The click of the door lock echoed in Anna's head, louder than her own heartbeat. The room was now lit only by the dim light on the corner of the table and the blue light from the Avernon City skyline shining through the bulletproof glass. Alaric stood at the end of the bed, his black shirt now carelessly draped over a chair, shedding his cold corporate mask and revealing a man driven purely by predatory instincts.
Anna pulled the blanket up to her chest, her eyes widening as she watched Alaric's every move. The man's back muscles were tense, as if he were carrying the weight of the entire city on his shoulders.
"Alaric, they're outside..." Anna whispered, referring to the crowd of scandal-hungry reporters. "What are you going to do?"
Alaric turned his head slightly, his sharp profile looking intimidating in the darkness. "Let them bark in front, Anna. They're just dogs looking for bones. But they forget who built the gate."
