MILLIE BROWN

Immediately, I sense his presence. A jolt of electricity courses through my body, making me feel like I'm burning from the inside out. Instinctively, I turn to run, but Caelum grabs my arm, holding me back.

"It's too late. You can't run. He'll sense you."

"He can't see me!" I protest, panic rising.

"I know," Caelum replies calmly, his eyes darkening. He starts unbuttoning his shirt. "Do you trust me?" he asks, now fumbling with his trousers.

"What?" I manage to stammer, completely taken aback. But he doesn't wait for my response. He yanks down his trousers, pulls me toward the water, and leaps in.

I'm still in shock, the words caught in my throat. Before I can question him, he pulls me close and presses a soft kiss to my lips, so brief and innocent that I barely process it. My cheeks flush, probably as red as tomatoes, as he pulls away.

"Why did you do that?" I whisper, but instead of answering, he abruptly pushes my head under the water. My first instinct is to fight—I can't breathe! I'm going to drown!

"Breathe," I hear his voice in my mind, calm and steady. Hesitantly, I take a breath. To my surprise, I don't feel like I'm suffocating. I can breathe underwater, just like he said.

The door bursts open, and I instinctively sink further into the tub, trying to make myself as invisible as possible. Caelum leans back against the edge of the bath, his demeanor entirely relaxed, and turns to face Shane, who has entered with someone I don't recognize.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Caelum asks, maintaining his cool composure.

"I went to your shop first and it was closed. I thought maybe you'd finally embraced death," Shane's voice booms, sending a jolt of fear through me.

"You're too involved in my business. Shouldn't you be focusing on your mating ceremony?" Caelum retorts.

"And now who's in whose business?" Shane fires back, not ready to back down. He signals to the man beside him, who nods and exits the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"This isn't a casual visit, is it?" Caelum sighs, sinking deeper into the water. My eyes unintentionally flick toward his crotch before I quickly look away, my face heating up in embarrassment. "What do you want, Shane?"

"I need your help."

"Personal?" Caelum raises an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Then the answer is no. I told you the last time was it. Now leave."

"Leave?" Shane repeats, his voice tinged with mockery. "In case you forgot, this is my house, in my city. You can't order me around."

Caelum waves a hand lazily, and Shane's voice booms out again from nowhere, repeating words he'd spoken earlier.

"'This is your house now. You can use it for however long you decide to stay in Lupinmere.'"

"You recorded me?" Shane asks, amused.

"You have a habit of going back on your word."

"Touché." Shane shrugs, conceding the point. Then his tone shifts. "She's here in Lupinmere," he says, cutting Caelum off. My heart jumps into my throat, and I have to stifle a gasp. Shane walks over to the tree, plucking one of the petals from the branches, twirling it between his fingers.

"Who?" Caelum asks, feigning ignorance.

"The Isilaven stone you gave me broke in half. She must've used one half to open a portal, and now she's here. I saw her in the city square right before she vanished. She hasn't returned to Allister, and I can't find her anywhere else." Shane pauses, studying Caelum's reaction. "How is that possible? A mere human? Evading detection for this long? I told you there was something strange about her from the beginning. She could see me after I drank your potion when no one else could."

He smirks, his tone turning darker. "That brief contact we had... it sent more electricity down my spine than anything I've felt with Leah. I'm losing my mind with how much I want her."

My heart races, and I bite down hard on my lip. Why are Shane's words enough to unravel me like this?

"Leah is your mate."

"I know that," Shane replies, his voice tense.

"In my head, I know that better than anyone. But right now, all I care about is finding Millie. The funny thing is, I don't even know what I'll do if I see her standing in front of me, but still, I need to see her. I want her in my arms, in my presence." Shane's wild eyes reflect the depth of his obsession.

"I thought the enchantment would break once that witch Esme died, but I think Millie is the key to everything."

Did he just call my mum a witch? The audacity to speak her name after he murdered her in cold blood. My blood boils, and a growl escapes my lips. If I could just do what I did earlier, I'd leap out of this water and tear him apart, limb from limb, and hang his head for all to see in this so-called beloved town of his. Where is this violent urge coming from? I used to be a pacifist before all of this.

"He'd kill you before you even get close," Caelum whispers in my mind. "Shane's an Alpha, that may not mean much to you, but in this world, that means he's practically untouchable." Tears burn in my eyes, knowing he's right. I can already sense Shane's overwhelming power from here, a force I stand no chance against.

"Caelum, are you listening?" Shane shakes him, pulling Caelum from his thoughts.

"I think you're overthinking this," Caelum says nonchalantly. "There are humans with high spirituality who manifest magical pulses. Maybe she's just one of those lucky few, and your obsession is nothing but pre-mating jitters."

"I like my theory better," Shane counters, a wicked grin on his face. "Millie is the key to everything. That's why I need your help. You're going to look into that magical crystal ball of yours and find her."

"No way. The crystal is a sacred Fae tool, and I'm not using it to help you stalk a girl," Caelum mocks. "Besides, can you blame her for hiding from you? I mean, you did murder her mother, and stalk her for years."

"Stalk her?" Shane smirks. "That's a big word."

"What would you call it then?"

"Watching... from afar... while she's oblivious," Shane muses, clearly amused. Caelum stares at him with a mixture of disgust and disappointment. Years? Shane stalked me for only two weeks. Could they be talking about someone else?

"So... stalking," Caelum repeats, unimpressed.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Fine, but I need something of hers to establish the connection," Caelum agrees. My heart sinks—he's really going to help him?

"I'll find something," Shane mutters, almost embarrassed.

"Weirdo," Caelum quips.

"You know you're the only one in all of Lupinmere who can get away with calling me names. People have died for less."

"Happy to be of service," Caelum teases, and Shane laughs as he heads toward the door.

Halfway there, Shane stops. "The farmers wanted me to pass on their thanks. Your elixir helped produce top-quality crops. I guess Faes really are in tune with nature."

"Glad I could help."

"You should come to the Moon Harvest. Take credit for your work."

"I told you, I'm not interested in attention."

"I know, just checking if you changed your mind." Shane's aura spikes, a warning.

"Why would I?" Caelum replies, his expression unchanging.

"The mind can be fickle." Shane crushes the petal he's been holding. "I hear she was spotted near your shop. You wouldn't be hiding her, would you? After all, you and Esme served on the royal court together." His words drip with suspicion.

"Are you accusing me of something?" Caelum asks, standing firm.

Shane laughs again, though this time there's an edge to it. "Relax, Caelum. I'm just messing with you. I know you're smarter than to double-cross me." He finally exits, though his lingering suspicion is palpable.

As soon as the door closes, Caelum exhales deeply, and I leap out of the water, unable to hold back any longer.

"What did he mean by that? You served on the royal court with my mother? Was she involved in this world too? Is that why he killed her?" My mind races, and memories from our walk, that night on the beach, flood back like a film reel playing in fast-forward.

How could I have forgotten something so important?

"What did you do to me?" I scream, backing away from him in horror. "You must have messed with my memory. You monster!"

Caelum moves quickly, grabbing my hand and chanting something under his breath. Panic surges through me. "No! Let go of me!" I scream, feeling my body grow weaker. My limbs go limp as I slip in and out of consciousness, the world fading around me.

"Why are you doing this?" I manage to ask in a weak, fading voice.

"It's for your own good," he whispers, and finally, everything goes dark.