章 15: Damsel In Distress

Eira turned to Jania and gave her a tight smile. "Can't you tell him to let me go? Why the hell is he sniffing me like this?!"

"I'm sorry, but he won't listen to me. Why don't you try telling him—"

Eira glared at her. "What the hell do you think I've been doing?"

"What I mean is... try talking to him softly. He might listen."

Eira raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing a word. "Really?"

"Yes," Jania sighed, gesturing for Eira to go ahead. "Why don't you try?"

Internally, Jania prayed the girl would succeed and that Lyle would listen, just so they could leave. She also needed to call Doctor Liam as soon as possible.

Eira sighed. "Alright," she muttered, realizing she had no other choice.

"Hey, hey—"

"Lyle, that's his name," Jania instructed, ignoring the death glare Eira shot her for cutting her off.

Eira huffed and tried again. "Lyle? Lyle."

Lyle hummed in response, making both women exchange glances.

"Uh, can you loosen your hold for a moment? It's kind of... suffocating."

To her surprise, Lyle loosened his grip, though he didn't let go entirely.

Eira blinked, taken aback by how quickly he responded. His grip slackened but remained firm, and the suffocating pressure around her eased. It was unsettling how easily he reacted to her softer tone, as though it was all he needed to calm down.

Jania let out a quiet sigh of relief. It worked. She gave Eira an encouraging nod, urging her to keep going.

"Okay," Eira muttered under her breath. *This is so weird.* But she had no choice but to play along for now.

"Lyle," she repeated softly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Can you let me go now? I... I need to go home. My family will be worried, and... well, we can't stay here forever..." She trailed off, hoping her lie would convince him.

Lyle stared at her, his violet eyes piercing. "Home?"

"Y-yeah. I... I was injured during the fight earlier, and I'm not feeling well. You should let me go so I can go home and rest..."

Before she could finish, Lyle's large hand gently grasped her shoulder as he looked her over.

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"Where are you injured?"

Eira blinked, caught off guard by his sudden concern. "Uh, nowhere that bad," she stammered, flustered by the intensity of his gaze. *What's with this guy?*

Lyle's eyes narrowed as he scanned her, clearly unconvinced. He ran his hand down her arm, as though checking for injuries himself. His touch was oddly tender, but it sent a shiver down Eira's spine.

"I'm fine, seriously," she insisted, trying to pull her arm away, but his grip remained firm, though not painful.

Jania, sensing the situation could escalate again, stepped in. "Master Lyle, she needs rest. Let her go, and we'll make sure she's safe."

For a long, tense moment, Lyle didn't move. His violet eyes flickered between Eira and Jania. Finally, he released his hold on Eira and stepped back slightly. "You'll rest," he said, his voice still soft but commanding. "I'll take you home."

Without warning, he scooped her up and walked to the car.

"What—hey! Put me down!" Eira protested, flailing in his arms, but his grip remained steady and unyielding. He carried her as if it were the most natural thing in the world, ignoring her struggles.

"Master, wait—" Jania began, but Lyle shot her a look that silenced her. His expression was calm, but the possessiveness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Eira's heart pounded in her chest, frustration and fear swirling inside her. "Put me down! Where the hell are you taking me?!" she shouted, kicking her legs in a futile attempt to break free.

He glanced down at her, his expression softening in a way that was almost unsettling. "You said you needed rest. I'm taking you home."

Eira glared up at him, her voice laced with disbelief and anger. "Home?! Which home are we talking about? Yours or mine?!"

"Mine."

"I'm not going anywhere with you! I'm fine—just let me go!" she hissed, continuing to struggle. Her mind raced, trying to come up with an escape plan, but it was impossible while he held her so effortlessly.

"Stay still and don't move. You're injured," he said, his tone gentle yet firm. "I'll take you home, have your wounds treated, and then you'll rest."

They reached the car, and Lyle opened the door with one hand, still holding Eira in his arms as though she weighed nothing. He gently placed her inside, ignoring her continued protests.

Eira scrambled to get out, but Lyle was faster, shutting the door with a calm finality that made her heart sink. She banged her fist against the window, glaring at him. "You can't just take me with you! I'm not some damsel in distress you can kidnap!"

Lyle leaned down, his face level with hers through the glass. "Stay still," he said softly, his gaze steady.

"Stop saying that! It's fucking annoying!"

He didn't respond. Instead, he got into the driver's seat and drove off, leaving Jania and the others behind.

Jania hurriedly instructed the men to clear the area and bring the survivors with them. Once that was done, she got into another car, following Lyle at a safe distance. Her heart raced as she tried to process what had just happened. She had never seen her boss act like this before. Lyle was intense, yes, but this level of possessiveness? It was unsettling.

There was only one explanation.

She quickly dialed a number. The phone rang twice before it was answered.

"Jania? Is something wrong? Why are you—"

"Doctor Liam, I think we've found the boss's cure."

"What? You found someone with the exact scent from the report?"

"Yes. It was exactly as predicted. Master Lyle completely changed when he found the girl."

"Good God. I'm coming. Don't let that person leave!"

"You don't need to worry. Master Lyle has already... taken her," Jania said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I think you're in for a surprise."

——————

Back in Lyle's car, Eira sat in frustrated silence, her mind racing as they sped through the city. Every now and then, she glanced at Lyle, hoping to find some sign of weakness or a way to reason with him. But his face remained unreadable, his focus entirely on the road ahead.

After what felt like an eternity, they pulled up in front of a massive estate. The gates opened automatically, revealing a sprawling mansion surrounded by high walls and a dense forest. Eira's stomach churned at the sight. This wasn't just someone's home—it was a fortress.

Lyle stepped out and opened her door, extending a hand to help her out. Eira shot him a glare, but before she could protest, he gently lifted her out of the car again.

"Seriously?" Eira snapped. "I can walk on my own!"

Lyle ignored her and carried her through the grand entrance of the mansion. The interior was as extravagant as the exterior, with high ceilings, marble floors, and expensive artwork lining the walls. But none of it mattered to Eira. All she could think about was how to escape.

He carried her upstairs to a prepared room, the bed made and the lights dim. Setting her down on the edge of the bed, he knelt beside her, his violet eyes searching hers.

"Rest," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're safe here."

Eira recoiled, her eyes flashing with anger. "You don't get it, do you? I'm not staying here. I'm not *yours*."

Lyle's expression didn't change. If her words hurt him, he didn't show it. "I'll send someone to treat your injuries. Don't try to run. I'll be back."

He left the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

As soon as he was gone, Eira shot to her feet, pacing like a caged animal. "Don't try to run?" she muttered angrily. "Like hell I won't."

She quickly scanned the room for any potential exits. There was a window, but it was locked tight, and the drop from the second floor was too far to risk without a plan. Still, she wasn't about to sit around and wait for him to return.