Marked by the Lycan King

17

Myra woke up in an unfamiliar environment.

The room was painted in black and white with shades of gray, making everything feel dull and cold. She slowly raised her head, and a sharp headache hit her immediately as she tried to remember what had happened. All she could recall was falling into the abyss. Her breath hitched. She quickly touched her body. Her clothes were torn in some places, but there were no serious injuries. That alone made her more confused.

Her eyes moved around the room and landed on the balcony. Without thinking, she tried to stand. Her legs felt weak, and she stumbled, grabbing onto the wall for support. After a moment, she steadied herself and made her way toward the balcony. The view was breathtaking, vast land stretched endlessly. Her heart skipped a beat. Where was she? How did she end up here?

The door clicked open behind her. Her body tensed immediately, her senses sharpening. A tall man walked in.

She froze for a second. His face was… unreal. Even someone like her, who had seen her fair share of handsome men, couldn’t help but stare for a moment. Matteo walked toward her in long, steady strides, his gaze fixed on her. Inside him, his wolf stirred restlessly, almost excited.

He reached out— Myra stepped back immediately, her eyes filled with caution.

Matteo paused, frowning slightly. Can’t she feel the mate bond? Why is she pulling away?

“Who are you?” her cold voice cut through the silence.

Matteo blinked, slightly caught off guard. “What?”

“I said, who are you?” Myra repeated, her voice sharper this time.

“Did you save me?”

“Yes… I did,” Matteo replied, composing himself. “You were falling and I caught you. You weren’t badly injured, but you slipped into a coma.” He spoke calmly, watching her carefully.

Myra’s expression didn’t change. Her eyes slowly went empty. “You saved me… from falling?” she said quietly before she looking at him again, something dark flickering in her gaze. “You could clearly see…” her voice dropped, almost hollow, “…that I didn’t want to live.”

“Where is here?… and who are you, really?” She looked around again, her eyes taking in every detail. This place was not ordinary. The room was too clean, too expensive. Nothing here looked cheap. Even his clothes… they were clearly custom-made.

“I’m your savior,” Matteo replied. Myra raised an eyebrow. Her mind wandered for a second. He didn’t look like someone who would kidnap people. If anything, he looked too good for that. If he weren’t so suspicious, she might have even introduced him to modeling. She had contacts—people had approached her before.

She stood there for a moment, dazed, lost in her thoughts as the cool air from the balcony brushed against her skin, lifting strands of her hair. Behind her, Matteo’s wolf stirred restlessly. Something was wrong. Her wolf couldn’t sense him.

“Okay… thank you,” Myra said finally. “I’ll take my leave.”

Before he could respond, she pushed past him and started walking away quickly. Matteo stood still for a second, stunned, then immediately followed her. She had already reached the stairs when he grabbed her wrist. “Where are you going?”

“Away from here,” Myra replied without hesitation. “Thank you for saving me, but I don’t need your help.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Matteo’s voice dropped, powerful and commanding. His eyes glowed faintly, and the air around them grew heavy as his aura spread. Myra’s body reacted instantly. She lowered her head slightly, her body trembling under the pressure.

Matteo paused, realizing what he had done, and quickly pulled back. “Myra, I—”

She raised her head slowly. Her eyes had changed to amber. Amelia looked at him coldly. “Stay away from her.”

The voice was deeper, stronger. Matteo knew that it was her wolf. “Why can’t she feel the bond?” he asked, his voice quieter now.

Amelia’s gaze hardened. “And so you can hurt her again? Not a chance.”

“How do you know I would hurt her? You don’t even know me,” Matteo said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“I don’t care,” Amelia replied sharply. “Having a mate is nothing but trouble.” She turned her back on him, ignoring the pull she could clearly feel. It was driving her insane, but she kept blocking it, using all her strength to stop Myra from sensing him. Staying close to him was making it harder.

“Do you know you’re a wanted criminal?” Matteo said calmly. Amelia stopped. A small smirk formed on his lips. “That’s right. Your former pack has already spread the word. Every pack is looking for you. You can leave if you want… but out there, you’re a rogue.”

“I don’t care,” Amelia snapped. “Anything is better than staying here with you and this stupid mate bond.”

Matteo stepped closer. “I can call them right now,” he said softly. “Tell them I have their missing daughter.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping. “Or…” He said, nibbling her earlobe, “…you can stay here and be safe.” He reached out, holding her waist gently, pulling her just slightly closer, his breath warm against her neck as he inhaled her scent. Amelia stiffened. Her control wavered for a second, her body wanted to respond, to lean in, but she held back. “The choice is yours… mate,” he whispered, before slowly letting her go.