Chapter 5 5

Lauren

Ronan's eyes didn't leave mine, and for a moment, the weight of his gaze made my breath catch in my throat. What did he mean by "marked"? Who was after me, and why? These were questions I needed answers to- answers that I didn't know if I was ready to hear.

He sighed, stepping back slightly as if he could feel the tension radiating off me. "I know this is a lot to take in, but you're not alone in this," he said quietly. "There are people here who want to use you. Control you."

The words were sharp, like blades. My hands clenched at my sides, and I fought to keep my composure. "I don't want anything to do with this. I didn't ask for any of it."

Ronan looked at me, his expression softening, though his jaw remained tight. "I know. I know. But it's not that simple. You're part of something bigger now. The sooner you accept that, the better."

I shook my head, taking a step back. "No. I can't just accept this. This isn't my world. You don't know me. You don't know what I've been through."

Ronan stepped forward, his eyes intense. "I know more than you think. I'm not asking you to like it. But you need to understand that you're in danger, Lauren. And you're not safe here-not yet."

His words settled in my mind like a heavy weight, and for the first time, I wondered if he was right. Could I really trust him? Everything about him screamed danger, yet there was something else in his eyes-a vulnerability I didn't expect from someone who seemed as untouchable as he did.

I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to turn and run- get on the next flight back to Ohio and never look back. But the other part of me was afraid that leaving would be a mistake I couldn't undo. This house, these people, they were tangled up in something that I could never fully understand. And the only way out seemed to be through it.

Ronan's voice cut through my thoughts. "Come with me. I'll show you something."

I hesitated, my mind screaming for caution. But something in the way he spoke, the way his gaze held mine, made it impossible to refuse. I nodded slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. "Fine."

We walked in silence through the grand hallway, past rooms that seemed to stretch on forever. The house felt like it was alive, as if it had its own heartbeat, its own secrets. My feet carried me deeper into the mansion, further away from everything I knew.

We stopped outside a door at the far end of the corridor. Ronan glanced at me before pushing it open, revealing a room that was almost entirely dark. The only light came from a few flickering candles scattered around the room, casting long shadows on the walls.

"What is this place?" I asked, my voice a mix of curiosity and unease.

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the center of the room, where a large wooden table stood. On it were several books, old and worn, along with strange symbols carved into the surface. My eyes widened as I recognized a few of the symbols from the strange dreams I'd been having. The ones filled with fire and smoke, with voices that whispered my name.

Ronan turned to face me, his expression serious. "This is where we figure out who's really after you."

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog. "What do you mean, 'who's after me'?"

"Those symbols, Lauren," he said softly, pointing to the carvings. "They're not just decorations. They're part of a ritual. A ritual that's been in motion for years. And it's tied to you."

I took a step back, my heart racing. "A ritual? What kind of ritual?"

Ronan's eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw something flicker across his face-something dangerous, something I didn't want to see. "One that will give them what they want. The power they crave."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "And what do they want from me?"

He hesitated before answering. "You have something they need, Lauren. Something powerful. Something no one else can give them."

I shook my head, feeling the floor shift beneath me. "I don't have anything. I'm just a girl from Ohio. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You have more than you think," Ronan said quietly. "But you're not ready to understand it yet. And I'm not sure you ever will be."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine, the weight of his words sinking into me like a stone. What was he trying to tell me? And why did I feel like everything I thought I knew about myself was slipping away?

Ronan stepped closer, his voice lowering. "They're watching you, Lauren. The ones who want what you have. They've been watching you for a long time."

"Who are they?" I whispered, the words trembling on my lips.

He shook his head, as if he wasn't ready to tell me everything. "I can't tell you yet. But I'll protect you. I won't let them get to you."

I stared at him, feeling a mix of fear and something else-a strange, magnetic pull that I couldn't ignore. Despite everything, despite all the warnings, I found myself trusting him. Trusting him in a way that felt dangerous. I didn't know what he was involved in, but somehow, I knew that he wasn't lying to me.

"I don't want to be part of this," I said, my voice small. "I just want to go back to my life."

"I know," Ronan replied softly. "But that's not possible anymore. The moment you stepped into this house, you became part of it."

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume me. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Survive," Ronan said simply. "And stay close to me. You're not alone in this, Lauren. Not anymore."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to scream that this wasn't my problem, that I hadn't asked for any of it. But the truth was, I was already too deep. I couldn't walk away, not with the danger lurking in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike.

---

The following days passed in a haze of unfamiliarity. Ronan and I barely exchanged words after the incident in the dark room, where he had shown me the symbols and spoken cryptic warnings. But every now and then, our eyes would meet across the grand hallways of the mansion, and there was something in the way his gaze lingered-a mix of caution and something else, something I couldn't place.

I was still trying to wrap my head around everything he had told me, and though he had promised to protect me, I couldn't help but feel more like a pawn in a game I didn't understand. The mansion, with its opulent rooms and cold, impersonal walls, began to feel more like a cage than a sanctuary.

And yet, I couldn't bring myself to leave. Every time I thought about boarding a plane back to Ohio, something would hold me back. Fear? Curiosity? Or perhaps the strange, magnetic pull Ronan seemed to have on me.

It was an unsettling feeling. I wasn't used to being uncertain, to feeling like I was caught in the middle of something bigger than me.

It was early in the morning when I found myself standing in the kitchen, staring blankly at the polished countertops. I hadn't had much of an appetite since arriving, but today something was different. My stomach growled, a reminder that despite everything, I was still human. Still in need of sustenance.

As I rummaged through the cabinets, I heard footsteps behind me. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned quickly, half-expecting Ronan to be the one to invade my space. But it wasn't him.

It was Gregory Pitts, my new stepfather, standing in the doorway with a cup of coffee in hand, his expression unreadable.

"Morning," he said, his voice deep and smooth, as always.

"Morning," I replied, my tone polite, but guarded. I wasn't sure where I stood with him. He was kind, sure, but there was something about him-something about his relationship with Ronan-that made me uneasy.

Gregory took a sip of his coffee, eyeing me carefully. "How are you settling in?"

I hesitated before answering, unsure of what to say. "It's... different. But I'll manage."

He nodded, as if he understood more than I was saying. "You're strong. I can tell. But I also know that you have a lot of questions. Don't be afraid to ask them. This family... this world-it's not easy to navigate, especially when you're new to it."

His words, though comforting, only raised more questions in my mind. "What exactly is this world, Gregory?" I asked, unable to keep the curiosity from seeping into my voice. "What's really going on here?"

Gregory didn't seem surprised by my question. Instead, he set his coffee cup down on the counter and looked at me with a mixture of sympathy and concern.

"Lauren," he said softly, "there are things you don't know yet. Things I can't explain all at once. But just know that you're safer here than you would be anywhere else. And Ronan... he's looking out for you."

The mention of Ronan's name made my stomach tighten, but I couldn't quite place why. I had to admit, though, that Gregory's words didn't exactly reassure me. The cryptic way he spoke only deepened my confusion.

I opened my mouth to ask more, but before I could speak, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway. I looked over Gregory's shoulder just in time to see Ronan walking toward us, his expression unreadable as he glanced between us.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice low, but with a hint of suspicion in his tone.

I exchanged a glance with Gregory before answering, "Yeah, we were just talking."

Ronan didn't seem convinced. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he reached past me to grab a bottle of water from the fridge and turned toward the door.

"Are you heading out?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ronan stopped in his tracks, but he didn't turn around. "I have something I need to take care of," he said, his back still to me. "I'll be back later."

And just like that, he left, leaving the air heavy with unspoken tension.

Gregory seemed to sense my unease, and after a long pause, he placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring.

"Lauren, there's a lot about this family you don't understand," he said quietly. "But we'll make sure you're safe. Just trust us."

I wanted to trust him. I wanted to believe that everything would be okay if I just went along with it. But something inside me resisted. My instincts were telling me that trusting anyone in this place, least of all Ronan, was dangerous.

Later that day, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the mansion grounds, I found myself pacing restlessly through the garden. I needed to clear my head, to sort through the mess of thoughts swirling in my mind. But nothing made sense anymore.

I stopped by a fountain, the sound of water trickling from the stone basin offering a brief moment of peace. But it didn't last long.

"Lauren," a voice called from behind me, causing me to freeze.

I turned to see Ronan standing a few feet away, his hands in his pockets. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held a quiet intensity that made my pulse race.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, his tone neutral, though I could hear the edge of concern beneath it.

"I needed some air," I said, trying to sound casual. "Just thinking."

He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "Don't think too much, Lauren. You don't know the full picture yet. You don't know what's at stake."

The warning in his voice was unmistakable. But I couldn't just ignore my instincts, my need for answers.

"I'm not just going to sit back and let you protect me without knowing why," I said, my voice firm. "I need to know what's really going on."

Ronan's eyes softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. "I'll tell you everything. In time. But right now, I need you to trust me. Please."

I didn't respond right away. Instead, I looked down at the fountain, watching the water as it splashed gently over the stone. There was something haunting about the quiet, the stillness, but in that moment, I couldn't tell if it was calming or suffocating.

"Ronan," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "what are we really dealing with here?"

His jaw tightened, and for the briefest moment, he looked conflicted. "The sooner you know, the sooner you'll understand how dangerous this really is."

I didn't ask any more questions. He was right. There were things I wasn't ready to hear, things I didn't want to know. But I couldn't stay in the dark forever.