XIII

Alex's gaze stayed fixed on the blood that trickled down Davina's neck from the fresh mark. It shouldn't have been bleeding this long. A werewolf should heal, yet she didn't. Her skin remained broken, raw, like the pain she now wore in her eyes. But Alex couldn't bring himself to meet those eyes; guilt anchored his own to the ground.He didn't even know what she was. Only wolves could mark wolves, and yet, he had. What had he done? A faint tremor passed through Davina as her body recoiled from him, but his hands remained firm, trapping her against the wall. Darkness seemed to pulse through the air, thick and oppressive, wrapping around them like a suffocating shroud.A flash of pain crossed her face, her lips trembling ever so slightly. He could feel it too, the overwhelming desire that had overtaken him—a raw, primal need he had never felt for anyone else. It consumed him now, but it was wrong. He knew it."Look at me... do you trust me?" Alex's voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as he finally dared to speak. His heart raced as he searched her face, looking for some sign of reassurance, some confirmation that he hadn't just damned her—and himself. But Davina said nothing, her expression unreadable, the silence between them growing thick and unbearable.Frustrated, he leaned in closer, his breath hot against her skin. "Little one," he murmured, almost pleading, "I want to apologize, but that doesn't matter right now. You need to tell me—what are you? I can help, but—""It'll heal," she interrupted, her voice tight with emotion. Her words cut through him like ice, and Alex blinked, disbelief washing over him. She spoke as though this agony was nothing, as though the blood that stained her neck was just another scar to bear. He exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling to the surface."I'm sorry," he whispered, the words almost lost in the tension-filled air."For what?" Davina's voice was brittle as she stood taller, squaring her shoulders despite the pain. She was trying to be strong, but the tears in her eyes betrayed her. Her gaze locked onto his, daring him to answer."I shouldn't have—""Shouldn't have what? Kissed me? Or are you sorry for marking me?" The chill of the night clung to her bare skin, her shoulders trembling despite the strength she tried to show. Her eyes flashed with something dark, something broken. "Marking each other was supposed to be sacred. Pure." Her voice faltered for a second, the memory of him wanting to mark her once before flashing before her eyes. And now... he had, but she was no longer a wolf. What did it mean to be marked by a demon? What did that make her?Silence stretched between them like a blade.When Alex said nothing, she stepped back, the distance between them feeling like miles. "Don't worry, Alpha King," she spat, bitterness lacing her words. "Whatever I am, it'll heal. It'll be like the mark never existed. No one will ever know."Alex's mind spun. Desperation clawed at him, and before he knew it, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly as she turned to leave. "I don't regret you, little one," he said, his voice raw, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her shiver. "It all happened so fast... just give me time. I don't know why I feel this way—why I'm drawn to you—when I already have a mate." The confession slipped from his lips, weighted with guilt and confusion. "This isn't right."He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her as if holding her would stop the storm raging inside both of them. Her body stiffened, her mind spinning with thoughts of vengeance, her true mission. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. She hadn't come here for him. She had come for revenge, to make Victoria—the Moon Goddess—suffer a fate worse than death."I'll walk you back," Alex murmured, following her lead as she moved forward. He wanted to walk beside her, to hold her hand, but the weight of what had happened kept him at a distance. His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions, torn between the deep, inexplicable connection he felt with her and the mate he had pledged his life to. He had only known her for a day, yet being near her made him feel alive in a way he hadn't in years.They walked in silence, the night around them eerily calm. The moon hung high above, casting a pale light over the world. Alex glanced at Davina, her face tilted toward the crescent moon, a longing expression etched into her features."It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked, his voice soft, almost unsure."I don't know," she whispered, her smile fading into the shadows. How could she say it was beautiful? The moon, the symbol he revered, had taken everything from her—her life, her freedom, her identity. She had been a wolf once, and now she was... something else."You're both similar," Alex said quietly.Davina frowned. "How?""Beautiful," he murmured, "yet mysterious."Her thoughts darkened. And broken. And cursed.Before she could respond, a voice—low, hoarse, and cold as death—broke the night. "I will take my kid from here."Davina's blood turned to ice. She knew that voice, the chill that came with it. Alex tensed, his body moving in front of hers protectively, his claws extending, ready for a fight. And then he appeared—Lucifer."Who are you?" Alex growled, his voice laced with anger and threat, but Lucifer merely smiled, a slow, dark smile that sent shivers down Davina's spine. He didn't even glance at Alex; his gaze was fixed on her, his eyes gleaming with something ancient, something terrifying.Her breath hitched, panic rising in her chest. What would Alex do? What would Lucifer do to him?"I am—""Family," Davina cut in abruptly, her voice strained. She stepped forward, meeting Lucifer's gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.A dark chuckle escaped Lucifer's lips as he looked back at her. The shadows around them seemed to grow deeper, darker, as if the very night bent to his will.