Chapter 1 – Frozen in Time

The mall was alive with weekend shoppers, the steady hum of conversations blending with the faint beat of pop music playing over the speakers. The scent of fresh pretzels and perfume mixed in the air, and for a moment, everything was normal.

Serenity Monroe stood near a rack of oversized sweaters, her fingers grazing the soft fabric, her mind elsewhere. She wasn’t a big fan of shopping, but her best friend Maya had insisted. You’re about to start college, Sera. Let’s get you some new clothes. Something cute.

She hadn't protested. She never did.

As her friends giggled and rummaged through clothes, Sera just stood there, staring blankly at nothing in particular. The weight of her belly pulled at her lower back, her arms wrapped protectively around it. She didn’t know how far along she was. She never kept track. The doctors had told her the pregnancy was unusual, but they never explained why.

Then the world shifted.

A loud alarm blared through the store, shrill and urgent. A second later—gunshots.

Screams erupted from every direction. Chaos followed.

Maya grabbed Sera’s wrist. “Sera, we have to go! Now!”

The words barely registered. The mall wasn’t safe anymore, yet Sera’s body refused to move. Her ears rang, her vision blurred. She felt the vibrations of people rushing past her, the frantic cries of shoppers scrambling to escape, but it was as if she was locked in place.

Maya shouted her name again before letting go, disappearing into the crowd.

And then, for the first time since the chaos began, Sera felt something.

A presence.

Someone was watching her.

She barely had time to process it before a shadow loomed over her, the scent of clean musk and gunpowder invading her senses. A large, gloved hand reached out, pressing firmly against the underside of her belly. The warmth of it sent a shock through her system.

Her body flinched, but the touch wasn’t harsh. It was… controlled.

Then another hand—large, rough—slid against the small of her back, forcing her to arch slightly. A deep, commanding voice murmured low and smooth, right against her ear.

"Breathe."

Sera gasped softly, her eyes snapping up.

The man before her was dressed in black from head to toe, a tactical mask covering the lower half of his face. His long dreadlocks framed sharp, unreadable eyes that studied her with unnerving intensity. His size was intimidating—tall, broad, and powerful. He was built like a warrior, every muscle in his body tense with silent authority.

Sera trembled, but she still didn’t move. She couldn't.

He exhaled through his nose, adjusting the pressure on her belly as if testing her reaction. His touch was firm but oddly grounding, like he was forcing her to exist in the moment.

"You're still here, ain't you?" His voice was deep, steady. "You hear me?"

Sera blinked up at him, her breaths uneven.

He clicked his tongue, his grip tightening just enough to hold her still. "Yeah, you hear me."

Her lips parted, but no words came.

His head tilted, his sharp gaze running over her features like he was trying to figure her out. Then, slowly, he dragged his hand from her lower back up to her spine, steadying her posture. The sensation sent shivers through her, but she remained frozen, her body obeying him instinctively.

Gunshots echoed again, closer this time.

The man's jaw clenched. Without another word, he slid his arms beneath her, lifting her effortlessly.

Sera didn’t fight. She didn’t scream. She just let him take her.

The last thing she saw as he carried her away was the bodies of terrified shoppers pressed against the floor, the distant outline of her so-called friends running for their own survival.

And then the masked man stepped into the darkness, taking her with him.

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