Sophia barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the man in the shadows burned into her mind. Who was he? And why did she feel as if he had been waiting for her?
Her body still tingled from the strange energy coursing through her. Even her reflection in the mirror seemed… foreign. Her auburn hair shimmered with an almost unnatural vibrance, and her eyes—normally a warm brown—held flickers of gold.
Something was happening to her.
And it terrified her.
She tried to push it aside as she walked through the halls of school the next morning. Whispers followed her. People stared.
"Did you see her at prom?"
"She looked… unreal."
"Like a goddess."
Even Ryan, her boyfriend, kept stealing glances at her like he didn't recognize her.
"Soph, you're glowing," he murmured, pulling her aside.
She forced a smile. "New skincare routine?"
He chuckled, but his eyes darkened. "No, it's more than that. You feel… different."
She tensed.
Ryan had always been observant, but even he couldn't begin to understand what was happening inside her.
The feeling of being watched hadn't left since last night. Every corner, every shadow—she swore she could feel unseen eyes on her. And then, as she passed by the library's glass doors, her breath hitched.
He was there.
Leaning against a far bookshelf, arms crossed, watching her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.
Lucian.
The stranger from last night.
Their eyes met.
A slow, knowing smirk touched his lips.
Sophia's breath caught. The world around her dimmed. Everything, everyone, faded into nothing. It was just him.
And then—
He was gone.
Like he had never been there.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
She barely noticed Ryan calling her name, barely felt the way her hands trembled.
Who was he?
And why did she feel like she already belonged to him?