Chapter 162. You Belong to Me Alone

Suddenly, the door swung open. I yanked my head back, my body jolting in surprise. Kaden strode out, flanked by two stern-faced elders. He looked straight at me, confronted by the crimson stain of my rampage—the dried blood, the bits of decaying flesh still clinging to my clothes.

“What the hell are you doing here?” His voice was cold, edged with fury.

My throat felt parched, and my pulse thundered so loudly I was sure he could hear it. “I—I wanted to tell you something,” I stammered. The words dissolved on my tongue. It was the first time I’d ever been caught eavesdropping, and my heart pounded in my ears.

His gaze turned sharp, predatory. He stepped forward and shoved me against the damp wall, his body towering over mine. “And you decided to sneak down here? How long have you been spying on us, Eleanor? I won’t ask again.”

I tried to steady my breathing, but fear made words fail me. My body throbbed from the slap and the exertion of my struggle, yet I refus