Elián;

"Zephan," I call in a voice so quiet, I doubt he hears me. But the way his fingers pause in my hair tells me he heard me clearly.

He shifts slightly behind me and turns on his side, propping himself up on one elbow so he can look down at my face.

"Yes?" He whispers, and I stare at him.

The lantern beside the bed throws soft, golden hues across the room. It illuminates his eyes, the sharp lines of his jaw, and the faint concern already forming between his brows.

For a moment, I just watch him. Letting all the emotions settle inside me.

The panic from earlier is gone now. The storm that had torn through my chest has finally settled into something quieter... something steadier.

But my heart is still beating faster than usual.

Not from fear, though. This time, it’s from decision.

"I want you to mark me." I blurt. The words leave my mouth before I can second-guess them, and Zephan freezes.

I watch as he goes completely still, and I just smile at him.

His hand slowly slides from my hair to my cheek, as if making sure I’m actually here... actually speaking, and he’s not dreaming.

"...Elián." He whispers in awe with his voice much lower and careful now, and I give him a look.

"Do you know what you’re asking?" He asks, and I nod with yet another smile.

"I do," I reply, as I move my hand between us and gently lift my left wrist.

I’ve read in some books that an omega can get marked in a few places. My wrists are part of the option, too, and I want him to mark me here.

On my left wrist.

The skin there is pale and unmarked. Waiting for him.

Zephan’s gaze drops to it, and then back up at my face as a long silence settles between us.

"You just went through a panic attack," he says quietly. "Your magic was in disarray, and your body is still stabilising." He continues, and I cut him off with a pout.

"I’m stable," I note, and he gives me a look.

"That’s not what I mean." He says as his thumb brushes across the inside of my wrist.

The touch sends a faint shiver up my arm, and I hold my breath as I watch him.

"What you are asking for isn’t a temporary mark," He notes, and I blink as I stare at his dual colored eyes.

"If I do what you’re asking, it will bind us. Permanently." He adds, and I nod.

"That’s what I want," I note, and he studies my face again, searching for hesitation.

"Ethan, you know you’re already bound to five of us..." He tries to cajole me, but I’m no baby.

"That’s completely different. I want a real bond with you." I note matter-of-factly, and he pauses.

I know he’s being careful. He probably thinks I’m just high off the ecstasy of sex we just had, but this is way more than that.

His jaw tightens slightly as he studies me.

"Sleep on it, Elian. This might just be instinct talking—" He begins, but I don’t let him land.

He won’t commonise my emotions to just ’instinct’.

"It isn’t," I note flatly, and another silence follows.

He lets out a breath, then asks the question I knew was coming.

"Why? Why do you suddenly want me to mark you permanently, Ethan? If it’s for stability, Koda has already done that, and you’re even carrying his baby." He rants, and I bite the inside of my cheek as the answer sits heavy in my chest.

I want to be emotionally bonded to him, because I nearly broke apart earlier. Because when the panic came, the only thing that stopped me from falling apart completely was him.

I want to be permanently bonded to him, because loving all of them doesn’t make the bond with any one of them less real.

However, the simplest answer is always the most honest.

"Because I love you," I confess, and his eyes widen slightly.

"I know the bond I share with Koda, and Zethar is strong..." I continue quietly.

"But today... when everything inside me was falling apart... You were the one holding me together." I add as my fingers wrap gently around his wrist.

"I want that bond we shared to be real. Not temporary. Yes, I love Koda, but I love you too. Being here with you has allowed me to see that, and I want us to have proof of that. I want proof that I belong to you aswell." I try to explain, and he falls silent as he stares at me in awe.

"But you... already belong to us." He whispers in mild confusion, and I huff.

"That’s different," I note, and his brows knot.

"How?" He asks, and I lift my wrist again.

"Because this will belong to you," I note, and more silence follows.

Zephan’s gaze flickers once more across my face, and I give him a small smile.

"Elian... are you certain that this is what you want?" He asks, and I nod.

"Yes. Don’t worry, I’m not high off sex. I know what I want." I answer, and a small laugh escapes him.

"You don’t have any second guesses about this?" He pushes carefully, and I give him a look.

"I don’t. Do you?" I reply, and he studies me for another long moment.

Then something in his expression softens.

"No." He replies, and my smile grows.

"Alright." He adds, and my breath catches immediately

.

"But you need to understand something," he adds quietly.

I tilt my head.

"What?"

"If I mark you... Our bond will deepen. My magic will recognise you differently... completely..." He points out, and I nod with a smile.

"That’s fine," I note, and he smiles back.

"It might make the little one upset." He adds, and my brows crease.

"How so?"

"I’m not the baby’s father. They might get upset that I marked you." He adds, and I roll my eyes at the joke.

"You’re her uncle, and you are currently standing in as her father. I’m certain she wouldn’t mind." I reply, and he smiles fully at me.

He looks back down at my hand, and his fingers close gently around my wrist again.

His thumb traces the soft skin where the mark will go, and shivers run through me.

"Still... Are you sure?" He checks in again, and I nod with a reassuring smile.

"Yes, Zephan. I’m sure of what I want. I want you..." I reply, and something in his eyes finally settles.

Acceptance.

He lifts my wrist slowly toward his mouth, and I hold my breath.

"Alright. Hold still." He orders, and my heart begins beating faster.

Not from fear... but from anticipation.

He presses a soft kiss to the inside of my wrist first, and I shut my eyes.

It’s warm, gentle... and feels like a quiet promise of some kind.

Just then, his fangs sink into my skin.

The pain is sharp, but brief.

A surge of magic follows immediately. It floods into my bloodstream like lava. Not in a burning, destructive way... Just powerful.

My breath catches as Zephan’s magic collides with mine, and I crumble into him as he holds me.

I feel his essence curls through my veins, searching, twisting, weaving itself into my mana like a living thing.

For a moment, the entire room suddenly feels warmer, brighter, alive...

Zephan pulls me to himself as I open my eyes.

I focus on the warmth of our bare bodies against each other as the he bite wound closes almost immediately.

However, the magic remains.

I lift my wrist and freeze when I see a mark begin to form beneath my skin.

Lines of silver light spread slowly outward, and I watch wth creased brows.

First, a blue serpent appears.

Its body coils gracefully around my wrist, with scales shimmering faintly like water reflecting moonlight. Then, beautiful moonflowers bloom between the loops of its body.

Soft, elegant... and unreal.

The entire design wraps around my wrist like a bracelet made of living light, and my jaw drops.

The glow fades slowly, leaving the mark behind.

Permanent.

Zephan exhales softly behind me.

"...That’s beautiful." He notes, and my vision blurs as I run my fingers along the serpent’s body.

The mark hums faintly beneath my skin.

Warm, alive, and connected.

"I can feel you," I whisper, and Zephan’s hand rests lightly over mine.

"The bond does that." He notes, and I smile proudly.

For a while, we simply sit there, watching the mark settle.

Eventually, he presses a kiss against my shoulder.

"You should rest." He says, and I look up at him.

"And you?" I question, and he smiles at me.

"I need to check the guards." He notes, and I pout.

"You don’t have to."

"I do." He counters as his hand brushes gently across my stomach.

"After what happened earlier, I’d rather be sure everything is calm tonight." He notes, and I look away.

That’s a fair answer, so I nod.

"Don’t take long." I finally conclude, and he smiles.

"I won’t." He promises, and I smile.

I watch as he stands, pulls on his robe, and pants.

Before leaving, he leans down and presses another kiss to my forehead.

"Sleep." He breathes, and with that, he leaves the room.

The door closes softly behind him, and the room becomes quiet again as my gaze returns to the new mark.