I couldn’t breathe.
Ethan’s presence seemed to swallow all the air in the room, leaving me gasping and pinned under the weight of something I couldn’t name. His golden eyes still glowed unnaturally, his pupils dilated as if he were teetering on the edge of something dangerous.
I pressed my back harder into the wall, my palms flat against the cool surface. He stepped closer, slow and deliberate, his boots crunching against the broken door frame. The sound sent a jolt of panic through me.
I thought I could handle fear—I had spent years pretending nothing could get to me. But this? This was different. My heart slammed against my ribcage, and my chest heaved as I struggled to steady my breathing.
He tilted his head, studying me like I was some kind of prey he wasn’t sure how to devour
