The Beast of the Briar Woods

Three whole hours had passed, and Kaelan was still nowhere to be found.

I'd called him over and over—not to nag him about ruining our evening, but because a dull knot of anxiety kept tightening in my chest. This kind of silence wasn't like him. He usually had the courtesy to let me know if he was going to be delayed, even in the middle of the night.

Unable to sit still, I paced the living room relentlessly, the hem of my long dress sweeping the floor with every step. Mirelle, who had been quietly watching my agitation, finally stepped in.

She gently suggested I calm down, warning that I might trip over my own hem if I kept wearing a path into the rug.

I stopped dead and shot her a look, my nerves completely frayed.

"Is that really what you're worried about right now, Mirelle?" I asked, my voice thick.

A sob threatened to break loose, but I swallowed it down and resumed my pacing.

"My husband is three hours late," I insisted, no longer trying to hide my distress. "This isn't normal. He's never done this."

Mirelle tried to reassure me, but her words fell flat. She mumbled something about work, a sudden holdup, something trivial. She added that nothing bad could ever happen to a man like Mr. Southwark.

As if her words had summoned him, the front door suddenly clicked open.

Kaelan stood in the entryway.

He froze when he saw me, as if genuinely surprised to find me still awake in the living room, practically vibrating with nerves.

"Rav..." I murmured, my throat tight.

I rushed over and threw my arms around him without thinking, desperate for the reassurance of his touch.

"What happened? I've been calling you non-stop..."

But he didn't answer. His arms didn't wrap around me in return. They hung motionless at his sides.

That detail alone was enough to send a cold spike of unease through me.

I pulled back just enough to look up at him. His expression was entirely closed off. His gaze was cold, completely detached.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, my stomach dropping.

He slowly untangled himself from my embrace, as if my very touch was a burden.

"We need to talk, Elara," he said, his voice stripped of its usual warmth.

The words made my chest tighten instantly.

"Talk about what?"

"About us."

He paused before adding in a flat, detached tone that he'd prefer to have this conversation in our bedroom.

I glanced around. Even though none of the staff were visible, the open space of the first floor suddenly felt too exposed, too oppressive.

"Let's go upstairs," I finally breathed.

He gave a curt nod without meeting my eyes and walked past me, taking the stairs with heavy, measured steps. I followed him, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Once we were in the master bedroom, he waited for me to shut the door before turning to face me.

"Rav... what's going on?"

He put some distance between us, walking over to the window. He stood with his back to me, staring out into the dark as if searching for the right words in the landscape below.

"There's something wrong between us," he finally said.

I just stood there for a moment, completely lost.

"What do you mean? Everything is fine... Just this morning..."

I cut myself off, thrown off balance by the memory of his gentle touch just hours earlier.

He shook his head slightly.

"I told you what you wanted to hear," he replied simply.

His tone was ice, entirely devoid of tenderness.