By dawn, the household was already on edge. Guards rotated more quickly, hushed voices echoed through the halls, and the air itself seemed charged with suspicion.
I stood in the study, staring at the maps laid out before me. The supply routes, rival families, and weak points. Whoever had come last night wasn't a petty thief. This was a probe, a warning or even a confrontation.
I heard a footstep and saw Tristan enter the room, his shoulders rigid and his eyes sharp. "They were at her window," he said without hesitation. "I sense that everything happening feels more like a personal attack than a targeted one."
I met his gaze. "I have told you, it is exactly what it is. They were not just testing us,; they were testing you, too, my son."
His fists clenched with determination. "Waiting isn't an option anymore, Father. We need to strike back and show them our strength. I'll call our people for a meeting."
"No," Edward said firmly, cutting through his anger. "We can't waste our strength on shadows. We wait until they show their hand."
Tristan's jaw clenched, but he didn't argue. Still, I could see the fire in his eyes. It was no longer about protecting this family; he had started to extend his protection to his women as well. I knew there was no room for error in this situation.
And that realisation hit me with a heavy pang because I could see that, Ellie, was both his strength and his greatest weakness.
-
I hated this. I hate standing and doing nothing while someone out there dared to look into her room, dared to breathe in her space.
But Father was right. Whoever this was, they weren't careless. They wanted us rattled.
"I won't let her be caught in this," I said low.
Father's eyes softened, just barely, before hardening again. "Then you'd better prepare her. If she wants to stand with you, she'll face the same enemies you do."
The weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. He wasn't wrong, but again, the thought of Ellie stepping into this world, into my world, always terrified me more than any rival ever could.
Reflecting on her earlier gaze, I felt overwhelmed by her emotions. It served as a wake-up call for me to do a better job of protecting this.
-
The morning light should have eased my fear, but it hadn't. Every corner of the Donovan estate seemed sharper now, and every shadow darker. Sleep had been impossible, and I kept replaying the image of that figure at the window and how Tristan had stepped in front of me without hesitation.
Part of me wanted to run, to escape back to the quiet safety of my mother's house, but the thought of leaving made my chest tighten. It wasn't just danger that held me here; it was Tristan. It was the way his hand had steadied me and the vow in his voice when he promised I wouldn't face this alone.
I caught my reflection in the mirror. My face looked paler, but my eyes held a particular strength. Perhaps, for once, Edward was right: by loving Tristan, I had already chosen this path, and maybe I am a lot stronger than I believed.
Still, when the door creaked open and Sophia peeked in, worry etched on her face, I could only force a smile at her. But the truth echoed within me that the shadows had found me, and this wasn't over yet.