The Slap and the Threat

Elodie’s POV

I stood frozen in the biting afternoon wind, my eyes locked on the glowing screen of my phone. The harsh reality of my mother’s text message sank into my bones. Ride with Kiernan. The universe was playing a sick joke on me. I shoved the phone deep into my bag and dragged my feet across the asphalt, bracing myself for the nightmare ahead.

When I turned around in the parking lot, I spotted Kiernan leaning against his sleek car. His arms were crossed over his chest, and an expression of pure disgust was etched onto his face. He looked at me as if my mere existence was a personal offense.

“Get in,” he commanded flatly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.

I stopped a few feet away, clutching the strap of my bag like a shield. “No thanks,” I replied stubbornly, attempting to maintain my dignity in front of the guy who practically ruled this school. “I can walk.”

His dark eyes narrowed. He pushed off the car, unfolding his tall frame, and took a menacing step toward me. He made it clear that he was only acting on his father’s strict orders. “Do not test my patience,” he snapped. “If you force my hand, I will drag you into this vehicle myself.”

The threat hung in the freezing air between us. I spun on my heel, determined to walk home, no matter the distance. My pride refused to let him win.

Before I could take a single step, his large hand wrapped firmly around my forearm.

I gasped. An unexpected, searing spark of heat shot through my skin at his sudden touch. The intense warmth flared up my arm, shocking me to my core. A strange, breathless flutter erupted in my chest, a physical reaction I had no business feeling for someone who hated me so much. I tried to yank my arm away, but his grip was like an iron band locking me in place.

Despite my stubborn pride, the stark difference in our strength became glaringly obvious. I realized I could not fight him. He was a powerhouse on the ice, and I was just a girl with a weak heart. Defeated, I surrendered. I let out a frustrated breath, pulled my arm free, and got into the passenger seat.

The ride home was an agonizing experience. The moment he started the engine, he cranked up the sound system. He blared loud, heavy music to drown out any conversation. He drove out of the lot at terrifyingly high speeds, taking sharp turns that made my stomach drop. I pressed my back hard against the leather seat, gripping the door handle. The small cabin of the sports car felt like a cage. He filled the enclosed space with a suffocating, dominant presence. His woodsy scent flooded my senses, and the proximity made my heart flutter dangerously against my ribs.

When we finally arrived at the estate, my nerves were frayed. I practically jumped out of the car.

My mother and Alpha Garrick were waiting in the grand foyer. The marble floors gleamed under the massive chandelier. Mom wore a bright, eager smile, while Garrick stood tall and authoritative.

Garrick stepped forward and formally introduced us, looking directly at Kiernan. “Welcome back. Elodie, you know my son. Kiernan, I am commanding you to take special care of her from now on.”

Kiernan stood stiffly beside me. “Of course, Father,” he replied, offering a polite but hollow smile. It did not reach his cold eyes.

Before the tension settled, my mother eagerly chimed in. “You know, Garrick, we really should have them carpool to school every day. Since they attend the same place, it just makes perfect sense.”

Kiernan let out a low growl of protest from deep within his chest. The sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Garrick quickly silenced him with a sharp look. “Enough. We are family now. You will learn to get along.”

I turned my head and looked at Kiernan's clenched, pulsing jaw. The muscles feathered under his skin. Looking into his stormy eyes, I recognized the exact same resentment that I carried toward Garrick. It was the painful, defensive anger of seeing an intruder try to replace a parent who could not be replaced. We stood on opposite sides of the same broken bridge.

The evening dragged on. After a quiet, awkward dinner where the silence felt heavier than lead, I retreated upstairs to my bedroom. I just wanted to wash my face, change my clothes, and seek some peace. I walked into the attached bathroom, turned on the tap, and splashed cool water on my skin, trying to wash away the stress of the day.

I walked back into my bedroom, drying my face with a towel, only for my heavy wooden door to swing open.

Kiernan barged right in without knocking.

He had shed his school jacket. His white dress shirt was half-unbuttoned, exposing the smooth, tanned skin of his chest. His wild, dominant presence instantly filled and shrank my personal space down to nothing. The air grew thick and hard to breathe.

“What are you doing in here?” I demanded, dropping the towel onto my bed.

“I have rules,” he said, stepping close enough that I could smell his intoxicating woodsy scent again. His towering frame cast a long shadow over me. “One: Don’t come near me at school. Act like you don't even know me.”

I crossed my arms, refusing to back down. “Gladly.”

“Two,” he continued, taking another slow step forward, forcing me to tilt my head up. “Even here at home, avoid me. Stay out of my sight.”

He stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “And three... Don’t think I won’t keep looking for a way to chase you and your mother out of this house. You’re gold diggers. That’s all you are. You do not belong here.”

The raw, unprovoked insult hit me like a physical blow. The words boiled over into a lifetime of accumulated grief. All the unwantedness I had felt, the endless defensiveness I carried over my mother’s struggles—it all erupted. A sudden, blinding rage consumed my mind, shutting down any rational thought.

Before I could stop myself, my hand flew out.

I slapped him hard across the face.

The loud smack cracked through the silent room like a gunshot. His head whipped to the side from the sheer force of my strike.

As the sharp sting faded from my palm, instant regret and fear set in. My breath hitched in my throat. My chest heaves up and down as I stared at the red mark blooming across his sharp cheekbone.

Kiernan did not strike back. Instead, he slowly turned his head back to face me. His eyes darkened to a dangerous, terrifying pitch, swallowing all the light in the room.

With terrifying speed, he lunged.

He pinned my wrist with an inescapable grip and slammed me hard against the wall. The impact knocked the wind right out of my lungs.

“You just proved you came from a low background,” he growled, his voice a lethal rumble. His face hovered dangerously close to mine, his hard, muscular chest pressing flush against my fragile frame. I was trapped, overpowered by his raw strength.

“You’re nothing more than a leech trying to feed,” he spat out, his dark eyes burning into my soul. “Do that again, and I’ll make it hurt where you least expect.”

With his hot, angry breath fanning over my cheek and my heart hammering frantically against my ribs, I stared into his unforgiving face. The dominance radiating off his body suffocated me. I realized with sheer terror that I might actually be in real danger with this boy.