide as if he had just encountered a ghost.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded in a sharp voice.
