The house was unusually full that evening. Relatives filled the living room, chatting over tea. The cousins were scattered around — Cassian and Orion arguing over a game, Selene scrolling through her phone, Lyra sitting close to Aiden, pretending not to watch Adrian.
Adrian sat on the arm of the couch, pretending to scroll through his phone. But his eyes kept drifting toward the hallway.
Amara had gone to her room to get her charger. She'd been gone too long.
Aiden noticed. "You're tense."
Adrian didn't answer.
Lyra's gaze sharpened, following his line of sight.
Selene sighed. "She probably stopped to talk to someone."
But Adrian felt something wrong. A quiet, sharp instinct twisting in his chest.
He stood up.
Aiden raised a brow. "Where are you—"
A scream cut through the house.
High. Panicked. Amara's.
Everything exploded.
Adrian sprinted toward the hallway, Aiden right behind him. Cassian and Orion jumped up, startled. Selene froze for half a second before rushing after them. Relatives stood up in shock. Lyra's face went pale.
Another scream — choked, desperate.
Adrian turned the corner—
And his blood ran cold.
Julian had escaped.
He had Amara pinned against the wall, one hand crushing her wrist, the other covering her mouth. His eyes were wild, desperate, unhinged.
"Why did you leave me?" Julian hissed. "Why did you break us? You're mine, Amara. You're mine!"
Amara struggled, tears in her eyes, her voice muffled under his hand.
Adrian didn't think. He didn't breathe. He didn't hesitate.
He grabbed Julian by the collar and ripped him away from her so violently that Julian slammed into the opposite wall.
"DON'T TOUCH HER."
The words weren't loud — they were lethal.
Julian stared at him, shaking. "She's mine! She said she loved me! She—"
Adrian slammed him back again, forearm pressed against Julian's chest.
"You don't get to say her name."
Aiden grabbed Adrian's shoulder. "Adrian, stop. Everyone is watching."
Adrian froze — not because he wasn't furious, but because Aiden was right. Relatives stood behind them, shocked. The cousins were wide‑eyed. The elders were whispering.
Cassian and Orion rushed to Amara, helping her stand. Selene wrapped her arms around her protectively, her voice trembling with fury. "Are you hurt? Did he touch you?"
Amara shook her head, breath shaking. "He—he grabbed me—"
Lyra stood frozen in the doorway, jealousy forgotten, replaced by fear.
Julian tried to shove Adrian back. "She belongs with me! She—"
Adrian's fist connected with Julian's jaw before anyone could stop him.
Julian collapsed to the floor.
Aiden stepped in again, voice low but firm. "Enough. Not here."
Cassian and Orion grabbed Julian's arms.
Aiden nodded sharply. "Take him away. Somewhere he can't cause trouble again."
Julian spat blood, glaring up at Amara. "You think you're better than me? You think you can just walk away?"
Amara stepped forward, voice shaking but fierce:
"I don't want you. I don't want anything to do with you ever again."
Julian froze.
Her voice rose, trembling with anger:
"You disgust me. Stay away from me."
The hallway fell silent.
Julian screamed, lunging again—
Cassian and Orion tackled him instantly.
Aiden barked, "Get him out. Now."
As they dragged Julian away, still shouting her name, Adrian finally turned to her.
She was shaking.
He stepped closer — slowly, carefully — and she looked up at him with wide, trembling eyes.
His voice was barely above a whisper. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, breath unsteady. "No… I'm okay."
Before Adrian could say anything else, Selene pulled Amara into a tight embrace.
"Oh my God, sweetheart, are you alright?" Selene's voice trembled with anger and worry.
Cassian placed a hand on her back. "He didn't hurt you, right?"
Orion hovered close, eyes wide. "We heard you scream. I thought—"
Aiden stepped in, steady and calm. "She's safe now. That's what matters."
Lyra stood a little behind them, silent, her expression unreadable.
Amara was surrounded — held, comforted, protected.
Adrian stepped back.
Not because he wanted to. But because he didn't trust himself to stay close without showing too much.
He watched her from a short distance, chest tight, hands still trembling from the rage he hadn't fully released.
She glanced at him once — just once — through the circle of cousins.
Their eyes met.
A silent thank you. A silent I was scared. A silent I knew you'd come.
Adrian looked away first.
Because if he didn't… he would've said something he wasn't ready to say.