86. The Authentic Mark.

Rose POV

I was sleeping.

Not the kind of sleep where dreams come and go, but a deep one. Heavy. Quiet. The kind where the world disappears for a while.

Then pain hit me.

Sharp.

Sudden.

It cut through my body like fire.

I gasped and sat up immediately, my hand flying to my chest. My heart was racing so fast I thought it would tear itself out of me. Sweat covered my skin, even though the room was cold... I was still in Damien abode.

“What… what was that?” I whispered.

Before I could calm myself, the pain came again.

This time, worse.

It burned at my back, right at the down part of my shoulder , like something was being carved into my skin from the inside. I cried out and slid off the bed, landing on my knees. My fingers dug into the carpet as my body shook.

I could barely breathe.

The pain slowly faded, leaving behind a strange warmth. Not normal warmth. Something alive.

I forced myself to stand.

My legs were weak as I stumbled toward the mirror across the room. Each step felt heavy, like the air itself was pressing down on me.

I turned my back to the mirror.

And froze.

There it was.

A mark.

Glowing.

Shining softly like silver under moonlight.

A crescent moon.

Perfectly shaped.

My breath caught in my throat.

“No… no, no,” I whispered, reaching back with trembling fingers.

The moment I touched it, a memory slammed into me.

Letters.

Old letters.

I remembered seeing that same symbol stamped faintly on some of them. Papers my father kept hidden. Things my mother always brushed off whenever I asked.

It’s nothing, Rose.

You imagine too much.

My hand dropped.

Fear crawled up my spine.

“What is this?” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Before I could move, the door burst open.

Damien POV

The moment I felt it, I knew something was wrong.

A shift.

A ripple in the air.

Something ancient had moved.

I stormed toward Rose’s room without thinking, the door flying open under my hand. My eyes went straight to her.

And then...

I saw the mark.

My world stopped.

That symbol.

That wolves, sacred symbol.

The crescent moon.

It glowed on her back like it had always belonged there.

Impossible.

My body moved before my mind caught up.

In a blink, I was in front of her, my hand closing around her neck. Not crushing..

just enough to pin her, to make her feel how serious this was.

“How did you get this?” I demanded.

Her eyes widened in shock, tears instantly forming.

“I...I don’t know,” she stammered. “I just woke up and it was there. I swear.”

I searched her face.

Pure confusion.

Pure fear.

No lie.

My grip loosened slightly.

That made no sense.

The mark meant one thing.

Luna.

And yet...

I couldn’t smell wolf on her.

Not even a trace.

And the Alpha already had a Luna.

My mind raced.

This shouldn’t exist.

I dropped my hand.

She staggered back, coughing, clutching her neck.

I stared at her, unsettled.

Then something dark and cold settled inside me.

If the wolves wanted her…

Then I would use her.

Rose POV

He let go of me.

I slid down the wall, my legs giving out. My chest burned where his hand had been. I looked up at him, desperate.

“What does it mean?” I asked. “That mark...what is it?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he stepped closer.

Too close.

My heart started racing again, but this time for a different reason. His hand went to my waist, pulling me up roughly. His face leaned in, his breath warm against my skin.

Before I could react, his lips crashed into mine.

I froze.

Shock hit me first.

Then anger.

I slapped him.

Hard.

The sound echoed in the room.

For a second, I thought that would stop him.

I was wrong.

He caught my wrists easily, pinning them above my head, roughly burying his lips into mine, then his hand sliding down into my undies.

He's not gentle, trying to humiliate me or what?.

His strength was terrifying. I struggled, but it was useless.

“Don’t,” I whispered. “Please.”

Then the door burst open again.

Kate POV

I knew it.

I knew something was wrong.

The energy in the mansion shifted the moment the ritual failed. I rushed toward Rose’s room, my instincts screaming.

When I opened the door...

I stopped.

They were too close.

His hands on her.

Her pinned... He deep kissing her.

How dare he does that to a human?...or is she?

Rage exploded inside me.

But then I saw it.

The mark.

My breath caught.

“That’s impossible,” I whispered.

Whatever I felt about Damien in that moment didn’t matter anymore.

This was bigger.

“Lord Damien,” I said sharply. "Her Mark”

He stepped back immediately.

Rose collapsed onto the bed, shaking.

“The ritual failed?,” I said.

Damien straightened, his expression turning dark.

So it was true.

Damien POV

That confirmed it.

I stepped away from Rose completely.

“Explain,” I ordered.

Kate’s voice was tight. “ I think the sacrifice was rejected. Everything went wrong.”

My mind snapped into place.

This girl.

This human.

With a Luna mark.

And no wolf scent.

I turned to Rose slowly.

Before she could speak, Kate grabbed her arm.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said coldly.

Rose struggled. “Wait...what happened to Adrian?”

The way she said his name twisted something in my chest.

Curiosity.

Jealousy.

Danger.

I turned away.

“Lock her in,” I said.

Kate dragged her toward the door as Rose fought back weakly.

“Damien, please!” she cried. “Tell me what’s happening!”

The door slammed shut.

Silence followed.

I stared at the mark one last time before the door closed.

This girl was no longer just interesting.

She was a weapon... And I'm going to use her to my advantage.

Rose POV

The door locked.

The sound echoed like a final judgment.

I slid down to the floor, hugging my knees.

Adrian.

Is he hurt?.

Hurt.

And I was trapped.

Confused.

Marked.

Alone.

Tears streamed down my face as I whispered his name into the empty room.