You are mine now

Sylvia's POV

"Give me one reason."

The sharp point of his Lycan claw pressed directly into the beating pulse of my neck. I was pinned flat against the cold iron bars of the cage. Julian's broad chest heaved against mine. He radiated an intense, suffocating heat. His claws dug deeper into my skin. A single warm drop of my blood rolled down my neck.

I forced my breathing to stay steady. Panic would get me killed right now.

"I know who you really are," I whispered. I stared directly into his wild golden eyes. "Julian Sinclair. The true Alpha."

Shock flashed in his eyes for a split second. Then pure hatred swallowed it up. He bared his fangs again, pressing his heavy body closer to mine.

"Why is a rich Kensington brat down in the dirt with a stray?" he asked. His voice dripped with venom. "Your family helped steal my throne. Give me one good reason not to rip your head off right now."

"I want Cassian destroyed just as much as you do," I spoke quickly. I ignored the stinging pain in my neck. "I have my family's entire fortune. I have the hidden blueprints to the Mercer packhouse. I have the political backing of the old elite to help you take back your throne."

Julian let out a low, dangerous laugh. The sound sent a shiver down my spine.

"You are offering me a kingdom," Julian mocked. "And what do you want for all this treason, princess?"

"A blood oath," I answered without hesitation. "You must protect me from Cassian. You must open my family vault with your royal blood. And once you are king, you must grant me safe passage out of this territory forever."

Julian stared at me. He searched my face in silence. He was trying to detect a lie. He leaned closer and took a deep breath, smelling the air around my neck and shoulders.

"The scent of your mate bond with Cassian is gone," he noted. His voice sounded slightly less hostile.

"I rejected him tonight," I said flatly. "I am done with him. Are we going to make a deal or are you going to let him keep your crown?"

Julian studied my eyes for a long moment. He finally stepped back. He dropped his hand from my throat, giving me space to breathe.

"I accept your deal," Julian said. "But we do a binding blood oath right now. If you betray me, the magic will stop your heart instantly. If I betray you, I lose my Lycan wolf."

"Deal," I agreed.

The arena boss watched us from outside the cage. He wanted his money and he wanted us out of his ring.

"Bring us a ritual dagger," Julian ordered him. "Now."

The boss grumbled but walked over to a wooden table. He brought back an old rusty blade and handed it through the iron bars. Julian took the dagger. He didn't even blink as he sliced the sharp edge across his own palm. Fresh red blood spilled from his hand. He held the bloody blade out to me.

I took a deep breath. I grabbed the cold handle of the dagger and sliced my own palm. A sharp pain shot up my arm, but I kept my face blank. I handed the blade back to him. Then, I pressed my bleeding hand firmly against his warm palm. Our blood mixed together.

"I swear my loyalty and my resources to you," I started the oath, looking up into his golden eyes.

"I swear my protection and your safe passage," Julian finished in a deep voice.

A standard magical contract usually sealed with a faint red glow. We waited for the red light to bind our deal.

Instead, a blinding hot golden light erupted from our joined hands.

The bright flash lit up the entire dark arena. The magic shot up my arm like a bolt of lightning. It rushed straight into my chest, warming my skin and bones. Deep inside me, my inner wolf purred for the very first time in my life. It was a feeling of pure, overwhelming peace.

Julian gasped loudly. His wild golden eyes snapped down to mine. We both stared at the brilliant light shining bright between our fingers.

The golden light was the rare, ancient mark of true fated mates.

My pulse took a sudden halt. I froze in pure shock. This wasn't in the book at all. Clara was supposed to be his fated mate. I was just the cannon fodder villainess. This broke the entire plot.

I panicked. I tried to pull my hand away from his.

Julian tightened his bloody grip on my fingers. He pulled me closer until our chests touched again. The golden light flared brighter.

"You are mine now.”

Sylvia's POV

"Give me one reason."

The sharp point of his Lycan claw pressed directly into the beating pulse of my neck. I was pinned flat against the cold iron bars of the cage. Julian's broad chest heaved against mine. He radiated an intense, suffocating heat. His claws dug deeper into my skin. A single warm drop of my blood rolled down my neck.

I forced my breathing to stay steady. Panic would get me killed right now.

"I know who you really are," I whispered. I stared directly into his wild golden eyes. "Julian Sinclair. The true Alpha."

Shock flashed in his eyes for a split second. Then pure hatred swallowed it up. He bared his fangs again, pressing his heavy body closer to mine.

"Why is a rich Kensington brat down in the dirt with a stray?" he asked. His voice dripped with venom. "Your family helped steal my throne. Give me one good reason not to rip your head off right now."

"I want Cassian destroyed just as much as you do," I spoke quickly. I ignored the stinging pain in my neck. "I have my family's entire fortune. I have the hidden blueprints to the Mercer packhouse. I have the political backing of the old elite to help you take back your throne."

Julian let out a low, dangerous laugh. The sound sent a shiver down my spine.

"You are offering me a kingdom," Julian mocked. "And what do you want for all this treason, princess?"

"A blood oath," I answered without hesitation. "You must protect me from Cassian. You must open my family vault with your royal blood. And once you are king, you must grant me safe passage out of this territory forever."

Julian stared at me. He searched my face in silence. He was trying to detect a lie. He leaned closer and took a deep breath, smelling the air around my neck and shoulders.

"The scent of your mate bond with Cassian is gone," he noted. His voice sounded slightly less hostile.

"I rejected him tonight," I said flatly. "I am done with him. Are we going to make a deal or are you going to let him keep your crown?"

Julian studied my eyes for a long moment. He finally stepped back. He dropped his hand from my throat, giving me space to breathe.

"I accept your deal," Julian said. "But we do a binding blood oath right now. If you betray me, the magic will stop your heart instantly. If I betray you, I lose my Lycan wolf."

"Deal," I agreed.

The arena boss watched us from outside the cage. He wanted his money and he wanted us out of his ring.

"Bring us a ritual dagger," Julian ordered him. "Now."

The boss grumbled but walked over to a wooden table. He brought back an old rusty blade and handed it through the iron bars. Julian took the dagger. He didn't even blink as he sliced the sharp edge across his own palm. Fresh red blood spilled from his hand. He held the bloody blade out to me.

I took a deep breath. I grabbed the cold handle of the dagger and sliced my own palm. A sharp pain shot up my arm, but I kept my face blank. I handed the blade back to him. Then, I pressed my bleeding hand firmly against his warm palm. Our blood mixed together.

"I swear my loyalty and my resources to you," I started the oath, looking up into his golden eyes.

"I swear my protection and your safe passage," Julian finished in a deep voice.

A standard magical contract usually sealed with a faint red glow. We waited for the red light to bind our deal.

Instead, a blinding hot golden light erupted from our joined hands.

The bright flash lit up the entire dark arena. The magic shot up my arm like a bolt of lightning. It rushed straight into my chest, warming my skin and bones. Deep inside me, my inner wolf purred for the very first time in my life. It was a feeling of pure, overwhelming peace.

Julian gasped loudly. His wild golden eyes snapped down to mine. We both stared at the brilliant light shining bright between our fingers.

The golden light was the rare, ancient mark of true fated mates.

My pulse took a sudden halt. I froze in pure shock. This wasn't in the book at all. Clara was supposed to be his fated mate. I was just the cannon fodder villainess. This broke the entire plot.

I panicked. I tried to pull my hand away from his.

Julian tightened his bloody grip on my fingers. He pulled me closer until our chests touched again. The golden light flared brighter.

"You are mine now.”