"I, Ryan Cole of the Cursed Fang Pack, accept you, Serena Cross of the Gilded Maw Pack, as my mate."Ryan's voice was strong and clear, carrying across the gathered crowd of witnesses. His eyes never left mine as he spoke the ancient words."I, Serena Cross of the Gilded Maw Pack, accept you, Ryan Cole of the Cursed Fang Pack, as my mate."My own voice was steady, filled with certainty I'd never felt before. This was right. This was real.I was surrounded by my father and friends, their faces beaming with joy for my new beginning.Looking at Ryan whose eyes were full of love and devotion, I broke into a happy smile that felt like sunshine after a long winter.The golden afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow over our small ceremony. My father had tears in his eyes, finally seeing his daughter truly happy.Ryan took my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine as if they belonged there.Amid everyone's cheers and congratulations, he lowered his voice to ask: "May
Rose huddled in a ball in Marcus's underground prison, her entire body having shrunk considerably.Weeks of torture had transformed the once-proud beauty into a broken shell of her former self.Her face and body were covered in bruises and marks from silver burns and blade cuts.Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her once-lustrous hair hung in greasy tangles around her gaunt face.When she heard footsteps approaching, Rose's head snapped up with desperate hope.When she saw Marcus, she shouted loudly with what little strength remained in her voice:"Marcus, I knew you'd come save me!"Her voice was hoarse from screaming, but relief flooded through every word."Marcus, let me out of here. I can't stay in this place another day."Rose struggled to her feet, her legs shaking from malnutrition and abuse.She had been a pampered princess who had never endured such hardship in her privileged life.The underground prison had broken her in ways she never thought possible.Marcus looked at her
The hospital room door closed with a soft click. Serena had left.Marcus sat motionless on the bed, staring at the space where she had been just moments before.The silence was deafening. No more of her voice, no more of her presence, just the empty chair and the lingering scent of her perfume.He stared at the chair where Serena had sat for what felt like hours."I'm sorry."The words came out as a broken whisper, spoken to the empty room.Marcus removed the ring from his hand with trembling fingers.It was the ring from his mating ceremony with Serena. The gold band that had once symbolized their eternal bond now felt like a shackle of his own making.He turned it over in his palm, remembering the day he'd slipped it onto her finger. How happy she'd looked. How radiant.Marcus could no longer hold back his tears.They fell onto the ring, onto his hands, onto the hospital sheets. Great, wrenching sobs that came from the depths of his soul.All of this was his fault. Rose was right, Ry
My father also thought I still couldn't forget Marcus and let out another cold snort."Why are you still thinking about him? Hasn't he hurt you enough?"My father's words carried some disappointment, and I could see the worry lines deepening around his eyes."Serena, that man nearly destroyed you once. Don't give him another chance."I knew Ryan and my father had misunderstood my intentions, so I quickly explained:"I haven't forgotten him, and I'm certainly not rekindling old feelings. I just think this matter needs a proper ending."I turned to look at both of them, making sure they understood.I sighed deeply. "Right now he thinks I'll forgive him because he saved me. If I never go see him, he'll hold onto that fantasy forever."The truth was, I needed closure as much as Marcus did."If he keeps thinking like that, who knows what he might do in the future. He's already proven he's capable of extreme behavior."I thought about his obsessive pursuit, his inability to accept our dissol
"Why is it you? Where's Serena?"Ryan sat in the chair beside the bed, looking at Marcus with a mixture of pity and contempt.His posture was relaxed, confident, while Marcus looked broken and desperate."You saved my Serena. Mr. Cross said he doesn't want to see you, so he sent me to check on you instead."The possessive way Ryan said "my Serena" made Marcus's jaw clench.Marcus stared at Ryan with growing hostility. "Are you preventing Serena from coming to see me?""I'm not you, Marcus. I won't force Serena to do anything she doesn't want to do."Ryan's voice was calm but cutting.Marcus looked at Ryan's righteous appearance and let out a cold laugh."I saved Serena. Rose will never appear in our lives again. Serena and I were together for so many years, and we even had a child."His voice grew more agitated with each word."What gives you the right to compete with me? What have you done for her?"Ryan looked at Marcus, thinking this man was both pitiful and ridiculous.Here he was,
The light reflecting off Rose's knife fell into my terrified eyes.The silver blade gleamed wickedly in the afternoon sun, and I could see my own reflection in its polished surface."Serena Cross, go die!"Rose's voice was a shriek of pure hatred, her face twisted beyond recognition by rage and madness.Seeing Rose stab toward me with the knife, both Ryan and Marcus rushed to shield me.Time seemed to slow as I watched both men converge on my position from different directions.Ryan pulled me into his arms while Marcus charged forward to block Rose's blade with his own body.The sound of steel piercing flesh was sickening. Marcus grunted as the knife sank deep into his shoulder, missing his heart by inches.I was shocked by this scene, still unable to recover even as Ryan held me in his protective embrace.My body trembled uncontrollably, the near-death experience leaving me unable to process what had just happened.Everyone was stunned by what happened.Students stood frozen in place,