THE MARK

Chapter 3 – The Mark

Jenna’s POV:

I froze.

The word slipped from his lips like a curse, low and rough: “Mate.”

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. My body locked, my mind screaming no, no, no, but my traitorous heart pounded so hard it shook my ribs. The air seemed to thicken, pulling me closer to the monster towering over me.

When I finally forced myself to look up, I wished I hadn’t.

The man—no, the wolf—was huge. Taller than anyone I’d ever seen, broad shoulders stretching the black shirt clinging to his frame. His eyes glowed an unnatural gold, burning straight into me, like they could strip away my skin and see everything underneath. A scar ran down his jawline, only making him more terrifying. Dangerous. Brutal.

And somehow… devastatingly beautiful.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Everyone knew what it meant when the Alpha King claimed a mate. Girls were taken, locked away in his world, never to be seen again. My knees went weak, but before I could stumble back, his hand shot out.

Strong. Unyielding. Burning.

He gripped my chin and tilted my head up, forcing me to meet his eyes. My stomach dropped.

“You,” he growled, voice rough velvet, “belong to me.”

I tried to shake my head, tried to push against his chest, but it was like pressing against stone. His touch seared through me, sparks racing along my skin. My body betrayed me, trembling not only with fear but something else—something I didn’t dare name.

The mayor stammered behind us. “Y-Your Majesty… the mate bond is—”

“Silence.” Brock’s voice cracked like thunder. His hand left my chin only to wrap around my wrist, pulling me against him.

“No—please—” I gasped, but he didn’t listen. His breath was hot against my neck as he leaned in, inhaling deeply.

Then—pain.

White-hot agony exploded as his teeth sank into my skin, marking me. I cried out, the sound torn from my throat, eyes burning with tears. My legs gave out but he held me upright, pressing his mouth harder against my flesh. Heat surged, flooding my body, a fire that spread from his bite down to my very bones.

It was like poison and ecstasy all at once.

When he finally pulled back, blood dripped down my collarbone. His tongue swept over the wound, sealing it with his saliva. My whole body shuddered at the contact. My mind screamed in horror, but my pulse betrayed me—fast, wild, alive.

The crowd was silent, every girl staring wide-eyed, every parent pale as death. Blossom clutched her new mate’s arm, terror written across her face.

My mother… my poor mother… she collapsed against my father’s chest, sobbing.

Brock didn’t care.

He straightened, gripping my hand tightly in his massive one, claiming me before the world. His gold eyes blazed, daring anyone to challenge him. No one moved. Not even the mayor.

“She’s mine,” he announced, voice echoing through the square. “My mate. My queen.”

Queen? My stomach turned. I wasn’t ready for any of this—I wasn’t ready to disappear.

“No,” I whispered, but it came out broken.

Brock bent down, lips brushing my ear. “You don’t get a choice, little human. The bond has chosen. And I take what’s mine.”

The world spun. I wanted to scream, to run, to claw my way free. But when I tugged against his grip, the sparks of the bond shot through me again, weakening my resolve, making me dizzy.

Something inside me whispered that he wasn’t lying. That no matter what I did, I was bound to him now.

The crowd parted as he dragged me forward, people lowering their heads in submission. The air reeked of fear and wolf musk, and the sound of my shoes scraping against the stone echoed louder than my pounding heart.

I glanced back one last time. My mother’s eyes locked with mine—pleading, breaking. I bit my lip to keep from sobbing.

Brock didn’t slow. He pulled me past the town square, past the gawking eyes, toward the waiting black SUV surrounded by warriors. His men looked at me like I was already dead.

He shoved me inside, climbing in after me. The door slammed shut, sealing my fate.

I pressed myself against the far door, clutching my throbbing neck, tears spilling freely now. “Please… please don’t do this…”

His eyes glowed in the dim car, fixed on me like a predator stalking prey. Slowly, he leaned forward, caging me in with his massive frame.

“Fight me all you want, Jenna,” he murmured, voice like a dark promise. “But your soul already knows. You’re mine.”

The car pulled away. My world ended.