Chapter 147: A Deadly Audience

Adeline’s POV~

"Hello, Adeline," Adrian said softly. He reached his hand out toward me, waiting for me to take it in a handshake.

"It’s really nice to meet you again," he added, his smile polite and easy.

I forced my hand forward. I took his cold fingers in mine and stretched my lips into a warm, friendly smile.

Everything inside me was telling me that something was deeply, dangerously wrong. His irrelevant words, the alphas scent around us and... his voice... this was not the tone I had heard over the phone just few minutes ago.

When he called me, his voice was serious, deadpan, and razor-sharp. But right now, standing under the pale moonlight with Sierra and Kai watching us, his voice was smooth, casual, and painfully polite.

"Adrian..." I started, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.

I took half a step toward him. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to demand answers about the terrifying warning he had given me over the phone. I wanted him to tell me the truth about my parents, and everything that he know about my parents, right here, right now.

"How are you doing tonight, Adeline?" he cut in smoothly.

His smile widened just a fraction. But his eyes... his eyes were giving him away.

That simple question carried a massive, unspoken weight. He was asking it in a way that made it crystal clear he already knew every single word I wanted to say, and he was indirectly or maybe explicitly warning me to shut my mouth before I got us both killed.

I swallowed hard, pushing the panic down into my stomach, and played along with his sick game.

"Yeah," I lied, keeping my voice light and smooth. "I’m doing good. Really."

Beside us, Sierra pulled back from Kai’s tight, lingering embrace. Kai turned his head toward me, offering a warm, friendly smile.

"Hey, Adeline. Good to see you out and about," Kai said.

"Good to see you too, Kai," I replied, forcing my chin to nod politely.

Sierra looked between Kai and Adrian, her head tilted to the side with a curious, teasing laugh.

"Wait a minute. Why are you two out here together... in the first place? Adrian, I definitely didn’t expect you to show up with him tonight."

Adrian didn’t even blink. He looked straight at Sierra, his posture completely relaxed, his hands shoved casually deep into his jacket pockets.

"Oh? Is there some kind of rule written down that says I’m not allowed to tag along with your boyfriend, Sierra?"

"No, no! Of course not! I’m just teasing you!" Sierra laughed, shaking her head.

"We were actually hanging out nearby when Kai called you," Adrian explained smoothly, his dark eyes glinting under the moonlight.

"He missed his girlfriend so much that he practically dragged me across town with him. I honestly had no idea Adeline would be out here tonight too."

Then, slowly, his gaze drifted away from Sierra and locked straight onto my face.

I kept my fake smile frozen in place, staring right back into his calm, unreadable eyes. But behind my forced composure, my mind was falling apart in pure, hysterical panic.

He had no idea I would be here tonight?

Are you kidding me?!

He is the exact person who called my phone, warned me about the listening bug in my bedroom, and commanded me to come out to this exact bridge tonight! Why is he pretending we ran into each other by accident?!

He don’t want them to know?

"So... what are we going to do now?" Sierra asked, looking back and forth between me, Kai, and Adrian.

Kai tilted his head, a playful grin crossing his face. "Wait. Weren’t you two supposed to go on a date?"

Sierra’s smile instantly dropped. Her eyes darted straight to me, and I could read the silent message in her gaze. She was waiting for my answer. She was ready to jump in and make up an excuse to say no for me if I hated the idea.

Before I could even draw a breath to speak, Adrian answered for me. His tone was light, easy, and dripping with charm.

"Yes, she owes me a date," Adrian said smoothly. "How about right now? Since we are all out here anyway. You two carry on with whatever plans you have, and Adeline and I will go for a long walk."

He turned his face to me, waiting.

Kai looked at me, raising an eyebrow. Sierra looked at me. Everyone was waiting for my move.

"Yes," I said, my voice barely shaking. "I remember. I owe you a date."

Sierra rushed to my side, leaning in close until her lips were right next to my ear. She whispered fast and sharp, her voice filled with confusion.

"What on earth are you doing, Adeline?! You told me you would never want to go on a date with anyone. When I first told you about setting up a date for you, you straight away rejected it... so many times. Now you just say yes like it’s nothing at all?!"

"Why not?" I whispered back, forcing a little chuckle. "It’s only a walk, Sierra. Don’t worry about me."

"Okay, okay," Kai said, stepping in and wrapping a strong arm around Sierra’s shoulders to pull her close. "You two go ahead. We’ll wait near my car parked at the end of this road. When your long walk is finished, come find us there."

Sierra gave me one small, lingering look. Then Kai pulled her away, and their footsteps crunched softly into the dark woods until the sound completely faded away.

And just like that, it was only Adrian and me standing beside the mossy river bridge.

I didn’t waste a single fraction of a second. The second they were out of sight, I spun around to face him.

"Okay, they are gone now," I whispered frantically, stepping right up to him. "Tell me. What do you know about my par—"

I never even got to finish my sentence.

Adrian took two lightning-fast steps toward me. He bent down, leaning in so close that his face was right next to mine, his dark eyes burning with warning. I froze, dead silent.

"Shh... We are not alone here."

His hand rose slowly toward my head. His fingers brushed softly through my hair, so gently that anyone watching from the trees would think he was just being sweet.

But his fingers didn’t just touch my hair, they plucked a tiny, dry leaf right out of my strands that had fallen from the branch above us. He held it up between two fingers.