Chapter 52 – The Choice That Changes Everything

Elena's breath came in short, uneven gasps. The weight of the decision pressed against her, suffocating in its intensity. She could hear her own heartbeat hammering against her ribs, a desperate rhythm urging her to act.

Leon stood before her, his usually imposing figure weakened, but his presence still consuming the room. His sharp eyes remained locked onto hers, waiting—not begging, not demanding—just waiting.

Outside, the crash had been followed by an eerie stillness, as if the night itself was holding its breath. The entity wasn't gone. It was watching. Waiting.

Leon swayed slightly, bracing himself against the desk. His breathing was unsteady, his control slipping by the second. The realization hit her like a slap—he didn't have much time left.

Her grip on the book tightened.

Marking. It would bond her to him forever.

If she agreed, she wasn't just saving his life—she was tying her existence to a creature she barely understood. A creature that had secrets buried deeper than the grave they had uncovered. A creature she had once feared but now... now she wasn't so sure.

Could she do this?

Leon exhaled, his control visibly fraying. "Elena," he rasped, his voice lower, more primal. "If you hesitate any longer, I won't be able to stop myself."

Her stomach twisted. He was warning her. Not asking. Not threatening. Warning.

If she waited too long, the choice wouldn't be hers anymore.

Another crash. Closer.

Something was coming.

Leon's body tensed, his eyes darkening as he fought against the hunger clawing at his control. The veins on his neck pulsed unnaturally, his lips parting just slightly to reveal a glimpse of his fangs. Fangs.

A wave of cold dread flooded her.

This wasn't a fair choice. This wasn't just about saving him. If she let him die, she wouldn't just lose the only person who had answers—she would be defenseless against whatever haunted this town.

The entity wanted her.

Leon was the only thing standing between her and whatever lurked in the darkness.

Her pulse quickened.

"I…" The word stuck in her throat.

Could she really let him die?

She thought about everything—how he had saved her, how he had kept her alive even when she had tried to run. He had secrets, yes, but he had never once hurt her. And now, despite the hunger clawing at him, he was still giving her a choice.

Her decision solidified in her chest.

She took a shaky step forward. Then another.

Leon's breathing hitched, his muscles going rigid as she closed the distance between them. He was barely holding on.

"Elena," he said, softer now, almost reverent.

She placed her trembling hand against his chest, feeling the unsteady rhythm beneath his cold skin.

"Do it," she whispered.

Leon stilled. For a long moment, he didn't move, didn't breathe. Then, something inside him snapped.

In a blur, she was against the wall, his body pressing into hers, his hand gripping the side of her neck, tilting her head ever so slightly. His breath was warm against her skin, his lips hovering just over the delicate pulse point.

A shudder ran through her as he exhaled, his restraint unraveling.

"This will change everything," he murmured, his voice laced with something dark, something possessive.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing back the fear knotting in her throat. "I know."

A beat of silence. Then—

**Sharp pain.