The forbidden obsession

Chapter 4 - The Unseen cage

Chapter 4 – The Unseen Cage

Morning light spilled lazily through the curtains when Georgina blinked awake. Her head throbbed faintly, echoes of last night’s tension still swirling in her mind. The first thing she saw was her phone screen lighting up—three missed calls from Rosalina .

A slow smile curved her lips.

“She must’ve missed me,” she murmured, brushing her hair back.

Then she heard movement in the hallway—the butler’s steady steps, his usual routine before knocking on her door for lessons. Her smile turned mischievous.

“Not today,” she whispered.

She slipped out of bed, dressed quickly, and grabbed her coat. The window on the east side led to a narrow balcony, and from there, down the trellis vines that reached toward the garden wall. Her heart raced with every move, the thrill of rebellion rushing through her veins.

By the time she reached the gates of the estate, the air outside felt heavier—charged somehow. She was just a few steps away from freedom when she froze.

Her home teacher was standing there.

He wasn’t supposed to be. Not this early.

“Going somewhere, Miss Georgina?” His voice was calm, but there was something off about it—an undertone she couldn’t place. His eyes looked paler than usual, almost silvery, and his posture too stiff, too controlled.

“N–no,” she stammered, forcing a nervous laugh. “Just a morning walk before lessons.”

He took a step closer, and for a second she swore the air around him shimmered, like heat waves. “You shouldn’t wander off the grounds. It’s not safe.”

Her pulse quickened.

There it was again—that feeling, like he wasn’t fully himself.

“Please,” she whispered, dropping her pride. “I just need to see someone. I’ll be back before Nathan even notices. Just this once.”

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then his lips curved faintly. “Go. But hurry.”

Something flickered behind his eyes—pain? Fear?

And then, as she slipped past him, she heard him mutter under his breath:

“Forgive me, Nathan.”

The words haunted her long after she reached the quiet café where Rosalina waited.

Rosalina sat in her usual spot by the window, her dark curls falling over one shoulder as sunlight spilled through the glass. When Georgina saw her, she almost forgot how to breathe. There was something magnetic about her — that kind of calm that made the rest of the world fade away.

“Hey,” Rosalina said softly when their eyes met. “You actually came.”

“I told you I would,” Georgina teased, dropping into the chair opposite her. “You think a few rules and a grumpy werewolf can keep me locked in forever?”

They both laughed, but Georgina could tell something was wrong. Rosalina’s laugh didn’t reach her eyes.

After a moment of silence, Rosalina whispered, “I’m leaving town.”

Georgina froze, the smile fading from her lips. “What do you mean, leaving?”

“My father—” Rosalina’s voice broke. She looked down, fidgeting with her bracelet. “He’s been getting worse. My mom can’t stop him anymore. He almost—” She cut herself off, blinking rapidly. “We’re moving far away. My uncle’s coming to take us tonight.”

Georgina’s heart clenched. “No. No, you can’t. You could stay with me—my house is big enough. Nathan will understand, I’ll make him understand!”

Rosalina shook her head. “You don’t get it, Georgie. You can’t save me from this.”

“But why not?!” Georgina snapped, louder than she meant to. People glanced their way, but she didn’t care. “You’re the only one I actually trust! Just—just come with me.”

Rosalina looked at her then, and for the briefest moment, her irises shimmered — not brown, but gold.

Georgina blinked, startled. “What was that?”

Rosalina froze. “What?”

“Your eyes… they just—”

“Nothing,” Rosalina said quickly, grabbing her bag. “I have to go.”

“Rosie, wait!” Georgina caught her wrist, and the instant their skin touched, the café lights flickered. Cups rattled. A gust of cold air swept through the room. Everyone else seemed frozen, unmoving — time itself had paused.

Georgina stared, her breath trembling. “What… what did I just do?”

Rosalina looked terrified now, whispering, “It’s happening again.”

“Again? What do you mean again?”

But before Rosalina could answer, the door slammed open, breaking the trance. The noise of the world rushed back — voices, footsteps, clinking glasses. Rosalina snatched her hand away.

“Georgie, please. You have to go home. Before he finds out.”

And with that, she was gone.

Georgina stood there, shaking, the echo of that strange stillness clinging to her skin. She didn’t know who he was — but she knew one thing for sure.

Something inside her had changed again.

Georgina stood frozen long after Rosalina disappeared through the café doors. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, heavy and uneven. The faint scent of coffee and burnt sugar lingered around her, but it all felt distant, unreal.

Her chest tightened, and before she could stop herself, tears slipped down her cheeks. Why would she just leave like that?

She pressed a trembling hand over her heart, feeling that same strange pulse beneath her skin — the one that had stirred when the lights flickered.

The world outside looked blurred when she stepped out of the café, sunlight cutting harshly across her face. She wiped her eyes, forcing a shaky laugh.

“Get it together, Georgie,” she muttered. “It’s just… heartbreak. Right?”

She waved down a car idling near the curb. The driver leaned out, asking, “Miss, you heading toward the estate road?”

But as she reached for the door handle, a sound — faint but distinct — brushed past her ear.

A whisper.

Don’t enter.

She froze.

The driver frowned. “You coming or not?”

Another whisper, clearer this time, like a soft voice inside her mind.

It’s not safe. Go by foot.

Her pulse skipped. She glanced around, half-expecting to see someone nearby, but the street was empty except for the car.

Without knowing why, she stepped back and shook her head. “No… I’ll walk.”

The driver muttered something and drove off, leaving a faint trail of dust in his wake. Georgina stood there for a moment, heart pounding, then began walking. Each step felt heavier, the air strangely thick, as though invisible eyes were on her.

By the time she reached the tall iron gates of her family estate, the sun had dipped low, painting the sky in orange and violet. And there — standing like a shadow carved from stone — was Nathan.

His arms were crossed, his eyes unreadable.

“Had a nice walk?” he asked, his voice calm, too calm — the kind of calm that carried storms beneath it.

Georgina stopped a few feet away, her throat dry. “Nathan, I—”

“Save it,” he cut in quietly. “We’ll talk inside.”

For a fleeting second, his gaze softened when he noticed her tear-stained face, but then it hardened again, that protective fury simmering just beneath the surface.

Georgina followed him through the gate in silence, a chill running down her spine. Something told her this night was far from over.

The walk back to the mansion felt longer than ever. Georgina kept her eyes on the gravel path, her fingers clenched into fists. She could still feel the echo of that whisper in her mind — the warning that had saved her.

When they reached the door, Nathan didn’t speak immediately. His silence was heavier than words.

“Come,” he finally said, his tone sharp but restrained. “We’ll talk in the drawing room.”

Inside, the soft golden lights couldn’t melt the chill between them. Georgina trailed behind him, her shoes echoing faintly on the marble floor.

Then, without turning, he spoke.

“Why can’t you just be plain with me, Georgina? You’d save yourself a great deal of trouble if you were.”

She blinked, startled by the calmness in his voice.

“I’m not against you seeing someone,” he continued, hands clasped behind his back, “but at least have the sense to let a few shadow guards follow. Or do you prefer to make me worry every time you step outside these walls?”

Her temper flared before she could stop it. “I’m not a kid, Nathan!”

That made him stop — and for the first time in what felt like forever, a small, unexpected smile curved his lips.

“No,” he said quietly, turning to face her fully, “you’re not. And that’s exactly what worries me.”

His eyes, once calm and sharp, glimmered faintly — the golden hue of his wolf bleeding through.

“I see rebellion running through your veins, Georgina,” he murmured, voice deepening, almost rumbling. “But don’t try that around me… not for a long time.”

The air thickened. His aura rippled, fierce and primal — shadows bending as though the beast beneath his skin was clawing to be free. Georgina stumbled back a step, her heart hammering wildly.

And then—

“Lunch is ready,” came the butler’s composed voice from the doorway.

Nathan exhaled slowly, the energy around him fading like a flame put out by the wind.

He straightened his cuffs, calm once again. “We’ll finish this later.”