The bond burned.
It didn't settle.
It didn't accept.
It fought.
Inside me, my wolf clawed and howled, resisting the forced claim as if it would rather tear itself apart than submit.
I gasped, my body trembling violently in the Beta's grip.
"No…" I choked out. "Stop… please"
But he didn't.
Of course, he didn't.
Why would he?
To him, I wasn't a person.
I was something to own.
"Relax, Diana," he murmured, his voice dark with amusement. "You'll get used to it."
Used to it?
My vision blurred with tears and rage.
"I would rather die than accept you," I spat weakly.
For a split second
His expression hardened.
Then
A new scent cut through the air.
Sharp.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Everything in me went still.
The Beta froze.
The crowd shifted uneasily, whispers rising like a warning carried by the wind.
And then
My wolf fell silent.
Not in fear.
Not in pain.
But in recognition.
Again.
My heart dropped.
No…
No, no, no
"Step away from her."
The voice was calm.
Too calm.
But beneath it… was something lethal.
The Beta's grip on me tightened possessively. "This doesn't concern you."
A low chuckle followed.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't kind.
It was the kind of sound that made your instincts scream run.
"I wasn't asking."
The crowd parted slowly, like prey making way for a predator.
And then I saw him.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, cloaked in darkness and moonlight, his presence heavier than anything I had ever felt before.
Stronger than the Alpha.
Colder than the Beta.
More dangerous than both combined.
My breath caught.
Not because of fear.
But because of the pull.
That same cursed, undeniable pull.
My knees nearly gave out.
"Another one…" I whispered, horror creeping into my voice.
This had to be a nightmare.
Three?
Three mates?
That wasn't fate.
That was cruelty.
The stranger's eyes locked onto mine and something shifted in the air.
Possession.
Recognition.
Hunger.
"Diana," he said my name slowly, like he was tasting it.
A shiver ran down my spine.
"How interesting…"
The Beta stepped in front of me slightly, his stance turning defensive. "She's mine."
The man's gaze flickered to him briefly.
Unimpressed.
"Is she?" he asked softly.
That single question carried a threat so heavy, the air itself seemed to tighten.
The Beta growled. "I've already claimed her."
"And yet," the stranger took a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine, "she's still standing."
Silence.
Dead silence.
Because we all knew what that meant.
A true claim…
Couldn't be resisted.
My chest rose and fell rapidly as panic clawed its way up my throat.
"I didn't accept it," I said quickly, my voice shaking as I looked between them. "I don't accept any of this!"
For a moment
No one spoke.
Then the stranger smiled.
Slow.
Dark.
Dangerous.
"Good."
The word sent chills through me.
Before I could react
He moved.
Too fast.
One second he was across the clearing.
The next
He was right in front of me.
The Beta barely had time to react before a powerful force slammed into him, sending him stumbling back.
Gasps erupted around us.
My body froze as the stranger reached for me.
"No!" I tried to step back, but it was too late.
His hand wrapped around my wrist.
And the world shifted.
Stronger than before.
Deeper.
This bond didn't just pull
It consumed.
I cried out, my knees giving way as the force of it overwhelmed me.
My wolf didn't fight this time.
She bowed.
Terrified.
"I…" my voice broke. "What are you…?"
His grip tightened slightly not enough to hurt, but enough to hold me in place.
His eyes darkened.
"I am the one you should fear the most."
My heart pounded wildly as dread filled every part of me.
"No…" I whispered, shaking my head weakly. "Please… don't…"
But he didn't stop.
Of course
He didn't stop.
"Diana," he said, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous.
"I claim you."
The words echoed louder than the others.
Heavier.
Final.
"I, your enemy"
Enemy?
My blood ran cold.
"claim you as mine."
This time
The bond didn't fight.
It locked.