He's family?

**Chapter 2: Otherworldly Encounter**

"Niandra, you must be Niandra," the intruder declared, a disconcerting confidence radiating from him. Analyzing the situation, my instincts screamed danger. The man seemed to know me, but his unsettling presence and the broken vase in the kitchen raised a storm of caution in my mind.

His dark aura was palpable, and my hands trembled involuntarily. As I studied him more closely, scars adorned his body, evidence of a tumultuous past. A demonic tattoo etched across his skin completed the ominous picture. His terrifying presence overshadowed any hint of attractiveness, yet an unbidden thought crossed my mind—was I checking him out?

"Done checking me out, princess?" he mocked, his husky voice sending chills down my spine.

"Don't flatter yourself. I wasn't checking you out," I retorted, my attempt at nonchalance falling flat.

"And you said you weren't checking me out. You probably were in a trance thinking about how great I look," he continued, his tone dripping with amusement.

"I've seen better," I mumbled, more to convince myself than him. He chuckled, a reaction that fueled my defiance.

"You sure do seem to have your head in the clouds, don't you?" he remarked, dismissing my retort.

"Oh, I'm sorry to be rude. You probably don't know who I am," he added with an air of faux politeness. "I'm your uncle, Melilose."

Uncle? My mind raced. Mom had one sister, and Uncle Ethan was the only family I knew. This man was either an imposter or Dad had been hiding family secrets.

"Melilose? Like the name of the goddess?" I laughed, attempting to dismiss the absurdity.

"No, Niandra, not like the Greek goddess Melilose, the Greek god, Melilose," he clarified, shattering my skepticism.

I reached for a knife on the kitchen desk, a feeble attempt at self-defense. In a blur of inhuman speed, he closed the distance, preventing me from wielding the knife. Panic gripped me as his voice taunted, "What are you trying to do, princess?"

As I contemplated escape, he revealed, "I attempted to take you the easy way, but it seems like I'll have to do it the fast way instead."

In a desperate move, I tried to knee him, but his swift evasion left me vulnerable. His grip tightened, making the knife clatter to the floor. Helplessness engulfed me.

"Not with your current state, princess. You can't lay a punch on me, talk less a knee," he asserted. A vicious punch to my stomach sent searing pain through me, and I crumpled to the floor.

Apologies followed the assault, ironic in their insincerity. Tears welled in my eyes as he encouraged me to stand. The pain in my ribs intensified, rendering me immobile.

"I can't say I expected more from you, princess," he mocked, a sinister smirk accompanying his words. His intent became clear—toying with me sadistically.

But just as despair threatened to consume me, a sudden intervention. A wolf, an unexpected savior, lunged at the assailant. The world blurred, and as consciousness slipped away, Melilose's words echoed, "Hades is going to come for her sooner or later. Just because I couldn't take her doesn't mean he won't. By the way, happy birthday, Niandra."

In the realm between wakefulness and unconsciousness, the enigmatic encounter left me with questions, pain, and an ominous prophecy.

*To be continued...*

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