All Chapters of The Marked Mate of the Lycan King: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

DAMON’S SHADOWThe news didn't come with a shout or a trumpet blast. It came in a low murmur, a series of hushed whispers that moved through the camp like a cold draft. I was sitting by the small fire pit near the healers' tent, trying to keep my hands from shaking. Every time I thought about what Finn had told me—about the silver in Demetrius’s blood—it felt like a weight was pressing down on my chest.Finn approached me again, but this time his face wasn't just tired. It was pale. He looked like he had seen a ghost."You need to come to the command center," he said. He didn't wait for an answer. He just turned and started walking.I scrambled to my feet, my legs still a bit weak, and followed him. Inside the command tent, the air was thick with the smell of old paper and sweat. Demetrius was there, leaning heavily over a map. He looked worse than he had an hour ago. His skin had a grey tint to it, and he was gripping the edge of the table so hard his knuckles were white."Tell her,"

THE SELF INVESTIGATIONThe tent felt too small. Every time the fabric flapped in the wind, I jumped. Demetrius had told me to rest, but how could I sleep when my own blood felt like it was humming? I kept looking in the small, cracked hand mirror I kept in my bag. My eyes were brown. Just brown. Plain, normal, human brown."Where did it go?" I whispered to the empty room.I stood up and paced the small space. I tried to remember the feeling. The heat in my chest, the way the air felt heavy, the way Selene looked as she flew backward. It had felt so natural in that second, like breathing. But now, as I stood there staring at a wooden stool, nothing happened.I needed to be alone. If I stayed in the center of the camp, someone would see me. Someone would ask questions I couldn't answer.I slipped out the back of the tent, staying low. The guards were busy near the main gate, so I made my way toward the creek. There was a spot further up the bank where the trees grew thick and the sound

THE FORCED EMBRACE The morning didn’t feel like it belonged to a war. The sun was coming through the gaps in the tent, drawing long lines of gold on the rug. It was warm, and for a few minutes after waking up, I forgot about the danger outside.Demetrius was already awake. He was standing by the small table, splashing water on his face. He looked different in the morning light—less like a king and more like a man who hadn't slept enough."You're staring," he said, without turning around. I could hear the smile in his voice."I’m observing," I corrected him, pulling the furs up to my chin. "There’s a difference."He turned, wiping his face with a towel. His eyes were bright, but there was a strange paleness to his skin that hadn't been there last night. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, reaching out to brush a stray hair from my forehead."We have to meet the scouts in an hour," he said. "They found tracks near the eastern ridge. It might be nothing, but I need to be sure

DEMETRIUS AWAKENS The walk back to the tent felt longer than usual. Every step I took felt like I was carrying the weight of my confession to Finn. It was out there now. I had said it. I was in love with a man who was supposed to be my end.When I pulled back the heavy fabric of the tent entrance, the air inside felt thick and warm. The smell of medicinal herbs and the faint scent of rain still clung to the rugs. My heart hammered against my ribs as I approached the bed.He hadn't moved. Demetrius lay there, his face still too pale, his dark hair messy against the white pillows. I sat on the edge of the cot, my legs trembling. I didn't want to leave him. Not yet.Slowly, carefully, I leaned down and gathered him into my arms. I pulled his upper body against my chest, resting his head just below my shoulder. I wanted to feel the rhythm of the heart I had worked so hard to restart. I wanted to convince myself he was still here."Please wake up," I whispered into the silence. "Don't mak

THE AFTERMATHThe screaming had stopped, but the silence that followed was worse. It was the kind of silence that rang in your ears, heavy with the smell of wet ash and copper.We had found a small hollow beneath a ledge of rock, just far enough from the camp to be safe from the wandering eyes of any remaining Hunters. The orange glow of the fires still lit up the underside of the clouds, but here, it was mostly shadows.Demetrius was slumped against the cold stone. His chest was heaving, every breath sounding like it hurt. In the dim light, his skin looked gray.He’s pushing himself too hard, I thought. He acts like he’s made of iron, but he’s breaking.I moved toward him, my boots crunching on the dry leaves. He didn't reach for his sword this time. He just watched me with tired, hollow eyes."Sit down," I said. It wasn't a request."I need to get back," he rasped. "Finn... the men... they need to know I'm alive.""If you walk out there now, you’ll collapse before you reach the firs