Being his luna

9

Chapter Eight

The music blasted in my ears the moment we stepped into the club. The bass was so heavy, it felt like the floor beneath my feet was vibrating. The lights flashed in quick strobe patterns, blinding and dizzying, and the heat of the crowd pressed in on me from every side. Harper’s excited voice was lost in the chaos as she pulled me deeper into the throng, her hand gripping mine tightly.

“Come on, Ella!” she shouted over the music. “Let’s dance!”

I nodded, but I could already feel the panic creeping up on me. My chest was tightening, and I struggled to keep my breath steady. The noise, the flashing lights, the crush of bodies—it was too much. The walls were closing in, and the familiar sense of not being able to breathe rushed in.

“Harper…” I gasped, my voice barely a whisper, but I couldn’t hear her over the roar of the music.

She turned to me, but I could see the confusion on her face. I couldn’t explain. I just needed to get out.

Before I could second-guess myself, I yanked my hand free from Harper’s grip and staggered toward the exit. I couldn’t think straight. I just had to get out of here.

I pushed open the door and stumbled into the cooler night air, gasping for breath. I pressed my hand to the wall of the building, trying to steady myself, but my chest still felt tight. My heart was racing.

I needed to be alone. Away from people.

The alleyway beside the club was narrow and dark, the air a little cooler, but still suffocating in its own way. I staggered into it, barely conscious of where I was going. I just needed space, anything to get my bearings.

But then I heard footsteps.

At first, I thought it was just someone passing by, but the steps slowed, and I turned around, my breath catching when I saw him. A man—dark jacket, hood pulled low, his face partly obscured, but his eyes, dark and cold, locked onto mine immediately.

“You lost, sweetheart?” His voice was too smooth, too familiar in a way that made me shiver.

I stepped back instinctively, heart hammering. “Leave me alone,” I stammered, my throat dry, the panic creeping back.

But he only took another step toward me. His movements were slow, deliberate. “I don’t think you want to be alone, do you?”

His breath reeked of alcohol, and my fight-or-flight instinct was screaming at me to get out of there. My hands were clammy, trembling as I fumbled for my phone, but before I could grab it, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist in a tight, bruising grip.

“Stop it. Let go of me!” I shouted, my voice barely a squeak. But he didn’t release me. His grip tightened, and he pulled me toward him, ignoring my attempts to free myself.

Then, like something out of a dream, the air in the alley seemed to shift.

A figure appeared at the end of the alley—dark and commanding, his presence almost palpable. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized him.

It was Adrian.

He stepped into the alley, moving with the kind of fluid, predatory grace that made my breath catch in my throat. His eyes locked onto the man’s with a chilling intensity that froze me in place.

“Let her go,” Adrian’s voice was low, full of authority, a commanding edge that made the hair on my arms stand up.

The man looked at Adrian, sizing him up. “Who the hell are you?” he sneered, taking a half step back.

Adrian didn’t flinch. His jaw tightened, but his stance remained unwavering, his eyes narrowing in a way that said he was in charge here.

“I’m the man who’s going to make your night very bad if you don’t let her go,” Adrian’s voice was dark, promising violence.

The stranger’s eyes flickered with uncertainty for a moment before he released my wrist with a rough shove, sending me stumbling backward. I could feel the cold sting of his touch where he’d held me too tightly.

Adrian stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the man. “Get out. Now.”

The guy hesitated, but only for a second before he cursed under his breath and bolted into the shadows, disappearing without another word.

I stood there, still shaken, my heart racing as I tried to catch my breath. Adrian turned to face me, and in the dim alley light, I saw the concern in his eyes, though his expression remained cool, distant. But then, a flicker of something passed across his face—a brief moment where the icy exterior melted away, and I could see the man beneath. He was concerned, protective… but it felt like more than that.

“You okay?” His voice softened, and my heart skipped a beat.

I nodded quickly, still trembling, not entirely trusting my own voice to respond. But as I looked up at him, I realized just how close he had come to me. His presence filled the small space between us, like a force I couldn’t escape, pulling me in despite the chaos of my racing thoughts.

“You sure?” Adrian asked again, taking a step closer.

The air between us thickened. There was a tension I hadn’t noticed before—something electric, crackling in the cool night air, and suddenly, all I could think about was how he smelled: sharp, intoxicating. A mixture of his cologne and something deeper, something primal.

I took a shaky breath. “Y-yeah. I’m fine. Just… I just needed to get away.”

He didn’t move back, though. His gaze lingered on me, intense, unreadable. “You shouldn’t be out here alone. Not after that.” His words were soft, but they carried an edge, a warning.

I felt myself drawn to him—his confidence, his strength, the way he’d handled that man without even breaking a sweat. I swallowed hard, trying to focus on anything but the heat rising in my chest.

“I didn’t plan on being alone,” I said, my voice a little breathier than I intended.

A slight smirk tugged at Adrian’s lips, and my heart skipped. “You’re not alone now,” he said, taking another step closer, his body language shifting in a way that felt too intimate for the moment. “I don’t think you should come to places like this without someone to watch your back.” His voice dropped low, his eyes flicking to my lips before returning to meet my gaze.

I could barely breathe, my heart hammering against my ribs. Every inch of me seemed to come alive, hyper-aware of the way his presence consumed the space between us. It was too much, too fast, and yet, I couldn’t look away.

“I’ll make sure you’re safe next time,” he said, his voice quieter, and for the first time tonight, the intensity behind his words didn’t feel dangerous. It felt like a promise.

I swallowed, still trembling slightly, and nodded. His words hung in the air, charged with something heavy, something that made the night feel like it was spinning a little too fast.

“Thanks,” I managed to say, feeling almost stupid in the face of his overwhelming presence.

Adrian didn’t move back. Instead, he looked down at me, his eyes darkening slightly, his jaw tight as though he was battling some internal war. There was something about the way he was looking at me—something more than the protective teacher I’d seen earlier.

Before I could say anything else, he turned, moving toward the mouth of the alley. “Come on,” he called back to me, his voice softer now. “Let’s get you out of here. I’ll walk you back to your friend.”

I took one last look at him, my breath still uneven as I followed his tall, confident form down the alley. Something had shifted between us, something undeniable. And I had the sinking feeling that it was only just the beginning.