Sleep never came.
I lay curled on the edge of the bed, the echo of Ronan's words searing my mind. You already bear the mark of possession.
Every breath I took tasted of him. Every thrum of my pulse reminded me of the bond I swore to reject. Hatred churned in me, but so did something hotter, darker, and far more dangerous.
The night was too quiet. Too still.
My wolf lifted her head suddenly, ears pricking. A low growl built in my chest before I even knew why.
Then I heard it.
A howl split the silence, raw and savage. Not from one of ours. A rogue's cry.
I bolted upright. Shouts followed, echoing through the territory. The metallic stench of blood drifted in through the shutters. My heart slammed against my ribs.
The door burst open before I could move.
Ronan filled the frame, shirtless, tattoos slashing across his muscular chest, his eyes glowing like molten silver.
"Stay here," he ordered. His voice carried the edge of his Alpha command, thick and unyielding.
The command washed over me like fire, pressing me down, making my wolf whine with instinctive obedience. I clenched my fists, fighting it.
"No." My voice shook, but I forced the word out. "I'm not hiding while others bleed."
His jaw tightened. For a second, I thought he'd drag me back by force. But then a snarl erupted from outside, close—too close. The decision was stolen from both of us.
Ronan cursed, grabbed my arm, and yanked me into the hallway. "Stay behind me," he growled.
The corridor shook with the sound of claws on stone. Then the rogues came—filthy, wild-eyed, their fur matted with blood.
Ronan shifted before my eyes, his body snapping and reforming with terrifying speed. His wolf emerged, massive, black as the night, muscles rippling under the silver wash of the moon. His growl rattled the walls, making the rogues hesitate for the briefest moment.
Then they lunged.
Ronan met them with brutal efficiency. His jaws snapped, tearing into flesh, his claws ripping through the first rogue that dared to come near. Blood sprayed, staining the floor.
He was magnificent—terrifying and unstoppable, a storm of muscle and fury.
But more poured in.
One broke past him, barreling straight for me. My wolf surged forward. I shifted, bones cracking, fur exploding across my skin until my paws hit the ground.
The rogue slammed into me, claws sinking into my side. Pain flared hot, but I twisted, sinking my teeth into its throat. Blood flooded my mouth, bitter and hot, but I didn't let go until it collapsed beneath me.
Another came. I spun, snarling, but it was too fast.
Ronan's wolf slammed into it from the side, sending it crashing into the wall. His fangs tore it apart, and for a moment, the two of us stood side by side, our wolves bristling, the bond thrumming between us like wildfire.
We fought as one.
Every move I made, he matched. Every strike he dealt, I followed. It was instinctive, seamless, terrifying. The bond didn't just burn—it guided.
When the last rogue fell, silence crashed over the corridor, broken only by our ragged breaths. Blood pooled on the stones, the air thick with copper and smoke.
Ronan shifted back first, his chest heaving, his body a canvas of blood and scars. He looked at me—really looked at me—as if seeing me for the first time.
"You fight like him," he murmured, voice raw.
"Like who?" My own voice was strained, my body trembling as I shifted back, clutching the wound at my side.
"Your father." His eyes burned. "Reckless.
Fierce. Stupidly brave."
Anger flared, but it clashed with something else—something dangerous—at the way his gaze lingered on me.
I staggered, the wound at my side bleeding freely. He caught me before I could fall, his arms wrapping around me with surprising gentleness. His heat seared me, his scent filling my lungs.
"Let go of me," I whispered, but the words had no strength.
He lowered his head, his lips brushing my ear. "You could have died."
"I don't need your protection."
His grip tightened, possessive, unyielding.
"You'll have it anyway."
For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to just him—the blood on his skin, the rise and fall of his chest, the fire in his eyes. My wolf whimpered, pressing closer.
And I hated that a part of me wanted to do the same.
Before I could answer, shouts rang down the hall. More guards. Survivors. The moment shattered.
Ronan straightened, his expression hardening again. But his hand lingered on me, as if daring me to pull away.
I did. Slowly. Forcing air back into my lungs.
The bond pulsed between us, wild and relentless. And I knew, no matter how much I fought it, tonight had changed something.
We weren't just bound by fate. We had bled together.
And that was a bond far harder to break.