Page 33 of Bitten, Marked, Obsessed

Later that night, I’m back home.

And of course, because the universe loves drama, Stefan shows up.

He knocks, and I freeze halfway down the hall, still sweaty from training and barely able to stand up straight.

I consider pretending I’m not home. But he knocks again—louder.

I open the door with a weak smile.

“Hey,” he says, stepping in. “You look like you got hit by a bus.”

“You’re just full of compliments lately.”

“I mean—you’re still hot. But like, hot in a concerning way.”

I force a laugh. “Been running. Trying to stay in shape. You know. Stay distracted.”

He squints. “In combat boots?”

I glance down. Damn. “It’s part of the training. Resistance, or whatever.”

He studies me too closely. I always hated when he did that, but now? Now it feels like he’s searching for cracks in my mask instead of trying toseeme.

His dark hair falls into his eyes a little as he tilts his head. Blue eyes, clear but cautious, scan my face. He's leaner than Callum, built like a swimmer—not a fighter—but there's always been something steady about him. Like he was born into the role of protector and never asked why.

“You’ve been off lately.”

“I’m just tired.”

“Is it your dad? Adora?”

“Yes.”All of it.

He doesn’t buy it. Not fully, but he lets it go.

We sit in silence for a minute.

He touches my hand. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”

My throat tightens. “Of course.”

Lie. Big, stupid, necessary lie. Because if I told him the truth? That I’m turning into the exact kind of creature that ripped his parents to pieces? He’d never look at me the same again.

He’d run.

So I smile instead.

And try to remember what normal felt like. Whether it’s for his sake or mine, I’m not entirely sure.

14

CALLUM

The tunnels are very still tonight. No rats. No wind. No ghosts pacing behind old brick. Just the buzz of tension sitting heavy in my chest like smoke with nowhere to go.

I get there first. It doesn’t take long for Edmund to arrive next, but I can feel she’s not with him.

We stand in silence for a few minutes. Then she arrives.

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