Elowen's POV

I blinked awake, confusion washing over me like a cold wave. The dim light filtering through the curtains was gentle, yet it stung my eyes. My body felt heavy, as though I'd been sleeping for days, and a deep ache pulsed through my limbs. I tried to move, but a blanket weighed me down, wrapping around me like a shroud. Panic surged as I instinctively pulled away, my heart racing.

Where am I?

The memories flooded back: the chase through the forest, the confrontation, the way I had felt their anger like a storm swirling around me. I gasped, the sound catching in my throat, and a familiar dread settled in my chest. I pushed myself into a sitting position, taking in my surroundings. The room was unfamiliar, softly lit with muted colors.

My breath quickened. I was in a bedroom, the sheets soft and inviting, but everything felt wrong. I could hear muffled voices outside the door, deep and tense, but they carried a strange undertone of worry.

I was terrified. I couldn't let them see how scared I was.

Instinctively, I curled up tighter under the blanket, wrapping it around me like armor. My heart hammered against my ribcage as I strained to listen, trying to decipher the conversation happening just beyond my reach.

"I'm telling you, she needs to rest!" a voice I recognized as Zephyr's snapped, rough with frustration.

"I know that, but we can't just let her be on her own, we need to check on her to make sure she's fine," Zander shot back, his tone equally heated. "We have to show her that she's safe here—"

"Safe?" Zephyr interrupted, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Safe? You really think she feels safe after everything? Look at what we did to her!"

My heart raced faster at their words. They were arguing about me. I wanted to scream, to lash out, to demand answers, but all I could do was sit there, frozen under the weight of the blanket and my fear.

"Fuck," Zander growled, the frustration palpable. "We were trying to protect her! Can't you see that? If she doesn't understand that she's ours, we'll lose her for good."

A sharp pain cut through my chest. Ours? Did they really think they could claim me like some possession? The anger swelled inside me, but fear kept me silent. I didn't want to face them. Not yet.

The door creaked open, and my breath hitched in my throat. I held my breath as they stepped inside, their presence overwhelming the room. They looked different, each one of them. There was an edge of worry etched into Zephyr's features, a rigid tension in Zander's stance, and Lysander... I couldn't read him.

He stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, but his eyes were dark pools of concern. I shrank back, feeling the urge to retreat into the blankets. My heart raced as I remembered the last time we'd been together—how they had loomed over me, all anger and intensity.

"Is she awake?" Zander asked, urgency coloring his tone.

"No, not yet," Zephyr replied, his voice softer now, but still tense. "Just give her a minute."

They approached cautiously, and I could feel the air thickening with unspoken words. I wanted to scream at them to leave me alone, but I remained silent, caught between the instinct to flee and the desperate need for safety.

Zander stepped closer, his gaze fixed on me. "Elowen?" His voice was gentle, an unfamiliar tone that made me wary. "Can you hear me?"

I nodded slowly, feeling exposed under their scrutiny. The tension in the room shifted, and I could sense their unease. They were afraid.

"Good," Zander said, his voice steadying, but there was a tremor beneath it. "You scared the shit out of us."

I flinched at his words, a reflexive action that caused a sharp pang in my chest. I wanted to respond, to argue, but all I could manage was a shaky breath.

Zephyr moved closer, kneeling beside the bed, his eyes wide with concern. "How do you feel? Are you okay?" His voice was softer now, a gentle caress that contrasted with the earlier harshness.

"Why did you bring me here?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. It trembled with uncertainty, and I fought against the tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

"We did it to protect you," Zander said quickly, his tone insistent. "You need to understand that we're not your enemies. We just want to keep you safe, with us."

Safe. The word echoed in my mind like a cruel joke. How could I feel safe with them when every interaction had felt like a threat? I was terrified, and it was suffocating.

"Please don't," I said, my voice breaking. "Just... just don't hurt me."

They exchanged glances, and the atmosphere shifted. The tension morphed into something heavier, filled with regret and frustration. It was clear they weren't prepared for my fear.

"Goddammit," Zephyr muttered, running a hand through his hair. "We never wanted this for you. We thought..." He faltered, his gaze dropping to the floor. "We thought we were doing the right thing."

"You thought?" I echoed, my voice rising with anger. "You thought it was okay to treat me like some... some animal? Like I didn't have a choice?"

"Stop it, Elowen," Zander snapped, his fists clenched. "We didn't mean to push you that far. But you have to understand, we're not going to let you run away again."

"I don't care!" I shouted, my voice filled with a mix of fear and rage. "You can't just control me! I'm not yours!"

Their expressions hardened, but I could see the pain in their eyes. It was there, raw and vulnerable. They were trying to hold their ground, but something was breaking beneath the surface.

"Look at us," Zephyr said, his voice tight. "We're not the bad guys here. We're trying to protect what's ours. We just... we don't know how to do it without scaring you."

My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I could see their anguish, but I was still afraid. "What if I can't trust you?" I whispered, feeling small and vulnerable beneath their gaze.

"You can," Lysander finally spoke, his voice deep and steady. He stepped forward, and I could feel his presence overwhelming the space. "We'll prove it to you. We'll show you that we care. Just give us a chance."

A chance. The word hung in the air, heavy with meaning. But could I really trust them? Could I allow myself to be vulnerable when I had felt their wrath before?

"Just... just don't come too close," I said, my voice trembling. "I can't... I need space."

Their expressions shifted, a mix of hurt and understanding washing over them. "We'll respect that," Zander said, his voice softer now. "We'll give you space, but we're not leaving you alone."

I nodded, tears blurring my vision as they began to fuss around me, their movements careful and tentative. They brought water, their hands gentle as they raised the glass to my lips, letting me sip it slowly. The cool liquid felt refreshing against my parched throat, but I could sense their anxiety hovering in the air.

"Is it okay?" Zephyr asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Yeah," I whispered, feeling the warmth of the blanket wrap around me once more. They hovered like moths drawn to a flame, desperate to show their care without admitting their wrongs.

I watched them, feeling the weight of their stares. They exchanged glances, the tension thickening as they sought to connect with me without words. I was a puzzle to them, and I could see the anguish etched across their faces.

"We just want to take care of you," Zander murmured, his voice almost a plea. "We don't want to see you hurt again."

It was a small crack in the armor they wore, and I felt the walls around my heart begin to crumble. But I was still scared, still wary of their intentions. Their words meant little when their actions had spoken so loudly before.

"Why should I believe you?" I asked, my voice trembling as I tried to gather my strength.

"Because we're trying," Zephyr replied, his voice earnest. "Just look at us. We're not the same. We're... we're sorry for what we did. We know we fucked up."

Their admission hung in the air, heavy and vulnerable, but I didn't know how to respond. I could see their sincerity, their fear of losing me, but trust didn't come easily. I was caught between the urge to cling to the warmth they offered and the instinct to flee.

Zander leaned closer, his eyes searching mine. "We're going to make this right," he promised, his voice steady. "We'll prove to you that you can trust us."

A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard, trying to push back the tears. I was scared of the power they held over me, but I was also scared of the emptiness that their absence would bring.

"Please don't hurt me again," I whispered, the vulnerability spilling out.

"We won't," Lysander assured me, his voice low and soothing. "We're not going to hurt you. We're here to protect you, even if we don't know how to do it perfectly."

The sincerity in his words tugged at my heart, and I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe they were trying to change. Maybe there was a chance for something different between us.

"Just give us time," Zephyr said softly, his eyes filled with warmth. "We'll figure this out together."

Together. The word felt heavy with promise and uncertainty, but I was too weary to fight anymore. For now, I would allow myself to be vulnerable, to open a door I had long kept shut.

With a shaky breath, I nodded slowly. "Okay," I whispered, the word barely escaping my lips.

The relief that washed over their faces was palpable, a wave of tension releasing into the air. They exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them, and I realized that in this moment, despite my fear, I wasn't alone.

I was still scared, still unsure of what the future held, but for now, I would allow them to care for me. I would allow them to prove that they were more than the anger I had witnessed.

Their faces were etched with worry, a mix of fear and guilt that twisted my stomach. I wanted to recoil, to hide from the intensity of their gazes, but there was something unsettlingly comforting about their distress. Despite the fear that gripped me, I couldn't ignore the flicker of warmth in my chest. They were terrified for me, and I could see the genuine concern in their eyes. It was a reminder that maybe—just maybe—they didn't want to be the monsters I had started to believe they were.

____

2 chapters in one day?! you better show this some love