The bathroom door creaked as I stepped out, towel clutched tightly in my fist, steam curling around me like ghostly tendrils. My muscles were still tense from the scalding shower, trying to wash off the chaos of the day. But nothing could—especially not when I saw who was sitting on the edge of my bed.
Cale.
My breath caught. Dark eyes gleaming with something cruel, he lounged there like he owned the place, like he hadn't shattered my life into a million jagged pieces. A twisted grin curled his lips as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"Well, look who's finally home," he drawled, voice smooth as silk but laced with venom.
Every instinct screamed at me to run. Fight. Do anything but freeze like a deer caught in headlights. My legs, traitorous and weak, refused to move.
"Been busy, haven't you, Quinn?" he added, the grin widening.
My eyes darted around the room, searching for something—anything—that could be a weapon. The lamp? Too heavy. My makeup mirror? Too small. The towel? Completely useless. But I gripped it tighter anyway, as if holding onto it could somehow keep me sane.
"What are you doing here, Cale?" I demanded, forcing steel into my voice.
He rose slowly, towering over me, moving with the predatory grace of a wolf circling its prey. The space between us shrank with every step he took, and my pulse thundered in my ears.
Trinity stirred inside me, a low, dangerous growl vibrating through my chest.
"You think you can just run from me?" Cale's tone hardened, the mocking edge vanishing. "That you and your precious mate can defy me without consequences?"
My stomach dropped. He knew. Of course, he knew. The marking bond wasn't exactly subtle.
"You don't scare me, Cale," I said, though my voice trembled just slightly.
His laugh was cold and hollow, a sound that made my skin crawl. "Oh, Quinn. Sweet, naïve Quinn. You think you're in control here?"
His gaze flicked to the faint spiral mark on my neck—the one Luca had given me. The smug amusement drained from his face, replaced by something darker, more dangerous.
"That mark," he hissed. "It's more than just a bond, isn't it?"
He closed the remaining distance between us, heat radiating off him in waves. "The Luna Goddess marked you as special. That makes you useful to me." His voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "For now."
Trinity snarled in my head, begging to be unleashed, but I held her back. We had to play this smart.
"You're pathetic," I spat, surprising even myself. "All this power, and you're terrified of what I might become. You should be."
The words barely left my lips before his hand shot out, clamping around my wrist like a steel vice.
"After five years with me and you still have no idea what you're dealing with," he growled, composure slipping. His eyes glowed faintly—a warning that his wolf was close to the surface.
So was mine.
"Let me go, Cale," I warned, voice low and dangerous. Trinity surged forward, crackling beneath my skin like a live wire.
His grip tightened. "Or what?"
My lips curled into a defiant smirk. "Or you'll regret it."
Energy exploded through me as Trinity roared to life. With a sudden burst of strength, I yanked my wrist free and shoved him back. He stumbled, eyes wide with shock.
"So it's true," he muttered, regaining his balance. "The mark did make you stronger."
My chest heaved, adrenaline coursing through my veins. "What did you do to Luca?" I demanded, voice barely above a whisper.
His smirk returned, cold and gleeful. "I wouldn't worry about him...for now."
Before I could react, he lunged at me, faster than I expected. I tried to shift, to let Trinity take over completely, but he was on me in an instant, pinning me against the wall.
"You're mine, Quinn," he snarled, breath hot against my ear. "And nothing—not even your precious mate—is going to change that."
I thrashed against him, fury and fear blending into a toxic cocktail. "Get off me!"
He laughed, a sound devoid of sanity. "I tried to be nice," he said, voice dripping with venom. "I wanted to be your king. Your mate. I had plans for us—visions of power and eternity. But now I see it clearly. You will never bow to me... unless he's removed from the equation."
My heart slammed against my ribs. "What do you mean?" I whispered, terrified of the answer.
Cale's eyes gleamed with sadistic delight. "I've ensured that Luca will never touch you again."
The air vanished from my lungs. "You're lying."
He released me, and I stumbled back, legs weak. His grin widened, a predator savoring his kill.
"Oh, I didn't kill him," he said mockingly. "No, no—that would've been too merciful. I've done something far worse."
My voice broke. "What did you do?"
He leaned closer, his whisper slicing through the air. "He'll be married to Casey in a matter of days. And they'll be moving out of state with his pack right after the wedding."
My blood ran cold. Moving out of state? Luca wouldn't. He couldn't.
"You're lying!" I shouted, voice cracking under the weight of panic.
Cale just chuckled darkly, turning toward the door with an infuriating confidence. As he reached the threshold, he glanced back over his shoulder, eyes glinting with triumph.
"Goodnight, fair maiden," he said mockingly, voice dripping with cruelty.
The door clicked shut behind him.
My legs buckled, and I sank to the floor, shaking as dread clawed at my chest. Images of Luca flashed through my mind—his smile, his touch, the bond we shared. Gone. All of it.
"Quinn," Trinity said softly, her voice steady in my mind. "We'll figure this out. But you need to stay strong."
Her reassurance barely registered. All I could see was Cale's wicked grin and the haunting image of Luca walking down the aisle with someone else and leaving me forever.