Nyra's breath stopped.
"You belong to me."
The words hung in the air—heavy, dangerous, impossible to ignore.
Her eyes flashed with anger.
"I don't belong to anyone," she snapped, stepping back.
For a second, the room went still.
Then Ronan laughed.
Not loudly. Not mockingly.
But like he genuinely enjoyed her response.
"That fire…" he murmured. "Good. You'll need it."
Nyra clenched her fists. "I'm leaving."
She turned toward the door—
And froze.
Two large wolves stood outside, their glowing eyes fixed on her. Their presence alone was enough to make her instincts scream.
Guards.
Waiting.
Watching.
Trapping her.
Nyra's heart pounded, but she refused to show fear. Slowly, she turned back to Ronan.
"You think this is funny?" she said coldly.
"I think this is necessary," he replied.
Her jaw tightened.
"I'm not your prisoner."
Ronan's gaze sharpened.
"No," he said calmly. "You're something far more valuable than that."
Nyra's chest rose and fell quickly.
"Then let me go."
Silence.
For a moment, it almost felt like he was considering it.
Then—
He moved.
Too fast.
In the blink of an eye, Ronan was in front of her, one hand gripping her wrist firmly. Not enough to hurt—
But enough to remind her exactly who she was dealing with.
Nyra gasped slightly, her body reacting instantly.
That energy—
It surged again.
Wild.
Uncontrolled.
Ronan felt it.
His grip tightened just a fraction.
"There it is…" he said softly, his eyes darkening.
"Let go of me," Nyra warned.
Or tried to.
Because her voice shook.
Not with fear—
With power.
"Do you feel it?" Ronan asked, ignoring her. "That thing inside you… waking up?"
Nyra's breath quickened.
"Yes…" she whispered before she could stop herself.
It was stronger now.
Burning through her veins.
Demanding release.
Ronan stepped closer.
"Good," he said. "Don't fight it."
"I don't even know what it is!" she snapped.
"Then I'll show you."
Before she could react—
Ronan pulled her closer.
Too close.
His hand moved to the side of her neck, tilting her head slightly.
Nyra froze.
Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.
"What are you doing?" she breathed.
Ronan didn't answer immediately.
His gaze dropped to her neck.
To the spot where a mate mark would be.
Then—
"You don't have one anymore," he said quietly.
The words hit deeper than expected.
Nyra's chest tightened.
For a split second—
She hesitated.
And that was all it took.
Ronan's grip shifted.
His presence pressed against hers—
And then—
His fangs grazed her skin.
Nyra's eyes widened.
"Don't—!"
Too late.
A sharp sting shot through her neck as his fangs pierced her skin.
The world exploded.
Power surged violently through her body—stronger than before, wilder, uncontrollable.
Nyra screamed.
The room shook.
The air cracked with invisible force, pushing outward like a shockwave.
Ronan was thrown back, slamming against the wall with a heavy impact.
The guards outside howled as the energy burst through the doorway.
Nyra dropped to her knees, her entire body trembling.
Her eyes—
They burned.
Glowing brighter than ever before.
Silver.
Mixed with something darker.
Something ancient.
"Make it stop…" she gasped, clutching her chest.
But it didn't stop.
It grew.
Stronger.
Louder.
You cannot suppress me anymore.
The voice echoed clearly now.
Not distant.
Not faint.
Right there.
Inside her.
"I don't want this!" Nyra cried out.
You were born for this.
The ground beneath her cracked slightly.
The air around her twisted.
Even the wolves outside whimpered, lowering themselves instinctively.
Fear.
Real fear.
From Alphas.
Ronan slowly pushed himself up from the wall, his expression no longer amused.
No longer playful.
Serious.
Focused.
Hungry.
"…So it's true," he muttered.
Nyra lifted her head slowly.
Her glowing eyes locked onto his.
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Then Ronan smiled.
Dark.
Satisfied.
"Not omega," he said quietly.
"Not even just wolf…"
His eyes gleamed.
"You're something far more dangerous."
Far away—
In another territory—
Alpha Kael suddenly stopped mid-step.
His body went rigid.
His eyes snapped toward the horizon.
His heart—
It reacted.
A sharp, unfamiliar pull.
Not the mate bond.
Something else.
Something stronger.
More dangerous.
"…Nyra," he whispered.
For the first time since that night—
Unease settled deep in his chest.
Back in the dark territory—
Nyra's power slowly began to calm, the glow in her eyes flickering before fading slightly.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her body weak.
But something had changed.
Something irreversible.
Ronan stepped closer again.
This time—
Carefully.
Like approaching something that could destroy him.
"Looks like," he said quietly, "you're not going anywhere."
Nyra didn't respond.
But deep inside—
She knew one thing.
Her life as the weak, rejected omega…
Was over.