The storm outside had only grown worse since Lucian entered Scarlett’s life, as though the weather itself mirrored the tempest between them. Days passed in a blur of tension and heat. Every time Lucian appeared, it was as if the air thickened, charged with something both primal and dangerous.
Scarlett tried to ignore the possessiveness that radiated from him, the way his gaze lingered on her as though he could devour her with a look alone. Yet, no matter how much she tried to maintain distance, Lucian was always there, watching her every move, his presence as constant as the moon above the darkened forest.
One evening, while the rain poured relentlessly against the cabin windows, Scarlett stood by the fireplace, her arms wrapped around herself. The small crackle of the fire was the only sound she could focus on, trying to drown out the whirlwind of confusion and desire raging inside her.
Lucian had disappeared for days now, and she had convinced herself that perhaps he had finally left her alone. Part of her felt relief—another part, however, could not ignore the aching emptiness that grew with his absence. She hated herself for it, for the way her body reacted to his presence, for the way her mind couldn’t stop replaying every touch, every word.
That night, the knock came again.
Scarlett’s heart pounded in her chest as she rushed to the door, her mind screaming at her not to open it. But something deeper inside—something far more dangerous—compelled her hand to turn the knob.
There he stood, drenched from the storm, his hair hanging in dark, wet strands across his face. His broad shoulders took up nearly the entire doorway. He looked every bit the predator—sharp eyes, fierce, dangerous. And tonight, something was different. Tonight, his expression wasn’t one of control. It was darker, wilder.
Without a word, Lucian stepped inside, his presence overwhelming her once again. Scarlett moved to speak, but before she could utter a sound, he closed the door with a force that made the cabin shudder.
“Where have you been?” Scarlett’s voice came out harsher than she intended, as if accusing him of abandoning her.
Lucian’s gaze flicked toward her, his jaw tightening. “Handling things.” His voice was a low growl, deep and dangerous.
She crossed her arms, her defenses rising. “Handling things? You disappear without a word, and now you just show up expecting me to—”
In an instant, he was in front of her, his hand gripping her chin, tilting her face up to meet his. The touch was firm, possessive, but not painful. Scarlett’s breath hitched as she stared into his eyes, glowing faintly with the wolf inside him.
“You will never question me, Scarlett.” His voice was soft but laced with warning. “I will always come back to you. Always.”
Her heart raced, and for a moment, the fight drained from her. The intensity of his gaze, the raw power he exuded—it was overwhelming. But she couldn’t let him control her like this. She stepped back, pulling her chin free from his grip, though her body screamed to remain close.
“You can’t keep doing this,” Scarlett said, her voice shaking slightly. “You can’t just barge into my life, disappear, and then come back like nothing happened.”
Lucian’s eyes darkened, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“From what?” Scarlett demanded. “You keep talking about danger, but you never explain anything! You just show up and act like you own me.”
At that, Lucian’s gaze sharpened, the air between them crackling with tension. “I do own you.”
Scarlett’s breath caught in her throat. There was no apology in his tone, no hesitation in the words. The raw, possessive nature of it sent a shiver down her spine, and despite herself, she couldn’t deny the way her pulse quickened. She should have been angry—furious, even—but instead, a dark thrill wound through her.
“You’re insane,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.
Lucian took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “Insane or not, Scarlett, you belong to me. I’ve given you time, given you space. But the more time I spend away from you, the harder it is to control what I am. And the pack—my pack—they’re starting to ask questions.”
Scarlett swallowed hard. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” he said, his voice a low, dangerous growl, “that soon, I won’t be the only one watching you. The others—they’ll want to see for themselves what has me so distracted.”
Fear and confusion coursed through her. “Others? What others?”
Lucian’s expression darkened further. “My pack. They’ve always known I’d take a mate eventually, but now, they’re growing restless. They know something’s changed. They can sense it.” He stepped closer, his body a wall of heat in the cold room. “If they think you’re a threat or an outsider... they won’t be merciful.”
Scarlett’s throat tightened. “And what am I? A threat?”
Lucian’s hand moved to the back of her neck, his fingers threading through her hair with a rough gentleness that sent heat straight to her core. “You are mine,” he said softly, his lips inches from hers. “You’re the only thing that matters to me. But if they sense your fear...”
Scarlett’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, her mind racing. “I don’t want to be part of this,” she whispered, though even she wasn’t sure if it was a lie.
Lucian’s thumb brushed against her jawline, sending a jolt of electricity through her. “You don’t have a choice anymore, Scarlett.” His voice was deep, filled with a dangerous finality. “You’ve been marked.”
“Marked?” Her voice trembled as she took in the weight of his words.
Lucian leaned down, his lips brushing the sensitive skin of her neck as he spoke. “When you first came here, you stepped into my world, my territory. And the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were mine. I haven’t marked you fully yet, but soon... they’ll know. And once they do, you’ll never be free of me.”
Scarlett’s breath hitched as his lips pressed against her neck, his touch sending shivers through her. His possessiveness should have terrified her, but instead, it consumed her, drawing her deeper into his world of darkness and power.
Her head told her to run, to leave Blackthorn and never look back. But her heart... her heart was already bound to him, tethered by a force she couldn’t understand.
Lucian pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his expression fierce and filled with a raw, primal hunger. “You belong to me now, Scarlett. There’s no going back.”
And for the first time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to.
