The Secret He Left Behind

Chapter3- The Forgotten Night

Elena POV

I spent the whole day staring at that photo.

The man next to Adrian looked so familiar. Dark hair. Sharp eyes. A scar over his eyebrow. I’d seen him before—had to have.

But where?

I scrolled through old pictures on my phone. Nothing. Then I found it. An old shot from a charity event three years ago. Adrian was there. So was I. And there it was—the same man, right behind us.

My heart took off. I zoomed in. He wasn’t looking at Adrian at all. His eyes were locked on me.

That’s when I called Adrian.

He picked up right away. “What happened?”

“I found a photograph.”

His breathing changed. “What photograph?”

I sent it over. He went quiet for a few seconds.

“Where did you get this?”

“It was left in my apartment.”

“Leave your apartment.”

“Why?”

“Now, Elena.”

His voice didn’t sound like his own. He was scared. That honestly terrified me more than anything.

“Who is he?”

“Don’t ask questions over the phone.”

“Adrian!”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Then he hung up.

I stared at the phone and suddenly, the room spun. I grabbed the kitchen counter. Everything tilted. There was this strange sound pounding in my ears—a heartbeat. Not mine. Something else.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Fire flashed behind my lids. Then a forest, a man standing under a silver moon. Adrian’s face, covered in blood, shouting my name.

I opened my eyes and the images vanished. I stumbled back. My hand went to my neck—something burned deep under my skin.

I ran to the bathroom mirror. Just below my collarbone, I saw a faint red mark shaped like a crescent. I touched it and pain shot through my fingers.

I cried out.

The front door slammed open.

“Elena!” Adrian’s voice.

He rushed to the bathroom doorway and his eyes went straight to the mark. All the color drained from his face.

“You have to come with me,” he said.

I covered the mark. “What is this?”

“Not here.”

“You know what it is.” My voice shook.

“Elena—”

“You know!” Louder this time.

He stared at me. Adrian, the guy always in control, had nothing to say. That scared me.

“What happened to me?” I asked.

He stepped closer. “I was hoping this wouldn’t happen.”

“What?”

He lowered his voice. “The bloodline has awakened.”

I stared at him. “What bloodline?”

He glanced at the window, then back at me. “The one I spent three years trying to protect you from.”

Before I could demand anything else, a crash erupted from downstairs.

Adrian was in front of me instantly. “Stay behind me.”

“What happened?” My voice was so small.

He reached under his jacket. “Someone found us.”