Chapter 7: Claimed in the Dark
1333 Words
The walk back felt different.
He didn’t let go of my hand.
Not once.
At first, I tried to pull away.
Just a little.
Just enough to remind him that I wasn’t okay with this.
But his grip tightened instantly.
A warning.
Clear.
Silent.
Unarguable.
So I stopped trying.
The forest felt less threatening now.
Not because it had changed—
But because of him.
Every step he took was steady, controlled, like nothing in this world could touch him.
And somehow…
That made me feel untouchable too.
I hated that feeling.
Hated how easily my fear faded when he was near.
Hated how my body relaxed even when my mind screamed to stay alert.
“You’re thinking too loudly,” he said suddenly.
I blinked.
“What?”
His eyes flicked toward me briefly.
“Your heartbeat.”
My chest tightened.
“You can hear that?”
“Yes.”
“That’s… creepy.”
“It’s useful.”
I rolled my eyes, but didn’t respond.
Because honestly—
I didn’t know what to say.
Everything about this was insane.
Werewolves.
Bonds.
Marks.
Dangerous creatures hunting in the dark.
And somehow—
I was in the middle of all of it.
“How far is your… place?” I asked after a moment.
“Close.”
“You said that before.”
“And it was true.”
I sighed.
Of course it was.
We walked in silence for a while after that.
But it wasn’t the same silence as before.
This one felt… heavier.
Like something was building.
Something neither of us was saying.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I said finally.
“What question?”
“Earlier,” I said, glancing at him. “Why me?”
His steps slowed slightly.
Just for a second.
Then returned to normal.
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” I said. “Out of everyone… why am I your ‘mate’?”
The word felt strange coming out of my mouth.
Foreign.
Uncomfortable.
He didn’t answer immediately.
And that made my chest tighten.
Because silence—
In this case—
Felt like the worst answer.
“I don’t know,” he said finally.
I frowned.
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the truth.”
I studied him.
Trying to figure out if he was lying.
But his expression didn’t change.
Didn’t flicker.
Didn’t give anything away.
“You expect me to believe that?” I asked.
“You don’t have to.”
That again.
“You really like saying that,” I muttered.
“It’s accurate.”
I huffed.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet,” he said calmly, “you’re still here.”
I didn’t respond.
Because I didn’t have a comeback for that.
Not one that didn’t make me sound weak.
Or worse—
Honest.
We stepped out of the forest not long after.
The mansion came into view again, standing tall and imposing against the dark sky.
It looked different now.
Less like a building.
More like a fortress.
A place meant to keep things out.
Or maybe—
Keep something in.
As we approached, the guards straightened immediately.
“Alpha,” they said in unison.
Arsen gave a slight nod.
But his hand—
Still didn’t let go of mine.
I noticed the way their eyes flicked down.
To our hands.
To me.
To the mark.
Something shifted in their expressions.
Respect.
But also—
Curiosity.
Maybe even… concern.
“Why are they looking at me like that again?” I whispered.
“Because they can feel it,” he replied.
“Feel what?”
He glanced at me.
“This.”
Before I could ask what he meant—
He pulled me slightly closer.
My breath caught.
“Arsen—what are you doing?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead—
He leaned down.
Close to my ear.
Too close.
“You asked why they’re looking,” he murmured.
My heart started racing.
“Yes…”
“This is why.”
And then—
I felt it.
His hand slid up to the back of my neck.
Right over the mark.
My entire body froze.
“Don’t—”
Too late.
His fingers pressed lightly against the mark.
And instantly—
A surge of heat exploded through me.
Sharp.
Intense.
Overwhelming.
I gasped, my hand gripping his arm instinctively.
“What—what is that?!”
“The bond,” he said quietly.
It spread through my chest.
My veins.
Every part of me.
Like fire and electricity at the same time.
I couldn’t think.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t—
“Arsen… stop…”
But he didn’t.
Not immediately.
He watched me.
Carefully.
Like he was studying my reaction.
Testing something.
And then—
Just as suddenly—
He let go.
The sensation disappeared.
Leaving me breathless.
Shaking.
“What… was that…” I whispered.
His gaze softened slightly.
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That you’re mine.”
Anger flared instantly, cutting through the lingering heat.
“I told you—I don’t belong to you!”
His expression darkened.
“And I told you,” he said, his voice low and dangerous,
“You do.”
Before I could argue again—
A voice interrupted.
“Alpha.”
We both turned.
The same woman from before stood near the entrance, her posture tense.
“There’s a problem,” she said.
Arsen’s attention shifted immediately.
“What is it?”
She hesitated.
Then—
“You need to see this.”
Something in her tone made my stomach twist.
Serious.
Urgent.
Not good.
Arsen didn’t waste time.
He started walking toward her.
Still holding my hand.
Of course.
“Do I have to come?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Of course I do,” I muttered.
We followed her inside, moving quickly through the halls.
The atmosphere had changed.
People weren’t just watching now.
They were tense.
Whispering.
Uneasy.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
No one answered.
We reached a large room.
The doors were already open.
And the moment I stepped inside—
I wished I hadn’t.
Because in the center of the room—
Was a body.
Lifeless.
Broken.
Blood staining the floor beneath it.
My breath caught.
“What… happened?” I whispered.
Arsen stepped forward slowly.
His entire presence shifted.
Colder.
Sharper.
More dangerous than before.
“This,” the woman said quietly,
“…was found near the border.”
My stomach twisted.
The rogue’s words echoed in my mind.
Something out there…
Killing.
Hunting.
And then—
I saw it.
On the victim’s neck.
A mark.
But not like mine.
This one—
Was torn.
Ripped.
Destroyed.
Like something had tried to erase it.
My heart started pounding.
“Arsen…” I whispered.
He didn’t respond.
His eyes were locked on the mark.
Dark.
Unreadable.
Dangerous.
And when he finally spoke—
His voice sent a chill straight through me.
“This isn’t a rogue attack.”
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
“Then what is it?” someone asked.
Arsen didn’t look away from the body.
But I saw it.
The shift in his eyes.
The realization.
The danger.
“It’s hunting bonds,” he said quietly.
My blood ran cold.
Because suddenly—
Everything made sense.
The rogue’s warning.
The pain.
The pull.
The fear.
And most of all—
Me.
My hand trembled in his.
“Arsen…” I whispered again.
This time—
He looked at me.
And for the first time—
I saw it.
Not anger.
Not control.
Not dominance.
Fear.
Real fear.
“For the first time,” he said slowly,
“…you’re not just mine.”
My breath hitched.
“What do you mean?”
His grip tightened.
“Something else wants you too.”
And just like that—
I knew.
I wasn’t just trapped by him anymore.
I was being hunted.
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