### Chapter 7: Trapped in Their Shadows đșđ„đ
**Lia's POV**
I pull away from Rick, my lips still tingling from the kiss, my heart pounding so hard it hurts.
His hazel eyes lock on mine, soft but intense, and he leans in, trying to kiss me again.
My hands shoot up, pushing him back, my voice sharp. "That's enough," I say, my breath shaky. "It was just a thank you. Don't get any ideas."
"What about me?" a voice cuts through the room, low and cold, like a blade. I whip my head around, and there's Eric, leaning against the doorframe, his blue eyes glinting with something dangerous.
He steps inside, his boots heavy on the wooden floor, and stops in front of us, his presence sucking the air out of the room.
My stomach twists, the mate bond burning in my chest, a curse tying me to him, to Rick, to Dorianâthe monsters who ruined my life. I hate it. Hate them. đ©žâš
"Do you mind knocking?" I snap, glaring at Eric, trying to keep my voice steady despite the way my hands shake.
He moves closer, too close, his face inches from mine, his breath hot against my skin.
"This place belongs to us," he whispers, his voice a low growl that sends a shiver down my spine. "Why would I need to knock?"
I step back, my heart racing, but I hold his gaze, refusing to let him see me break. He glances at Rick, his eyes narrowing.
"Dorian's calling you," he says, his tone flat but edged with authority. "Living room. Now."
Rick hesitates, his jaw tight, but he starts to move toward the door. I grab his arm, pulling him back, my voice sharp with desperation.
"Where are you going?" I ask. "Why do you let Dorian control you? You're an Alpha too, aren't you?"
Rick looks at me, his smile soft but sad, like he's carrying a weight I can't see.
"It's okay," he says, his voice gentle. "Just stay here, Lia. You'll be fine."
I glance at Eric, his cold stare burning into me, and my voice hardens. "Fine? With *him* around? You think I'm safe with Eric?"
Eric chuckles, a low, dark sound that makes my skin crawl. He steps closer, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Am I that bad?" he asks, his voice teasing but laced with menace, like he's enjoying my fear.
Rick moves fast, his hand shooting out to block Eric, his body tense between us.
"Give her some space," he says, his voice low, almost a growl, his eyes locked on Eric's. For a moment, they just stare, the air filled with tension, and I hold my breath, waiting for one of them to snap.
Eric chuckles again, raising his hands in mock surrender, and steps back.
"Fine," he says, his voice smooth but dangerous. He turns and walks out, his boots echoing down the hall. I let out a breath, my hands shaking, and look at Rick.
"I don't get you," I say, my voice raw. "One minute you're saving me, acting all soft, and the next you're⊠scary. Like them."
He smiles, soft and fleeting, like it's a secret he's not supposed to share. "Don't think about it," he says. "Just stay here, Lia. You're safe."
I watch him walk away, the door clicking shut behind him, and I'm alone. My legs feel weak, and I sink onto the bed, my head spinning. Safe? In this place? Locked up in some Lycan's room, surrounded by the monsters I've been running from for two years?
I laugh, a bitter sound, and bury my face in my hands. The mate bond hums in my chest, a cruel reminder of what I can't escape.
Dorian's cruelty, Eric's cold menace, Rick's confusing softnessâthey're all part of this curse, tying me to the ones who killed my parents.
I hate them. I hate this bond. But that kiss with Rick⊠it felt like fire, like something I didn't want to stop, and that scares me more than anything.
I stand, pacing the room, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling. The space is small, different from the cold room I woke up in before.
There's a bed with dark sheets, shelves lined with books and weapons, a window letting in soft light. I need something to do, anything to keep my mind off them.
My eyes land on a book on the shelf, its cover worn but sturdy. I grab it, flipping it open, expecting some boring Lycan nonsense. Instead, I find pages filled with drawingsâbeautiful, intricate sketches of forests, wolves, moons glowing in the night sky.
My breath catches. For a Lycan, this is⊠soft. Too soft. I didn't expect this from Rick, the quiet one who's supposed to be like the others.
I trace a drawing of a wolf, its eyes so real they seem to stare back, and a smile tugs at my lips before I can stop it.
I slam the book shut, my heart pounding. No. I can't do this. I can't let myself feel anything for himâfor any of them. They're the same. Dorian, Eric, Rickâthey're all monsters, all part of the bond that's choking me.
I've been running for two years to escape them, to escape this curse that ties me to the ones who burned my world to ash. I can't believe I'm stuck here, that I might have to live like this forever, caged by their rules, their eyes, their hands.
I sit back on the bed, clutching the book to my chest, my fingers trembling. The bond hums again, stronger now, and I hate how it pulls at me, how it makes me think of Rick's smile, his gentle touch. I kissed him.
I *kissed* him, and it felt like fire, like something alive. I want to hate him, but part of me doesn't, and that's the worst part of all. đ„âš