CLAIMED BY MY ALPHA STEPBROTHER

CHAPTER 4

ELENA ROSSETTI

In the afternoon, I think about staying in the room all the time, but I need to explore and find a way to escape this golden prison.

When I'm outside the house, I feel Darian's guards following me constantly to make sure I won't try to escape again.

I assess my options, noticing that the guards near the gates change shifts every two hours.

I can use this to my advantage at some point.

I go back inside the mansion and receive a notice about dinner with Darian.

Dinner is served, but I have no appetite.

Sitting across from Darian, I observe the impeccable table, filled with fine dishes and a ruby-colored wine.

The atmosphere is luxurious, too quiet; only the occasional clinking of cutlery against porcelain fills the silence.

I don’t say a word. I refuse to talk to him.

Darian seems relaxed, always wearing black clothes, cutting a piece of meat with precision.

He doesn’t seem bothered by my silence. But then, as if he wants to provoke a reaction, he lifts his golden eyes to me and speaks.

“Did you like the island?”, his voice is low and soft, but there’s a hidden weight in it.

My gaze stays fixed on the plate in front of me. His words irritate me, and my chest tightens with the frustration of being here, being his prisoner.

“It’s beautiful for a prison.”, I say simply, emotionless, without looking at him.

Darian lets out a short sigh, as if he’s holding himself back. He leans slightly forward, his eyes studying my face as if searching for something.

“Eat.”, he orders.

I clench my fists under the table.

“I’m not hungry.”

He continues to observe me for a few moments, then goes back to cutting his food, taking a bite before repeating:

“Eat, Elena.”

His tone doesn’t change, but there’s something in it that deeply irritates me.

An arrogance. A certainty that I will obey.

“Or what?”, I reply, defiant.

Darian slowly puts his cutlery down on the plate and leans back in his chair, picking up his wine glass.

He brings the red liquid to his lips, taking a sip before staring at me again.

“Do you think making me angry will make a difference? It will only make everything harder for you.”

He tilts his head slightly, a slow, cold smile forming on his lips.

My jaw tightens. I hate this game he’s playing with me. I hate his confidence that, one way or another, I will give in.

“Are you going to kill me?”, I ask, crossing my arms, not hiding the venom in my voice.

He doesn’t answer immediately.

He just stares at me while eating in silence, savoring each bite as if there’s no rush. The tension builds between us, and I hate the fact that I’m waiting for his answer, as if my life depends on it.

And maybe it does.

Darian takes another sip from his wine glass before finally responding:

“It all depends on your father.”

My chest tightens. I already suspected this, but hearing it from his mouth makes the truth weigh even more. My father. What did he do to deserve this relentless hatred from Darian? What’s the secret that’s being kept from me?

I swallow hard, averting my gaze. As if my refusal to look at him could protect me from reality.

I don’t know how I finish the meal.

In fact, I don’t even realize I’m eating until my fingers let go of the cutlery. My body functions on autopilot while my mind drowns in thoughts.

I get up, ready to leave the table and retreat to the room.

But before I can take a step, his voice reaches me.

“You’re mine, Elena.”

His words are spoken slowly, each syllable carrying a dark promise.

“It will be easier if you accept that.”

My heart leaps in my chest, and I turn to face him. His golden eyes shine in the candlelight, intense, full of something that sends chills down my spine.

“This will never happen.”, I whisper, my voice filled with anger and defiance.

Darian just smiles. A slow smile, almost amused.

“If you behave, I won’t be as cruel as you always say I am.”, he says, still observing my face like a hunter studying its prey.

My hands clench at my sides. He’s playing with me, testing my limits, trying to see how far I can go before I break. But I won’t give in. I will never give in.

Without saying another word, I turn and leave the dining room, my breath quickening and my emotions boiling.

I walk back to the room, each step heavy, as if something invisible is pulling me back. When I finally arrive, I close the door behind me and lean my back against it, letting out a shaky sigh.

My mind is a mess.

My fingers touch the scar on my hand—the memory of the fire that destroyed my family coming back with full force. All of this… this revenge, this hatred Darian feels… it’s connected to my father. But how? What did my father do to deserve this?

The answer seems to be right in front of me, yet still out of reach.

I throw myself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

The mansion is silent, but inside me, there’s a storm. Darian said it all depends on my father. That means I still have a chance. A chance to uncover the truth. A chance to escape this fate he wants to impose on me.

But what scares me isn’t just Darian’s threat.

It’s the fact that, despite everything, there’s something about him that pulls me in. Something dark and dangerous. Something I hate, but that also fascinates me.

I can’t let this happen. I can’t let him break me.

I don’t sleep. The whole night, I lie in bed, my eyes fixed on the dark ceiling, feeling my heart race in my chest.

Every noise in the mansion keeps me alert; every shadow seems like an omen. I’m waiting. Waiting for the right moment.

The opportunity to escape.

The night drags on slowly, crawling as if it knows what I’m about to do. Then, when I least expect it, I see something that makes my heart race.

Through the window, I spot Darian leaving the mansion.

He’s not alone. A group of guards is with him, and they rush into a black car. Something has happened. Something urgent. Because for the first time, he’s not here.

This is the perfect moment.

I get up quickly, careful not to make noise. My heart beats like a drum as I open the door to the room and step into the silent corridor. I run down the stairs, looking around. The mansion is strangely empty. The main gates, always locked and guarded, are open.

My chance.

Holding the hem of my dress, I run without looking back. My bare feet slap against the cold floor, and my breath quickens. The adrenaline pushes me forward. I need to get out of here. I need to escape before anyone notices.

But the gates begin to close.

My eyes widen. I won’t make it in time.

But I can’t stop.

I force my legs to move faster, my heart pounding with panic and hope. The gates narrow the passage, but with one last burst of energy, I throw myself forward and pass through.

I’m out.

My feet hit the asphalt of the dark road. The cold night wind hits my sweaty skin. I breathe deeply and run. Run without stopping, feeling freedom pulsing in my veins.

But then…

A shot echoes through the silence of the night.

My body freezes. My lungs refuse to function. I slowly turn my head, fear seeping into every cell of my body.

Darian.

He’s there, further down the road. The car headlights illuminate his imposing silhouette. His golden eyes shine in the darkness. He holds a gun. And in front of him, a man falls to the ground, lifeless.

I almost scream.

My eyes widen, and my breath catches. The world seems to spin around me.

And then he sees me.

His eyes lock onto mine—intense, wild, glowing in a way that makes me shiver. There’s something in him I hadn’t noticed before. Something beyond the rage. Beyond the hatred.

He’s a monster.

“Elena!”, his voice rings out strong, like an order. Like a promise.

The last thing I see before everything goes dark is him running toward me.

Unconsciousness pulls me into a deep void. I float in it, lost between dreams and fragmented memories. The heat of the fire. The smell of smoke. The sound of screams. And, above all, the golden eyes.

Then, something touches my face.

It’s warm, firm, and gentle in a way that confuses me.

I moan softly, my mind still trapped in the fog of sleep.

The sensation continues, tracing a slow path across my face, as if studying me.

My breath falters. Something inside me awakens before my eyes even open.

And then I see.

Darian.

His golden eyes are close. Too close. His face is right above mine, his expression unreadable. My body reacts before my mind processes it.

A scream escapes my throat, and I sit up abruptly, adrenaline taking over.

“What were you doing?”, I scream with wide eyes.

Was he here lying, watching me the whole time?

My hand closes around the first object I find. A vase next to the bed.

I lift him with all my strength, aiming for his head.

But he was already expecting that.

Before I can strike him, Darian moves forward. His firm hands grab my wrists, preventing the blow. He pushes me back onto the bed, using his weight to immobilize me.

The air escapes from my lungs as he falls on top of me.

His warm, solid body, a cage around me.

"Let me go!", I shout, struggling, but he doesn't move. His grip remains strong, his eyes burning into mine.

"You never learn, do you?", his voice is low, almost amused, but there's something deeper in it. Something dangerous.

I gasp, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

His proximity is suffocating. His heat envelops me, making my skin tingle. My heart beats so loudly that I'm sure he can hear it.

"You kidnapped me.", I spit the words, my anger growing.

"You keep me locked here as if I'm an object!"

He tilts his head, his eyes scanning my face as if searching for something. His grip on my wrists loosens slightly, but he doesn't let go.

"You tried to escape. Again.", he says simply.

"I will always try.", I whisper, defiant.

Darian watches my face for a long moment. The silence between us is thick, laden with something I don't want to name. Then, slowly, he lowers his head until his lips are near my ear.

"You will never escape from me, Elena."

My body stiffens. My breath catches in my throat. The way he says my name... it's not just a threat. It's a certainty.

"Hate me as much as you want. But you are already mine. You always were.", he continues, his voice soft but dangerous.

I tremble under him, my mind in chaos. I want to deny it. I want to spit my anger in his face. But my body is betraying my mind. My heart beats loudly, and my skin tingles where he touches me.

I hate him.

I hate what he does to me.

His eyes are locked on mine. I feel his breath against my face at that moment.

"Don't fight it, baby...", he whispers, his eyes fixed on my lips.

What's happening to me?

Darian continues holding me against the bed and his body.

His heart is cold; he feels no emotions.

"Do you think a monster like you would have any chance with me? I abhor you...", I whisper each word slowly.

His gaze changes, and he frowns. Then his eyes fixed on my right hand, looking at my scar.

For a moment, I see something in him. Something I can't identify, but Darian closes his eyes and shakes his head.

With a quick movement, he releases my wrists and pulls away, getting off the bed. My body is still warm, and my heart is still out of rhythm.

He stares at me for a moment before turning and leaving the room without another word.

I lie there, trying to catch my breath. Trying to understand what just happened.

And, above all, trying to ignore the fact that, despite everything, a part of me already knew the truth.

I will never escape from him.