Zeke POV
It guts me to watch her like this—to see her wolf rage against my mark, to see her broken and writhing as my mark tears through her, branding her, while she’s denied the right to claim me back. I want to fix it, to end this, to silence her cries, but I can’t risk it. I can’t let her mark me.
Because the moment her teeth sink into my skin, the second her name sears into my soul, Apollo will break free, and I’ll lose the last shred of control I have left. He’s been clawing at the cage I’ve kept him in, ripping through me every time he catches her scent, every time he hears her voice. If she marks me, he won’t just take her—he’ll own her. Right here, right now, he’ll claim her in ways she’s not prepared for, ways no one could stop, no matter who’s watching. He wouldn’t give a damn
