Marked by Alpha Who Broke Me

Chapter 2: You Can’t Escape Me

I should have run.

The moment he said it.

The moment his eyes glowed in the dark.

The moment something inside me responded to him like I belonged there.

I should have run.

But I didn’t.

Because my legs wouldn’t move.

Because my body… betrayed me.

Because even as fear crawled up my spine, something deeper—something terrifying—kept me standing exactly where I was.

“You’re lying,” I whispered, though my voice shook. “This… this isn’t real.”

His gaze didn’t soften.

If anything, it grew darker.

“You felt it,” he said calmly. “The bond.”

My heart skipped.

Bond?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snapped, taking a step back. “You did something to me. I don’t know what kind of sick game this is, but I’m leaving.”

I turned toward the door.

One step.

Two—

Before I could reach it—

A hand slammed against the surface, blocking my way.

Hard.

The sound echoed through the room.

I froze.

Slowly, I looked up.

He was already there.

Too fast.

There was no way he moved that quickly.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said.

My chest tightened.

“You don’t get to decide that,” I shot back, trying to sound braver than I felt. “This was a deal. One night. That’s it.”

His jaw clenched slightly.

“A deal?” he repeated, his voice dropping dangerously low.

I swallowed.

“Yes.”

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then suddenly—

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

I gasped as my back hit the wall.

Pain shot through my shoulder, but I barely noticed.

Because he was too close.

Way too close.

His hand pressed against the wall beside my head, trapping me.

My breath came out uneven.

“This was never a deal,” he said quietly.

“Then what is it?” I demanded.

His eyes locked onto mine.

“Fate.”

I shook my head immediately. “No. No, I don’t believe in that.”

“Doesn’t matter what you believe.”

My chest rose and fell quickly.

“Let me go,” I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay strong.

For a second—

He didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

Didn’t breathe.

Then slowly… he leaned closer.

So close I could feel his breath against my skin.

“If I let you walk out that door,” he murmured, “you won’t make it past the street.”

A chill ran through me.

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” he said calmly, “there are things out there worse than me.”

I let out a bitter laugh, though it sounded weak. “That’s supposed to comfort me?”

“No,” he replied. “It’s a warning.”

Silence fell.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

“You’re insane,” I muttered.

“And yet,” he said, tilting his head slightly, “you’re still here.”

My throat tightened.

I hated that he was right.

I hated that I couldn’t just walk away.

I hated that something inside me… didn’t want to.

“I don’t belong to you,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze. “Whatever you think this is—whatever ‘bond’ you’re talking about—I don’t accept it.”

For the first time—

Something flickered in his eyes.

Not anger.

Not amusement.

Something darker.

More dangerous.

“You don’t have to accept it,” he said softly.

My stomach dropped.

“Because it already exists.”

My fingers trembled at my sides.

“No…”

“You felt the pain, didn’t you?” he continued. “The moment I marked you.”

My breath caught.

The burning.

The way my body reacted.

The strange pull I couldn’t explain.

“No,” I whispered again, shaking my head. “That doesn’t mean anything—”

“It means everything.”

His hand moved—

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Until his fingers brushed the side of my neck.

I flinched.

But I didn’t pull away.

I couldn’t.

“From this moment on,” he said quietly, his voice almost gentle now, “you’re tied to me.”

My heart pounded wildly.

“I don’t want that,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“Want has nothing to do with it.”

Anger flared inside me.

For the first time stronger than fear.

“Then I’ll break it,” I snapped.

That made him pause.

Just for a second.

Then—

He laughed.

Low.

Dark.

Dangerous.

“You think it’s that easy?” he asked.

“I don’t care how hard it is,” I shot back. “I won’t stay here. I won’t be owned by anyone.”

His laughter faded.

And just like that—

The air changed.

The warmth disappeared.

Replaced by something cold.

Something terrifying.

He leaned in closer, his forehead almost touching mine.

“You don’t understand yet,” he said quietly.

My breath hitched.

“Understand what?”

His eyes locked onto mine, glowing faintly in the dim light.

“That I’m not asking.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

“I’m telling you.”

My chest tightened.

“Who… are you?” I whispered.

For a moment—

Silence.

Then he straightened slightly.

And when he spoke—

His voice carried something deeper.

Something powerful.

Something that made the air itself feel heavier.

“Arsen,” he said.

My heart skipped.

“And you should remember that name.”

Why?

Because of the way he looked at me.

Because of the way my body reacted.

Because of the way everything inside me screamed that this man was dangerous.

No—

More than dangerous.

“I am the Alpha of this territory,” he continued.

My blood ran cold.

“And you…”

His gaze dropped briefly to my neck before returning to my eyes.

“…are mine.”

“No,” I said immediately, forcing the word out. “I don’t care who you are. I don’t belong to you.”

For a second—

Neither of us moved.

Then suddenly—

He stepped back.

The pressure disappeared.

The space between us returned.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my lungs finally able to expand again.

“Fine,” he said calmly.

I blinked, surprised.

“What?”

“You want to leave?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Then leave.”

I hesitated.

That was… too easy.

Suspiciously easy.

“…You’re serious?”

He nodded once.

My heart raced as I slowly reached for the door handle.

This was my chance.

I just had to walk out.

Just had to ignore the strange pull in my chest.

Just had to—

I opened the door.

Cold air rushed in.

Freedom.

I took one step forward—

And immediately staggered.

Pain shot through my chest.

Sharp.

Sudden.

Unbearable.

“Ah—!”

I clutched my shirt, gasping as my knees buckled.

It felt like something was tearing inside me.

Like my body was being ripped apart.

I collapsed to the floor just outside the room, struggling to breathe.

“What… is this…?” I choked out.

Footsteps approached slowly behind me.

Unhurried.

Certain.

He crouched beside me.

I could feel him without even looking.

“Told you,” he said quietly.

I glared at him through the pain.

“What did you do to me?!”

“Nothing,” he replied calmly.

My chest tightened again, forcing a cry from my lips.

“This is what happens when you try to run from your Alpha.”

Tears blurred my vision.

“No… I don’t accept this…”

“You don’t have to,” he said softly.

My vision darkened.

My strength faded.

And just before everything went black—

I felt his arms catch me.

Warm.

Strong.

Unyielding.

“You can fight me all you want,” he murmured near my ear.

My consciousness slipped.

“But you can’t escape me.”