Marked

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 15

After watching the man whimper away, they stood there, seemingly unfazed. The first one, tall with sharp features and piercing dark eyes, took a step forward. He looked at me and, in an eerily calm voice, said, "I'm Viktor." He didn't seem to care about the blood pooling by his expensive leather shoes.

The second man, broader and intimidating, with a frown on his face, folded his arms over his chest. "Call me Cassian," he said in the same even tone. He didn't glance at the blood on the floor, as if severed hands and broken men were just part of his everyday routine.

Then the third man, standing slightly off to the side, had a smirk that didn't quite reach his cold, dark eyes. "Name's Lysander," he said. His voice dripped with amusement as he gestured toward the bed in front of them. "Take a seat," he ordered, his smirk widening. I hesitated, every instinct in my body screaming at me to run. But his expression turned from amused to something dangerously expectant. I swallowed hard and did as he asked, sitting down carefully, afraid any sudden movement might put me in the same position as the man whose blood was on the floor.

Lysander leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked onto mine. "Relax," he said, his smirk still plastered on his face. "We're not going to kill you." He paused, as if enjoying the tension thickening between us. "You're our mates, after all."

I blinked, confusion tearing through my fear for a moment. "Mate?" I repeated, my voice wavering. My mind scrambled to make sense of his words, but there was no recognition, no bond, no familiar feeling tying me to these men—just terror. "I don't... feel any mate bond," I stammered, still glancing uneasily between them.

Lysander chuckled, and it sent a chill down my spine. "That's fine," he said, leaning back casually. "You will soon enough." The way he said it made my stomach twist, and I didn't want a mate.

I want to leave, not be here at all. "What do you want from me?"

Cassian looked up at me and said, "Nothing. You're our mate, so you need to stay close so you don't hold us back." He looked me up and down. "Once we find a way to break the bond, we will."

My chest tightened, and I felt hurt. "Good. Can I go now?"

"No." I looked up at Viktor, expecting an explanation, but he just stared me down.

"I don't understand," I said, getting agitated.

"You don't need to understand; just obey. It's better that way. We're not supposed to share a mate. This is a joke from the Moon Goddess herself," Lysander said, smiling as if everything was okay.

Fucking assholes.

Cassian handed me a brand-new phone, and my first instinct was to roll my eyes. "This is your new phone. If we call, you answer," he said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. I stared at it, my heart racing.

"I don't need it. I have a phone," I said aggressively until Cassian replied, "It's gone. I got rid of it."

Okay, now I was mad. My voice grew louder as I yelled, "You can't just do what you want! This is absolute bullshit!" I was practically fuming, and I wasn't going to let them do this to me.

But then Cassian stood up, walked toward me, and grabbed my neck. I felt my heart race for all the wrong reasons. "Shut up. You're in no position to say what you want. What we give you is what you get." His grip was tight, and I could feel the panic rising as tears pooled in my eyes. I struggled for air, feeling more vulnerable than I ever had.

Just as quickly as he grabbed me, he let go, and I stumbled back, rubbing my neck where his fingers had left marks. I looked up at Lysander, who was just standing there with this ridiculous smile on his face like everything was normal. "Crying will hurt your eyes, bunny," he said, and I was honestly shocked. How could he say something like that, especially when they were treating me like this?

I couldn't believe those three were supposed to be my mate.

Then Viktor took over, explaining in that calm, collected voice of his that there would be a car taking me to and from school. He also mentioned that there were other omegas below this floor I could interact with, but I needed to stay quiet about how I got here. Bitting my lips in anger.

"Enough said," he concluded, leaving me in my anger.

With that, they left me alone, and I felt a mix of confusion and rage. I couldn't believe this was my new reality—being stuck in this strange place with three guys who thought they could control me. The anger bubbled inside me, and I knew I wasn't going to let them win.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, my mind racing as I tried to process everything. The room was way too big for my comfort and felt cold, almost sterile. I glanced around; it was like stepping into a movie set, but I was the unwilling star in a drama I didn't want to be part of.

My heart was still pounding from the confrontation. How could Cassian just grab me like that? I mean, who did he think he was? And Viktor, with his calm demeanor, was just as infuriating. They both acted like they were doing me a favor, and Lysander, whose stupid face kept smiling.

I picked up the phone Cassian had given me, turning it over in my hands. It was sleek, shiny, and definitely more advanced than my old one. I hesitated, wondering if I should even turn it on. What if it was a way for them to keep tabs on me? I didn't trust them, not after what had just happened.

Sighing, I tossed the phone onto the bed and paced the room. I felt caged, desperate to escape but unsure of how. The door was locked, and I had no idea where I was. I could hear faint sounds from the other side, maybe voices or footsteps, but it only added to my anxiety.