Chapter 106

My body tensed as I struggled, my vision hazy from the alcohol, but my instincts kicked in. I twisted sharply in the arms of my attacker, preparing to fight back. But then… I caught a scent, familiar and distinct, cutting through the fog in my mind. My pulse slowed, and the panic that had risen in my chest began to ebb. “Nathan?” I breathed, my voice a mix of confusion and relief. The grip around me loosened slightly, and I turned my head enough to see his face, his sharp, intense eyes watching me closely, concern written all over them. “You’re drunk, Ella,” he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of reproach, though his arms remained around me, steady and unyielding. I relaxed into him, my muscles untangling from the tension of the night. “What the hell are you doing?” I mumbled, trying to make sense of everything, my thoughts sluggish from the alcohol and the rush of adrenaline. From the other side, a figure stepped out of the shadows—Tristan. His lips curled into a playful smirk a