Chapter 87

**ARIA**

Arriving at the community should have been a relief, but Austin was tense the entire time. He had no trust in Caedmon and made it painfully clear that he wanted me to come back with him to his pack. I refused. My place was here.

Rosalie, sensing the conflict, cast a protection spell on me to ensure Caedmon couldn’t harm me. She had been glued to my side ever since, determined to enforce her own magical security detail. But despite her best efforts, I somehow found myself alone with Caedmon in the library.

The scent of aged paper and ink surrounded me as I traced my fingers along the book spines, savoring the familiar quiet. Across from me, Caedmon lounged in a high-backed chair, his long fingers flipping through the pages of a book. His sharp eyes lifted occasionally, watching me with amused curiosity.

“I must admit,” he mused, setting his book down, “I didn’t expect you to have such good taste in literature. Most people these days prefer stories that require little thought.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And here I thought you vampires were supposed to be charming.”

He chuckled, tilting his head. “Ah, but I am. I just appreciate intelligence when I see it.”

Despite the tension surrounding his arrival, I found myself enjoying the conversation. Caedmon was well-read, and our discussion had flowed effortlessly from classic literature to philosophy. It was easy to forget—just for a moment—that I wasn’t supposed to trust him.

*“You shouldn’t be alone with him.”*

Adam’s voice cut through my mind sharply, his frustration palpable through our mindlink. My grip on the book tightened.

*“I have the protection spell*,” I reminded him. *“And I can take care of myself.”*

*“That’s not the point, Aria. You shouldn’t have stayed.”*

Before I could argue, the library doors swung open.

Adam strode in, his expression unreadable, but his gaze was locked onto Caedmon with thinly veiled distrust. The atmosphere shifted instantly, crackling with tension.

“Enjoying yourself?” Adam asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Caedmon smirked, entirely unfazed. “Very much so. Aria is a delight to converse with.”

Adam’s jaw tightened.

I sighed, closing my book. “It was just a conversation.”

Adam’s eyes met mine, and in them, I saw more than just frustration. There was worry, a protective instinct he couldn’t shut off no matter how capable I was.

I knew he wasn’t just being possessive. This wasn’t about control—it was about everything. The risks, the uncertainty, the ever-looming dangers that followed us wherever we went.

Still, as Caedmon’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying the rising tension, I had to wonder if maybe—just maybe—Adam had a point.

**ADAM**

I followed Aria into our apartment and slammed the door behind me, the sharp crack of wood against the frame barely easing the fire burning in my chest. My hands curled into fists at my sides, my whole body wound tight with frustration. I had held it together in front of Caedmon—kept my expression blank, my voice steady—but the moment we were alone, the mask shattered.

“What the hell were you thinking, Aria?” My voice came out rough, edged with the fury I had been suppressing.

She turned to face me, arms crossing over her chest, her chin lifting in defiance. I knew that look—it was the same one she always wore when she was convinced she was right, when she refused to back down. It only made my frustration mount.

"It was a conversation, Adam," she said, voice firm but not unkind. "I wasn’t in danger."

My jaw clenched. "You don’t know that."

Her brow furrowed. "Rosalie’s spell—"

"Rosalie’s spell won’t stop him from getting inside your head!" The words came out sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t stop them. "Vampires—especially old ones—don’t need brute force to get what they want. They use charm, manipulation. They make you believe they’re harmless while twisting your thoughts without you even realizing it."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I wasn’t exactly falling for his charms, Adam."

"That’s not the point!" I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling hard. I was coming undone, and I knew it, but I couldn't rein it in. "You shouldn’t have been alone with him. You shouldn’t have given him the chance."

She set her jaw, her stance unwavering. "So what, Adam? I should just avoid him completely? Treat him like some kind of caged animal?"

"If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then yes!" My voice was louder than I wanted, my emotions bubbling over, but I couldn’t stop them. The thought of her being vulnerable around Caedmon—of him getting even the slightest hold on her—twisted something primal inside me.

Silence fell between us, the tension thick enough to choke on. My pulse hammered in my ears, my breath coming too fast. I felt out of control, like I was still in the fight, my body coiled and ready to strike.

And underneath all the anger, there was something else.

Fear.

The raw, gnawing kind that dug into my bones and refused to let go.

I turned away from her, pressing my hands against the back of a chair, gripping it tight as if the solid wood could ground me. I needed a second to push back the darkness threatening to take over, the overwhelming need to protect her at all costs.

When I finally spoke, my voice was quieter, but no less intense.

"I can’t lose you, Aria." I forced myself to meet her eyes. "Not to him. Not to anyone."

Her stance softened. The fire in her gaze dimmed, replaced by something gentler. After a moment, she stepped closer, her hand pressing against my chest, right over my heart.

"You won’t," she whispered. "I promise."

The warmth of her touch, the steady thrum of her heartbeat, eased some of the tightness in my chest. Slowly, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

"You drive me insane," I muttered, shaking my head.

She smirked, her lips curving just slightly. "And yet, you still love me."

A short, breathy laugh escaped me. "Yeah," I admitted, pulling her into my arms. "I really do."

She tilted her head up, brushing her lips against mine in a silent truce, and just like that, the storm inside me settled. For now.