Chapter Six - The Choice

Marina's Pov

We walked in silence as the sun rose higher.

My feet still hurt but the new socks helped. My body ached from sleeping on the ground and from yesterday's brutal training but I felt more alive than I had in years.

Lycan walked slightly ahead of me, scanning the forest with those sharp gray eyes. 

Every few minutes he'd glance back to check on me, making sure I was still there, still safe. 

I was hyper-aware of him. The way he moved. The breadth of his shoulders. The casual power in every step. The mark on my neck pulsed with heat whenever I looked at him too long.

"Tell me about Alpha Marcus," he said suddenly.

My stomach tightened. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Start with how he treated you after you turned thirteen."

I was quiet for a moment. Then I started talking.

"He looked through me. Like I wasn't there. Like I was furniture." My voice was flat. "Before, when I was little, he'd ruffle my hair when he passed. Call me 'little one.' After I didn't shift, he wouldn't even look at me directly."

"Go on."

"He'd take away my meals as punishment. If I was too slow. If Alia complained about me. If I looked at him wrong." I could still feel the gnawing hunger. 

"Sometimes for days. I'd steal scraps from the kitchen trash when no one was looking."

Lycan's jaw tightened but he said nothing.

"He'd entertain visiting Alphas in the main hall. I'd serve them wine and food. They'd laugh and talk pack business right in front of me. Not once did he acknowledge I was the little girl he used to call daughter." My throat got tight. "I was invisible. No, I was worse than invisible. I was nothing."

"Did you ever ask him why?"

"Once. I was fourteen. I begged him for just one kind word. Just acknowledgment that I existed." I could still see the coldness in his eyes. "He said I should be grateful he let me stay. That any other Alpha would have thrown a defective wolf out to die. He said I was lucky."

Lycan stopped walking. He turned to face me. The rage in his eyes made me take a step back.

"Marcus will suffer," he said quietly. "I'm going to make him beg. I'm going to strip away everything he values. His title. His power. His pride. And when he has nothing left, when he's as broken as he made you, then I'll let you decide if he lives or dies."

Dark satisfaction curled in my chest, "Good."

We kept walking.

"What about Luna Diane?" he asked after a while.

That hurt worse somehow. "She used to brush my hair every night. Long, gentle strokes. She'd sing to me. Call me 'my sweet girl.'" I had to pause. "The day after I turned thirteen with no wolf, she wouldn't touch me. Not even accidentally. She acted like I was diseased."

"How long did that last?"

"Forever. She never touched me again." I remembered the desperate, pathetic hope I'd had. "For months I thought maybe if I was good enough, helpful enough, she'd love me again. She never did."

"She had an affair with a visiting Alpha from the eastern territories. I saw them once in the garden. I kept the secret because I was terrified she'd punish me if she knew I'd seen." I laughed bitterly. "I protected her secret while she watched her daughter torture me."

Lycan's expression went cold. "An affair. Interesting."

We walked for another hour, then Lycan stopped.

"Time for more training."

My body protested but I didn't argue. He spent the next thirty minutes showing me holds. How to break free if someone grabbed me from the front. From the side. From behind.

We practiced over and over, his hands on my wrists, my arms and my waist.

Every touch sent sparks through me. The bond sang between us, urging me closer.

At one point, he had me pinned against a tree. His body pressed against mine, his hand at my throat – not hurting, just holding. He was teaching me how to break the grip.

Our eyes locked.

I could feel his heartbeat and I could smell him. The mark on my neck throbbed. His eyes dropped to my mouth.

The air between us went heavy. I pulled away first.

"Again," I said. My voice came out rougher than intended.

Something flickered in his eyes but he let it go.

We continued walking.

My thoughts spiraled as we walked.

I was grateful. He'd saved me and protected me. He cared if I lived or died. No one had ever done that.

But was this just another cage?

He'd marked me without asking. He had made decisions for me. What I ate. Where I slept. Who I could talk to.

Yes, I understood why. Yes, I'd agreed to his deal but I'd traded one form of captivity for another, hadn't I?

The difference was that this cage had teeth. This cage fought for me. This cage wanted me and I wanted him and that terrified me more than anything.

I'd loved Derek from a distance for months. The bond had snapped and he'd thrown me away like garbage. 

What happened when Lycan got tired of me? When the novelty wore off?

What happened after revenge? Would he still want me when I wasn't broken and desperate?

"Stop."

I blinked. Lycan had stopped walking. He turned to face me.

"What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me." His eyes searched my face. "I can feel your turmoil through the bond. Talk."

I looked away. "It's nothing."

"Marina."

His tone made me meet his eyes again.

"I'm grateful," I said finally. "For everything you've done. But sometimes I feel like I just traded one cage for another."

I expected anger. Instead, his expression went flat. Unreadable.

"You're not in a cage," he said. "You can leave anytime you want."

My breath caught.

"Walk away right now and I won't stop you." He took a step closer. "But if you stay, you're mine. Completely. I don't do half-measures."

Another step. I was backed against a tree.

"I'll never hurt you like they did. I'll never starve you or humiliate you or make you feel worthless." His hand came up to cup my face. "But I won't pretend I'm not possessive. I won't pretend I don't want to own every part of you."

His thumb brushed my cheek. "Your choice, little mate. Stay or go but decide now."

My heart hammered against my ribs.

"I'm staying," I whispered.

"Good." His smile was sharp. Satisfied. "Then stop fighting this. Stop fighting me."

He pulled back and started walking again. "We're close. Come on."

I followed, my emotions a tangled mess.

Through the trees ahead, I could see something– Large stones covered in carved symbols.

"The border," Lycan said. "Another hour and you'll be behind my walls where no one can touch you."

I felt relief for a moment, then I heard the sound of wolves running, fast. 

Lycan's entire body went tense. He shoved me behind him.

"Run toward the border. Now."

"What about you?"

"I'll hold them off. RUN."

Before I could argue, six wolves burst through the trees. 

They shifted to human form, naked and furious.

Derek stood at the front.

"You think you can just take what's mine, Lycan?"

Lycan's voice was calm. Deadly. "She was never yours. You threw her away."

"She's Shadowmoon property. She left without permission." Derek's wolves fanned out, trying to circle us.

"She's not property. She's my mate." Lycan didn't move. "And if you try to take her, I'll kill every single one of you."

Derek's face twisted with rage. "You kidnapped her. That's grounds for war."

"War then." Lycan smiled. It was terrifying. "I'd enjoy destroying you."

Derek's eyes found mine. "Come back willingly and I'll be merciful. You can work in the kitchens. I'll forget this happened."

Memories crashed over me. The rejection. The humiliation. His disgust.

I stepped forward.

Derek smiled, thinking he'd won.

"I'd rather die," I said clearly, "than go back to you. To any of you."

His face went dark with fury.

"Take her," he snarled at his wolves.

They moved but lycan moved faster.

"Run to the border, cross it, you'll be safe!" he shouted at me.

I hesitated because I didn't want to leave him.

"GO!"

I ran.

Behind me, I heard fighting. Snarling. Bones breaking. Screams.

My feet pounded against the forest floor. Branches whipped my face. My lungs burned.

The border was ahead. I could see the stones.

Suddenly Derek appeared in front of me. He was bloody and furious. He had broken away from the fight.

"You humiliated me," he snarled. "Made me look weak. You're coming back."

He grabbed my arm and ya ked me backward.

I fought, employing every method Lycan taught me. I went for his eyes and his throat but Derek was stronger. He started dragging me away from the border.

"Let go of me!"

Then Lycan was there.

He was covered in blood and his eyes were pure predator. 

Derek froze.

"Let. Her. Go."

It wasn't a request. It was death itself speaking.

Derek's hand tightened on my arm. Then he yanked me in front of him. I felt cold metal of a knife at my throat.

"One more step," Derek said, "and I'll kill her. I'd rather see her dead than with you."

Lycan stopped. His eyes locked on the knife at my throat.

I felt the blade press deeper and warm blood trickle down my neck.

Derek started backing toward Shadowmoon territory, dragging me with him.

Lycan's face was murderous but he couldn't risk moving.

I realized Derek might actually kill me. I'd survived six years of hell, found my second chance. And now I was going to die before I got my revenge.

No.

I met Lycan's eyes across the distance and at that moment, I made a choice.