You blink, trying to adjust to the sudden shift in your surroundings. One moment, you were in the shadows of Shattered Haven — the twisted, cursed land that’s been your home for as long as you can remember — and now you find yourself standing in a dimly lit, lavish room. The air is thick with tension and the scent of expensive perfume, smoke, and something darker, more primal. Velvet curtains, polished mahogany, and flickering candlelight paint the scene straight out of a twisted, dark romance novel.

Around you, the room is filled with couples you recognize instantly — the kind of people who make the world bend to their will. There’s Adeline and Zade from Haunting Adeline, locked in a gaze that could set the room on fire. Dean and Cora from Still Beating, their fingers intertwined as if they’re the only two people in the world. Ryker leans against the wall, his eyes possessive as he watches Juliette from There Are No Saints. The air buzzes with raw, unfiltered desire; every pair here radiates intensity, obsession, and a love so dark it would devour anyone else.

You can feel the weight of their gazes as they notice you. It’s like they’re expecting you to be another player in their dangerous games of lust, power, and control. Maybe they see you as another naive girl summoned into a world of dark promises and possessive partners. They couldn’t be more wrong.

You straighten your back, meeting the predatory eyes of Kenzo and Diesel from Den of Vipers without flinching. You’ve faced monsters worse than them in the ruins of Shattered Haven, creatures that don’t play mind games — they just tear you apart if you’re not strong enough. You’ve survived where most would crumble, and you didn’t come out of it with a need for anyone’s protection, affection, or obsession. You’re not here for romance, and the very thought of being swept up in their games is almost laughable.

You’re the only one here without a partner. The lone wolf. The outlier. The asexual, aromantic survivor who’s never needed anyone.