Chapter 22: Warning

ELOWEN BENNETT

The night air felt colder on the walk home.

My sneakers scraped against the sidewalk as I hugged my arms around myself, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in my chest. Nate Hayes’ questions about my father kept replaying in my head. The way he had looked at me, he was too interested and calculating.

It made my skin crawl and Alaric’s angry outburst when he saw me sitting there… it still stung or Maybe I was just overthinking it. He was probably like any other parent, just asking a few questions about his child’s friend.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice the sound of a car engine approaching until a horn blared behind me.

I jumped and spun around.

Alaric’s black Mustang slowed to a stop beside me. The passenger window rolled down, revealing his familiar sharp features. His jaw was still tight, eyes dark under the streetlights.

“Hop in,” he said, voice low and commanding.

I hesitated for a second, then walked over and climbed into the passenger seat. The familiar scent of his car wrapped around me immediately. As soon as I closed the door, he pulled away from the curb without another word.

The silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable. I stared at my hands in my lap, gathering courage.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, breaking the quiet. “I tried to message you first, but you weren’t replying. I didn’t want to show up at your house like that, but I felt really bad about what happened yesterday at the cafe. I shouldn’t have asked about your family. It wasn’t my place.”

Alaric didn’t respond right away. He kept driving, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gear shift. His knuckles were pale.

After a long moment, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and killed the engine. The sudden silence made my heart beat louder.

He turned to face me fully.

Without warning, he reached over and took my hand in his. His grip was firm but not painful. The warmth of his skin against mine sent a strange flutter through my stomach.

“You can’t just show up at my house like that,” he said, his voice low and serious. “Not without my permission. Do you understand?”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. I really am. I only did it because… because of the question I asked you while we were working on the project. You looked so upset and I hated that I caused it. I just wanted to apologize properly.”

I paused, waiting.

Part of me hoped he would say something back. Maybe even apologize for shouting at me in the cafe. For making me feel so small. But he didn’t. He just stared at me with those intense blue eyes, his expression unreadable.

The silence grew heavier.

Finally, he let go of my hand and leaned back in his seat.

“What’s your relationship with the new boy?” he asked suddenly, his tone shifting.

I blinked, caught off guard. “You mean Andrew?”

“Yeah. Him.”

I shook my head quickly. “Nothing serious. We just talked a couple of times. He seems nice. We have some things in common — books and stuff.”

Alaric’s jaw tightened. “Stay away from him.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“He’s dangerous,” he said flatly. There was a deep seriousness in his eyes that made my breath catch. “I mean it, Elowen. Keep your distance.”

For a moment, I wanted to argue. Jace had defended me when no one else would. He had been kind and easy to talk to. He seemed like a genuinely sweet guy. Part of me thought Alaric was only saying this because he didn’t like anyone else getting close to me — like I was his personal project to control.

But there was something in Alaric’s voice… something heavier than simple jealousy. His eyes held a warning that felt real.

Still, I couldn’t bring myself to fully believe it.

“Okay,” I said softly, even though I wasn’t sure I meant it.

Alaric studied my face for a long moment, like he was trying to read whether I was telling the truth. Then he started the car again and continued driving me home.

The rest of the ride was quiet. When he finally pulled up in front of my house, he didn’t turn off the engine. He just sat there, staring straight ahead.

“Thanks for the ride,” I murmured, reaching for the door handle.

“Elowen.”

I paused and looked back at him.

His expression had softened just a fraction. “Be careful.”

I nodded, not knowing what else to say, and stepped out of the car. As I walked toward my front door, I heard his Mustang pull away behind me.

Inside the house, everything was quiet. Mom was already asleep. I went straight to my room, changed into my pajamas, and crawled into bed.

But sleep didn’t come easily.

I kept thinking about Alaric’s hand holding mine for that brief moment. The seriousness in his eyes when he warned me about Andrew. The way he hadn’t apologized for yelling at me, even though I had apologized to him.

And then there was Andrew — kind, funny, and protective. Someone who had actually stood up for me.

Two completely different boys.

One cold and controlling, carrying heavy secrets.

The other warm and gentle, but possibly hiding something too.

I turned onto my side and pulled the blanket tighter around me.

Everything felt so confusing lately. The lines between punishment and something else were starting to blur, and I wasn’t sure I liked where it was heading.

All I knew was that I was tired of feeling like a pawn in everyone else’s game.

Tomorrow was another day.

And somehow, I had a feeling things were only going to get more complicated.