Marked by Alpha Who Broke Me

Chapter 5: Don’t Look Back

“Run.”

His voice didn’t just echo in my ears.

It slammed into my chest.

Commanding.

Unavoidable.

My legs moved before I could think.

Branches scratched against my arms as I pushed through the forest, breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.

I didn’t look back.

I couldn’t.

Because if I did—

I knew I would freeze.

And if I froze—

I would die.

The sounds behind me were terrifying.

Growls.

Snarls.

Something heavy crashing into trees.

Something inhuman.

My heart pounded wildly.

This wasn’t real.

This couldn’t be real.

But it was.

Every second of it.

“Keep going…” I whispered to myself. “Just keep going…”

The forest felt endless.

Dark.

Twisting.

Like it was trying to swallow me whole.

I didn’t know where I was going.

Didn’t know where safety was.

All I knew was—

Forward.

Then suddenly—

Pain.

Sharp.

Violent.

It hit my chest out of nowhere, stealing the air from my lungs.

“Ah—!”

I stumbled, grabbing onto a tree to keep myself from falling.

The mark.

It burned.

Hotter than before.

Stronger.

My breath hitched.

“No… no, what is this…?”

It felt wrong.

Different.

Not like before.

This wasn’t a warning.

This was—

Fear.

Not mine.

His.

My eyes widened.

Arsen.

Something was wrong.

Really wrong.

“I… I have to go back…” I whispered.

But my body didn’t move.

Because right then—

I heard it.

A twig snapping behind me.

Slow.

Deliberate.

I froze.

Cold dread crept up my spine.

I wasn’t alone.

“…Hello?” I called weakly.

Silence.

Then—

A low chuckle.

“Well, this is convenient.”

My stomach dropped.

Slowly—

I turned.

And there he was.

One of them.

A rogue.

Standing a few meters away, his posture relaxed, like this was all just a game.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“No…” I breathed.

He smiled.

But there was nothing friendly about it.

“Running away from your Alpha?” he asked, tilting his head.

I didn’t answer.

Couldn’t.

My mind was racing.

Think.

Think.

Think.

“Well?” he pressed, taking a step closer.

I instinctively stepped back.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, forcing the words out.

He laughed.

“Oh, I think you do.”

Another step.

Closer.

Too close.

“Stay back,” I warned, though my voice trembled.

“Or what?” he challenged.

I had nothing.

No weapon.

No strength.

No idea what to do.

But I wasn’t going down without trying.

“Or I’ll scream,” I said.

That made him pause.

Then—

He grinned wider.

“Go ahead.”

My chest tightened.

Right.

Bad idea.

He moved again.

Faster this time.

Closing the distance between us in seconds.

I turned to run—

But he was already there.

His hand grabbed my arm roughly, yanking me back.

I gasped, struggling against him.

“Let me go!”

“Not happening,” he said easily.

Panic surged through me.

I kicked.

Twisted.

Tried to pull free.

But it was useless.

He was too strong.

“Feisty,” he muttered. “I like that.”

“Get off me!” I shouted, my voice breaking.

My heart pounded wildly as I looked around desperately.

No one.

Nothing.

Just trees.

Darkness.

And him.

“This will be quick,” he said, his grip tightening.

Tears blurred my vision.

No.

No, no, no—

Not like this.

Not here.

“Arsen…” I whispered without thinking.

The name slipped out before I could stop it.

The rogue froze.

Just for a second.

Then—

His expression shifted.

“Oh?” he said slowly. “Calling for your Alpha now?”

I clenched my jaw.

“I’m not—”

Before I could finish—

Pain exploded in my chest.

Stronger than before.

So strong it knocked the breath out of me.

I screamed.

The rogue stepped back instinctively.

“What the hell—?”

The mark burned.

No—

It blazed.

Like fire under my skin.

I dropped to my knees, clutching my chest as waves of pain crashed through me.

It felt like something was—

Pulling.

Dragging.

Forcing.

My vision blurred.

My body trembled.

“What is this?” the rogue muttered, watching me carefully now.

I couldn’t answer.

Couldn’t think.

All I could feel was—

Him.

Arsen.

Closer.

Coming.

Fast.

The pull intensified.

Stronger.

Unstoppable.

“Stay away from me…” the rogue said suddenly, taking another step back.

Wait—

What?

I forced my head up.

His expression had changed.

Fear.

Real fear.

“You’re… connected to him…” he muttered.

My breath came out in ragged gasps.

“I don’t… know…”

But he did.

“Oh, this is bad,” he said, shaking his head. “This is very bad.”

Before I could ask what he meant—

A growl tore through the forest.

Deep.

Terrifying.

Not human.

Not even close.

The rogue’s eyes widened.

“No way…”

The ground seemed to vibrate.

The air shifted.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

Predatory.

And then—

He appeared.

Arsen.

But not like before.

Not human.

Not even pretending to be.

His eyes glowed brighter than ever, his body tense, every muscle coiled with deadly power.

Blood stained his shirt.

But it didn’t slow him down.

If anything—

It made him look more dangerous.

More lethal.

More—

Terrifying.

My breath caught.

“Arsen…” I whispered.

His gaze snapped to me instantly.

And for a second—

Just a second—

Something softened.

Relief.

Then—

It was gone.

Replaced by pure, unfiltered rage.

His eyes shifted to the rogue.

And I swear—

The temperature dropped.

“You touched her,” he said.

The rogue raised his hands slightly.

“Hey—calm down—”

Too late.

Arsen moved.

Faster than anything I had ever seen.

One second he was there.

The next—

He had the rogue pinned against a tree.

The impact cracked the wood.

I flinched.

“Wait—!” the rogue tried.

But Arsen didn’t listen.

Didn’t hesitate.

Didn’t hold back.

His fist slammed into the rogue’s face.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

Again.

The sound was sickening.

Brutal.

Unforgiving.

“Arsen—stop!” I cried out.

But he didn’t.

He couldn’t.

It wasn’t just anger.

It was something deeper.

Something darker.

Something that scared me.

“Arsen!” I shouted again, forcing myself to stand despite the pain.

For a moment—

Nothing changed.

Then—

Slowly—

He stopped.

His chest rose and fell heavily, his hands clenched into fists.

The rogue collapsed to the ground, barely conscious.

Silence fell.

Thick.

Heavy.

Arsen stood there for a second longer.

Then—

He turned.

His eyes locked onto mine.

And suddenly—

All that rage…

All that violence…

Focused on me.

My breath caught.

Fear crept in.

Not of the rogue.

Not of the forest.

But of him.

He stepped closer.

Slow.

Controlled.

Dangerous.

I didn’t move.

Couldn’t.

When he reached me, he stopped just inches away.

His hand lifted—

And before I could react—

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

“You ran,” he said quietly.

My heart pounded.

“I… I had to—”

“You ran,” he repeated.

His grip tightened slightly.

“And you got caught.”

Guilt twisted in my chest.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t.”

The single word silenced me instantly.

His gaze dropped briefly to my arm.

Where the rogue had grabbed me.

Something dark flickered in his eyes again.

“Did he hurt you?” he asked.

The question surprised me.

“I—no… I mean… not really—”

His jaw clenched.

“Not really?”

I swallowed.

“He didn’t—he just—”

Before I could finish—

He pulled me closer.

Suddenly.

Firmly.

My breath caught as I collided with his chest.

His arms wrapped around me.

Tight.

Possessive.

Unyielding.

For a second—

I froze.

Then—

I felt it.

His heartbeat.

Fast.

Strong.

Alive.

“You don’t run from me,” he said quietly against my hair.

My chest tightened.

“I wasn’t running from you,” I whispered.

“Then don’t leave me again.”

The words hit differently.

Softer.

But somehow heavier.

I didn’t know what to say.

Didn’t know what to feel.

Because this—

This wasn’t just control anymore.

It wasn’t just power.

It was something else.

Something more dangerous.

Something that made my heart beat faster for reasons I didn’t understand.

And that scared me more than anything.

Because deep down—

I knew.

This bond…

Was only getting stronger.