Chapter 46 046
LYKA
I looked at the man standing in front of me, and there was no doubt in my mind that something was terribly wrong. He was different. It was Derrick… but it wasn’t Derrick.
The face was the same. The height, the build, the familiar sharp jawline and broad shoulders .... all his. Yet the air around him felt foreign. Heavy. Dark. Suffocating.
“I… want…” My voice trembled as I tried to reach for the door handle. I needed to get out. I needed air. But an invisible force pressed against the door, stopping it from opening no matter how hard I pushed.
My breath hitched.
I froze when I felt his presence directly behind me.
“Where are you rushing to, milady?” he whispered, his breath fanning against my ear.
A violent shiver ran down my spine.
The room suddenly turned chilly, as if warmth itself had fled. The air grew thick and oppressive, and it felt like darkness was hovering around us, wrapping itself around my body like cold smoke. I didn’t know why I was so terrified, but instinct screamed at me that I had to act fast if I wanted to leave that room alive.
If I wanted to survive, I had to provoke him.
I didn’t understand what was happening to Derrick or why it felt like two beings were occupying one body, but I could sense that this presence was prideful. Arrogant. It radiated ego and dominance. And something inside me told me it despised being challenged.
“How I want to rip out that heart of yours that is beating so fast,” he murmured darkly near my ear. “But that coward Derrick is holding me down. I mean, he’s just a shell. Why does he have to be so meddling?”
His voice was laced with irritation .... and something far more sinister.
My stomach dropped.
What?
He wanted to rip my heart out?
“But you can’t do that… right?” I forced the words out despite the terror clawing at my throat. I kept my gaze fixed on the flower vase at the end of the table, calculating the distance. I knew there was no way I could reach it before he reached me.
“I mean, even if Derrick is a coward and you don’t like him, there’s nothing you can do about it,” I added carefully.
My palms were sweating. My knees felt weak.
I could only pray that this strange presence wouldn’t act rashly, because my strength was no match for his. If it came down to a fight, I would lose. And I might truly lose my life.
“What did you mean?!” he roared suddenly.
His fist slammed into the wall beside my head.
The loud crack echoed through the room.
I screamed and slumped to the floor immediately, covering my head as debris fell. My heart pounded violently against my ribs. I wasn’t sure if provoking him had been wise, but it was the only thing I could think of.
I had to bring Derrick back.
And maybe angering this thing would weaken its hold.
“I mean,” I said shakily from the floor, forcing courage into my voice, “there’s no way you can act alone. Even if Derrick is a shell, you’re also like an empty vessel. You both need each other.”
Silence fell.
The oppressive tension in the air shifted slightly.
I felt it.
Something had changed.
“Get out!” he barked.
I didn’t wait for him to repeat himself.
I scrambled to my feet and dashed out of the room without questioning the sudden dismissal. I didn’t care why he changed his mind .... I was just grateful he hadn’t ripped my heart from my chest.
I walked down the hallway with my face pale as a sheet, breathing hard. My entire body trembled as adrenaline slowly drained from my veins. I had escaped… for now.
But what had I just witnessed?
“I still can’t wrap my head around the mystery behind that man,” I muttered under my breath. “Why is he like that? It’s like two of him in one body…”
My thoughts were chaotic and tangled. I brushed them aside as I turned the corner .... only to bump directly into Zuri.
I hissed in frustration the moment I saw her.
Of course.
That rude lady.
She looked at me the way she always did .... as if I were dirt beneath her shoes.
“Are you surprised to see me walking free like this?” she asked mockingly, folding her arms.
I wasn’t in the mood for her games.
“Why should that surprise me?” I replied coldly. “You’re not a prisoner. Of course you should be free.”
She snarled at my calm tone.
“I thought you’d be disappointed, seeing that all your little tricks amounted to nothing,” she said with a smirk.
“Really?” I tilted my head slightly. “Don’t you think you’re being too boastful? If I could easily get you into trouble once, don’t you think I could put you back there again?”
Her face scrunched up in anger.
“You!” she shrieked, raising her hand to slap me.
But I caught her wrist midair.
“Don’t you ever in your life think of raising your hand to hit me,” I said icily, tightening my grip. “Your Alpha isn’t here, so I have no reason to pretend and let you bully me.”
I shoved her hand away and walked past her without looking back. I could hear her fuming behind me, but I didn’t care.
My mind was still trapped in that room.
That presence.
That darkness.
It had felt suffocating .... powerful enough to drain the life out of anyone standing too close. It reminded me of the tales we once heard…
My steps faltered.
A realization struck me like lightning.
Zuri had been heading toward Derrick’s room.
But Derrick wasn’t himself.
Before my brain could fully process the danger, my legs were already moving.
“Stop!” I yelled.
My voice echoed sharply through the hallway.
Zuri froze with her hand on the door handle. She turned to glare at me, irritation flashing in her eyes.
I rushed to her side before she could open it.
“No. You can’t go in,” I said firmly, stepping in front of the door and pushing her back slightly.
She scoffed. “What? How dare you stop me from going inside?”
“You don’t understand,” I said under my breath.
She would die if she went in there.
The door suddenly opened from the inside.
My heart slammed painfully against my chest.
“What’s going on?” a deep baritone voice asked.
Without thinking, I attacked.
I lunged at him, aiming for his chest, but he moved swiftly, sidestepping my strike with unnatural ease. He caught my wrist midair and held me still.
Our eyes met.
And my blood ran cold.
That gaze.
It was familiar.
Too familiar.
“Are you back?” I asked cautiously, trying to yank my hand free in case I needed to strike again.
But then he smiled.
That terrifying, slow smile.
It wasn’t Derrick.
My heart shook violently in fear.
I was wrong.
It was still him.
And Zuri was standing right here.
A horrifying thought crept into my mind.
Is he going to hurt her?
Or worse…
Is he going to enjoy it?