Perfect, let's dive into Chapter 36—where Damian finally steps back into Elena's world, and the tension between her heart and Adrian's claim sharpens.
---
Chapter 36 – Shadows at Her Door
The academy corridors were quieter than usual, the buzz of student chatter muted by the weight of rumors. Whispers of a shadow lurking beyond the wards spread like wildfire, though no one dared speak Damian's name aloud.
Elena moved through the halls, clutching her books a little too tightly. Adrian had gone to attend a meeting with the council of Elders, and for the first time in days, she was alone. The absence of his looming presence should have been freeing. Instead, it left her exposed.
Every echo of footsteps made her heart skip. Every flicker of shadow across the walls felt heavier than it should.
She rounded a corner—then froze.
There he was.
Damian.
He stood in the middle of the corridor, dressed in black, his aura faint enough not to trigger the wards but strong enough to make the air hum with power. His crimson eyes locked onto hers instantly.
Elena's breath hitched. Her body screamed at her to run, but her feet rooted to the ground.
"E-Elena…" His voice cracked, no longer the trembling desperation she remembered. It was deeper now, steadier, but still carrying an undercurrent of pain.
Her lips parted, but no words came.
He took a step forward, slow, deliberate. "You still think of me. I can see it in your eyes."
She clutched her books tighter. "Damian, you shouldn't be here. If Adrian finds you—"
"Adrian," he spat the name like venom, his expression twisting. "Does he make you happy? Or are you just… surviving under his chains?"
Her heart pounded. "He protects me. He—"
"No," Damian interrupted sharply, his aura flaring just enough to make the lights above flicker. "He cages you. You may not see it now, but one day, you'll realize. And when that day comes… I'll be waiting."
She shook her head, her voice trembling. "Damian, you've changed. You're not the boy I once knew."
His expression softened, just for a second. "You're right. I'm not him anymore." His hand hovered in the air, as though he longed to touch her cheek but dared not cross the invisible line between them. "But the boy you loved—he's still in here, buried under all this. And I'll claw my way back to him, even if I have to fight Adrian to the death."
The words sliced through her chest, leaving her shaken and breathless.
Before she could respond, a familiar, chilling aura pressed against her from behind.
Adrian.
His voice was low, dangerous. "Get away from her."
The shadows thickened instantly, curling like blades around Damian. But Damian didn't flinch. He smiled, lips curling with bitter satisfaction.
"Right on time," he murmured, his eyes never leaving Elena's. "I'll take my leave… for now."
And with that, he vanished into the darkness, leaving behind only the echo of his vow and the pounding of Elena's heart.
Adrian's arms wrapped around her from behind, firm, possessive. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, though her hands trembled.
His jaw tightened, his voice laced with fury. "He touched your world once. I won't let it happen again." He turned her to face him, his crimson gaze blazing. "From now on, Elena, you don't walk a single step without me."
Her lips parted, but his grip on her shoulders silenced the protest forming in her throat.
For the first time, she wondered—was she being protected… or claimed