Trust and Betrayal

Lena's POV

Tobin and I did not say much, both of us still processing the threatening words that Darius had said. 

His words replayed in my head over and over again, what did he even mean by that he knew my value? And what was his game?

Tobin was different this morning, he was quiet, like he was trying to figure out what just happened and why it even happened.

 I could see the worry on his face. He always wanted to protect me and now with what Darius said to threaten us,his worries grew even bigger. 

I rubbed my eyes, trying to remove the exhaustion that I was feeling. The last thing I needed was for Tobin to get more involved than he already was.

"Tobin," I said, trying to sound like someone that is strong. "You don't need to worry about me. I can handle this. You should go. It's better that way."

He raised his eyebrow, and he started looking at me like I had lost my mind. "What do you mean, go? 

You're telling me to leave after that guy showed up at your door last night?" "Lena, this is too much for you to handle. You can't deal with this on your own."

"I'm fine," I lied, even though the words tasted bitter in my mouth. "Really. Just... go back to your life. I don't want you getting hurt or injured because of me."

He crossed his arms, looking at me with a huge disbelief like someone that was disappointed.

 I didn't know what else to say to make him leave. The truth was, I didn't even want him to get involved in all this, not when I myself did not even know what was going on.

"Lena, you're not fine. You cannot just act like everything is fine. Something's going on here. I can't just turn my back on you," he said, his voice filled with concern.

I closed my eyes, trying to hold it together. "Tobin, please. Just go."

 "I'm not leaving for good, Lena. You know where to find me." He said,turning towards the door as he left.

With that, he walked out, and the door shut behind him.

I stood there for a moment, feeling very guilty. I didn't want him to leave. But I could not let him stay.it was for his own good, and I had to deal with all this by myself.

I needed to find Asher. I had to know he was okay. I could not just be here sitting down and only waiting and wondering.

I pushed my front door open and stepped into the streets, walking very fast with my mind racing. I searched every block, every nook and corner, every place I thought he might be. 

But there was no sign of him. No sign of the big black dog, no sign of the man who fought for me the night before. But something inside me told me not to give up, I could not give up now.

I kept on walking, the streets becoming empty as the hours passed. I tried to ignore the feeling in my chest that was telling me that I was lost. 

I called out his name, shouting to know if he would come running to me. But still nothing, I was just left there all alone.

By the time I came back to my apartment , I did not have the energy to climb the stairs.Im My feet were sore, and my mind was tired from searching for Asher all day.

 But as soon as I opened the door, my heart stopped.

Asher was standing there at the center of the room. But not as a dog this time. As a human being.

I froze at seeing him. His dark hair was messy, falling in his face like he was just waking up. His clothes were the same as what he wore last night, but the way he stood.

his posture was different, more controlled, more… human. There was something more to him now, something strange.

"Asher?" My voice was shaky, calling out his name.

He turned to face me, and his eyes met with mine. but they were colder now. He was now different, no longer the Asher I knew.

"You're not going to understand all of this yet," he said, his voice low, as if he was trying to tell me a secret."But I'll help you. You'll understand soon."

I stepped back, my mind drifting to many places all at once. "What do you mean? Why….why are you—what is all of this?"

"I don't have time to explain everything. You'll know about everything soon, Lena. But right now, I will need you to focus. 

You need to learn how to protect yourself." People will come for you and I want you to be ready.

I just stood there, looking at Asher, still processing everything he was saying to me.I waited, the silence between us extremely long.

Then, he turned his eyes to look at me, and for a moment, the world felt like it was still. His eyes were intense,cold but not just cold, full of something I could not really figure out.

His words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Feeling like the ground under me was shaking to open up and swallow me.

"Okay," I said quickly, trying to hold myself together. "I'll learn. I'll do whatever it takes."

Asher did not respond right away. He just stood there for a second, looking at me, his eyes full of doubts.

The look was intense—like he was trying to look deep inside me. Then he spoke again, more quiet this time, almost like he was talking to himself. 

"I wanted to thank you for saving me". If you did not save me that day… I don't know what would have happened to me."

I was shocked. I never expected him to say that, my breath getting caught in my throat. I didn't even know how to respond to what he said.

"I—I didn't do anything special," I said, my voice shaking. "I just... I just did what I had to."

Asher shook his head, his eyes still looking into mine. "No, Lena. You don't understand. You protected me. You fought for me when I couldn't protect myself." 

He stopped for a while, his voice softer now,"I'm grateful. More than you know."

Grateful? I was surprised, I never expected Asher to thank me. I always saw him as someone who was a distant, untouchable person. But now... now I wasn't sure what to think.

the feeling of his words washed over me, carrying with it a mix of more confusion than I was already feeling.

 "I didn't expect you to... I mean, I didn't think that I was going to be the one to save you," I said, my voice softer than I meant it to be.

Asher's lips formed into a small, little smile. It wasn't much, but it made me nervous in a way I did not understand.

"I didn't either," he replied quietly, the moment very intimate. But then he took a step back, putting some distance between us, and I could not stop myself from feeling disappointed because of it. 

He always had a way of ruining the moment.

His expression Changed and his voice turned serious again. "You've done more than you realize. And now... we need to keep moving forward. I can't protect you unless you learn how to protect yourself."

I nodded my head as if I knew what he was talking about. Protect myself? How could I protect myself when I don't even know what I was up against? 

The weird connection with him, the strange mark on my wrist, the feeling that something was changing inside of me—it all felt like too much. Too fast.

"I'm ready," I said, my voice sounding like a whisper. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Asher just stood there, looking at me, his eyes towards me softening, and there was something else I couldn't ignore. 

It made my heart beat fast, and I had to look away for a second to hold myself.. But when I looked back, he was still looking at me with those intense dark eyes. 

I stared at him, trying to understand his words. "I don't even know what I'm protecting myself from," I said, my voice shaking.

"From everything. From them. You're more than you think you are, Lena. You're part of something bigger than you realize. I'm here to help you learn how to survive it."

I took a deep breath, trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying. "And you are going to teach me how?"

Asher gave a small nod, but his eyes were intense."Yes. But it won't be easy. You'll have to learn fast.

I'll teach you how to survive.Things you'll need to know if you want to stay alive."

He took his time,"I'm not hiding anything. I'm trying to keep you safe. But we don't have time for everything right now. You'll understand soon enough."

Before I could ask him anything else, the door to my apartment was forced open again. My stomach twisted as I saw a strange woman walk inside. 

"I'm Nora Cain", she said.

walking in like she owned the place, her eyes looking through the room before even looking at me. Her smile was sinister. Like a predator who just caught the prey.

"Well, well," she said, her voice filled with sweetness that didn't match her eyes. "Looks like you're making new friends."

Asher turned to look at her immediately, his body holding still, every muscle in him building up at the sight of looking at her.

 I could see the change in him—his expression darkened. "What are you doing here, Nora?" His voice sounded like a low growl.

She took a few steps forward, looking at both Asher and I, her smile getting more intense. "Oh, nothing much. Just checking on Lena. Making sure she's still useful."

I swallowed my spit, trying to understand what was going on. "Useful for what?" My voice sounds more like a whisper.

Nora's smirk widened even more, there was nothing good about it. "You're a pawn, Lena. You've always been a pawn. 

The moment they marked you, they decided your fate."

Asher's hands folded into fists,his face filled with anger. "You need to leave, Nora. This is not your fight."

But Nora just laughed, a low, mocking laugh that gave me an unease. "Oh, it is. You'll see soon enough, Asher. 

When this is all over, you'll realize just how much of a pawn you really are, Lena."

My heart started to beat faster. I didn't know what to think, who to trust. Asher's words were sounding like they were real and genuine, but Nora's smile— her words—they were sounding more like a warning.

Asher was trying to protect me, but from what? And who was Nora working for?

I was more lost than ever.