POV — Kael (flashback)
The forest behind me faded into shadow as I moved silently toward the human world. My pack lingered in the trees, tense. My Beta's voice rang out once, low but sharp:
"Kael… this is reckless. You don't know what you're doing!"
I shook my head. "I do. She's out there… and she needs protection."
He growled in frustration but stayed behind. Wolves can sense tension and danger, but they cannot understand instinct — the pull of the Alpha toward what was rightfully his to guard.
I crossed into the human courtyard, senses sharp, muscles coiled. There she was — small, fragile, unaware of the chaos around her. And yet… something about her radiated strength.
A tray of books toppled suddenly near the stairwell. Students screamed and scattered. My instincts didn't hesitate. I lunged, hands steadying her, teeth elongating slightly, claws flexing.
I held her for a heartbeat, then leaned closer. My fingers pressed firmly to the back of her neck. A mark appeared instantly, etched into her skin like fire-light on porcelain — glowing faintly, pulsing with heat.
Her eyes widened. I could feel the shock in her, the recognition, the instinctual pull toward me. This was no ordinary marking. It was a claim, a bond, Alpha to mate, protector to protected.
"You're mine to guard," I murmured, voice low, calm, absolute. "No one will harm you while I breathe."
She pressed her fingers to the glowing symbol, and I felt the connection tighten. The pulse beneath her skin answered mine — life to life, heartbeat to heartbeat.
From the corner of my senses, I detected movement — deliberate, patient, cold. A Vampire. Watching. Calculating. Waiting for an opportunity.
I bared my teeth slightly, muscles coiled. Whoever he was, he would not take her while I drew breath. My gaze never left her as I stepped into the crowd , letting the mark glow faintly in the sunlight. She would remember this forever.
The bond had begun. Instinctual. Visible. Unmistakable. And it would change both our lives.
POV — Seraphina (At Home)
By the time I reached my small apartment, my chest still ached from the adrenaline. My fingers wouldn't leave the glowing mark at the back of my neck. It burned faintly, pulsing, alive.
Being an orphan meant I was used to silence and solitude, but tonight the mark made everything feel different. Not just a mark… a claim. My apartment felt colder than usual, shadows stretching long across the walls.
I touched the symbol again. It thrummed beneath my skin, as if reminding me — I wasn't alone. Someone was watching over me. Someone had chosen me.
my parents, long gone, and the emptiness of coming home to silence every day. But now… this mark… it felt like a tether. A promise. Someone out there — something extraordinary — had noticed me.
I shivered, equal parts fear and awe. This wasn't just about a stranger in the hallway anymore. This was something bigger. Something dangerous. Something… inevitable.