Chapter 3 - Sanctuary
The silence that followed was heavy. When Elias stepped back into the room, he looked different—less like a king, and more like a man holding a burden.
"He's gone," Elias said. "For now."
"He won't stop," I whispered, clutching the sheets. "He’s obsessed with the idea of an heir. If he can't have his son, he’ll try to take the girls to punish me."
Elias walked to the edge of the bed. He looked at the two cribs beside me. "He won't get within ten miles of this building. My men are stationed at every entrance. You are under my protection, Ava. That means something."
I looked up at him. "Why? You don't know me. I’m nobody."
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Elias reached out, his hand hesitating before he gently brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. His touch was electric, surprising for a man whose hands were known for violence.
"I know what it’s like to be discarded," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "I know the sound of a world that stops caring about you when you're no longer useful. I don't let people like that win."
