Masked In Shadows

I nodded, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. The Beta’s words lingered in the air, and the weight of the mansion’s secrets pressed down on me.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” I managed to mumble, attempting a casual tone that betrayed unease beneath.

Mark offered a curt nod, and we parted ways. Alone in the hallway, I contemplated the delicate balance I was trying to maintain. The truth felt like a fragile thread slipping through my fingers, and I couldn’t afford it to snap.

And the crazy thing was that I had not even spent 24 hours here yet.

He walked away and I simply went into the fancy bathroom. It took me a while to figure out how everything worked there but after I had, I took one of the longest showers ever. I had showered with cold water for the longest so now using hot water seemed amazing.

I then wrapped a heated towel around my body and headed back to my new room. I met clothes laid out on the now-made bed. The clothes were casual…and seemed to blend seamlessly wit