Mated

“Killian, what’s wrong with me?” Eve whispered, her eyes welling up with sudden panic. “I’m scared…”

Killian’s sudden Rut had triggered Eve’s Heat—an overwhelming sensation she had never experienced in her entire life. Terrified by the sight of Killian on the verge of losing his mind and paralyzed by the strange fire coursing through her own veins, she could barely breathe. With a forceful yank, Killian dragged her into his space, slamming the door shut with a loud, resounding thud.

The Alpha could think of nothing else but the woman in his grasp. Her sweet, intoxicating scent filled his senses, triggering his wolf instincts to fully take over and completely overriding his rational thoughts. The sudden rush of raw energy drained all the strength from Eve's legs. She leaned heavily against his broad chest, her trembling fingers clutching the fabric of her maid’s uniform for support.

Killian drew closer. The primal beast inside him growled low in his chest, sending an electric shockwave of tension through the narrow space between them. “Killian…” Eve gasped, her breath shallow as the sheer power of the bond took hold.

That soft sigh shattered what remained of Killian's restraint. Driven entirely by his wolf’s wild impulses, he guided her toward the bed, his imposing figure completely eclipsing her as the reality of their fated bond claimed them both.

His suffocating aura—a dark blend of cedarwood and rich tobacco—mingled with the wild jasmine of her scent, filling every corner of the room with an intoxicating fragrance. The fusion of their scents was the final, undeniable proof of a destiny they could no longer resist.

Killian’s Alpha eyes flashed darkly, burning with an unbridled, possessive hunger. Before she could process it, the strained buttons of her uniform gave way under his grip. The claim was becoming absolute; the ancient instinct of their blood demanded total surrender. Eve yielded to the sweeping tide, her entire frame going limp as she yearned for the connection to soothe the chaotic energy tearing through her chest.

The fated instinct demanded total alignment. Killian claimed her with a fierce, deep kiss, moving from her parted lips down to the curve of her jaw, sealing the invisible threads that would bind them forever.

He continued his descent until he hovered right over the nape of her neck—the sacred spot where the mark of dominion belonged. In one swift, definitive motion, his fangs sank into her skin. The Alpha bond was sealed, triggering a sharp gasp from Eve as a permanent connection was forged, irrevocably binding their fates under the witness of the full moon.

***

A stinging, burning sensation at the base of her neck forced Eve’s eyelids open the next morning. She moaned softly, clutching the rumpled bedsheets as consciousness slowly crept back. Raising a trembling hand, she touched the nape of her neck; the skin felt swollen, hot, and throbbing—the permanent mark of the Alpha's claim.

Instantly, flashes of last night’s chaotic events swirled wildly through her mind: the heavy touch, her own submission, and the way the Alpha had claimed her in the throes of primal passion. Eve’s face flushed scarlet. Her heart pounded in sheer disbelief that she was now bound to the very man who harbored such deep resentment toward her.

Looking around, she realized the luxurious bedroom was empty. Killian had left her alone.

The sheets beside her were cold, and the faint trace of cedarwood and tobacco was already fading from the pillow. Eve pressed her palm against the empty space, unsure whether the ache in her chest was relief or something closer to hurt. Only hours ago, he had held her as though she were the only thing in the world. Now there was nothing, not a note, not a word. Whatever the bond had told her last night, the man who had walked out of this room had not looked back.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Eve! Open the door!”

The loud pounding snapped her out of her daze. She hurried to open it, finding Martha, the head housekeeper, standing on the threshold with a pale, anxious expression.

“Hurry up and change your clothes, then come with me,” Martha whispered urgently. “Alpha Killian wants you in his private office right now.”

A heavy sense of foreboding gripped Eve’s chest. Forcing her trembling legs to move, she walked down the long castle hallway, the mate mark still throbbing hot against her skin. The moment she pushed the study door open, a chilling, oppressive tension washed over her.

Killian stood near the window with an icy, unreadable expression. But he wasn't alone. The Grand Alpha was already seated there alongside his stepmother, Helena, both fixing her with heavy, judgmental gazes.

“Oh, you are here. Come in,” the Grand Alpha said, his voice deep and commanding.

Eve hesitated at the threshold before stepping forward, lowering herself into the chair indicated for her, directly across from the Grand Alpha and his wife.

“I heard…” The Grand Alpha paused mid-sentence, casting a sharp glance at Killian before fixing his eyes back on Eve. “You and the sole heir to the Blackwood family paired up last night, didn’t you?”

The blunt question stunned everyone in the room—leaving Killian and even Helena momentarily frozen. A heavy silence stretched before Eve finally found her voice.

“Y-yes,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

Eve lowered her head, not daring to look at any of the three nobles before her. Her heart felt as if it were being sliced by an invisible knife as she imagined a staged trial for the crime she was about to be accused of.

“Look me in the eyes, Eve.”

Though her chest felt tight, Eve mustered the courage to slowly lift her head. Her body trembled, but she was met not with rage, but with Alpha Gideon’s sharp yet surprisingly gentle gaze.

“This isn’t easy. I know my son very well, and I know why he did this to you…” Alpha Gideon sighed heavily, leaning back against his chair to ease the stiffness in his spine. “Regardless of your status as a servant, fate has chosen to bring you two together. And as an Alpha, I will not allow a sacred bond to be tarnished by the clan’s petty gossip.”

He tapped his finger rhythmically on the desk, looking between Killian and Eve. “I propose—no, I command—that the two of you get married tomorrow morning. We must formalize this bond legally before the news spreads and triggers unwanted consequences.”

“What?! Get married tomorrow?!” Helena shrieked, shattering the heavy solemnity of the room. The stepmother’s face turned deathly pale, her eyes widening in sheer disbelief. “Gideon, you must be out of your mind! What about our family’s reputation? What about Lady Seraphina and our alliance with the capital?!”

Alpha Gideon merely raised a single hand, instantly silencing his wife’s outburst with undeniable authority. His gaze shifted back to Killian, who remained frozen by the window.

“What about you, Killian? Will you accept this decision?”