He didn't flinch.
Not when I pinned him.
Not when my breath hit his throat, hot and trembling.
Not when my grip on his chest stayed firm, holding him in place like he might float away if I let go.
He just stared up at me, eyes wide, lips parted slightly, chest rising and falling with shallow, confused breaths.
But not scared.
Never scared of me.
That made it worse.
"Do you have any idea what you're asking?" I said, my voice low and shaking.
He blinked, once. Slowly. "I want to be yours."
"It doesn't work like that, Nine," I breathed. "The bite isn't just something I give you. It's something I take. Forever. Once it's done, it can't be undone."
His lashes fluttered. "Forever sounds nice."
I closed my eyes. "You don't even know what that means."
"I know I want to be with you. Always."
My fingers curled slightly against his shirt. "If I bite you, I won't be able to pretend anymore. Not to them. Not to myself. It means every time they hurt you, I'll feel it too. It means I'll tear this place apart if they try to take you. And I'll never stop."
He didn't move.
"They made you for someone else," I said, quieter now. "They think you belong to the man who runs this entire empire. And if I mark you, I'm claiming war against him. Do you understand that?"
"I don't belong to him," he said, finally. "I don't want to belong to anyone else but you."
His voice was calm. Steady. No hesitation.
"Please," he whispered. "Please, Rhea. If you bite me, I'll know it's real. I won't be so scared anymore."
And that—
That broke me.
I bent forward slowly, breath catching. His scent wrapped around me like silk and salt and heat. All his nervousness, his hope, his raw, aching trust.
I pressed my lips to his throat.
He tilted his head back, baring the delicate skin without a moment of resistance.
I hesitated. One final heartbeat.
Then bit down.
Sharp.
Deep.
The bond snapped into place like a pulse of lightning straight through my soul.
Nine let out a tiny gasp—not in pain, but something softer. Something fuller. He clutched at my sleeves, his knees almost buckling.
And I felt him.
All of him.
Not just scent. Not just touch.
His fear. His longing. His desperate relief.
And his love.
It hit me like thunder.
I drew back, breathless, staring at the fresh mark on his neck. It was already glowing faintly, pulsing in sync with my own heartbeat.
His eyes were wide, glossy. He reached up with trembling fingers to touch the bite, like he couldn't believe it was real.
Then he looked at me.
"Alpha," he whispered.
And my world shifted.