š Episode 37: Marcus Strikes
Lila's POV
The silence after Ethan's confession lingered, heavy and fragile. My hand still rested on his chest, feeling the erratic beat of his heart. For a fleeting moment, it felt like the bond had steadied us, stitching together what Marcus tried to tear apart.
But the moment shattered when the doors slammed open.
Marcus.
His smirk was sharp, his eyes glinting with triumph as he stepped into the chamber without permission. "Touching," he drawled, his gaze flicking to my hand on Ethan. "The human still clings to you, even after learning the truth."
Ethan growled, his wolf close to the surface. "Get out."
Marcus ignored him, circling like a predator who had already cornered his prey. "Did you tell her the whole story, Alpha? Or just enough to keep her loyal?"
My pulse spiked. "He told me enough."
Marcus's smile widened, cruel and mocking. "Enough to make you pity him, maybe. But not enough to make you fear him." He leaned closer, his voice dropping like venom. "Do you know how long it took her to die?"
Ethan lunged before the last word finished, his claws slicing the air where Marcus's throat had been a heartbeat earlier. Marcus danced back, laughing.
"Still the same beast," Marcus taunted. "One spark, and you'd tear this little human apart."
The bond between Ethan and me flared, hot and painful, feeding on his rage. I grabbed his arm. "Ethan! Don'tā"
But Marcus wasn't here to fight fair. His eyes locked on me, and suddenly two wolves burst in behind himāmassive, snarling, their eyes glowing the same shade as Marcus's.
Pack traitors.
"Take her," Marcus commanded coldly.
Ethan's POV
The world narrowed to red.
My wolf roared inside me as the two traitors lunged for Lila. She screamed my name, and I didn't thinkāI moved.
Claws, blood, the snap of boneāmy rage ripped through the chamber like a storm. One wolf went down under my claws, the other barely ducking a strike that would have ended him.
But Marcus didn't fight. He stood watching, his smirk calm, his eyes locked on Lila.
"You can't protect her forever," he said smoothly. "Sooner or later, your control will break. And when it does, I'll be there to pick up the pieces."
I drove the surviving wolf back, blood coating my hands. My wolf howled for Marcus's throat, but when I lungedāhe was gone, vanishing into the shadows like smoke.
Lila's POV
The chamber stank of blood and fear. My body shook as I pressed myself against the wall, Ethan's bloodied form standing between me and the chaos.
He turned, his golden eyes wild, his chest heaving. For a terrifying moment, I wasn't sure if he saw meāor just prey.
"Ethan," I whispered, praying the bond would reach him. "It's me."
The fire in his eyes flickered. His breathing slowed. Slowly, he turned his claws back into hands, blood dripping down his arms.
He dropped to his knees in front of me, his voice rough with shame. "I told you. This is what I am."
I touched his face, ignoring the blood. "And I told youāI'm not leaving."
But inside, fear coiled tight. Not of Ethan.
Of Marcus.
Because his words weren't just a threat. They were a promise.
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āØ End of Episode 37