Chapter 193: Friendship slash relationship

"You really should have been there, Pandora," Henna gushed, her voice practically buzzing as she recounted the showdown between Alyssa and Elvira.

The three of them were curled up in the living room, chatting lightly while the muted television flickered in the background. Outside, storm clouds had begun to gather around the evening sky, darkening the territory as the clock crept past seven.

"Alyssa was on fire," Henna continued, gesturing animatedly with her hands. "She was a total badass! And when she looked right at Elvira and told her to hit her again... I swear to the goddess, Elvira looked genuinely terrified."

Pandora turned wide shocked eyes toward Alyssa, her jaw dropping open. "Is that true? You actually told her to hit you again?"

Alyssa’s lips curled into a smug grin. "Honestly, I have no idea where that surge of confidence came from. All I knew at that moment was that I was pissed as hell, and I wanted to draw blood."

"Oh my gosh," Pandora muttered, shaking her head in awe. "Who are you? And what have you done to my best friend?"

"Don’t make a big deal out of it," Alyssa laughed softly, dismissively waving her hand. "I never would have raised a fist if she hadn’t provoked me."

"Now I wish I had gone with you," Pandora sighed wearisomely. "I would have given anything to watch Elvira get humiliated in front of everyone."

"She did land a blow first," Alyssa murmured, her fingers drifting up to gently touch her face. "Caught me right on the cheek with a brutal punch. I had to go see Nina for a soothing ointment to bring the swelling down before Dorian got back and saw it."

"I hope she ended up in far worse shape."

"Oh, you bet she did," Henna chimed in with an amused chuckle. "Alyssa went completely wild on her. Pinned her straight to the floor and drove her fist into her face."

​"I had no idea throwing a punch hurt your own hand so much," Alyssa admitted with a light chuckle.

"Ugh, I wish I’d been there!" Pandora groaned, slumping back. "Why did I have to leave? I swear, I always miss out on the fun things."

"Where exactly did you go, anyway?" Henna asked, turning her attention to her. "You didn’t return until dusk."

"I just... needed a little time to myself," Pandora blurted out, offering the first excuse that came to mind. "I went for a walk with some old friends from the Academy. It had been a while since we caught up."

Henna believed the explanation without a second thought, but Alyssa knew it was a cover. She had spent the entire morning watching the strain between Pandora and Anthony, noting the effort they were making to avoid each other.

Leaning in closer, she dropped her voice so Henna, who had returned to texting on her phone, wouldn’t overhear.

"What’s really going on, Pandora?" she asked gently. "You can tell me."

"It’s nothing..."

"You and I both know that’s not true," Alyssa interrupted softly. "You were the one who told me that sharing things with your best friend is always better than keeping them buried inside. And I know this has to do with Anthony. I’ve seen how distant you two have become."

She reached out, taking Pandora’s hand and lacing their fingers together. "Talk to me. What happened between you two?"

Before Pandora could answer, a jagged bolt of lightning illuminated the living room, followed a heartbeat later by the roar of thunder. A heavy downpour erupted, carried by howling wind that drove sheets of rain violently against the glass panes of the mansion.

Alyssa glanced toward the tall windows, her stomach twisting with anxiety. Dorian wasn’t back yet. She tried calling him an hour ago, but his line had been unreachable.

"He’ll be back soon," Pandora murmured quietly, reading the worry written across her face. "Jake and Anthony went out to join him and Alec. They’ll bring him home safely."

Alyssa nodded, forcing a soft smile. "I know. I’m more worried about you right now."

"You don’t need to be," Pandora smiled back. "Nothing is wrong. Anthony and I are just... working around our friendship slash relationship."

Alyssa wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but it was clear Pandora wasn’t ready to open up just yet. Respecting her boundaries, she let the matter drop.

Just then, the hallway door swung open, and Samantha stepped into the living room. Her eyes briefly locked with Alyssa’s across the room, a silent unreadable exchange passing between them.

Without a word, Samantha averted her gaze and hurried away. Once she vanished, Pandora let out an audible scoff.

"I still don’t understand why you keep her around," she muttered under her breath. "If it were up to me, I would have thrown her out long ago. I don’t trust her, no matter how hard she tries to pass off as a good person."

"Pandora, don’t be like that," Alyssa replied gently. "Everyone deserves a second chance to fix their mistakes. It’s only right that we give her room to prove herself."

"Don’t tell me you actually trust her now," Pandora said, pulling back with a suspicious frown. "Have you forgotten what she did?"

"I haven’t forgotten," Alyssa said calmly. "How could I? The incident with the Shadow shifter gave me nightmares for weeks, not to mention the trauma Pilate inflicted on me. But we can’t forget that Samantha was a victim, too. Her father forced her into that life."

"That’s not an excuse."

"I know it isn’t," Alyssa sighed softly. "And no, I don’t fully trust her either. But she has nowhere else to go. I am giving her a second chance; whether she earns it or ruins it is entirely up to her."

They fell into silence as night settled fully over the territory. The storm showed no signs of abating, and the relentless pounding of rain against the mansion eventually made Alyssa too restless to stay seated.

Seeking a distraction, she retreated upstairs to her room to take a hot bath, wanting to change into something warm while she waited for Dorian. After a warm shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped back out into the bedroom.

She walked over to the vanity, picking up the herbal ointment Nina had given her for the bruise on her face. But as her eyes met her reflection in the mirror, she froze.

The bruise was gone. The dark red discoloration, the tender swelling, the dull ache–all of it had vanished. Her skin was perfectly smooth, pale, and unblemished.

While her mind scrambled to make sense of the impossible speed at which her skin had healed, the bedroom door clicked open behind her, and Dorian stepped into the room.

He was drenched from the storm, his dark hair plastered against his forehead and the side of his neck. He lifted his head, his golden eyes instantly locking onto hers, and a warm smile softened his sharp features.

"Dorian," Alyssa gasped, dropping the ointment and hurrying across the room to throw her arms around him. "You’re back."

Dorian pulled her flush against his chest, his mouth capturing hers in a deep, desperate kiss. The moment her skin touched his, the violent beast that had been thrashing inside his skull all day instantly went dead silent.

He lifted her easily, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as his broad palms cupped the curve of her ass, anchoring her to him.

"What took so long?" Alyssa whispered against his lips, breathless. "Why were you out there for so many hours?"

"I’m here now, baby," Dorian murmured, using his foot to kick the door shut behind them. "Did you miss me that much?"

"Of course I did," she giggled, pulling back slightly to search his face. Her smile faltered when she spotted a thin cut near the corner of his left eyebrow, bleeding lightly with no sign of healing. "You’re hurt. What happened?"

Dorian slowly lowered her feet back to the floor, stepping back to shed his rain-soaked jacket. "Remember I told you the trial could turn ugly?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Did it break into a fight?"

"A big one," Dorian murmured, unbuttoning his shirt. "The criminal’s family organized a retaliation the moment the death sentence was announced. It turned bloody, but I was able to restore control."

"Why isn’t your wound healing?"

"It’s healing," Dorian replied quietly, pulling off the wet shirt. "It’s just taking longer because the blade was laced with silver. Don’t worry about me, my love. I’ll be fine."

He reached for his bathrobe, slipping it over his shoulders before turning to give her a stern look. "Jake briefed me on what happened with Elvira."

"I can explain," Alyssa began hastily, but Dorian silenced her with a soft shake of his head.

"There is nothing to explain. You should never have accepted her challenge."

"She provoked me," Alyssa argued softly, stepping closer. "I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. Besides, I beat her."

"And then she tried to attack you," Dorian said softly, reaching out to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her close once more. "You could have lost control today, Alyssa. You could have exposed your true nature. We can’t afford that risk."

"I know," Alyssa sighed, lowering her gaze. "I’m sorry." She looped her arms around his neck, rising onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his jaw.

"It’s alright," he murmured, his thumb brushing over her waist. "Let me take a shower. There’s something important we need to discuss."

Alyssa stepped back to let him head toward the bathroom, a cold knot tightening in her stomach at the ominous tone in his voice.