Only Broken

Drawn To the Unknown

Claire’s POV

Ten minutes later, we arrive at our destination and quickly step out of the car. My breath catches as I take in the majestic waterfall before us, sunlight reflecting off the crystal-clear water, giving it an almost magical glow.

The scent of water mixed with damp soil fills the air, and I inhale deeply, exhaling with a soft smile.

Petrichor.

The name rolls through my mind. It’s the earthy, comforting scent that comes after rain soaks dry ground. A city girl like me shouldn’t be so obsessed with something as simple as this—after all, the city barely has any soil left to soak. But I always found ways to experience that heavenly scent, even if it meant sneaking off to places I probably shouldn’t have.

For a brief moment, I imagine building a house here and living by the waterfall forever.

I snap out of my daydream, realizing my parents have already moved ahead. Chuckling to myself, I follow them, passing by workers bundled in layers of heavy clothing. A sharp contrast to me—I barely feel the cold.

I reach my parents talking to some people and I realize mom hugging herself even though she's wearing a jacket.

Am I the only one not really affected by the cold weather? I look at my jacket and just shrug.

As my parents talk over the roaring waterfall, I zone out—until my mother suddenly pulls me forward.

I realize dad has already left with some of the people they were talking to and I find just one of the men standing before us.

"Claire, sweetie, say hi."

I blink in confusion as I look up at the man standing before us. His expression mirrors mine for a brief second before he masks it with a polite smile.

He extends a hand and I take it, gripping firmly. He studies me, amusement flickering in his gray eyes, before introducing himself.

"Hi, Claire. I'm Peter. Nice to meet you."

His voice is warm and reassuring. Strangely enough, standing in front of him, I feel safe. It’s an odd sensation—one I can’t explain. But there’s something about his gaze, the way it holds mine, that makes me sense a quiet protectiveness in him.

"My family is one of the two founding families of this town," Peter continues. "And your mother mentioned you like it here."

I flush, shooting Mom a betrayed look. She simply smiles.

"Yeah," I murmur. "This place is… amazing."

Peter grins. Then, without warning, he crouches to my level. I instinctively take a small step back.

"Well, I bet you haven’t seen the best of Blueville yet. Give it time—you might just fall in love with it."

His words are confident, almost certain.

I tilt my head, intrigued. "I hope so."

Peter nods, straightening before excusing himself to join my dad and the others.

My mother turns to me, bending down slightly. "What do you think of him, sweetie?"

I arch my brows. "I think he’s… nice?"

Mom’s smile lingers as she watches Peter. "That’s good," she whispers.

Her reaction unsettles me. Like I said, my parents are private people. They never introduce me to their business partners—so why is Peter an exception? Is it because he owns the town?

I brush the thought aside, trailing after my mother as she rejoins the others. Their conversation shifts back to hydroelectric power plants, but my attention drifts to the waterfall again.

I admire what my parents do, and I know that as their only heir, I’ll eventually take over the business. But standing here, surrounded by untouched nature, I can’t help but feel like this—this place—is where I truly belong.

I turn my gaze back to the group and notice Peter watching me. When our eyes meet, he smiles. I return the gesture faintly, not wanting to make things awkward.

Something about him feels… different.

I observe him for a moment longer and realize his clothes seem too light for the weather as compared to the others. Shouldn’t he be feeling cold?

---

Following my parents around quickly grows boring. My gaze drifts toward the woods nearby, and instantly an idea sparks in my mind.

I should explore.

Excitement flutters in my chest, but I hesitate, glancing at the bodyguards stationed around.

I’ll obviously have to ditch them too.

I wait until the site becomes busier, then, when no one’s watching, I casually slip away, heading straight for the trees.

No one stops me.

The moment I step into the woods, I exhale in relief. The towering trees surround me, their leaves rustling softly in the wind. The scent of damp earth and wood fills my lungs, and for some reason, I feel at peace—like I’m meant to be here.

Gosh why do I like it here so much? It's really starting to feel like I was made for this place.

I wander further, careful with my steps, until—

A deep, guttural growl rumbles through the air, shaking the trees around me.

My body freezes.

My pulse pounds in my ears as I slowly scan the area, searching for the source.

Another growl—louder this time and I feel my heart getting ready to explode in my chest.

Then, in the clearing ahead, a massive brown creature emerges, baring razor-sharp teeth at me.

I stand rooted in place, my breath caught in my throat.