CHAPTER THREE: THE MARK I CAN’T HIDE

**Freya's POV**

I woke up to warmth, an arm was draped across my waist.

My eyes snapped open.

Gray walls. Heavy curtains. A bed that wasn't mine.

And behind me, pressed against my back, was Dante.

His chest rose and fell slowly. His breath was warm against my neck. His face, what I could see of it when I turned my head slightly, looked younger and less dangerous in sleep.

Then the memories came flooding back.

The drug. The sex. The bite.

My hand flew to my neck.

The mark was still there.

Oh god.

Panic hit me like a wave.

What had I done?

I'd slept with Dante Vaughn. The Alpha's son. The son of the woman everyone thought I killed.

And he'd marked me.

My breathing quickened.

What would he do when he woke up?

Would he regret it?

Would he be angry?

Would he reject me on the spot?

I had to leave. Now.

I carefully lifted his arm off my waist, moving as slowly as possible. He shifted slightly but didn't wake.

Thank god.

I slid out of the bed, my legs shaky. Every muscle in my body ached. I could feel the soreness between my thighs with every step.

My dress was on the floor. Torn and ruined.

I picked it up anyway and pulled it on as best I could, holding the ripped fabric together with one hand.

I found my shoes near the door and took them too.

I took one last look at him.

He was still asleep, one arm stretched out to the empty space where I'd been lying.

Something twisted in my chest.

But I couldn't stay.

I opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped out.

I kept my head down the whole way home, my hair falling forward to hide my face. The mark on my neck felt like it was burning.

By the time I reached my house, the sun was just starting to rise.

Aunt Elsa was standing on the front porch, her face pale and eyes wide with worry.

"Freya!" she gasped, rushing toward me. "Where have you been? I've been calling you all night! Do you know how worried I was?"

"I'm sorry. My phone died. I..."

"What happened to your dress?" She grabbed my shoulders, her eyes scanning me frantically. "Are you hurt? Did someone..."

"No one hurt me," I said quickly. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. Look at you." Her hands were trembling. "Where were you?"

"I got drunk," I lied. "I wasn't feeling well. I found an empty room and fell asleep."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't believe me, but she didn't push.

"Come inside. You need to rest."

I nodded and let her lead me into the house.

"Go upstairs," she pointed. "I'll make you some tea."

I climbed the stairs slowly, every step sending a fresh wave of soreness through my body.

When I got to my room, I closed the door and leaned against it.

What have I done?

I forced myself to move. I needed a shower. I needed to wash his scent off my skin before Aunt Elsa noticed.

I went into the bathroom and turned the water on as hot as it would go.

I stepped under the spray and scrubbed my skin until it was raw.

But no matter how hard I scrubbed, I could still feel him.

His hands on my body. His mouth on my neck. The weight of him pressing me into the mattress.

I sank down onto the floor of the shower and pulled my knees to my chest.

The water poured over me, but I couldn't stop shaking.

When I finally got out, I wrapped a towel around myself and stood in front of the mirror.

The mark was impossible to miss.

Two distinct puncture wounds on my shoulder, right below my neck. The skin around it was slightly raised and dark.

A mate mark.

I touched it gently, and a strange warmth spread through my chest.

He marked me.

I didn't know what that meant. Not really.

Would he come looking for me?

Would he reject me the moment he realized what he'd done?

A soft knock at my door made me jump.

"Freya?" Aunt Elsa's voice called. "I brought you some food."

"Just a second!" I called back, panicking.

I couldn't let her see the mark.

I grabbed a robe from the hook on the back of the door and wrapped it tightly around myself, making sure the collar covered my neck.

Then I opened the door.

Aunt Elsa stood there with a tray. Tea. Toast. Fruit.

She smiled gently. "You need to eat something."

"Thanks," I said, taking the tray from her.

She didn't leave, her eyes scanning my face, then dropped lower, to my neck.

The moment she noticed, her face went white, the smile vanishing.

"Freya," she whispered. "What is that?"

"What?" I tried to sound confused, but my voice shook.

"Your neck. Is that.."

The tray slipped from my hands.

It crashed to the floor, tea spilling everywhere, the plate shattering.

Aunt Elsa grabbed my shoulders and pulled the collar of my robe down.

She stared at the mark, then screamed.

"No. No, no, no!" She stumbled backward, her hand over her mouth. "Freya, what did you do?"

"Aunt Elsa..."

"Who did this to you? Who marked you?"

I looked down, my face burning with shame.

"Tell me!" she demanded.

"Dante," I whispered.

She froze.

"Dante Vaughn?"

I nodded.

She sank down onto my bed, her face in her hands.

"Oh, Moon Goddess," she breathed. "What happened?"

I sat down beside her, wrapping my arms around myself.

"I got lost. I went into a room by accident. He was there. He'd been drugged."

She looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"Two women were looking for him," I continued. "They wanted to... use him. While he couldn't think straight."

"So you..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"I helped him. I thought I was doing the right thing. It was my only chance."

"And he bit you." It wasn't a question.

"I don't think he meant to," I said quickly. "The drug made him lose control."

She stared at me for a long moment, then pulled me into her arms.

"Oh, sweetheart. What are we going to do?"

I didn't have an answer.

We sat there in silence for several minutes.

Then a loud knock echoed through the house.

We both froze.

"Who could that be?" Aunt Elsa whispered.

The knock came again. Louder this time.

She stood up slowly. "Stay here."

"Aunt Elsa..."

"Stay here," she repeated firmly.

She left the room, closing the door behind her.

I sat on the bed, my heart pounding.

I heard voices downstairs. Male voices.

Then footsteps on the stairs.

The door opened.

Aunt Elsa stood there, her face pale.

"They're here for you," she said quietly.

"Who?"

"Messengers from the Alpha's house."