Marcus POV
Something was wrong. It hit me fast and sharp. Like a warning I couldn't ignore. My body went still instantly.
Every muscle locked. Every instinct rose at once. The girl in my arms Cecelia was still pressed against me, breathing hard, shaking, reacting in ways she didn't even understand.
But I wasn't focused on that anymore. Not fully. Because something else cut through everything. Something deeper and older.
My senses sharpened. The room faded slightly. All I could focus on was her. Her scent. Her body.
My grip on her loosened just a little. Not enough for her to pull away. But enough for me to think.
To observe. To understand. My eyes moved over her again. Slowly and carefully.
Her chest rose fast. Way too fast. Her lips parted slightly. Her fingers still clutched my shirt like she needed it to stay standing.
Her eyes looked at me confused and lost.
Burning. And that was the problem. A big one. Because that reaction
It didn't match my experience. Not even a little. My jaw tightened. Something clicked in my head.
Immediate. I pulled back slightly. Just enough to look at her properly. Her body responded instantly.
She leaned forward without thinking. Like she didn't want the space. Like she needed the contact.
"Marcus…"
She whispered. Her voice came out soft. Broken. Still affected. Still lost in whatever I dragged out of her.
My eyes narrowed. I watched her carefully. Every movement and breath. Every reaction.
She didn't understand what was happening. Not even close. That much was clear now. And that meant—
"Look at me,"
I said. My voice came out lower than before and sharper. She obeyed immediately.
Her eyes lifted to mine. Wide and unsteady. I held her gaze. Didn't look away. Didn't soften.
"Have you done this before?"
The question came out directly. No room for confusion. Her brows pulled together instantly.
"What?"
"Answer me."
Her chest rose again. Her fingers tightened on my shirt.
"I… I don't—"
"Have you done this before?"
Her lips parted and closed. Then parted again.
"I…"
She hesitated. Her eyes dropped for a second. Then lifted again.
"No."
The word came out small. Quiet. But it hit hard. Too hard. Something inside me snapped.
Not anger, exactly. Something else. Something deeper. My wolf stirred instantly.
I felt possessive and I knew that she was mine. The word echoed in my head. Loud and clear.
I stepped back fully this time. The space between us returned. Cold and sudden.
She reacted immediately. Her body swayed slightly. Like she lost balance. Like she needed me there.
"Wait—"
Her hand reached for me desperately. Confused. Still caught in the haze. But I moved away. Fast.
My jaw clenched tightly. My chest felt tight. Not from lack of control. From too much awareness.
She's untouched. The realization settled deeper. Heavier. She's a virgin. My fingers curled slightly at my side.
My wolf reacted again. Stronger this time.
"Mine."
The word came sharper. More demanding and territorial. Dangerously. I didn't like that.
I didn't like it at all. I haven't felt that in years. Centuries. And now this girl is so small. Has got me here.
A confused girl triggered it. My breathing slowed forcefully. I forced it.
Because if I didn't. I wouldn't like what happened next. Behind me, I heard her move. Soft. Unsteady.
"Marcus…"
Her voice came again. More desperate this time.
"Did I do something wrong?"
I didn't answer. I didn't turn. Because if I looked at her again. If I saw that confusion. That vulnerability. That reaction was still written all over her body.
My control would slip and I don't let that happen. Ever.
"I can fix it," she said quickly.
Her voice shook.
"I'll do better. I'll—"
"Stop."
The word came out sharp and final.
She froze instantly. Silence followed with every intensity.
I could still feel her behind me. I still sense her. I still smell her. That scent, it wasn't normal.
Not just because of what she was. But because of how it affected me. It pulled. It lingered. It stayed.
And I didn't like that. I turned slightly. Not fully. Just enough to look at her from the corner of my eye.
She stood there. Naked and shaking. Her arms moved slightly like she wanted to cover herself but didn't know if she was allowed.
Her chest still rose fast. Her lips still parted slightly. Her body still behaved to everything that just happened.
And now. She looked lost. Completely lost.
My jaw tightened again. This changed everything.
I didn't take things like this lightly. Didn't touch things I couldn't control. Didn't involve myself in anything unpredictable.
And she was exactly that. Unpredictable and dangerous. Not because she tried. But because she didn't know how much power she welded over me.
My wolf stirred again. Slower this time. But still present. Still watching and wanting.
"Mine."
I shut it down immediately. Hard.
"No,"
I said coldly. Her brows pulled together.
"What?"
"You don't fix anything."
My voice stayed controlled again. Flat and distant. The shift was clear. She noticed it. Of course she did.
Her face changed slightly with confusion and hurt. I could also see fear. All mixed together.
"But I—"
"We're done here."
The words cut through the room.
Her breath caught.
"Done?"
I didn't answer. I turned fully this time. I walked toward the door. Each step is steady. Behind me, I heard her move again. Faster this time around.
"Marcus, wait—please—"
Her voice broke slightly. I could hear how desperate she was. I didn't stop. Didn't slow. My hand reached the door and I pulled it open.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked again.
Quieter this time. That question lingered. For a second. Just a second. Then I stepped out. The door closed behind me. The sound echoed down the hallway.
I stood there. Still and silent. My jaw clenched tightly. My hand curled into a fist slowly. She's a virgin…
The words repeated in my head, repeatedly. And that fact changed everything.
Because this was no longer simple. It wasn't just a deal anymore.
This was something else. For the first time since I had set eyes on her, I realized the truth.
I didn't just take in a girl or accept a mistress. She was my weakness. I brought her into my life, inside my territory.
Inside my world. And that meant only one thing. Nothing was going to stay the same anymore.