CHAPTER 4 — THE MARK I NEVER CHOSE
(Lira's POV)
"Hold on." That was all Kael said—and then everything broke. The creature slammed into him with a force that shook the entire hall. The impact sent a violent wave through the ground, cracking stone beneath our feet. I cried out as I was thrown backward, my grip on him slipping.
"Kael!" I hit the floor hard, pain shooting through my side as I struggled to breathe. Dust and darkness filled the air, swallowing everything in chaos. For a second—I couldn't see him. Panic hit instantly. "Kael!" I shouted again, pushing myself up despite the pain.
A roar answered me. Not his. The creature's. My heart slammed wildly as I turned toward the sound—and froze. They were locked together. But this time… it wasn't like before. Kael hadn't stopped it. He was holding it back—but barely. The creature's massive form towered over him, its shadow twisting violently as it pushed forward, claws digging into the ground with every inch it gained.
And Kael—for the first time—was struggling. "No…" I whispered, fear rising like a storm inside me. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to be untouchable. Unstoppable. But the way his body tensed—the way the shadows around him flickered—something was wrong.
"Stay back!" he snapped suddenly. I flinched. Not because of the volume. But because of the urgency. "I can help!" I shouted, even though I had no idea how. "You'll only make it worse." The creature let out a low, rumbling laugh—if it could even be called that. "…weak…" it growled. My hands clenched into fists. "I am not weak!" Its glowing eyes snapped to me.
And just like that—Kael's focus broke. "Lira—!" Too late. The creature moved faster than anything I had seen. It lunged. Not at him—at me. I screamed as its massive form closed the distance in an instant. My body locked in place, fear paralyzing me as its claw came down—but it never touched me.
A dark force slammed into it mid-air. Kael. He crashed into the creature, driving it away from me with brutal force. The impact sent both of them skidding across the stone floor. "Didn't I tell you not to move?" His voice came out sharp, edged with something darker than anger. "I didn't—" My voice broke. "I thought—" "You don't think here," he cut in coldly. "You listen."
The words stung. But I didn't argue. Because I saw it now. This wasn't a game. This wasn't something I could fight with words or courage. This was survival. And I was completely out of my depth. The creature rose again, its body shifting, growing larger, darker, more unstable. "…she's awakening…" it hissed. Kael stiffened.
"What does that mean?" I demanded, fear creeping into my voice again. He didn't answer. That silence told me everything. "Kael." Still nothing. "Kael, what does that mean?!" The creature lunged again. This time—Kael didn't move to attack. He turned. Toward me. My breath caught. "What are you doing?" I whispered.
His expression was unreadable. But his eyes—those dark, glowing eyes—locked onto mine with something intense. Something… final. "They're not here for me," he said. My stomach dropped. "They're here for you." "I already know that!" I snapped. "So fight it!" "I am." "You're not!" "I am." My chest tightened painfully.
"Then why does it feel like you're about to do something I won't like?" A pause. Then—"Because you won't." My heart skipped. Before I could react—he grabbed me. Pulled me flush against him. My breath hitched as his hand slid to the back of my neck, holding me in place. "Kael—what are you—" "Stay still." His voice dropped. Low. Commanding. Dangerous. Something in me obeyed instantly. I froze. My pulse raced wildly as his face lowered closer to mine—not to my lips. To my neck.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, trembling. His breath brushed against my skin. Cold. Yet it burned. "Saving you." My heart pounded. "How—" Pain. Sharp. Blinding. I screamed as something pierced my skin. Not claws. Not teeth. Something deeper. Something… ancient. My body arched against him as heat exploded through my veins, spreading fast—too fast—like fire under my skin.
"Kael—stop—!" "I can't." My fingers dug into his shoulders as the pain intensified, turning into something overwhelming, consuming, impossible to escape. It wasn't just pain. It was… something else. Something pulling at me. Changing me. Breaking me. Rebuilding me. Images flooded my mind again—dark forests. Blood. Power. A throne made of shadows. And him—standing beside me.
"No—no—this isn't real—!" "It is now." His voice echoed inside my head. Not aloud. Inside. My breath hitched violently. "What are you doing to me?" I gasped. "Binding you." My heart stopped. "No…" "You don't have time to resist." "I don't want this!" "You don't get to choose." The words shattered something inside me. Rage surged through the pain. "I am not yours!" Silence. Then—his grip tightened. Possessive. Unyielding.
"You were the moment you crossed into my world." The heat burned hotter. Stronger. My body trembled uncontrollably as something settled deep within me—a mark. A connection. A chain I couldn't see—but could feel. Everywhere. And then—it stopped. Just like that. I collapsed against him, breath coming in shallow gasps, my entire body weak.
"What… did you do…" I whispered. His arms wrapped around me. Holding me up. Holding me close. "Now they can't take you." My head spun. "What?" "They can sense what you are," he said quietly. "But now…" A pause. "…they'll know you're claimed." My stomach twisted. "Claimed?" I repeated weakly.
Before he could answer—the creature roared. Louder than before. Angrier. "…no…" it growled. "…she's marked…" I forced my eyes open, turning slightly toward it. Its gaze wasn't just hungry anymore. It was furious. "She was supposed to be ours!" A chill ran through me. "Kael…" His grip tightened protectively. "I know."
"What does it want from me?" I whispered. He didn't answer. And somehow—that answer was worse. The creature charged again. But this time—everything changed. The moment it crossed a certain distance—it stopped. Like it had hit an invisible wall. Its body twisted violently, snarling, clawing at the air—but it couldn't get closer. My eyes widened. "What—?" Kael's voice came low against my ear.
"The mark protects you." My heart pounded. "So it can't touch me?" "Not without going through me." My breath hitched. "That's not comforting." "It's not meant to be." The creature let out a furious roar, pacing just beyond whatever barrier now separated us. "…this isn't over…" it hissed. Kael didn't respond. Didn't move. He just watched it. Waiting. Daring it.
After a long, tense moment—the creature retreated. Slowly. Reluctantly. Until it disappeared back into the darkness. Silence followed. Deep. Heavy. I let out a shaky breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "It's gone…" "For now." My body went still again. "For now?" I echoed weakly. "They won't stop," he said. "Not anymore." My fingers tightened against his shirt.
"Because of me?" "Yes." I swallowed hard. "And because of you," he added. My chest tightened. "What does that mean?" "It means," he said slowly, "you've just become something they can't ignore." Fear crept back in. Stronger this time. "What did you turn me into?" Silence. Then—he pulled back slightly. Just enough for me to look at him. To see those dark, glowing eyes clearly.
"I didn't turn you into anything," he said quietly. My breath caught. "I only woke up what you already are." A chill ran through me. "That doesn't make it better." "It wasn't supposed to." I shook my head, trying to steady myself. "I don't understand any of this." "You will." "When?" His gaze lingered on me. Heavy. Unreadable. "Soon." "That's not an answer." "It's the only one you're getting right now."
Frustration flared. But it didn't last. Because something else replaced it. Something quieter. Stronger. The connection. I felt it now. Clearer than before. A pull. Between us. Constant. Unavoidable. My breath hitched. "What… is this…" I whispered. His expression didn't change. But I saw it. That flicker of something deeper in his eyes.
"The mark." My heart pounded. "It feels…" I hesitated. "Say it." I swallowed. "Like I can't stay away from you." Silence. Then—"You can't." The words sent a shiver through me. Not fear. Something else. Something dangerous. I stepped back slightly. Testing it. The moment I did—my chest tightened. Pain. Not physical. Something deeper.
Like something inside me was pulling me back. I gasped. "What—" "I told you," Kael said calmly. "You're bound to me now." My heart raced. "That's not possible." "It is." "I won't accept it." "You already have." "I haven't!" "Then walk away." I froze. Because I tried. I turned. Took one step. Pain shot through me again—sharper this time. I sucked in a breath, stopping immediately. My body refused to go further.
My fingers curled into fists. "No…" I whispered. I turned back to him. "This isn't real." His gaze didn't waver. "It is." My chest rose and fell rapidly. "You can't just decide my life for me!" "I didn't decide it." "Then who did?!" Silence. Then—"Fate." I let out a bitter laugh. "I don't believe in fate." His lips curved slightly. "You will."
My heart pounded harder. "I won't." "You already are." Before I could argue—he stepped closer again. Closing the distance. Effortlessly. My breath caught. "What now?" I asked, my voice quieter. "Now…" He reached out. His fingers brushing lightly against the mark on my neck. Sending a sharp, electric sensation through my entire body.
"You learn what it means to belong to me." My heart skipped. "And if I refuse?" A pause. Then—his voice dropped into something darker. Something final. "You can try." Silence. Heavy. Unavoidable. And deep down—I knew the truth. This wasn't something I could escape. Not anymore. Not after what he did. Not after what I felt.
The bond pulsed again. Strong. Alive. And terrifying. Because a part of me—A part I didn't understand—Wasn't trying to break it. Then what did that make me? Kael's voice broke through my thoughts. Low. Certain. "Get some rest, Lira." My brows furrowed. "Rest? After all this?" "You'll need it." "For what?" His gaze darkened slightly. "For what's coming next." A chill ran down my spine. "And what is that?" A pause. "War." My breath caught. And just like that—I knew. This was only the beginning.