Chapter 59 – The Weight of the Bond

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Elena's breaths came uneven, her fingers brushing over the mark on her neck. It still tingled, an unnatural warmth radiating from the spot where Leon's fangs had pierced her skin. She felt… different. Like something inside her had shifted, awakening a part of her she never knew existed.

She wasn't just herself anymore.

Leon was watching her, his silver eyes darkened by something unreadable. Guilt? Relief? Fear? She couldn't tell. But he looked shaken.

She swallowed hard, the lingering sensation of his bite coursing through her veins. "What happens now?" Her voice was quieter than she intended.

Leon exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. He looked troubled.

"I should have never let this happen," he muttered. His tone wasn't angry—it was… conflicted.

Elena's brow furrowed. "I made this choice."

Leon's gaze snapped to hers. "You don't understand what you've done."

A sharp, unfamiliar pain rippled through her chest at his words. Was that the bond? Could she feel his emotions now?

"I saved you." Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of uncertainty beneath it. "Isn't that what matters?"

Leon took a step toward her, and for the first time since she had met him, he looked uncertain.

"The bond isn't just about survival, Elena." His voice dropped to a low whisper. "It's permanent. It ties us together in ways you can't even begin to comprehend."

The weight of his words settled on her like a crushing force.

She knew this wasn't just about giving him her blood. She had let him mark her.

Memories of the whispering voice from earlier flashed through her mind.

"You are bound now. Forever."

She clenched her fists. "Then explain it to me."

Leon let out a bitter laugh, but there was no amusement in his eyes.

"There are things about me—about what I am—that you aren't ready to know."

Elena stiffened. She had already uncovered so many chilling truths, so much darkness surrounding him. What more was he hiding?

"I think I deserve to know the full truth now," she said, stepping closer. "You can't keep pushing me away, not after this."

Leon hesitated.

Then, as if some internal battle was raging within him, he sighed, defeated.

"You want the truth?" His voice was low, dangerous. "Then you should know this—a vampire's mark isn't just a claim. It's a seal. A bond that links our fates together."

Elena's pulse quickened.

"What does that mean?"

Leon's jaw tensed. He looked as if he was debating whether to say it.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"It means that if I die… you die with me."

Elena's breath caught in her throat.

The room spun.

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs. She hadn't expected this.

"You're lying." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Leon's expression darkened. "I wish I was."

A heavy silence filled the space between them, and suddenly, Elena felt the true weight of her decision.

She had saved him.

But in doing so, she had bound herself to him forever.