Chapter 32 Chapter 32

Chapter 32 Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Guarded Promises

Noah’s

I opened my eyes slowly, my head heavy and dull. My body ached deeply, as if I had been hit by a truck. I was back in my room at the mansion, the familiar plain walls and the soft comfort of the bed grounding me in reality.

The door creaked open, and Ren walked in, carrying a plate of food—steaming chicken and rice. The smell made my stomach growl immediately despite the tight knot of anxiety in my chest. He set the plate on the nightstand and looked at me, his scarred face blank but his eyes sharp and observant. “You’re awake,” he said, his voice low and direct. “That’s good. Eat something now.”

I nodded, sitting up slowly, my hands shaking slightly as I glanced at him. “Where’s Enzo?” I asked, my voice quiet. The memory of Eric’s dark eyes and the glinting knife flashed vividly in my mind. If Enzo hadn’t shown up when he did, I knew I would be dead right now.

Ren’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing with disapproval. “Don’t ask about him right now,” he said. “You’re lucky he got to you in time, Noah. What the hell were you thinking when you ran off?”

I stared down at my hands, guilt twisting violently in my stomach. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice barely audible and full of remorse. “I just… I went to see my dad. I needed to know if he truly regretted what he did to me. Selling me. I thought maybe, just maybe, he would care that I was gone.”

Ren sighed, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. “You disobeyed a direct order,” he said, his voice hard and uncompromising. “I told you to go straight to the mansion. Do you honestly think this whole situation is just a game? Do you think Eric was playing with you when he came after you with that knife?”

“I know it’s not a game!” I snapped, my voice louder than I had meant it to be, my hands clenching the soft blanket. “I messed up badly, okay? I didn’t think anyone would find me outside the grounds. I just wanted one single moment to feel normal again!”

“Normal?” Ren said, raising an eyebrow skeptically. “You’re Enzo’s mate, Noah. Normal is entirely gone from your life now. You can’t just wander off because you miss your father. You’re in constant, serious danger, don’t you grasp that fact?”

“I get it clearly,” I said, my throat tight, tears stinging my eyes painfully. “I’m truly sorry, Ren. I didn’t mean to cause trouble for anyone. I just… I truly needed to see him for myself.”

Ren’s face softened slightly, just a hint of understanding showing. “Your dad’s a complete mess of a man,” he said quietly. “But you can’t fix that situation. You have to start thinking only about yourself now. Enzo’s out there risking everything to keep you safe, and you’re just making his job harder.”

I nodded, wiping my eyes, unable to speak another word. The door opened again, and Enzo walked in. His face looked tired and drawn, but his eyes were intensely focused. Ren gave him a short nod and walked out, leaving us alone together.

I sat there, completely silent, my heart racing as Enzo sat on the bed right next to me, close enough that I could clearly feel his body’s warmth. I waited for him to yell, to be furiously mad at me, but he just looked at me, his eyes searching mine with worry.

“Are you okay, truly?” he asked, his voice low and unexpectedly gentle. “How are you feeling right now, Noah? Do you have any pain anywhere?”

I stared at him, completely confused by his calmness. “You’re not… mad at me?” I said, my voice shaky and uncertain. “I didn’t listen to Ren’s order. I went straight to my dad’s place. I almost got myself killed, Enzo.”

He reached out slowly, his hand gently brushing my cheek, his touch soft but completely firm. “Oh, I’m mad, absolutely,” he said, his voice steady and even. “I’m seriously pissed off, Noah. But I can’t seem to stay mad at you for long. Not after I saw you out there running for your life from that bastard Eric.”

I looked down at the blanket, my hands nervously twisting the fabric. “I’m really sorry,” I said, my voice breaking. “I shouldn’t have left the grounds. I just… I truly thought maybe my dad would feel awful about it. That he would want me back home.”

Enzo’s jaw tightened again, his hand still resting on my face. “Your father doesn’t deserve you, Noah,” he said harshly. “He sold you away. He made his choice long ago. But you are here now, safe with me. You are my mate, and that changes everything.”

“Why does he hate me so much?” I said, tears spilling over onto my cheeks, my voice cracking with deep pain. “What did I ever do to him to make him give me up like that?”

Enzo pulled me closer immediately, his arms wrapping tightly around me. His chest felt warm and solid against my tear-streaked face. “He doesn’t hate you at all,” he said, his voice soft but firm and assuring. “He’s just terribly weak and selfish. You didn’t do a single thing wrong, Noah. Do you hear me clearly? This entire mess is absolutely not your fault.”

I cried harder, my hands clutching tightly to his shirt for comfort. “I just want to understand why,” I said, my voice muffled against his chest. “Why is all of this happening to me? Why can’t I just go back to how things used to be?”

“You can’t go back, not now,” Enzo said, his hand rubbing slow circles on my back. “But you definitely have me now. I’m not letting anything bad happen to you ever again. Just rest now, okay? You are safe right here with me.”

I nodded, feeling my tears slowly stopping, but I grabbed his hand tightly as he started to stand up. “Don’t go, please,” I said, my voice small and pleading. “Please, Enzo. I truly don’t want to be alone right now.”

He smiled gently, soft and warm, and sat back down on the bed immediately. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” he said. “I’m right here beside you, Noah.”

I nodded again, my eyes feeling heavy with exhaustion, and soon I was fast asleep, the sudden weight of the terrifying day finally pulling me under.

When I woke again, it was still completely dark outside, the room quiet except for a low, serious voice. I kept my eyes closed, my body perfectly still, as I realized Enzo was by the window, talking intensely on his phone. His voice was sharp and clearly angry.

“Dean,” he said, his voice low but fierce with threat. “If anything, anything at all, happens to Noah, I swear to you, I’ll make Stan suffer painfully for it. You hear me clearly? You and your rogue friends are to stay far away from him, permanently.”

I didn’t move a muscle, still pretending to be deeply asleep, my heart racing with a mix of shock and a strange warmth. Enzo was actively protecting me, threatening his own brother for my safety.

He ended the tense call abruptly, and I felt the bed dip slightly as he sat down beside me. His hand brushed through my hair, gentle and extremely careful. “I won’t let anything happen to you ever again,” he whispered softly, his voice low but completely firm with commitment. “Not now, not ever, my mate.”