Hello all!

I've been sitting on this chapter for a while now, editing and adding, and writing it. I honestly tried to write in Christian's POV, I really did. But I couldn't help but think of Adrian. His issue of unrequited love is my current issue (not unrequited love, but unrequited like) as well, so I really identified with him and his angst.

I personally thought he was one of the more annoying characters, but I felt really bad for him. Rose did what she did because she really did try to move on from Dimitri, and Adrian was ready and more than willing to date her and treat her right. She didn't have to hide with him, and when people would judge, she would care because she wasn't all that into him. With Dimitri, she wanted people to know about their relationship, but they had to hide, and she didn't care about judgment because she knew what she had with him (Dimitri) was real.

Adrian is also such a fun character to write. He can be incredibly sarcastic and act like a total jerk, an it's OK because it's Adrian, and that is who he is. I hope that I got his personality and his characteristics right.

Ever since school started, I've been really busy with classes and prepping for my last SAT test (took that Saturday) and cheering has been constant. I haven't had a whole lot of time to dedicate to this chapter, so it's a little raw and somewhat unedited.

I wanted to get this chapter up because I don't want to make y'all wait any longer for it, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: All recognizable content, including characters, plot lines, and setting, is the work of Richelle Mean, the lovely woman who brought these characters to life through words, and the woman who has allowed her vision to be shared with the world on the big screen Valentine's Day (or so I have read). This little plot bunny, however, is all mine. #preparedtobetested

Pop!

The cork of the wine bottle flew out of its place and bounced of many objects in the room before landing who knew where. Adrian sure as hell didn't care. He was too busy trying to drown his feelings in booze to block out the pain of having lost Rose to Dimitri.

Dimitri-freaking-"I was a Strigoi for months but somehow became a dhampir again"-Belikov.

What the hell.

Adrian didn't have anything against the guy personally. He was an amazing guardian and friend, loyal and devoted to whatever he deemed worthy. But Dimitri had somehow won over Rose.

And Adrian couldn't help but hate him.

It wasn't like it was so obvious that people caught on. Rose and Dimitri were both such private people and you had to dig, poke, and prod to discover what they were really like underneath all of the bravado (in Rose's case) or the indifferent mask (in Dimitri's case). So they would not have made it obvious. But to the trained observer, like Adrian was (or like to think he was), it was glaring.

He turned the wine bottle upside down and let the contents pour into his abused stomach, and felt the numbing effects of the alcohol instantaneously. A slow, lazy, spirited smile appeared on Adrian's face as he thought about his 'relationship' with the brunette dhampir. Then his smile dropped, a red haze filled his vision, and Adrian threw the now-empty bottle towards the opposite wall with all his limited might. The lovely tinkling sound of breaking glass crowded his hearing, and the smile was back.

What relationship? It was a joke. Something to fill her time until her precious cradle-robber came back to her.

It was sad, that no one had noticed anything before. The looks Dimitri would give her… the intensity of them… it was like he was staring into her soul. Or peeling the clothes off her body one by one. Whichever was less maudlin. The young guardian's personality was totally different around her as well. He smiled more, was more willing to joke around and tease, and whenever she got Dimitri Belikov to laugh, Adrian was surprised when Dimitri didn't immediately pin Rose to the wall to kiss the shit out of her.

Rose was showing the same signs of a changing personality too. She was more cautious, more reserved. She waited and analyzed a situation before deciding on the quickest and most efficient solution. She also spent all her free time training and working out. Now, don't get Adrian wrong, the things it did to her body were amazing! Rose was toned in all the right places, soft in all the right places, and that endurance! Adrian could think of many things to do with that endurance.

But no matter how much Adrian drank, he still knew that this heartbreak was his doing. He set himself up for this, and no matter how much he was angry with her when the truth came out and sides were taken, it was a situation that Adrian created himself.

He knew full well that she could never be truly devoted to him. It was in the back of his mind, his subconscious, that Rose would never be his. He would have her body, yes. But her heart? Her thoughts? Those belonged to Dimitri.

And Adrian never had a chance.

Adrian thought he could change her mind. Thought he could make her see the error of her ways, choosing a man several years older than herself. Never mind the fact that he was a fellow dhampir and a guardian and her mentor. Adrian himself was four years her senior, but Belikov was seven years her senior, which made him three years older than Adrian. He felt bad for bringing up the age thing, because what was age really but a number? In this argument, Adrian was actually closer to her in age than Belikov. This gave him no end of glee.

But the fact that Belikov was her mentor… Her freaking mentor?!

Now that was something he could get angry at her for.

There was a line there. A giant, neon yellow double line, like those 'do not cross' warnings that are painted on the street for drivers to see and heed.

And they had not heeded it, but crossed it.

Having sex with your mentor when you're not even legal isn't even considered crossing the line. No, it's considered blowing the line up into trillions of little yellow bits so that the line doesn't even exist anymore!

Adrian remembered a conversation between the two out in the woods while the older guardians were planning the rescue mission. Back when things were still normal. Back when Adrian still thought he had a chance.

The Strigoi attack had just occurred, with Rose and Christian and Belikov decimating their numbers. But not before the Strigoi captured twelve of their friends and teachers.

The couple had seemingly excused themselves because they needed some air and walked out of the guardian building. The began the walk standing a respectable distance apart, but the closer they got to the woods and further away from any prying, judging eyes, the shorter the distance became between them.

Having nothing better to do, Adrian, of course, followed them.

In no time at all, they came across a cabin sequestered deep in the woods by the border. Rose stopped and stared at it, her face turning red and sweat beads beginning to form on her forehead. She turned to glance at Dimitri, who Adrian noticed looked the same; red-faced and sweaty. He glanced at their hands, which were now joined, Dimitri's larger hand caressing Rose's significantly smaller one.

"I don't regret it." Rose suddenly stated, building the tension they could all feel.

"Are you sure? You can never take it back." Dimitri turned to face her, his hand now wrapping itself around her waist and drawing her body closer to his.

"Yep! Besides," Rose smirked up at the older man, "it had to happen sometime."

Wait a minute. What happened?

Belikov smirked, and the look in his eyes made Adrian want to hurl. Or look away. Maybe a combination of both. He swore that something caught fire from that look, though, because Adrian felt very uncomfortable and pulled at the collar of his shirt a couple of times.

Adrian's mind was running at fifty miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. Then it hit him: They had sex. They had sex. He waited nervously with bated breath.

"Roza… saying 'I love you' to someone is huge. I just want you to be sure you're making the right choice."

Adrian's world exploded. He could feel his heart breaking into millions of pieces when he heard Dimitri say that Rose had confessed her love. It wasn't fair that he had to hear this, but the couple had no idea he was listening in on their conversation just twenty feet away.

They were justified in not mincing words, or keep their conversation polite and G-rated. It was supposed to be a private conversation between the two of them. Adrian watched the world tilting, but it appeared he was the only one.

Dimitri leaned against a tree, pulling Rose with him so she was leaning on him. Her body lined up with his perfectly, and her head fit into the crook of his shoulder like a missing puzzle piece.

Adrian's world rocked a little more.

"I know," Rose replied. "You're the first person I've ever said that too. We've been sneaking around for almost eight months, and every day, I find more reasons that make me love you. I know our relationship isn't conventional… or legal… but I don't care. When age and circumstance stopped mattering to me, then I knew I was in love with you."

Adrian's ears felt like they were bleeding. Why was he still sticking around for this again? Why was he insisting on torturing himself like this?

"You know that I love you. I don't care about age and circumstance anymore. Once I realized that I couldn't stop fighting what we have together… I'm yours. Body and soul, and nothing will ever take you away from me." Dimitri leaned in to kiss Rose.

They kissed, and it was like the Earth stopped spinning on its axis. They kissed passionately, like they were newly married and couldn't keep their hands off of each other. When that all-consuming love for the other couldn't be contained. It was like watching a woman embrace the man she loved when he finally came home after a long absence.

It was like watching soul mates find each other after being pulled apart by outside forces.

Adrian felt hot tears running down his face. He leaned up against a tree trunk, still hiding himself as he broke down. Adrian finally faced away when Rose jumped on Dimitri and wrapped her legs around his slim, muscled waist as he turned and pressed her up against the tree he had just been leaning on.

After a couple of seconds, and Adrian was ninety-five percent sure they were too wrapped up in what they were doing (not family-friendly stuff, mind you), he pushed off the tree trunk and silently made his way back up the wooded hill and finally onto the manicured school lawn.

All the way back to his apartments on the far end of campus, completely opposite from where he knew Rose and Dimitri were consummating their relationship in that available cabin, Adrian opened the door to his allocated room and flung himself down on the couch. He stared blankly at the white walls, the small cracks of chipped paint creating a pattern in the shape of a rose that only he could see.

Adrian was jerked out of the memory and brought back to the current situation of trying to drown his sorrow in the expensive red wine by the sudden realization:

His dream was dead.

Rose had made her choice.

Was it even a choice?

Dimitri had won.

Was it even a competition?

Rose belonged to another man.

Did she ever belong to Adrian?

Adrian's brain kept producing statements and counter questions until he could stand it no longer. It wasn't like him to dwell on unpleasant things, so why did Rose never leave him? Why couldn't he get her out of his system? A bottle of vodka and gorgeous women always helped him in times of major stress and confusion like this. His emotions were running high and violently, like someone had jump-started them with a jumper cable, and then left the cable in so the sparks would continue to fly, and the charge became unbearable.

Adrian resolved himself. Rose and Dimitri were still on the run, still being hunted by the person who killed his beloved aunt. Now someone was asking questions about a possible illicit relationship between the mentor and his student. Adrian knew the answer was yes. He wanted to verbalize it, because that would mean payback for all the hurt they've caused him.

But they didn't do it knowingly, a little voice in the back of his mind reminded him. Rose gave you a chance, and she did try to love you like you do her. She just wasn't made to be yours, and neither she nor you can help that. Rose was always going to be Dimitri's and vice versa.

With that thought, Adrian denied all accusations on their behalf, and lied when asked questions he knew the honest answer to. He knew that he needed to move on, but to do that he was going to give one last gift to Rose. Adrian Ivashkov was going to protect their relationship with everything he had.

Even though it pained his heart to do so.

So... what did you think? You guys know the drill: be kind, leave a review. Again, no flames. Constructive criticism is valued more than flames are, and I will call you out next time if you do leave a flamer like so many other authors have begun to do to.

Okay. If you could tell me who's POV to write from next, that would be greatly appreciated!

Another note. I am now a beta author for Chaoses Angel. He writes Percy Jackson fanfiction, and his story is called Love? If you don't like the Annabeth/Percy pairing, or just want a good, quality story, then I recommend this one. Also, anything VA-related by Samwyseser, especially her story "Aurora Borealis". It's a work of genius.

Until next time, my wonderful fans. Have a great Monday, and please stay safe!