Chapter seven
Trust and Betrayal
Lena's POV
Tobin and I hadn't said much, both of us still processing the threat Darius had left hanging over us. His words replayed in my head, his cold promise that he knew my value. But what did that even mean? And what was his game?
Tobin seemed different this morning, quiet, like he was trying to piece things together. I could see the worry on his face. He'd always been protective of me, and now, with Darius's warning hanging over us, I could tell he was worried.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the exhaustion. The last thing I needed was for Tobin to get more involved than he already was.
"Tobin," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt. "You don't need to worry about me. I can handle this. You should go. It's better that way."
His brow furrowed, and he stared at me like I had lost my mind. "What do you mean, go? You're telling me to leave after that guy showed up at your door last night?" He shook his head, his voice softer. "Lena, this is too much. You can't deal with this on your own."
I felt my chest tighten, my stomach knotting. I hated doing this to him. But he didn't understand. He couldn't.
"I'm fine," I lied, even though the words tasted bitter in my mouth. "Really. Just... go back to your life. I don't want you getting hurt because of me."
He crossed his arms, looking at me with the kind of disbelief I couldn't handle right now. I didn't know what else to say to make him leave. The truth was, I didn't want him involved, not when I didn't even know what was going on myself.
"Lena, you're not fine. You can't just brush this off. Something's going on here. I can't just turn my back on you," he said, his voice thick with concern.
I closed my eyes, trying to hold it together. "Tobin, please. Just go."
There was a long pause, then a heavy sigh. He turned toward the door, but not without one last look at me. "I'm not leaving for good, Lena. You know where to find me."
With that, he walked out, and the door clicked shut behind him.
I stood there for a moment, the silence pressing in around me. I didn't want him to leave. But I couldn't let him stay. He didn't deserve to be pulled into this mess. I had to deal with it myself.
I looked at the empty space where he'd stood, my heart sinking. I wasn't alone, but in a way, I was. I needed to find Asher. I had to know he was okay. I couldn't just sit here, waiting, wondering.
I pushed the door open and stepped into the streets, walking quickly, my mind racing. I searched every block, every alley, every place I thought he might be. But there was no sign of him. No sign of the big black dog, no sign of the man who'd fought for me the night before. It felt like he had vanished.
I kept walking, the streets becoming emptier as the hours passed. The feeling of being lost, of not knowing where to go, started to swallow me up. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest, but it wouldn't go away. I wanted to call out to him, to find him and know he was okay. But I had no idea where to look.
By the time I came back to my apartment, the sun had dipped low, and the night was creeping in. I barely had the energy to make it up the stairs. My feet were sore, and my mind was foggy from searching all day. But as soon as I opened the door, my heart stopped.
Asher was standing there in the middle of the room. Not as a dog this time. He was fully human.
My breath hitched as I took in the sight of him. His dark hair was messy, falling in his face like he'd just woken up. His clothes were the same as the night before, but the way he stood—his posture was different, more controlled, more… human. There was something more to him now, something strange.
"Asher?" My voice came out a little shaky.
He turned to face me, and his eyes locked with mine. They were the same eyes, the same deep blue, but they were colder now. As if everything he was had changed in a moment.
"You're not gonna understand all of this yet," he said, his voice low and rough, like it was laced with secrets. "But I'll help you. You'll understand soon."
I stepped back, my mind whirling. "What do you mean? Where have you been? Why—why are you—what is all of this?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. "I don't have time to explain everything. You'll learn everything soon, Lena. But right now, I need you to focus. You need to learn how to protect yourself."
I watched Asher, still processing the weight of his words. He let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his messy hair, like he was trying to figure out how to say something important. I waited, the silence between us thick and heavy. Then, he turned his gaze to me, and for a moment, the world felt like it was on pause. His eyes were intense, not just cold, but full of something I couldn't quite place. It made my heart beat faster.
"I don't have time to explain everything right now," he said, his voice low but urgent. "But soon, you'll understand. You'll have to, Lena." He looked at me, his jaw tight, like he was fighting to keep something inside. "Right now, we have to focus. You need to learn how to protect yourself. People will come for you, and I need you to be ready."
His words hit me like a punch to the stomach. It felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, like things were out of my control. "Okay," I said quickly, trying to steady myself. "I'll learn. I'll do whatever it takes."
Asher didn't respond right away. He just stood there for a second, staring at me, his eyes softening but still so full of tension. His gaze was intense—like he was looking at something deep inside me. Then he spoke again, quieter this time, almost like he was talking to himself. "You saved my life back there. If you hadn't acted like you did… I don't know what would've happened to me."
I froze. I hadn't expected him to say that. My throat tightened, and I didn't know how to respond. "I—I didn't do anything special," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "I just... I just did what I had to."
Asher shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine. "No, Lena. You didn't just act. You protected me. You fought for me when I couldn't even protect myself." He paused, his voice almost softer now, but the words still felt heavy, like they carried more meaning than I could fully understand. "I'm grateful. More than you know."
Grateful? The word hung in the air, and I wasn't sure how to handle it. I never expected Asher to thank me. I'd always seen him as this distant, almost untouchable person. But now... now I wasn't sure what to think.
I swallowed hard, the feeling of his words washing over me, mixing with the confusion I already felt. "I didn't expect you to... I mean, I didn't think I'd be the one saving you," I said, my voice softer than I meant it to be.
Asher's lips twitched into a small, tight smile. It wasn't much, but it made my chest tighten in a way I didn't understand. "I didn't either," he replied quietly, the moment almost too intimate. He took a step back, putting some distance between us, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at the space he created. But he had to break the moment. He always did.
His eyes hardened, and his voice turned serious again. "You've done more than you realize. And now... we need to keep moving forward. I can't protect you unless you understand how to protect yourself."
I nodded, though a knot twisted in my stomach. Protect myself? How could I protect myself when I didn't even know what I was up against? The weird connection with him, the strange mark on my wrist, the feeling that something was shifting inside me—it all felt like too much. Too fast.
"I'm ready," I said, my voice a little quieter than I wanted it to be. "I'll do whatever it takes."
For a moment, Asher just looked at me, his gaze softening, and there was something in his eyes I couldn't ignore. It made my heart skip a beat, and I had to look away for a second to steady myself. But when I looked back, he was still watching me closely.
I stared at him, trying to make sense of his words. "I don't even know what I'm protecting myself from," I said, my voice cracking.
His eyes softened for a moment, but only for a second. "From everything. From them. You're more than you think you are, Lena. You're part of something bigger than you realize. I'm here to help you learn how to survive it."
I took a deep breath, trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying. "And you're gonna teach me how?"
Asher gave a small nod, but his gaze was intense. "Yes. But it won't be easy. You'll have to learn quickly. I'll teach you survival tactics. Things you'll need to know if you want to stay alive."
I felt a flicker of hope at his words, but it was quickly followed by doubt. "You've been hiding things from me, Asher. What aren't you telling me?"
He hesitated, his jaw tightening. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm trying to keep you safe. But we don't have time for everything right now. You'll understand soon enough."
Before I could ask him anything else, the door to my apartment creaked open again. My stomach twisted when I saw who it was.
Nora Cain.
She walked in like she owned the place, her eyes scanning the room before landing on me. Her smile was all sharp edges, like a wolf watching a rabbit.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness that didn't match her eyes. "Looks like you're making new friends."
Asher tensed immediately, his body going still, every muscle in him locking up at the sight of her. I could see the change in him—his expression darkened. "What are you doing here, Nora?" His voice was a growl now.
She took a few steps forward, glancing between Asher and me, her smile widening. "Oh, nothing much. Just checking on Lena. Making sure she's still useful."
I swallowed hard, trying to understand what was going on. "Useful for what?" My voice was barely a whisper.
Nora's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "You're a pawn, Lena. You've always been a pawn. The moment they marked you, they decided your fate."
A cold chill ran down my spine. A pawn? What did that mean? What had I gotten myself into?
Asher's fists clenched at his sides, his face tight with anger. "You need to leave, Nora. This isn't your fight."
But Nora just laughed, a low, mocking sound that sent a shiver through me. "Oh, it is. You'll see soon enough, Asher. When this is all over, you'll realize just how much of a pawn you really are, Lena."
My heart started to race. I didn't know what to think, who to trust. Asher's words had felt real, but Nora's smile—her words—sounded like a warning.
Asher was trying to protect me, but from what? And who was Nora working for?
I was more lost than ever.