Morning came…
But not with peace.
The sun rose slowly over the village, casting soft golden light across rooftops and narrow paths. Birds chirped like nothing had changed.
But something had.
Something irreversible.
Fiyinfoluwa sat on the floor of her room, her back pressed against the wall, her breathing uneven.
She hadn't slept.
Not even for a second.
Her eyes remained fixed on her wrist.
The mark was still there.
Faint.
Glowing slightly beneath her skin.
Alive.
"…this isn't real…" she whispered.
But deep down—
She knew it was.
Every time she tried to ignore it, a strange sensation pulsed through her body.
A pull.
A connection.
A presence.
Him.
"Emmanuel…" she said softly.
The name felt natural on her tongue.
Too natural.
Like she had known it her whole life.
But that wasn't what scared her.
What scared her…
Was how much she felt him.
His anger.
His confusion.
His pain.
Suddenly—
Her chest tightened.
She gasped, clutching her heart.
"…stop…"
A wave of emotion hit her.
Not hers.
Guilt.
Heavy.
Crushing.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why does it hurt like this…?"
She didn't understand.
But her body did.
Her soul did.
Because somewhere far away—
Emmanuel felt it too.
He sat by a river deep within the forest, his body still healing, his mind anything but calm.
The water reflected his face.
But even that didn't feel like him anymore.
"…mate…" he muttered.
The word echoed in his mind.
Unfamiliar.
Yet undeniable.
He clenched his jaw.
"This can't be happening…"
But then—
He felt it.
Her.
Fear.
Confusion.
Pain.
His eyes widened slightly.
"She's… hurting?"
His body reacted instantly.
Without thinking.
Without hesitation.
He stood up.
"No…"
His fists tightened.
"I'm not dragging anyone into this…"
But the bond didn't listen.
It pulled harder.
Stronger.
Demanding.
And beneath that pull—
Something darker stirred.
Possession.
His voice dropped.
Lower.
More dangerous.
"…she's mine."
The moment the words left his lips—
He froze.
"…what did I just say?"
That wasn't him.
Or at least…
Not the him he used to be.
The power inside him was changing more than just his body.
It was changing his instincts.
His desires.
His control.
Back in the village—
Fiyin suddenly stood up.
Her eyes widened.
She felt it.
That shift.
That claim.
Her breath caught.
"…mine…?"
A strange warmth spread through her chest.
Despite the fear.
Despite the confusion.
A part of her…
Accepted it.
"No…" she shook her head, backing away. "No, this isn't normal…"
But even as she said it—
Her body betrayed her.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Not in fear.
But in anticipation.
Something was coming.
Someone.
A sudden knock on her door startled her.
"Fiyin? Are you okay?" her mother's voice called from outside.
Fiyin swallowed quickly.
"I—I'm fine!" she replied, trying to steady her voice.
Silence.
Then—
"Come downstairs when you're ready."
Footsteps faded.
Fiyin exhaled slowly.
"…I'm not fine…"
She looked at her wrist again.
The mark pulsed once.
And suddenly—
Her eyes flashed.
Just for a second.
Gold.
She froze.
"…what was that?"
Before she could react—
A sharp pain shot through her spine.
"AHH!!"
She dropped to her knees.
Her body trembling violently.
Something was happening.
Something she couldn't control.
Her senses heightened instantly.
She could hear everything.
The wind outside.
Footsteps downstairs.
Even the faint rustling of leaves miles away.
Her breathing became heavier.
More animalistic.
"No… no, no, no…"
Her nails dug into the floor.
"They're coming…"
The words slipped out unconsciously.
And they were true.
Outside the village—
Figures moved silently through the trees.
Not one.
Not two.
Six.
Their movements were coordinated.
Precise.
Deadly.
One of them stopped, raising a hand.
"The scent is fresh," he said quietly.
Another nodded.
"She's here."
A pause.
"What about him?"
The first man's eyes darkened.
"He's too dangerous to approach directly."
Silence.
"Then we take what belongs to him…"
A cruel smile formed.
"…and force him to come to us."
Back in the forest—
Emmanuel froze mid-step.
His entire body went still.
A sudden surge of fear hit him.
Not his.
Hers.
His eyes widened.
"No…"
The bond flared violently.
Danger.
Immediate.
Close.
His breathing turned sharp.
"…someone's after her."
The hesitation disappeared.
Completely.
His eyes darkened.
And this time—
He didn't fight it.
The power surged through him.
Bones cracked.
Muscles expanded.
The beast returned.
But this time—
There was no confusion.
No hesitation.
Only one purpose.
Protect.
His crimson eyes burned with intensity.
And then—
He ran.
Faster than before.
Stronger than before.
Nothing would stop him.
Because now—
This wasn't just survival.
This was something deeper.
Something darker.
Something absolute.
"…touch her…"
His voice echoed low.
Deadly.
"…and I'll wipe out your entire bloodline."
Back in the village—
Fiyin slowly lifted her head.
Her breathing steadied slightly.
But her eyes…
Were no longer the same.
Something inside her had awakened.
Not fully.
But enough.
"…Emmanuel…" she whispered.
She didn't know where he was.
But she felt him coming.
Fast.
And for the first time—
She wasn't afraid of him.
She was waiting.
Outside—
The hunters stepped closer.
Unaware…
That they were about to trigger something far worse than they imagined.