Bound by the Moon

Chapter 12

~Erik~

I was surprised when Elena yanked the earplugs out of her ear and placed her phone on speaker.

If it was a conversation she desperately don’t want to have, why couldn’t she just end it?

It was literally just one button.

I inches closer but not too much so I wouldn’t alert her to my presence. She had found this corner and secluded herself in it just so she could be alone. I had to respect that no matter how much I wanted to know what was going on.

Thankfully, my super senses could also pick up on sounds.

The conversation placed me in a mind boggled state. I couldn’t believe the words the person she had addressed as dad - and his wife - we’re saying to her but most importantly, the response she provided to it all.

I knew how much I wanted to rip her step mothers vocal chords out of her throat but it wasn’t my place to direct my anger to what wasn’t my business or what I did not understand.

The one thing I did understand though, was Elena had just abandoned her blood relations for cause that wasn’t even hers to fight.

As I ran after her, all I wanted to know was why?

Her slouched and lonely silhouette tugged at my heart and I resisted everything in me that screamed I should move over to her side and comfort her there.

My desire to protect her, the fragile yet unwavering woman I had grown fond of, protruded in my heart. I knew I wasn’t turning back.

I wasn’t leaving her all by herself that night. At least, till she felt better. I wasn’t even going to let her walk alone when she was susceptible to so many dangers, even if I wasn’t going to announce my presence.

I watched her run up the stairs and stop for a moment to hit her head repeatedly against the door.

I couldn’t bear it.

As she slowly unlocked her door and pushed her body in, just as she was about to push it shut, I jumped in.

~Elena~

The strongest arms held me in place and covered my mouth in seconds. I tried to muffle my screams or fight back but I was no match near the masculine frame.

“Shhh,” the voice called out.

I realized whoever it was, I was all too familiar.

My blocked nostrils, didn’t give me room to get a whiff of the scent but somehow, I stopped struggling and remained in place. The body shut my door and slowly turned me around, his palm still over my mouth.

My eyes widened when I saw it was Erik. He burst into a low chuckle and I suddenly remembered I had been crying. I couldn’t imagine how comical I looked.

But that wasn’t was occupied my thoughts.

He laughed.

Erik laughed.

I had seen him laugh before but this was different. It felt real, like it arose from the bottom of his stomach. It was beautiful and I was surprised.

I wanted to hear it again. The innocence, the genuinity.

It made my stomach leap in a mood way higher than the sunken mood I was in minutes ago.

I remained there, unshaken, my eyes holding his gaze.

That laughter had swooned me.

Suddenly, his hand drops from my lips and he jumps back. He had caught me staring at him for far too long but somehow I wasn’t bothered by it as he had been staring too.

The only difference was that he returned to his senses, faster than I did to mine.

We straightened up and ran fingers over our dresses for whatever reason I can’t tell. I regained my composure and bolted the door behind me.

“Were you trying to kill me?” I blurted out as I made my way into my living room.

“Absolutely not!”

“So why did you startle me like that? Jump into my house like some thief?”

“Why are you even following me?”

“You’re asking too many questions, I don’t even know where to start.”

“Okay, I’ll direct you. What are you doing here?” I sassed.

“For starters, you left me standing in front of your office. No words, no care in the world if I knew the directions out of there.”

“What?” I muffled my laughter.

“I remember you nearly biting my head off at the tunnel in the warehouse.”

“Fairs.”

We both nod.

“I know you’re being a little dramatic but I’m sorry. Something came up, my thoughts were distracted.”

“I see.”

That was not a response I expected but I couldn’t think of what else I expected him to say.

“Wait! How long were you following me?” My brows suddenly flew up in astonishment at the realization that it had to be from my office and that meant, he was there for my entire call.

“That’s not what matters right now,” he countered.

“So, what does?”

“You.”