Chapter 82: Insane For Her

Adeline’s pov~

"Who?" Zyran demanded, his voice dropping into a harsh, possessive command. "Tell me who did it, Adeline. Give me a fucking name."

The air instantly thickened as he released a crushing wave of dominant Lycan pressure.

The heavy, suffocating scent of dark bourbon and his dominant scent flooded my lungs, heavy enough to drop a grown Alpha to their knees.

My legs trembled under the invisible weight, every survival instinct screaming at me to submit, to bow my head and give him what he wanted.

Instead, I lifted my chin, and stared right back into those pitch-black eyes.

"No... Lord Zyran," I whispered, keeping my voice dead even.

Zyran growled in sheer frustration, running a heavy hand through his dark hair as he stepped back, just enough to pace a single, sharp step.

"Don’t you fucking dare play games with me, Adeline!" he snarled, turning back to me, his dark eyes burning with chaotic fury. "Tell me who ordered the hit!"

I stayed entirely silent, staring into the deep, dark abyss of his eyes as the moonlight caught the wild, dangerous edge in his expression.

Why is he doing this? Is this another new trick he’s playing?

This man is so damn confusing.

"You wanted me gone on my very first day here," I murmured, each word deliberate and laced with raw confusion.

"You threatened me. You told me to leave. And then... Then you walked straight into those cells and killed the three omegas who dared to lay a finger on me? Then you came and apologised to me, leaving me with a dozen stupid questions."

"Now you’re standing here demanding the name of the person who wants me dead? So tell me... what the hell is wrong with you, Lord Zyran?"

A slow, dark smirk slowly spread across his lips, a dangerous, ruined smile that sent a jolt of heat straight down my spine.

He took two slow, deliberate steps toward me, closing the distance until his massive chest was practically pressing against mine.

"Yeah," Zyran purred, his voice dropping into a rough, gravelly register that sent a violent shiver down my spine.

"First, I wanted you gone. I warned you... told you to stay the fuck away from all four Lycan Kings. Then you went and slapped me across the face in front of the entire fucking academy... and I should have ripped your throat out for pulling a stunt like that."

"But instead? Instead, I went completely insane and killed for you. I slaughtered those fucking omegas who dared to lay their filthy hands on you."

His dark eyes burned into mine with an unhinged, terrifying intensity.

"I found out someone wants you dead, and now I’m ready to protect the exact same person I wanted gone," he whispered, his warm breath brushing against my skin.

He tilted his head, his dark gaze dropping to my lips before rising back to lock onto my eyes.

"I would go to any fucking length to keep you breathing, sweetheart," he growled softly. The raw intensity in his tone made it clear he wasn’t joking, and that terrifies me.

"So hell yeah... every single thing is wrong with me. I am so fucking crazy and... and am going entirely insane for wanting you."

I froze. Total, absolute panic locked my lungs.

Wanting me?

Goddess... I should’ve just kept my mouth shut. I should have walked away the second I had the chance. Shit, shit, shit... what am I supposed to do with this?

Before I could form a single sentence, Zyran leaned his face even closer, a slow, dark smile curving his lips as his eyes traced every inch of my panicked expression, and his hand came up to hold me by my chin.

"I—" I started, trying to find my voice, but he cut me off instantly.

"You’re blushing, sweetheart," Zyran interrupted, his voice deep and soft, his thumb lightly brushing my burning cheek.

"What?? No... No, I’m not!" I snapped, my face instantly flushing twice as hot, and I turned my head away frantically.

I shoved past his arm and took three quick steps away, putting immediate distance between us before my heart burst right out of my chest. I turned back around, adjusting the hood over my head, determined to put an end to this madness.

"So, I will get going... Lord Zyra—"

PING!

The sharp, loud notification tone broke my sentence, echoing violently through the dark room.

I froze.

Goddess no...

I looked up, wishing he didn’t notice, but all I saw was Zyran casually standing there, his hands shoved back into his pant pockets, but his eyes were locked onto me as his dark brows pulled up in slow, dangerous curiosity at the sound coming from my hoodie pocket.

My heart sank into my stomach.

I frantically pulled out my phone. The harsh glare illuminated the unknown number on the lock screen.

[Unknown]: So your answer is you’re not coming out, right? You don’t want to know about them? Come out in 5 minutes or forget about ever knowing what happened to your parents.

I instantly clicked the screen off, killing the light, and stuffed the phone back into my hoodie pocket. I turned toward the door, ready to bolt.

"Give me your phone," Zyran commanded flatly.

He extended his right hand toward me, palm up, waiting, his expression suddenly completely stripped of amusement.

"What?? No!" I gasped, taking a fast step back, my fingers tightening around the device. "I am not giving you my phone!"

"I said give it to me, Adeline," Zyran growled, his voice dropping into an icy, lethal register.

"Why do you want my phone?!" I retorted, my anger spiking to cover my growing panic as I backed up another step.

"Don’t you have your own phone, Lord Zyran? What, have you started confiscating phones from students now—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Zyran shot forward like a shadow, his large hand reaching out to grab my wrist.

But my instincts flared, and I yanked my hand back, hiding the hand clutching my phone securely behind my spine as I glared up into his dark, furious eyes.

"Don’t touch me," I hissed, backing my spine against the far wall. "It’s none of your business!"

I immediately spun on my heel, turning my back on him as I bolted for the exit. But before I could even take two steps, a strong, unyielding hand wrapped violently around my wrist.

With one effortless tug, Zyran yanked me backwards. My back slammed straight against his solid, massive chest.

Before I could process the impact, his other hand reached around to snatch the phone from my left hand. Sheer panic and instinct took over.

Without thinking, I flicked my right wrist, sliding the hidden silver blade out from beneath my sleeve. I caught the cold metal perfectly between my thumb and index finger, tightening my grip as I violently spun around to strike.

My hand stopped dead.

Zyran caught my wrist mid-air, the sharp tip of my silver blade trembling mere inches from his throat.

I glared up at him, my chest heaving, but his pitch-black eyes were entirely calm. There wasn’t a single flinch of fear in his gaze.

"Let go—" I murmured, glaring into his face, but his eyes were fixed on me.

Before I could even process his reaction, he smoothly spun me around and slammed my back against the wall. In one fluid, terrifying movement, his hand pinned my right hand—silver blade and all—securely against the wall above my head.

"Lord Zyran, I swear to Goddess, if you don’t let me go right now—" I hissed, struggling desperately against his grip, trying to twist my wrist free.

He calmly grabbed my left wrist, pulling it up to join my right, and pinned both of my wrists together above my head with just one of his massive hands.

With his newly freed hand, he casually plucked the phone right out of my fingers as if I weren’t holding onto it like a lifeline.

"Stop struggling, sweetheart," he murmured in his deep voice, his dark eyes locked straight onto mine while I glared at him in pure frustration.

"Then let go of my hands!" I hissed, my chest heaving against his.

"Don’t make this harder than it already is," he cut me off softly, opening the screen. To ensure I couldn’t move an inch, he stepped right into my space, pressing his solid, heated body completely flush against mine.

He unlocked my phone, the harsh blue screen illuminating his sharp jawline. My heart hammered against my ribs as his gaze darkened, line by line, reading the message from the unknown number.

I watched his expression shift. The lazy amusement completely vanished, replaced by a dark, lethal shadow as he read the threat from the unknown number.

A dark, humourless chuckle escaped his chest, but his eyes were lethal as he looked back up at me.

"You actually believe these stupid trap messages?" he asked, his voice dripping with dangerous disbelief. "Don’t fucking tell me you came down here past midnight to sneak outside these academy walls just to meet this bastard outside tonight!"