Bride Of The Night

Chapter 15

### **Chapter 15: The King's Command**

The wind howled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and the faintest trace of something metallic—something sharp. The mansion seemed almost alive in the cold night, its ancient stone walls creaking and groaning under the weight of centuries. But it wasn't the mansion that held Lana's attention now. It was the forest, the expanse of darkness that stretched out before her like a living, breathing entity.

"Are you ready?" Ian's voice cut through the thick silence, a stark contrast to the roaring wind.

Lana turned to look at him. His face was composed, but she could see the tension in the set of his jaw and the way his eyes darted toward the tree line. Emma stood beside him, her expression unreadable, her hands folded neatly in front of her as though waiting for something—or someone.

The hunger gnawed at Lana, a constant, restless presence. Her breath was shallow, her heart racing with a combination of fear and something else. She wasn't sure if it was anticipation or dread. Either way, the weight of the night pressed heavily on her chest.

"You said I need to embrace it," Lana said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know if I can. I'm not like you, Ian. I'm not as strong."

Ian's expression softened, but the glint in his eyes remained firm. "You are stronger than you realize, Lana. It's not about strength—it's about *acceptance*. The power you have inside you, it's not something to fight. It's something to harness."

Emma stepped forward, her voice low but warm. "We are here for you, always. You don't have to do this alone. Morpheus may have bound you to him, but that doesn't mean you belong to him."

Lana nodded, though her doubt lingered. The bond between her and Morpheus was undeniable. She could feel it in every fiber of her being—the way his presence seemed to pulse just beneath the surface of her skin. The way his name called to her when she least expected it. He was always there, lurking in the shadows of her mind.

But she couldn't let him have her. She couldn't let him control her. Not after everything she had learned from Ian and Emma. Not after everything they had done to protect her.

Her breath hitched as a dark shape appeared in the distance, emerging from the shadows of the forest. Tall, imposing, and undeniably *real*.

Morpheus.

Lana froze, every muscle in her body locking up as her heart hammered in her chest. She could feel him, see him, even before he fully stepped into the clearing. His presence filled the air, suffocating and powerful, like the sky before a storm.

He was everything she had imagined and more. Cloaked in darkness, his pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight, Morpheus was a being of sheer majesty. His eyes were the deepest shade of violet, almost black, and they seemed to look right through her, like he could see every part of her soul.

"Lana," he said, his voice deep and rich, a dark velvet that sent a shiver through her. "You look more like me with each passing day."

His words were both a compliment and a command. She could feel the weight of them in her chest, the sting of truth she didn't want to accept.

Ian stepped forward, placing himself between Lana and Morpheus. His posture was protective, but his voice held none of the fear Lana felt clawing at her insides. "You should leave, Morpheus. This is between her and me."

Morpheus's lips curled into a faint smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. His gaze flicked over to Emma, who stood at the edge of the clearing, her expression still as stone. "You think you can protect her from me? How quaint," he murmured, as though the idea amused him. "She is mine, Ian. No matter what you tell her."

Lana felt a tremor of uncertainty run through her, but she clenched her fists at her sides, refusing to give in to the rising panic. She wouldn't let him intimidate her. She wouldn't let him control her.

"That's not true," Lana said, her voice shaky but firm. "I'm not yours."

Morpheus's eyes flicked to her, his smile widening just the slightest bit, though there was no warmth in it. "You think you have a choice, my dear?" he asked, his tone dark and coaxing, like a whisper in her ear. "You are bound to me now, whether you like it or not. You belong to me—body, mind, and soul."

Lana stepped back, her heart hammering louder in her ears. She could feel the pull again, the intense, suffocating connection between them, like an invisible chain tethering her to him. But this time, she didn't yield. She *couldn't*.

"You can try to deny it," Morpheus continued, his voice low and seductive, "but the truth will always remain. You are mine. No one else can have you, not Ian, not Emma, not anyone."

Lana's breath caught in her throat, and the hunger surged within her, a violent, guttural thing, pulling at her from the inside. She could feel the dark power thrumming in her veins, a sharp, raw ache that urged her to *take* from him. To yield.

But she fought it. She fought against him, against everything he represented. This wasn't who she was, and she wouldn't let him define her.

"I won't be yours," she said, louder this time, her voice full of defiance.

Morpheus's smile faltered just for a moment. Then, he stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. "You don't get to choose, Lana. You never did. Not when you accepted the gift I gave you."

Lana felt it again, the pressure in her chest, the insistent pull that wanted to draw her toward him. But Ian's voice broke through her thoughts, steady and calm.

"Lana," he said, his eyes locking with hers. "You are not alone. You can fight this."

The bond. It was there, but it wasn't unbreakable. It was *controllable*, just as Ian had said. She wasn't powerless. Not yet.

With every ounce of strength she could summon, Lana pushed the hunger down. She closed her eyes and focused, ignoring Morpheus's presence, his voice, his insidious influence. She focused on Ian and Emma, on their steady reassurance, on the truth of their love and care.

And slowly, bit by bit, the hunger receded. It didn't vanish entirely, but it *calmed*. She could breathe again.

When she opened her eyes, Morpheus was still there, standing before her like a dark king, but the air between them had shifted. The bond was still there, but it wasn't controlling her anymore. She was *choosing* to keep it at bay. For now.

"Go back to your throne, Morpheus," Lana said, her voice shaking but resolute. "You don't own me."

For a long moment, Morpheus studied her, his eyes narrowing as though trying to decipher the truth in her words. Then, without another word, he stepped back, his dark presence lingering just a moment longer before he disappeared into the night.

Lana exhaled sharply, her body trembling from the exertion. The hunger still coiled within her, still felt alive, but she had taken the first step in controlling it. She had stood up to him. She had faced the darkness and survived.

Ian and Emma rushed to her side, and Lana felt their support like a warm blanket around her, grounding her in the aftermath of the encounter.

"You did well," Ian said softly, his voice filled with pride.

Emma's smile was gentle but full of approval. "You're stronger than you think, Lana. We'll help you every step of the way."

Lana looked up at them, her heart swelling with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. The battle with Morpheus wasn't over. She knew that now. But for the first time, she truly believed that she could fight it.

She could fight him.

And she would.

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