Chapter 164: Ten Points to You

Sophia’s voice trembled with disbelief.

"Is this... is this a mating mark?"

Orion didn’t even hesitate. "Ding, ding, ding," he said dryly, his tone dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Ten points to you for just discovering that."

Sophia’s jaw dropped. "You’re joking."

He turned his head slightly, amusement curling at the edge of his mouth. "Do I look like I’m joking? Better yet, does the mark look like a joke to you? Does it look like something I did myself?"

"Well, no," she said to him.

She frowned, her voice laced with confusion. "But how is it possible? If at all this mark happened, then there must have been a sign or—"

She froze mid-sentence, a thought hitting her like lightning.

Her eyes widened as her voice dropped to a whisper. "Wait... did you..." She swallowed. "Did you have sex with someone else just after sleeping with me?"

Orion blinked, and then, with the heaviest eye-roll in recorded history, turned fully to face her. "Really?" he asked flatly. "That’s where your mind went?"

"Well, I’m just saying—"

"No," he cut her off, irritation and amusement warring in his tone. "It’s not even possible. Not that I’d want to try," he added.

Orion ran a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like moon help me. Then he met her eyes again. "Sophia," he said carefully, "this..." He pointed to the glowing mark still faintly pulsing along his back. "...happened between us. You and me. When we were in the deep throes of pleasure last night. That’s why I asked if you noticed anything weird."

"But how did we not notice?" she asked him. "And why does your mark look different? Is it supposed to look like this? I thought it was supposed to be something small?"

"According to Noctis, there’s a reason why the mark is like this. And also, did you miss the part where I said it happened when we were so blinded by pleasure?" he asked her.

Sophia frowned. "Who’s Noctis?"

He gave her a small, lopsided smile. "My wolf."

"Oh." She nodded slowly, trying to process that. Then, a second later, her head snapped up. "Wait...if that’s your mark, and this is between us, then I should have it too."

She gasped, realization dawning as her eyes widened.

"Sophia..." Orion started, but she was already moving. With one swift tug, she began peeling off her shirt.

He blinked. "Uh...what exactly are you doing?"

"Checking," she said matter-of-factly, pulling her top over her head and tossing it aside. "You said it’s on you. So it should be on me too."

Orion’s lips twitched, then curved into an unmistakable grin. "Far be it from me to discourage this kind of enthusiasm," he murmured, his tone lazy and teasing as he leaned back slightly, eyes glinting. "By all means, don’t let me stop you."

She gave him a withering look but kept stripping, tugging down the waistband of her pants. Orion tilted his head, his gaze sliding over her like a sin he knew he’d commit twice.

"You know," he said, voice low, "I could get used to the sight of you naked."

Without looking at him, she raised one hand and flipped him off. But there was a smile tugging her lips.

He laughed quietly, the sound dark and smooth.

When she finally stood bare before him, she turned around and pointed at her back. "Well? Do you see it?"

Orion’s teasing expression faltered. His breath caught just slightly as his gaze landed on her back.

There it was.

The mark.

Only it wasn’t small like his. It wasn’t just a single symbol etched into her skin. It was an expanse—a breathtaking cascade of light and runes that shimmered faintly like liquid moonlight, curling from her shoulders down to the small of her back. It pulsed gently, alive, tracing patterns that moved in slow, graceful waves, just like his. It was the same mark as his own, but hers was bigger—wilder, radiant, as though it had more to say.

The light rippled softly as if aware of his gaze, responding to something unseen between them. For a fleeting moment, it seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat, and he swore he could feel it—feel her—in that quiet connection that thrummed between them. The energy carried something primal, intimate, ancient. A bond that neither of them fully understood, yet neither could deny.

He swallowed hard, taking a step closer without even realizing it. "Sophia," he murmured.

She shifted slightly, uncertain. "What? Is it there?"

He didn’t answer right away. His voice came out softer, reverent. "It is. And it’s beautiful."

She turned her head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. "So there is one?"

"Yeah," he said quietly, moving closer still. "There’s definitely one."

He hesitated for a heartbeat before stepping right behind her. His hand hovered over her shoulder for a moment, then gently rested there. His touch was warm, grounding. She stilled under it, as her pulse suddenly quickened.

Then, unexpectedly, he leaned in, brushing his lips against her shoulder. Just a whisper of contact, but it made her breath hitch. "You’re beautiful," he said softly, his voice barely above a murmur.

Sophia froze. The warmth from his lips seemed to spread through her skin like wildfire, chasing away the chill that had settled in the room. Her throat felt tight. "Of course I am," she told him with a smile.

Orion laughed at her words. "Too bad you’re short."

"You like me like this," she told him.

Orion laughed again. "I really do."

"How exactly does my mark look like? Is it exactly like yours?" she asked him. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"It is exactly like mine but it’s bigger. It takes up the full expanse of your back," he told her.

Sophia could only imagine what he was describing.

"Do you want to see it?" Orion asked her.

Sophia released a tired sigh. "Of course I want to see it."

Orion turned and glanced around. "Um...do you have a mirror, shorty?"