Chapter five

Sierra’s POV

Night fell over the Lawrence mansion, bringing with it an eerie quiet that seeped into every corner of the house. The soft hum of the wind against the windows seemed louder in the silence, and the shadows cast by the moon crept across the room like they had a life of their own. I tried to sleep, but every creak of the floorboards and rustle outside my window made my heart race.

My phone buzzed, a welcome distraction from the unsettling atmosphere. It was a text from one of the girls, Olivia.

Olivia: How’s the palace, princess? Missing us yet?

I smiled, the first real one since we’d arrived.

Me: You have no idea. This place is... weird. Huge and old. There’s even a forbidden room. I swear, it feels like I’m in one of those gothic novels you love so much.

Three dots appeared as Kim typed her response.

Kim: Forbidden room? That’s classic. Just promise me you won’t go poking around. I don’t want to hear that you’ve gone missing and ended up on a true crime podcast.

A laugh bubbled up despite my unease. Trust Kim to make light of anything.

Me: No promises. But seriously, I feel like this house has more secrets than it’s letting on. And the people... especially Jayden. He’s different.

Claire: Different how? Hot-different or stay-away-different?

I hesitated, the memory of Jayden’s smirk and his warning replaying in my mind.

Me: Both, maybe? I don’t know. He’s... complicated.

I didn’t mention the way his eyes seemed to follow me or the tension that hung in the air whenever he was near. The girls didn’t respond right away, so I put the phone down and leaned back on the bed, staring at the ornate ceiling. The carvings were beautiful but felt out of place, depicting wolves under the full moon, their eyes raised in what looked like howls.

A noise outside my door made me sit up. A soft shuffle, then silence. I listened intently, my breath caught in my throat. The sound came again—a faint knock, hesitant and quiet.

“Who is it?” I whispered, but there was no reply.

Slowly, I slid off the bed and moved to the door, my bare feet making no noise on the cold, polished floor. I pressed my ear to the wood, waiting for any sign that someone was there. Just as I was about to step back, the knock came again, louder this time. I jumped, my heart hammering.

“Who’s there?” I said, louder now, trying to keep my voice steady.

The silence stretched, thick and heavy, before a low, familiar voice replied. “It’s Jason. Can I come in?”

Relief flooded me, and I unlocked the door, pulling it open to find him standing there, his expression caught between a grin and something more serious.

“Did I scare you?” he asked, stepping inside before I could answer.

“A little,” I admitted, crossing my arms. “Why are you here?”

Jason’s playful grin faltered, replaced by a hint of discomfort. He glanced around as if checking for eavesdroppers, then met my eyes with an intensity that made me uneasy.

“Look, I know you’re trying to settle in, but there are things about this place you need to know. Things Jayden won’t tell you,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

My heart thudded faster, the room suddenly feeling smaller. “What things?”

Jason hesitated, eyes darting to the door before he spoke again. “Just... be careful where you wander. There are rooms that shouldn’t be entered and places that hold stories older than this house. Stories about us.”

“About us?” I echoed, confusion and dread swirling inside me. “What do you mean?”

Before Jason could answer, a sound echoed from down the hallway—a door opening, followed by footsteps. His eyes widened, and he backed away toward the door.

“Forget we talked, okay? Just stay out of trouble,” he whispered hurriedly before slipping out and disappearing into the corridor.

I stood there, the weight of his warning settling heavily on me. The Lawrence mansion wasn’t just a house. It was a puzzle, and I was starting to wonder if I wanted to know what lay at its center.

I took a deep breath, staring down at my phone, fingers hovering over the keyboard. It felt a little silly to be texting my dad when he was just down the hall, but this place was massive, full of shadowed corridors and closed-off rooms. The thought of wandering into one of those "forbidden" rooms by mistake made my skin crawl. Besides, there was something about summoning him here, in the dead of night, that felt like a scene from a ghost story.

Me: Dad, can you come to my room? I need to tell you something. It’s important.

I hit send and held my breath, my heart beating faster. I couldn’t stop thinking about the man I’d seen outside my window back home, watching me. I should have told Dad sooner—he’d made it clear he wanted to know about anything strange. But everything had been moving so fast since we got here, and I hadn’t wanted to worry him over nothing.

The reply came almost instantly.

Dad: On my way.

A few minutes later, a soft knock sounded at my door. I opened it to see Dad standing there, looking tired but concerned. His expression softened the second he saw me, and he stepped in, closing the door quietly behind him.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, sitting down on the edge of my bed. “I didn’t want to hover, Sierra, but I’m here for anything you need.”

I gave him a small smile, grateful for his patience. “I know, Dad. It’s just… everything here feels so strange. Sometimes I wonder if they’re just messing with me, like back when we were kids.” I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “But that’s not actually why I called you here.”

He looked at me, his eyes darkening with a hint of worry. “What’s going on?”

I gripped the bedspread, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. “Last night, just as I was closing the window blinds so the streetlights won’t distract the girls and I when seeing movies, I… I saw someone outside my window. A man. He was just standing there, watching me. I thought it was nothing, but now I can’t stop thinking about it, and…” I trailed off, watching as Dad’s face grew tight, anger flashing in his eyes. I hadn’t seen him look this protective in a long time.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked, his voice low and firm. “You know you’re supposed to tell me about things like this.”

“I know. I just thought maybe it was in my head, with everything changing. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing…” My voice faded, guilt tugging at me for keeping it to myself.

He clenched his jaw and stood, pacing the room with a restless energy that made me sit up straighter. “Sierra, you can’t ignore things like that. If someone was outside your window, they were watching you for a reason. This isn’t something we can just brush off.” His fists clenched. “I’ll need to let Mr. Lawrence know. This is serious.”

“Mr. Lawrence?” I whispered, feeling a shiver run through me. “Why?”

He turned to me with a grim look. “This house, these people—they’re strange, sure, but they know how to protect their own. If there’s a threat, they’ll be able to handle it.”

The chill in his voice made my stomach flip. “So… do you think someone’s following us?”

His gaze softened as he came back to my side, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I don’t know. But until I figure it out, I want you to stay alert. Don’t go wandering around alone, especially not at night. And if you see anything—anything—out of the ordinary, you come straight to me. Got it?”

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle heavily over me. “Got it, Dad.”

He looked at me for a long moment, like he was searching for something he couldn’t quite see. Then he sighed, pulling me into a tight hug. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. But I promise you, we’re safe here. Whatever’s going on, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I hugged him back, feeling the edges of my anxiety soften. “Thanks, Dad.”

After he left, I lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling. The memory of the man outside my window, my father’s reaction, the strange, off-limits rooms in this house—it all felt overwhelming. But as I closed my eyes, one unsettling thought echoed in my mind, refusing to let me go: Was I really safe here, or had I just walked straight into a new danger?