Davian.

I felt it before I even realized what was happening, my teeth itched, a sharp, almost unbearable sensation that spread through me like wildfire. Heat pooled in my chest, a rush of desire and possessiveness that I could barely control.

My wolf growled low in my mind, restless, furious, and insistent. I didn’t even think, I dashed straight toward Adrien’s room, my heart hammering, my mind consumed with a single, urgent thought.

When I reached the door, I saw her. Maria. She was trying to sneak out as though she had committed some terrible crime, her movements cautious, furtive, like she was trying to vanish before anyone could notice.

"What did you do to my brother?" I demanded instantly, my voice low but filled with edge, my eyes sweeping the room in a rapid scan. "Why are his chains—"

"I didn’t do anything!" she cut in sharply, her tone defensive at first, but then it twisted, becoming sarcastic, almost taunting. "Does it look like I did anything to your brother?" She shot the words back at me, her green eyes daring me to accuse her further.

But my attention wasn’t on her words. My wolf didn’t care about explanations, excuses, or sarcasm. My teeth itched, my body ached, and I could feel the primal pull tearing through me.

Then I understood.

Her neck.

The subtle scent, the faint heat against my senses—it was Adrien. He had marked her. And something... something small, impossible to ignore, tugged at my chest.

A tiny pang that felt like jealousy, irrational but impossible to dismiss. My wolf growled, low and warning, and a thought, almost ridiculous, wormed its way into my mind: I want to be the first to mark her. Why did he beat me to it?

The rage, the desire, the longing it all crashed over me at once. I moved, and before I could think, I claimed her. My lips found hers, pressing possessively, hungrily, devouring every inch as if I could erase the memory of Adrien from her skin.

My hands reached for her, seeking, grasping, desperate. Every fiber of me demanded more, craved more, wanted to assert that she belonged to me and only me.

Her body responded, tense but not resisting, and it made the hunger in me even worse. I could feel her pulse beneath my fingertips, rapid and alive, echoing my own need. I wanted to pull her closer, to press every inch of myself against her, to claim her entirely, and yet, I was aware. Adrien had separated us.

And still... I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to overwhelm her, to dominate her, to imprint myself on her in every way my wolf demanded. My mind screamed at me to stop, but my instincts, my body, my wolf—they overrode everything.

I kissed her again, harder, possessively, claiming what my wolf believed was rightfully mine. My teeth ached, my senses flared, my body pulsed with the primal need to mark, to own, to stake my claim.

And in that moment, nothing else existed, Just her. Just me. And the fire that was igniting between us, unrelenting, irresistible, and consuming.

Every nerve ending screamed with the awareness of what had just happened, what was happening, and what I wanted to do next. I wanted to tear away every barrier, every hesitation, every restraint, and make her mine.

Even as my wolf howled inside me, reminding me of what was forbidden, I could not stop. I could not care. All I knew, all I felt, was the need, the hunger, and the inescapable pull toward her, the girl my brother—Adrien had claimed, but who my heart, my body, and my wolf demanded for me.

Shit!

I ran my hands roughly through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. Heat burned in my chest, and a sharp, wild tension ran down my spine, making my teeth ache.

Adrien... that damn wolf of his had not only separated us but was standing there, in front of her, like a living barrier, a shield protecting her from me. My blood boiled just thinking about it.

I stormed out of the room, the sound of the door slamming behind me echoing off the walls. I needed space—needed to regain some semblance of control—because right now, I was dangerously close to losing it completely.

Every instinct in me screamed, every muscle in my body was coiled, and I could feel the wolf in me clawing for release, its growls vibrating through my chest.

Maria... she was dangerous, not because anything, but because she had this inexplicable effect on me. She had a way of unraveling everything I thought I controlled so effortlessly. And the worst part? Adrien had always been there, always one step ahead, making it impossible to even approach her without that damn wolf standing between us.

I paced back and forth in the corridor, trying to force my mind to focus. Maria couldn’t just be allowed to slip away like this. She couldn’t be left to drift around us, to tease us, to make us lose our composure. I had to do something, and fast.

My brothers—Adrien, Damien, Aidan—they were used to the kind of chaotic energy I could produce, the competitive streak that burned through me. But Maria? She had no idea how she was twisting all that, turning our unity, our brotherhood, into a source of chaos.

I froze for a moment, the thought hitting me like a lightning strike. I was so damn used to sharing with my brothers—sharing everything. Kisses with Vanessa, playful fights, even their occasional teasing, it never made me react like this. I could tolerate all of it, shrug it off, even laugh at it. But Maria... she stirred something deeper, something I didn’t understand, something I couldn’t control. And it terrified me.

"Davian!"

Aidan’s voice cut sharply through my thoughts, firm but laced with concern. I turned to see him leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, brows furrowed. His eyes, usually sharp with mischief or rivalry, now held a steady worry that somehow grounded me.

"What’s the problem?" he asked, his tone careful, like he was trying to read through the storm I was carrying. "You look... in panic."

Brotherhood was everything I cherished, the one thing that kept me balanced. And yet, at this moment, I wasn’t sure I wanted to lose it—or maybe I was afraid I already had, because of her.

"What do you think about Maria?" The words slipped out before I even realized it, raw and unfiltered.

Aidan’s eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, cautious.

I shook my head, forcing myself to mask my true intention. "I mean her attitude!" I barked, trying to sound sharp, almost angry, as if the words themselves could channel my frustration.

Aidan’s expression softened, and then he let out a low chuckle, nodding. "Oh right. She’s getting so arrogant with each day that passes. Honestly, I can’t wait to shove her back where she belongs."

My chest tightened, my pulse quickened at his words, and a dangerous spark ignited in me. "Exactly, Aidan," I said, my voice a low growl. "That’s my point too. We need to keep her here. We need to control the situation. We must win the competition—at all costs. Only then can we teach her a lesson... show her what it really means to underestimate us."

Aidan’s smirk mirrored my own, that unspoken thrill of rivalry and possession passing between us. But underneath it, I felt a deeper, more dangerous longing, one I wasn’t ready to admit, even to myself. Maria wasn’t just a challenge, she was chaos, and I wanted her.

And Moon Goddess help me, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to win the competition for the lesson or just for her.

"Yes, I plan to announce the continuation of the competition in two days," he said, his voice calm but firm, every word carefully measured. "And this time around, we are fully prepared. Nothing will catch us off guard again."

I blinked at him, trying to process what he meant. "What do you mean?" I asked, curiosity and suspicion lacing my tone.

He leaned back slightly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, like he already knew more than I did. "Darren cheated," he said plainly. "But don’t worry. I have already sourced ways to eliminate him without offending him or causing a war. Everything is planned. Every risk accounted for."

I felt my stomach tighten. Good. Darren needed to be taken out of the picture. I had been worried about complications, but it seemed everything was already under control. My mind shifted suddenly, and I asked the next question that had been gnawing at me. "How about Noah?"

Damn it. That boy was a problem, and I needed him out of the way just as much as anyone. My pulse quickened, and my tone betrayed a hint of frustration.

"There is nothing I can do for now," he replied, his expression unreadable. "We can’t touch him...not yet, at least. And we can’t hurt him because of Anabel. She’s... you know complicated."

I let out a low breath, nodding slowly. "Yeah, you’re right," I said, though a part of me fumed at the thought. Noah was still in the way, and I hated it. But for now, patience was the only option.

His gaze softened slightly, and then he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing just a fraction as he noticed something. "You got blood on your lips."

I froze. My hand shot up immediately, pressing against my mouth as if that could erase what he had seen. My heart began to race, and I forced a casual tone over the slight panic rising inside me. "I bit myself accidentally. Don’t pay attention to it," I said, lying instinctively, my eyes avoiding his.

The lie felt strange in my mouth, unnatural, and I could feel a subtle, almost electric tension passing between us. It was the first time I had ever lied to him. Not even a little fib. A real lie. And the truth behind it was simple yet complicated—I lied because of her. Maria.

Every thought, every action lately had been tangled up with her. She was chaos and fire and everything that had the power to unravel all of my carefully laid plans. I hated the fact that she could make me lie, that she could make me react like this. My heart still beat faster, and a strange mix of frustration and fear swirled through me. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

I pressed my fingers lightly to my lips again, making sure no trace of blood remained, as if wiping away the evidence could also erase the growing storm in my chest. My gaze flicked toward him, and I saw that subtle knowing glint in his eyes, the one that made me feel exposed even when I tried to hide.

And yet, even with that small pang of unease, I couldn’t help but think about her again. Maria. She had managed to twist everything, my mind, my plans, even my honesty. And now, more than ever, I knew that everything I did moving forward would have to account for her.

Even as I nodded in agreement with him, my thoughts kept drifting back to her, and the lie I had just told. It was dangerous, reckless, and completely because of her. And deep down, I realized that there was no turning back now.

Maria had changed everything.

I had marked her.