All Chapters of Marked by fate: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Zahra's POV‘Heads up, team. The group of rogues just walked in.’ Ed’s voice cuts through the link. ‘Zahra, keep your position. Let’s see if they approach you.’‘Roger that,’ I link back, steadying my breathing.We keep dancing. The music shifts tempo, but I follow the rhythm easily, matching the others’ movements. Training really does help with this—knowing how to control every muscle, how to move deliberately. The dance floor is packed now, a pulsing mass of heat and noise. Bodies press in on all sides, and I feel the brush of strangers’ skin as the crowd tightens.A guy moves up behind Talia, sliding his hands to her hips. She glances back, grins, then turns again, pressing herself against him as they move together. Her short dress rides up slightly, and I pray to the goddess he doesn’t start fingering her right here in front of us.There are men all around now, drifting closer in groups. The energy is intense, almost predatory. It prickles along my skin, making me hyperaware of ev

Zahra's POV *** 3 months earlier***My legs ache and my lungs burn, but I keep running. The kilometres tick by. I am on the perimeter circuit this morning, the one that skirts all of Night Howlers, not just the academy grounds. It is five a.m. and the forest is quiet except for my footfalls and the rhythm of my breath and the early morning birdsong. These pre-training runs are the only thing that quiets my head.... well, sort of. When I first got here, I thought I wouldn't need to do any extra exercise. the first couple of weeks were a wonderful combination of training drills, new weapons training, strategy training, with my collage work on top. the first few days after lectures started were perfect, the happiest I’ve been in forever. Especially when Tobias, Brant and uncle Nicholas came almost weekly to "evaluate the programme" I didn't need the extra anything. The days were full, almost blissfully so. For the first time I felt challenged and fulfilled. I went to bed every night with

Zahra's POVAfter a shower I throw a few more things into my bag, then head to the dining room for lunch. Most of the third-years are already there, clustered at their usual tables. As always, they ignore me. Rafe at least glances up and gives me a quick, apologetic smile, but the others keep their eyes on their plates.I load two chicken wraps and a handful of sweet potato fries, grab water, and take an empty table by the wall.Eli drops onto the bench beside me without asking. He snags a fry from my tray. “Hi, babe.”“Eli, I need to tell you something.”“Huh?” He's looking around the room, barely listening.“Edwardo asked me to—”“Spit it out, babe. No one likes a girl who can’t string a sentence together.”He says it flat, almost bored. There’s no warmth in it. Sometimes when he talks to me now, it feels like he’s repeating something he practiced in his head, like he’s role playing “boyfriend” and I’m just scenery.Zanthe’s growl rolls through my mind, low and dangerous.I keep my v

Zahra's POVThe backs of my knees hit the bed as he drives me back, pressing me down onto the mattress. His hands are everywhere, grabbing, kneading, pawing at me like I’m not even a person. My stomach churns, heat crawling up my throat. I want to scream, but I don’t. I know better.Then, mercifully, he stops. He sits back on his heels, chest heaving, eyes bright with something ugly. Relief shudders through me, but it doesn’t last.“Get on your knees,” he orders, voice like iron.I blink at him. “Eli, what?”“Now!” he snaps. The shout cracks the air, sharp and dangerous.Before I can move, his hand whips across my face. Pain explodes along my cheek, shocking me still. My mind goes very quiet. It is like I am watching it from somewhere else in the room instead of inside my own body.He has never hit me before. Too tight grips, yes. Finger-shaped bruises, yes. But never this.Zanthe roars in my head, wild and uncontrollable, slamming against the walls of my mind. It takes everything I ha