I looked at him for a long moment, weighing risks and benefits, trust and danger.
Then I told him.
Not everything. Not about dying and coming back, not about the exact timeline of my death. But I told him about Selene's daughters. About the seventh generation of power. About Aldric Thorne hunting my bloodline. About the artificial mate bond that had kept me compliant and controllable.
Marcus listened without interrupting, his expression growing darker with each revelation.
When I finished, he was quiet for a long moment.
"The mate's bond with Damien is fake," he said finally. "Which means his connection to you, everything you've felt for five years..."
"Was manufactured by the Council to keep me weak. To make sure I never became a threat." The words tasted bitter. "I loved him, Marcu
