BOUND

The attempt.

Marcus stood beside the supermarket, his eyes fixed on the entrance as he waited for a glimpse of Celia. Bryan's discontented mutterings filled his head. "This is pathetic," he growled.

"Do you have a better idea?" Marcus shot back, his patience wearing thin.

"I would say we snatch her up-"

"Okay, k********g detected, opinion rejected," Marcus said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

"Blocked," Marcus added, his eyes never leaving the entrance.

Just then, Celia appeared, and Marcus took a deep breath, pushing Bryan to the back of his mind. He exited the car, a charming smile spreading across his face. "Good evening," he said, his voice smooth.

Celia's response was less than enthusiastic. "Oh great, it's you," she said, her tone dripping with disdain.

Marcus immediately started apologizing. "Listen, I truly apologize for yesterday. What I did was uncalled for, and I'm sorry."

Celia's expression softened slightly, and she nodded. "Okay?"

Marcus pressed on, his words tumbling out in a rush. "And I would like to, perhaps, get to know you better?"

Celia's response was a firm "No." She turned to leave, and Marcus's instincts kicked in. "Wait!" he called out, his voice rising.

"What?" Celia asked, her tone impatient.

Marcus hesitated, then plunged ahead. "I was under the influence last night. I wasn't myself."

For a moment, Celia looked taken aback, and then the corner of her lip quirked up. She began to laugh, the sound musical and infectious. "You're telling me you got wasted and called a random woman your 'mate'?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Marcus's face grew hot as he cleared his throat. "Well, I-"

Celia waved her hand, still chuckling. "Whatever, Celia," she said, stretching out her arm in introduction.

As their hands touched, Marcus felt a jolt of electricity run through his body. And for Celia, she didn’t understand why she felt compelled to befriend this stranger. But one thing was certain to her, something about his green eyes was far too compelling to be normal.

Celia, the name almost brought Marcus to his knees. “Marcus” he introduces himself.

And although they had a rocky start, from then on, a friendship blossoms between them. One that grows into something more as time goes on. Celia finds herself falling for the handsome stranger with green eyes.

Interrogations

Day after day Celia finds herself falling deeper and deeper for Marcus. Her smile wider, her happiness largely more prominent. Months pass. Months of Celia wondering where Marcus lives, and why he refuses to tell her. Fed up with overthinking she confronts him. Marcus, realizing he had hidden his identity long enough he acquiescence and promises to take her to the pack house the next morning. When the next morning comes, Marcus is at Celia’s door with a bouquet of flowers and a nervous heart. Once Celia accepts those flowers Marcus leads her to his sleek black vehicle and starts the drive back to the packhouse.

The packhouse stands tall and sturdy, a decade old earthly structure with ivy and moss-colored walls gives it the illusion growing organically from the earth. As though the building was birthed from the soil itself.

Celia, though nervous found herself drawn to the structure. She follows him inside and is met with the a large number of people. She can barely let herself wonder why there are so many of them when Marcus is leading her down the halls of the house. The further she goes the more she finds herself feeling frightened. The house, while beautiful, looked very intimidating.