Chapter Four — The Man Behind the Mark

Lily's pov

“Drag that useless thing before me,” Axel ordered, his voice filled with disgust. “You lowlife, worthless, blind wolf. Who do you think you are?”

I was still on the floor, my hands shaking beneath me as I tried to push myself upright. My face burned where Miranda's claws had torn my skin, and my palm stung from the scratches she had left across it. I could hear pe me, but I could not see any of them, and that helplessness made every word sound even more frightening.

Axel's footsteps came closer. “You came into my kingdom blind and wolfless, and I thought perhaps you could at least serve as a token of peace,” he said coldly. “I was wrong. I brought you here because my father wanted the war to end, and instead of behaving like the worthless peace offering you were supposed to be, you have brought shame upon this entire family.”

My lips trembled. “Axel, I don't understand,” I whispered. He laughed. The sound made my stomach twist.

“You don't understand?” he asked. “You went around this palace doing whatever you wanted, and now you are claiming that another Alpha marked you. Do you have any idea what that makes you?”

“I didn't do anything,” I pleaded. “You slept with someone else while you were supposed to be my bride,” he replied. “And you expect me to believe that you don't know what happened?”

My tears began falling.

“I thought it was you,” I said. There was a moment of silence. Then Axel laughed again, louder this time.

“You thought it was me?” he asked with disbelief. “Even after I made it clear that I wanted nothing to do with you?” I shook my head desperately. “I was hungry. I was lost. Someone came to me, and I thought it was you. I didn't know. I swear I didn't know,” I said.

Axel's voice became colder.

“Enough.”

I heard him turn toward the guards. “Hang her in the woods,” he ordered. “Cut the tendons of her hands and feet and throw her to the wolf pack. Let them feast on the shame she has brought into this family.”

A gasp went through the crowd. My entire body went numb. “No,” I shouted.

Axel laughed.

The sound of his laughter mixed with Miranda's, and suddenly I understood that nobody here intended to save me. Not his father, Not his mother, Not the guards. Nobody at all, the just watched me.

“Please,” I begged, crawling forward. “Axel, please. I didn't betray you. I didn't know who the man was. I thought it was you.” A pair of hands grabbed my arms.

I screamed.

“Please don't kill me!” Miranda's laughter came closer. “Baby,” she called sweetly, “I thought you were the one who marked this useless thing.” Axel said nothing.

Miranda continued, her voice becoming playful.

“But before you kill her, why don't you let me touch her a little?” she asked. “Or better yet, let me do the job myself.” I heard her footsteps approach. My body began trembling uncontrollably.

“Please stay away from me,” I begged. Miranda grabbed my hair.

I cried out as she pulled my head backward.

“You stole my future,” she hissed. “Do you really think I am going to let you die peacefully?” “I didn't steal anything from you,” I cried.

“You marked her,” Miranda screamed toward Axel. “How could you?” “I told you I didn't,” Axel replied. “Then who did?” she demanded. No one answered.

Miranda's fingers tightened around my hair.

“Maybe she is lying,” she said. “Maybe she has been sleeping around since she arrived here.”

“Stop,” I begged.

Her hand struck my face. I fell sideways as she kicked me hard in the stomach.

A cry tore from my throat as I curled up on the floor.

“Please,” I whispered. Miranda grabbed me again.

Her claws came out.

I felt them against my neck before they scratched across my skin. Pain exploded through me. I screamed in pain.

She scratched my face again, then dragged her claws across my hand when I tried to protect myself.

Blood warmed my skin.

I could hear people watching. No one moved. No one stopped her to help me.

I was about to believe that Axel would actually let her kill me when a voice suddenly thundered across the hall.

“Stop!” Everything went silent. The voice was deep enough to shake the air. “Everyone.” The guards froze. Miranda's hands dropped even Axel went quiet at that moment, I felt something change.

The air became heavy, A terrifying pressure spread through the room, and every person around me seemed to lose the ability to move.

I didn't know who had arrived, but I could feel him.

He was powerful. Far more powerful than anyone I had encountered since coming to the Ashford territory. Someone approached me, Then I felt strong arms slide beneath my body.

I gasped in fear. “Don't touch me,” I whispered weakly.

He didn't answer. Instead, he lifted me effortlessly. My head fell against his chest.

His heartbeat was strong and steady beneath my ear. The moment his arms closed around me, the pain in my body seemed to fade slightly.

I didn't understand why.

I only knew that I wasn't on the floor anymore. He turned away from the crowd. Nobody dared to stop him. I heard Axel's father speak in a low voice.

“Thorne.”

The name sent a strange chill through the room. The man carrying me continued walking. His aura remained so overwhelming that nobody followed us.

As we disappeared down the corridor, I heard someone whisper behind us.

“Gods...” Another voice replied nervously. “Thorne is becoming stronger every day.”

The footsteps behind us gradually faded. But Axel's voice remained. I heard the anger in it. “Thorne.” His voice was filled with hatred. His father answered him.

“Axel, you are the heir. You are supposed to be the one protecting this family, yet your younger brother had to step in and stop your foolishness.”

Axel said nothing at all. His fists clenched. Then his footsteps moved away. He left in fury and anger.

Inside his chamber, I was placed carefully onto a bed. My body immediately curled inward.

I was shaking so badly that I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. The door closed.

For a moment, there was complete silence. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know why this man had saved me. I didn't know what he wanted.

My hands searched the bed until they found the edge.

“Who are you?” I whispered. There was no answer.

I swallowed. “Please don't hurt me.” I heard him approach. My breathing became uneven. “Who are you?” I asked again. A hand suddenly wrapped around my throat. I gasped. He pulled me toward him. Fear exploded through my chest.

“Please,” I whispered. His face came close. Then he stopped. I felt his breath against my skin. He inhaled my fragrance Once, then again. His grip around my throat loosened slightly.

I could feel something change in him as his breathing became deeper. I knew that scent. I had felt that same presence the night before. My heart began racing. He leaned closer. His lips touched mine. I froze.

Then I pushed him away.

“You!” He stepped back.

My hand immediately went to my mouth. “So you are the one,” I whispered.

Silence. “You are the one who was with me last night.”

He didn't answer.

My anger suddenly overwhelmed my fear. I raised my hand and slapped him.

The sound echoed through the room. “How dare you?” I demanded. He remained completely still.

“Why didn't you tell me who you were?” I asked.

My voice broke. “You knew I was your brother's betrothed. You knew who I was, yet you allowed me to believe you were Axel.”

Still, he said nothing. I touched the mark on my neck.

“Look at what you did to me,” I cried. “Do you understand what this means?” His gaze remained fixed on the mark. “You marked me.” The words came out trembling. “You marked your brother's bride.” He finally spoke.

His voice was low. “I didn't intend to.” I stared in the direction of his voice. “You didn't intend to?” My tears returned.

“Then what was I supposed to think?” He moved closer. I immediately backed away. “Don't touch me.”

He stopped. I could feel the tension between us.

“You should have told me,” I said. “You should have told me that you weren't Axel.” He remained silent.

“You knew I was blind,” I continued, my voice breaking. “You knew I couldn't see your face. You knew exactly who I thought you were.”

His jaw tightened. “I know.” Those two words made me even angrier. “You know?” I laughed bitterly. “You know?” I touched my wounded face.

“Look at me. Miranda almost killed me because of this mark. Axel wants me executed because of this mark. Everyone thinks I betrayed him, and I don't even understand how any of this happened.”

He stepped closer. “I will not let them kill you,” he said. I shook my head. “That isn't enough.” He stared at me. “How do I undo this mark?” I asked. His expression changed. “You can't.” My heart sank. “What?”

“The mark cannot simply be undone,” he replied.

I grabbed the front of my dress with trembling fingers.

“No,” I whispered.

“You don't understand,” he said.

“I understand enough,” I replied. “You marked me. You are his brother. Everyone will think I betrayed him. Axel already wants me dead.” He remained silent. I raised my voice.

“How will you undo this mark?” He looked at me for a long moment.

Then he said the words that made my entire world stop.

“You cannot undo it.”