Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 49

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**
**Chapter 49**

**Maya**

“Stop!”

The word erupted from my lips, a raw and frantic plea that felt like it was barely audible even to my own ears. My legs, however, were in a frantic race, bare feet slapping against the icy tiles of the floor, then plunging into the damp grass that lay just beyond the back door.

The chill in the air outside was biting. I couldn’t recall having opened the door at all.

In fact, I was struggling to remember how I had even left the confines of my bed. My body felt weightless, almost as if it belonged to someone else entirely.

Yet the voice… that voice was unmistakably present.

Maya.

It drifted through the trees like wisps of smoke, soft and low, beckoning me once more.

“Maya.”

It didn’t carry a hint of danger. Instead, it felt familiar, enveloping me in warmth, like the embrace of an old friend.

The forest loomed ahead, dark and infinite, with mist swirling low to the ground, creating an ethereal landscape. My heart should have been racing, pounding against my ribcage in fear, but it was eerily calm. I wasn’t afraid; I felt… compelled.

I took another step forward, then another.

The air shimmered faintly between the trees, a silvery haze that flickered like a ghostly apparition. It pulsed with a rhythm, almost as if it were breathing alongside me.

“Maya.”

I continued to follow the sound, my feet sinking into the damp grass, the scent of pine and something sweet—like burnt sugar mingling with rain—filling my senses.

My lips parted instinctively. “Who’s there?”

Silence enveloped me.

“Come.”

The voice didn’t echo around me; it resonated directly in my mind, soft and steady, like a heartbeat.

Without a moment’s thought, I reached forward, driven by an unseen force.

“Maya!”

Suddenly, a hand clamped around my arm, strong and tangible.

The spell that had entranced me shattered like glass.

I blinked rapidly, the forest blurring and then sharpening into focus. Leo stood before me, his breath coming in heavy gasps, dew clinging to his tousled hair like tiny jewels.

His grip on my arm was firm yet gentle, a lifeline that pulled me back to reality.

“Are you out of your mind?” His voice was low, laced with panic, each word sharp as a knife.

I tried to respond, but my throat felt constricted, as if I were trying to speak through a fog. “Leo…?”

He scanned me quickly, his gaze flicking over my form, searching for any signs of injury. “You were halfway into the woods.”

“I—” I swallowed hard, trembling as I took a quick glance around. “I don’t remember walking out here.”

“You were sleepwalking,” he explained, his tone softening slightly as he led me back toward the house. “Or something akin to it.”

Sleepwalking.

That term felt far too mundane for the surreal experience I had just endured.

He cast a wary glance toward the treeline, his brow furrowing. “What were you following?”

I hesitated, the memory swirling in my mind. “A voice. It called my name.”

His expression shifted, concern mingling with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Come on,” he urged gently, guiding me back to the warmth of the house. “You’re freezing.”

I didn’t protest; the warmth of his hand on my arm was the only anchor I had in that moment.

As we stepped into the kitchen, the lights were already on, illuminating the space like a beacon. Caden was there, barefoot, his shirt half-buttoned, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity.

“What happened?” His voice boomed like thunder, reverberating through the air.

Leo shot him a warning look. “She was outside.”

Caden’s body went rigid, tension radiating off him. “Outside where?”

“The woods.”

His voice dropped, turning into a low growl. “You let her walk into the forest?”

“I didn’t let her. I found her,” Leo retorted sharply. “Maybe try saying thank you.”

Caden’s fists clenched at his sides, muscles tense. “You should’ve woken me up.”

“I handled it.”

“Apparently not fast enough!”

“Enough!” I interjected, stepping between the two of them, my voice rising above the charged atmosphere. “I’m right here!”

Leo raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “You assigning shifts or declaring ownership?”

Caden ignored him, his gaze never leaving mine. “I mean it, Maya. Promise me.”

“I promise,” I whispered, the sincerity of my words hanging heavy in the air.

The room felt constricted with all of them present, their collective energy pressing down on me like a weight.

Tylon finally pushed off the wall, muttering something about needing sleep, and left without another word.

Leo followed suit moments later, but not before casting me a look that was half concern, half question. “Try to rest,” he said softly. “And if you hear it again… don’t answer.”

That left Caden.

He lingered for a moment longer, brushing his hand against mine before intertwining our fingers.

“You’re safe,” he repeated, as if saying it enough times would solidify the truth of it. “Let’s go to bed.”

Though the stubborn, ungrateful part of me wanted to protest, I found myself following him to the bedroom, drawn by the promise of warmth and safety.

I instinctively melted into him as he tucked me against his chest, holding me firmly, protectively.

Sleep came easily, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

Then, once again, I found myself standing in the forest. But this time, everything was illuminated, vibrant and alive.

And then she emerged.

A woman—or something resembling one—stood amidst the mist. Her long hair shimmered in the light, her face partially obscured, yet her eyes glimmered with a familiarity that sent shivers down my spine. They were the same color as mine.

She lifted a hand, and the smoke coiled toward me, curling like a beckoning finger.

“Maya.”

This time, the voice didn’t echo; it penetrated my very being, resonating deep within my chest.

I wanted to flee, to escape the strange allure, but my feet remained rooted to the ground.

“Who are you?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

The woman tilted her head, her expression inscrutable. Then her lips parted, and a single word escaped, low and haunting.

“Aelara.”

The name felt familiar, echoing in the recesses of my mind as if I had heard it a thousand times before.

Yet somehow, I knew I had never encountered it.