MARKED BY THREE

Chapter Two: Temptation in the Shadows

Chapter Two: Temptation in the Shadows

The forest had grown quieter, the earlier whispers fading into the night. But Aria’s chest still hammered as she tried to think. Her three mates—Lucian, Draven, and Kaelen—were no longer just strangers. They were impossible, magnetic forces, each pulling her in different directions, each claiming a part of her she didn’t yet understand.

Lucian stepped closer, his silver eyes glinting in the moonlight. “You feel it too, don’t you?” His voice was rough, dangerous, making her shiver. “The pull. The bond.”

Aria’s lips parted, but she couldn’t speak. He reached for her hand again, and this time, the brush of his fingers sent shivers straight through her, electrifying her nerve endings. His touch was fire—raw, primal, consuming.

Draven’s presence slithered in from the shadows. His crimson eyes traced her body slowly, deliberately, and Aria felt heat pool in her stomach. He leaned in, brushing his lips dangerously close to her ear. “You belong to all of us,” he whispered, velvet and sin dripping from every word. “And we’re not gentle with what’s ours.”

Kaelen growled softly behind her, and she could feel the heat radiating off his body. His hands hovered near her sides, not touching, but the energy alone made her knees weak. “Try to resist,” he murmured, his voice low and feral. “I dare you.”

Aria closed her eyes, heart hammering. Every nerve screamed, every instinct shouted danger, but something darker—something thrilling—ran beneath it all. She wanted them. She wanted them all. And part of her knew it was forbidden.

Lucian leaned closer, lips grazing her temple, teeth just barely brushing her skin. “This bond…” he murmured, “…it’s not just magic. It’s hunger.”

Draven’s hands slid down her arms, fingers feather-light but leaving fire in their wake. “And it’s unstoppable,” he added, pressing closer so that she could feel the heat of his chest against hers.

Kaelen’s growl deepened, low and possessive. He circled her slowly, a predator sizing up its prey. “I won’t share,” he said, the word a warning that made her pulse spike.

Aria’s breath caught, her body responding before her mind could catch up. She was standing in the middle of danger, of desire, of three impossible forces, and she loved it.

The night seemed to hold its breath as the three of them closed in around her, each claiming her in a different way—one with fire, one with sin, one with wild, untamed need.

And Aria realized the truth, whispered in her mind by some voice older than the moon:

She didn’t just belong to them. She wanted them all.

The moon cast silver light through the trees, painting the clearing in ghostly patterns. Aria’s pulse thundered in her ears, her body alive with a hunger she couldn’t name. Every nerve screamed, every instinct shouted warning—but desire overrode caution.

Lucian’s hand slid from her waist to her back, pulling her against him. Heat radiated from his body, wild and raw. “Don’t fight it,” he growled, his lips hovering near hers. “This bond… it’s stronger than fear. Stronger than reason.”

Before she could answer, Draven stepped forward, brushing past Lucian with an elegance that made her breath hitch. His fingers traced the curve of her shoulder, his touch cold yet electric, sending shivers down her spine. “You feel it too,” he whispered, lips brushing her neck. “You’re drawn to us. All of us.”

Kaelen moved behind her, golden eyes glowing in the darkness. His hands hovered just above her skin, radiating wild, untamed energy. “And I won’t let anyone else take you,” he said, voice low and feral. “Not entirely. Not while I breathe.”

Aria trembled under their combined presence. She wanted to turn, to run, to fight—but her body refused. Each touch, each word, each glance ignited something deep within her. She was caught in the pull of three forces—each different, each dangerous, each intoxicating.

Lucian pressed closer, his lips brushing her temple. “You feel it,” he murmured, silver eyes dark with need. “This hunger for each other, for you. Don’t deny it.”

Draven’s hand trailed down her arm, lingering at her wrist. “It’s already inside you,” he added, voice like silk and sin. “You can feel it—how we claim you, even before anything has begun.”

Kaelen leaned close enough that she could feel the heat of his body against hers. “And you want it,” he growled softly. “Don’t lie to yourself. You’re ours… all of ours.”

Aria closed her eyes, heart pounding. Every fiber of her being screamed, yes. Yes to Lucian, the fire and raw dominance. Yes to Draven, the dangerous seduction that wrapped around her mind and soul. Yes to Kaelen, the wild, untamed force that made her feel alive in ways she had never imagined.

The forest seemed to pulse around them, the shadows alive, the night thick with anticipation. And in that charged silence, Aria realized a terrifying truth:

She didn’t just want them. She needed them.

And there was no turning back.