40. The Mark of Destiny

Shadow and I walk in silence, leaving behind the clearing and the accusing eyes that followed us until the darkness of the forest swallowed them whole. Despite the calm around us, my mind is at war. He has sacrificed everything—his pack, his home, his world. And he did it for me.

I don’t know if I’m strong enough to carry the weight of that choice.

“What are you thinking about?”

His voice breaks the silence. It’s soft, but there’s a hint of concern he doesn’t try to hide.

“About what you just did.”

I stop, forcing him to turn and face me. “You gave up everything, Shadow. Your family, your pack… all for someone like me. How can you be so sure I’m worth it?”

His eyes gleam under the pale moonlight, fierce and unyielding. He takes a step closer, closing the space between us until his presence is all I can feel.

“How could I not be sure?”

His voice is a whisper filled with fire. “Eve, you are my anchor. My salvation. Without you… there’s only darkness.”

My lips tremble. I want to believe him. I want to soak in every word and carve them into my heart. But the fear remains, sharp and buried deep like a thorn.

“I don’t want to be the reason you lose everything you love,” I finally say, my voice cracking.

“I’ve lost everything before.”

His reply is immediate, and there's a sorrow in it that I’ve never heard from him. “And when I found you, I knew I couldn’t lose something so important again. You’re the only thing that makes sense, Eve.”

Tears burn behind my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here. Not now. I step closer and rest my forehead against his chest, letting his warmth wrap around me. His heartbeat pulses strong beneath my hands—a reminder that he’s still here, still mine, despite it all.

“Then let’s promise this won’t be in vain,” I whisper. “We’ll fight, Shadow. We’ll fight for this, for us. No matter what comes.”

He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight, as if he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he lets go.

“No matter what comes, Eve. I’ll be with you. Always.”

We return to the cabin in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The night is still, but the air is charged, tense. Something is coming. I feel it in every bone of my body.

As we step through the door, Shadow suddenly freezes. His muscles go rigid, and his eyes darken, alert.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he sniffs the air, his jaw tightening.

“Someone’s here.”

Before I can process what he’s said, a figure steps from the shadows of the cabin. Tall, poised, with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Shadow. What a pleasure to see you again.”

The man’s voice is smooth, almost melodic—but something about it sends a chill through me.

“Marcus.”

Shadow speaks the name like a growl. His hands curl into fists, and his eyes burn with fury.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came for you, of course.”

Marcus steps forward, unfazed by Shadow’s hostility.

“The pack is worried. They can’t understand how you could walk away from everything for… this.”

His gaze slides toward me, and his smile widens.

“The human.”

“If you’re here to judge me, don’t waste your time. I’m no longer part of the pack.”

Shadow steps in front of me, placing his body between Marcus and me.

“You hold no power over me.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong.”

Marcus’s voice turns cold, his smile fading.

“This isn’t just about you, Shadow. Your decision puts us all at risk. And I can’t let that happen.”

The air thickens, charged with a tension so real I can almost taste it. Every instinct I have screams at me to run—but my legs won’t move. I’m trapped between fear and the desperate need to protect Shadow, even if I don’t know how.

“You have no idea what you’re doing, Marcus.”

Shadow’s voice is low, dangerous.

“If you so much as lay a finger on her, you’ll regret it.”

“You think you can protect her?”

Marcus laughs—a hollow, cruel sound.

“You’re strong, Shadow, but not strong enough. She’s your weakness. And everyone knows it.”

The words land like a blow. I know he says them to provoke Shadow, but I also know there’s truth in them. I am his weakness—and that makes us both vulnerable.

“That’s enough.”

I step forward, my voice trembling but resolute.

“I won’t let you keep manipulating him. If you have something to say, say it to me.”

Marcus turns to truly look at me, as if only now I’ve earned his attention.

“Well. You’ve got some fire, human. But this isn’t a game. You don’t belong in this world—and sooner or later, you’ll learn that. I just hope it’s not too late.”

Before Shadow can answer, Marcus vanishes—melting into the shadows as if he’d never been there. The cabin falls silent again, but the threat he left behind hangs heavy in the air.

Shadow turns to me, his expression a storm of emotions: worry, guilt, fury.

“You shouldn’t have confronted him.”

“What did you expect me to do? Just sit there while he insulted you and threatened us?”

I cross my arms, the adrenaline fading and leaving me shaky.

“I’m not going to stand by while they tear you down for something we chose together.”

He sighs, dragging a hand through his hair.

“Eve, this isn’t just any enemy. Marcus is dangerous. If he comes back…”

“If he comes back, we face him together.”

I cut him off, my voice steady.

“I told you, Shadow. No matter what comes—I’m not giving up.”

He stares at me for a long moment, then finally nods, though the worry in his eyes doesn’t fade.

“Then we need to be ready. Because this… is just the beginning.”