Obsessed By Moonlight

A dangerous encounter

The next day, Elena woke to an uneasy silence. The house felt heavier somehow, as though the tension of the past few days had seeped into its very walls. She dressed quickly, pulling on a sweater and jeans, and headed downstairs to find Lucien sitting at the kitchen table, his head bowed as he stared at a map spread out before him.

“Anything new?” Elena asked, her voice hushed.

Lucien looked up, his dark eyes clouded with worry. “Selene sent word this morning. Viktor has been spotted near the outskirts of town. He’s watching us.”

Elena’s stomach twisted. “Do you think he’s waiting for Damien?”

“Maybe,” Lucien said. “Or maybe he’s just playing with us, trying to keep us on edge.”

“Well, it’s working,” Mia said, walking in from the living room with a cup of coffee in hand. She looked as tired as Elena felt, dark circles under her eyes. “I barely slept last night.”

“None of us did,” Lucien said grimly. He folded up the map and stood. “We need to be ready for anything. If Viktor’s this close, it means he’s planning something.”

Elena nodded, but before she could respond, there was a sudden, loud knock at the door.

Everyone froze.

Lucien motioned for Elena and Mia to stay back as he moved toward the door, his every step silent and controlled. He opened it just a crack, peering out cautiously—and then he relaxed, though only slightly.

“It’s Cassie,” he said, opening the door fully.

Cassie stood on the porch, looking confused and a little annoyed. “Hey, Elena. Why is your front door being guarded like it’s Fort Knox?”

Elena forced a smile and stepped forward. “Hey, Cassie. Sorry, things have been a little… crazy.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, no kidding. You’ve been acting weird lately. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Elena said quickly. “Just dealing with some stuff.”

Cassie glanced at Lucien, then at Mia, who was hovering nervously behind him. “Is this about that creepy guy who showed up at school yesterday? Because he gives me serious stalker vibes.”

Elena exchanged a quick look with Lucien. “It’s complicated,” she said. “But don’t worry. We’ve got it under control.”

Cassie didn’t look convinced, but before she could press further, her phone buzzed. She pulled it out, frowned at the screen, and sighed.

“Ugh, I have to go. My mom needs me to pick up something from the store.”

Elena nodded, relieved. “Okay. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Cassie said, giving her a wary look. “Just… be careful, okay? Something about all this feels off.”

Elena’s heart sank, but she managed another smile. “I will. Thanks, Cassie.”

As Cassie walked away, Elena closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath.

“She knows something’s wrong,” she said.

Lucien nodded. “We need to be careful. If Cassie gets too close, she could get hurt.”

Elena’s chest tightened. The thought of Cassie being dragged into this nightmare was unbearable.

“We won’t let that happen,” Mia said firmly. “We’ll protect her. Just like we’ll protect each other.”

Elena nodded, but the weight of everything was pressing down on her, heavier than ever.

Because deep down, she knew that no matter how careful they were, the danger was growing—and sooner or later, they were going to have to face it head-on.