What was Sean doing at the mall? And where on earth was he heading? Since he was a wolf—like Nina had been told—maybe if she could dig up some dirt on him, she’d win more points with Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock. God knew they wouldn’t mind having more ammunition against him.
Sean turned a corner, his stride purposeful, and she followed just as swiftly. The farther he went, the quieter the mall became. It was as if they had left the hustle and bustle of the main area behind and stepped into a completely different world.
She was surprised when the spaces he led her to seemed like they didn’t belong to the mall at all. The sleek, polished ambiance of luxury boutiques gave way to an eerily empty corridor. The air felt heavy, and the silence was so profound it made her steps sound deafening. The only people here were Sean, a few paces ahead, and herself.
She trailed him carefully, barely daring to breathe. The last thing she needed was to give herself away before she figured out what he was up to. Anytime he slowed down or seemed like he might glance back, she ducked behind corners or into shadows, her heart pounding in her chest.
There were a few close calls, moments when she was sure he had spotted her. But each time, she managed to stay out of sight, clinging to walls or squeezing into tight spaces that barely concealed her. Her pulse raced as she watched him continue on, oblivious—or so she thought.
Then, Sean abruptly stopped. His movements were so sudden that she almost stumbled. He stood still, as if he was about to look back. Panicking, she dove into the nearest nook she could find—a shallow recess in the wall that barely hid her. She held her breath, straining to hear.
Seconds passed like hours, and finally, she heard his footsteps again—fading into the distance. Relief flooded through her. She waited a little longer, just to be sure, before stepping cautiously out of her hiding spot.
But Sean was gone.
She scanned the hallway, her eyes darting in every direction, but there was no sign of him. Each possible path seemed equally plausible, and her frustration grew. What now?
Before she could decide her next move, a sharp pressure reminded her of the original reason she had gone wandering. The urge to find a restroom returned with a vengeance, and she sighed in defeat. Curiosity could wait.
She turned to leave, ready to abandon this little escapade, but she froze mid-step.
Sean stood directly in front of her, arms crossed, a smug smirk curling his lips.
“Well, well,” he drawled. “If it isn’t my dear cousin sister. Who else would have the guts to follow me?”
Her throat tightened as she tried to keep her face neutral, though her insides felt like they were melting into a puddle of panic. She swallowed hard and forced herself to speak. “So what? This was a trap?”
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “I didn’t set a trap. You did. And then you walked right into it.” He gestured lazily with one hand, his smirk widening.
“What’s this, Adelaide? A family reunion? Or are you here to spy on me again? Let me guess…” He placed a hand on his chin, pretending to think. “You’re not satisfied with the miserable corner of the world I’ve been shoved into, so now you’re looking for reasons to make it worse? Is that it? How far are you willing to go before you let me go?”
His words hit her like a slap, but it was the way he looked at her—with equal parts disdain and amusement—that really burned. Her mind scrambled for a response, something to regain control of the situation, but for once, she was at a complete loss.
His accusations were completely new to her, and despite her effort to appear composed, she couldn’t hide her confusion.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice steady even though her mind was racing. She turned sharply, ready to walk away and put as much distance as possible between them. But before she could take two steps, Sean’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist like a vice.
“Why are you here, Adelaide?” he demanded, his voice low and sharp.
“Let go of me, Sean!” she snapped, her voice echoing down the empty corridor.
“Or what?” He leaned in closer, his tone dripping with venom. “You’ll report me to your precious parents and have me transferred again? Is that your plan? You should have died!”
His last words hit her like a punch to the gut. The sheer bitterness in his voice left her stunned. What had Adelaide ever done to make him harbor such hatred? The malice in his tone was almost palpable, and she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of fear beneath her growing anger.
“Well, news flash…” she shot back, her voice shaking but defiant. “I didn’t die, and I’m not going to anytime soon either!”
Sean’s eyes narrowed, but then his gaze dropped to the wrist he was holding. His grip loosened slightly as he stared at it, his brows knitting together in confusion. His reaction caught her off guard, and for a moment, neither of them moved.
She didn’t wait to find out what had him so distracted. Taking advantage of his hesitation, she sank her teeth into his arm, biting down hard.
“Damn it!” he hissed, his grip faltering just enough for her to yank her hand free.
Without thinking, she turned and bolted, her heart pounding as she raced away. Her original mission to find a restroom was long forgotten. All she cared about now was putting as much space between her and Sean as possible.
She didn’t stop until she was outside the mall, breathless and flushed, where Martin was waiting beside the car.
“Miss Adelaide, I’ve been—”
“Drive,” she interrupted, cutting him off before he could finish.
He blinked at her, clearly puzzled. “Miss, is everything alri—”
“I said drive!” she snapped, her voice firmer, sharper than she had intended.
Startled, Martin climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine without another word.