Chapter 56 – The Mark of Fate

Elena's mind raced, but the more she tried to reject the truth, the more the reality of it settled into her bones.

A bond. A claim. A connection that couldn't be undone.

Her pulse hammered against her skin as she backed away, but no matter how much space she tried to put between them, she could still feel him. It was a pull beneath her skin, a quiet but persistent hum that tethered her to Leon.

She hated it.

Leon, however, was motionless. His gaze never left her, but there was something almost... hesitant in his stance.

"You need to calm down," he said, his voice low. "Panicking won't change anything."

Elena let out a harsh laugh. "I'm bound to a vampire. Forgive me if I don't stay calm."

His jaw clenched. "This is not the worst thing that could have happened."

Her glare sharpened. "No? Then tell me, Leon, what could be worse than being bound to someone like you?"

Leon's eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering behind them. "You don't want to know."

She shivered.

The air around them was still thick with tension, but beneath it, something shifted.

Elena felt it deep inside—a change she didn't ask for.

Her fingers twitched as she brought them to her neck, where his bite had been. The wound was gone, but her skin felt different. More sensitive. More aware.

"You said the bond can't be broken," she said slowly, swallowing. "But there has to be a way to weaken it."

Leon didn't answer immediately. Instead, his expression turned calculating. "The bond is strongest after the first taste of blood," he admitted. "But it won't be permanent unless…"

Elena stiffened. "Unless what?"

He took a slow step forward, and despite herself, she didn't move away.

Leon's gaze locked onto hers. "Unless I mark you."

Silence.

Elena's stomach dropped.

She had already known the answer—had already read it in the book—but hearing it from Leon made it feel more real.

A mark.

The final step in binding her to him completely.

Elena's breath came faster. "And if you do?"

Leon's expression remained unreadable. "Then you'll belong to me."

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

She turned away, trying to gather her thoughts, but it was impossible with his presence weighing on her.

This wasn't just about survival anymore. This was about choice.

And for the first time, Elena realized—

She was running out of options.