bChapter 195 /b

    ra’s POV

    The air around me froze, my body stiffening with the weight of his gaze. Dorian’s smile hadn’t softened–it was colder than any winter night, sharp and dangerous.

    “…I ran into him after we said goodnight, Dorian. I didn’t find him on purpose-” I started, trying to exin myself.

    He interrupted with a sharpugh, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Not on purpose? Temptation’s a tricky thing,

    huh?”

    Before I could blink, he cupped my face with one hand, his thumb brushing my skin like a gentle caress, but there was nothing gentle about his touch. “I’m doing you a favour, ra. Come with me to the Lycan’snd. Get rid of that temptation once and for all. He won’t ever hurt you again.”

    My breath hitched, my mind scrambling to make sense of the words.

    I froze. I couldn’t think. His voice, the offer–it all felt too suffocating, too much for me to process.

    He didn’t wait for an answer, leaning in close and brushing a kiss against my lips, his touch lingering just a second

    too long.

    “When Ie back with that bottle of wine for Luna Vessa, I hope you’ve made up your mind,” he said with a devilish smile, pulling away. “I’m tired of waiting.”

    I watched as he turned and walked away, his form disappearing around the corner, leaving me behind.

    I stood there, the tension in my chest growing. Was I making the wrong choice? Was I choosing him, knowing nothing about the depths of his darkness? Or was I just too afraid to face it?

    A voice broke through my thoughts. “Hey!”

    I turned, a wave of relief hitting me as Kimberly jogged up to me.

    “What’s wrong with you? You look ilike /iiyou’ve /iseen a ghost,” Kimberly said, her brow furrowed as she examined my

    face.

    I exhaled deeply. “Dorian and I… had the weirdest conversation.”

    “What happened?”

    I rubbed my temple, trying to shake off the lingering unease. “I asked him if he could stay here with me, but he t- out refused. Told me not to hang out with Thorne behind his back again.”

    Kimberly’s face twisted into disbelief. “He threatened you? What is with him?”

    “I don’t know, Kimberly. That’s the problem. I know nothing about him. He’s charming, sweet, and all the right

    13:15 Thu, 21 Aug

    things, but what if that’s just a mask? What if that’s not who he really is?”

    ? ?36%

    +13

    Kimberly crossed her arms, her expression softening as she mulled over my words. “You think he’s hiding, something from you? Everyone has a dark side. But if you don’t know what his is… that’s not good.”

    “I don’t know…” I swallowed hard. “It’s like there’s so much about him I don’t understand. I feel like I’m only seeing the surface, and I’m scared there’s a whole lot more I’m missing.”

    Kimberly’s eyes glinted with a sudden thought. “I have an idea. You need to see him when he’s not ying the perfect boyfriend. When he thinks no one’s watching.”

    “What do you mean?”

    “Come with me,” she said, grabbing my hand. “We’re going on a little trip.”

    We ended up in the back of a car, the road stretching ahead of us as Kimberly drove us south, away from the city.

    “Where are we going?” I asked, still trying to make sense of everything.

    “Mona Estate Vineyard,” she replied, her hands steady on the wheel. “You want to know about Dorian’s true nature? Then let’s see how he behaves when he’s away from all eyes. No more pretendíng, no more masks.”

    The wind through the open window felt refreshing, but there was a chill in the air that matched the uneasy knot in my stomach.

    The drive was long–six hours, to be exact–but as the sun began to dip, painting the sky in hues of amber, I felt the weight of the conversation earlier start to settle in. Kimberly was right. I needed to understand who Dorian truly was, not just the version he let me see.

    As we approached the vineyard, thest rays of sunlight bathed thendscape, turning the vines into silhouettes against the sky. The cool evening breeze filled the car, carrying with it the scent of earth and the promise of grapes ripening under thete–day warmth.

    I rolled down the windowi, /itaking it all in. The soft, golden glow from the setting sun seemed to wrap everything in

    its embrace. It was peaceful here.

    “It’s beautiful,” Kimberly said, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. “You should really consider staying. This ce

    feels like home.”

    I nodded, tracing a finger along the window. “I can never grow tired of the view here. It’s peaceful.”

    “I’ve been here with Jory,” Kimberly continued. “It’s a great ce to settle down, especially with your roots here. I know it’s not easy with everything going on, but I think you’d find peace here.”

    I smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “I wish it was that simple.”

    Kimberly didn’t say anything for a while. I knew she was thinking about Jory and their future. “And you and

    Dorian?”

    (113)

    “I wish we could be like you two,” I muttered.

    She nced over at me. “Then talk to him, ra. Don’t let him make decisions for you. You deserve to have a say in your future, in where you belong.”

    The vineyard seemed to grow closer with every passing mile, its presence loomingrger in the horizon. The car rolled to a stop as we reached the entrance. A staff member was already waiting for us, weing us with a warm

    handshake.

    “Ms. Diaz, wee to Mona Estate Vineyard,” he greeted, his tone friendly.

    “We spoke on the phone earlier. We’re here for a tour tomorrow morning,” Kimberly replied smoothly.

    “Of course,” he said, leading us inside. “We’re happy to have you. Let me show you to your room.”

    As we walked through the gates, the tranquility of the ce enveloped us. But I was too focused on what we might

    find here. What would I learn about Dorian? What would I uncover about the man I was considering giving my

    heart to?

    Later, in the quiet of the courtyard, I couldn’t help but think about what Kimberly had said. “Thorne used to bring

    me and Vessa here in the summers. This ce… it’s something special,” I whispered, my fingers tracing the

    patterns in the stone beneath us.

    “No wonder Vessa wants a bottle for her wedding,” Kimberly said with a grin.

    I didn’t respond right away. My mind was elsewhere–on the conversation with Dorian, and what I might discover tonight. I needed answers, and this vineyard seemed like the perfect ce to find them.

    The sound of voices made me freeze.

    “…You should really give up on this, Alpha Thorne”

    Dorian’s voice.

    We both stopped and crouched behind a garden wall, peeking through the leaves. The shadows of two men–one

    taller, the other more imposing–were cast on the window of a nearby red–brick house.

    “That’s Mr. Larkin’s housei,/i” I whispered to Kimberly. “The vineyard’s owner.”

    “What do you think they’re talking about?” Kimberly asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

    I didn’t have an answer. Thorne’s cool, controlled voice cut through the silence.

    “…This is a fair game, King Dorian. I don’t see why I have to give up.”

    Dorian’sugh was low and dangerous. “Because you’ve already lost. ra’s mine now. You know that. I don’t want to see you lingering around, waiting for her toe to you. It’ll only end in humiliation for you.”

    13:15 Thu, 21 Aug

    DA

    ?? ?36%.

    I could feel the tension rising in the air, the words hanging heavy. Dorian’s voice dropped into something darker.

    “…I can kill you tonight and no one will know.”

    My breath caught in my throat.

    I didn’t know what I was walking into, but everything about this ce–this conversation–was going to change ollime. /lili13. /li/ol

    The silence that followed felt like a ticking bomb, one that could explode at any moment. I didn’t know what Dorian’s dark side looked like yet, but I was about to find out.

    And I wasn’t sure I was ready.

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