Chapter 3: The Mark Of The Beast

Everly POV

I didn’t sleep. 

I sat in my car in the Vale Corp parking garage at 5:47am with a high-neck sweater hiding my neck and Lila scratching at my ribs. 

My phone had 23 missed calls. All Dad. 

The bond in my chest was screaming. Pulling me up 47 floors. 

He’s here. Go to him.

I shouldn’t have. 

God help me, I did. 

The elevator opened straight into Grayson’s office. Empty. Dark. Except for him. 

He was standing at the window, still in last night’s shirt. Coffee in one hand. The other fisted at his side. He looked like he hadn’t slept either. Like he’d been waiting.

He turned when the doors shut behind me. 

And froze. 

His eyes went straight to my neck. Even though I had the collar up. 

Even though I was trying to hide it. 

He could smell it. 

“Everly.” His voice broke on my name. “What are you doing here?”

“Running,” I whispered. “From Dad. From the guards. From myself.” 

I pulled the collar down. 

The mark was there. Angry. Red. A crescent bite right under my jaw. Proof. 

Grayson made a sound like he’d been punched. He crossed the room in 2 steps and stopped just short of touching me. His hands were shaking. 

“Jesus, Ev. Do you know what this means?” 

“That I’m yours,” I said. My voice didn’t shake. “That you’re mine. That we can’t undo it.” 

He cupped my face. His thumb brushed over the mark and I shivered. It burned where he touched it. 

“This changes everything,” he said against my lips. “The council. The packs. Luke. If they find out—”

“They will.” 

The office door slammed open. 

We both spun. 

Dad. 

Senator Luke Carter. In a suit at dawn. Eyes black. Wolf right under the surface. And behind him, two of his Betas. 

For 3 seconds no one moved. 

Then Dad’s gaze dropped to my neck. To Grayson’s hand still on my face. 

The air went out of the room. 

“You marked my daughter,” Dad said. Quiet. Deadly. 

Grayson stepped in front of me instantly. Shielding me. His body went rigid. 

“Luke. Let me explain—”

“Explain what?” Dad’s voice cracked. “That you waited until she was 22? That you touched her in my house? That you put your mark on her like she’s property?” 

“It wasn’t like that,” I cut in. I stepped out from behind Grayson. “It was my choice. I chose him. The bond chose us.”

Dad looked at me. Really looked at me. And for a second I saw pain. Betrayal. 

Then it was gone. Replaced by ice. 

“Collins,” he said. 

One of the Betas grabbed my arm. 

“Let go of me!” I twisted. Lila snarled. “Dad, please—”

“Enough.” Dad’s eyes never left Grayson. “You have 24 hours to get out of this city. Out of my state. If I see you within 100 miles of her again, I will end you. Business. Pack. Friendship. All of it.” 

He looked at me last. 

“House arrest. Now, Everly.”

They dragged me out. 

The last thing I saw was Grayson. Standing in his office. Fists clenched. Not following. Because if he did, Dad would have him killed. 

In the car, Dad didn’t speak. Not once. 

Back at the mansion, Collins locked the door behind me. No windows. Just a bed. 

“Until further notice,” he said. 

My phone buzzed once before they took it. 

Unknown number. 

6 months, Ev. Trust me. I’m coming for you. 

I pressed my hand to my neck. To the mark. 

To the promise. 

And I waited.