His Forbidden Desire:Marked By Nightfang

Aria’s POV Every woman remembers the first man who ever made her heart race. Mine just happened to be dangerous. Ronan Vale. Alpha of the Nightfang territory. Ruthless businessman. The kind of man people lowered their eyes around without realizing they were doing it. A man built like violence wrapped in expensive suits. And somehow… he became the center of every sinful thought I ever had. It started years ago. A glance here. A deep voice there. The scent of whiskey and cedar lingering after he walked past me in the hallway. Then one day I saw him training outside behind the estate. Sweat rolling down a broad chest. Black shorts hanging low on his hips. Muscles flexing beneath sun-bronzed skin while he barked orders at wolves twice my size. I couldn’t breathe. I remember standing frozen near the upstairs balcony, fingers curled tightly around the railing while I watched him below. The late afternoon sun had painted his skin gold, highlighting every hard line of muscle across his body. He looked unreal. Not human. Like something dangerous dragged straight out of a fantasy women warned each other about. And the worst part? He knew exactly what he was doing to people. Even from a distance, Ronan carried this terrifying confidence. The kind that wrapped around your throat and squeezed slowly. The men respected him. The women stared too long. And me? I was sixteen and already ruined. I remember locking myself inside Eva’s bathroom afterward, trembling so badly I could barely turn the lock. The lights were off. My back pressed against the cold wall. My fingers buried beneath soaked panties while his face filled every corner of my mind. The memory of those sharp grey eyes watching me for half a second too long. The rough sound of his voice saying my name. “Aria.” God. Even now, remembering it made heat flood between my thighs. I came with my hand over my mouth to keep from making noise. And afterward? I hated myself for wanting more. Because Ronan Vale wasn’t just some older man. He was my best friend’s father. Old enough to know better. Powerful enough to destroy anyone who crossed him. A man with blood on his hands and enough authority to silence entire rooms with one look. And still… every time I visited the Vale estate, I found myself watching him from a distance like a starving thing. The way his sleeves stretched around his forearms. The way servants immediately straightened whenever he entered a room. The dangerous calm in his expression. Everything about him screamed control. And maybe that was what ruined me. Because underneath all that cold restraint, I always sensed something darker lurking beneath the surface. Something primal. Something capable of wrecking me completely. I didn’t want soft affection. I wanted obsession. I wanted his hands gripping my waist hard enough to bruise. Wanted him cornering me in dark hallways where no one would dare interrupt. Wanted him looking down at me with that cold, unreadable stare while I completely fell apart beneath him. It was twisted. Wrong. Completely forbidden. And yet the fantasy only grew stronger with time. Even when I left the territory for school, he followed me like a curse I couldn’t shake. I would hear a man with a deep voice in public and immediately think of him. Catch the scent of whiskey somewhere and freeze. Some nights I dreamed about him so vividly that I woke up breathless and aching. It was pathetic. Humiliating. But no matter how much I tried to kill the obsession, it always returned worse than before. Now I was twenty. No longer a shy teenager hiding behind innocent smiles. No longer the awkward girl secretly peeking at him from behind corners. I had changed too. I knew the effect I had on men now. Knew how to hold eye contact longer than necessary. Knew how to wear confidence even when I didn’t fully feel it. But around Ronan? I already knew all that confidence would disappear. And after years away from the territory… I was finally back. The Vale estate stood exactly as I remembered—massive iron gates, towering black stone walls, and windows glowing gold against the evening sky. Dark ivy climbed along the edges of the mansion like twisting fingers. Expensive black cars lined the curved driveway, and armed guards stood near the entrance with sharp eyes scanning everything around them. Nothing about this place had ever felt normal. It felt powerful. Untouchable. The moment the gates shut behind the car, my stomach tightened. Memories lived here. Every reckless thought. Every stolen glance. Every sleepless night spent imagining impossible things. I stepped out slowly, gripping the handle of my suitcase while cool evening air brushed against my skin. My heels clicked softly against the stone driveway. For one terrifying second, I considered getting back into the car and telling the driver to take me home. This was a mistake. Coming back here after all these years was a mistake. Because the feelings I had spent years trying to bury had returned the second I crossed those gates. Then I heard her voice. “ARIA!” Eva came flying down the front steps like chaos in human form. Her dark curls bounced wildly around her shoulders, and the tiny cream-colored dress she wore barely covered her thighs. She looked gorgeous—confident, dramatic, completely aware of the effect she had on people. Somehow she had gotten even prettier while I was away. Which honestly felt unfair. She threw herself at me with a squeal, nearly knocking me backward. “You look insane,” she gasped, pulling away just enough to stare at me. “Like actually unfairly hot.” I laughed nervously. “You’re one to talk.” She grinned proudly and spun in a circle. “I know.” Honestly, she looked different. Curvier. More confident. Dangerously beautiful in a way that made people stare without meaning to. Her lips were glossy, her lashes long and dramatic, and the dress hugging her body should’ve been illegal. “You’ve definitely changed since last year,” I muttered. “Oh, please,” she teased. “A little self-care, a little gym time, and a few bad decisions with gorgeous men.” “Eva!” “What?” She laughed louder. “Life is about experiences.” “You’re ridiculous.” “And you love me for it.” I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. Some things never changed. She grabbed my wrist and started dragging me toward the entrance. “Come on. Dad completely redesigned the mansion while you were gone.” The mention of him made my pulse jump instantly. I hated how easily he still affected me. Inside, the estate looked even more luxurious than before. Marble floors reflected the chandelier light overhead. Massive paintings lined the walls. Everything smelled faintly of expensive cologne, polished wood, and fresh rain drifting through open windows. Soft music echoed somewhere in the distance while servants moved quietly through the halls. “It’s beautiful,” I admitted quietly. “I told you.” Eva smirked. “Wait until you see the new pool.” I gave her a suspicious look. “The pool?” I repeated carefully. She leaned close with a wicked grin. “Trust me. That place was designed for sin.” “Eva!” “What? You know I’m right.” I shook my head, laughing under my breath while she dragged me farther into the house. But beneath the laughter… Beneath the warmth of finally being back… There was one terrifying truth I couldn’t escape. Somewhere inside this mansion… Ronan Vale was waiting.