Zane~
"MATE. MINE."
Red's voice thundered through my mind like a force of nature, raw and absolute. My entire body locked up as those words echoed, rattling inside me like an undeniable truth.
No. That wasn't possible.
I was certain Natalie was my chosen mate—not my fated mate. I had made peace with that. But now? Red's declaration made my heart slam against my ribs like a caged beast, my breath catching in my throat as realization set in.
Natalie was my fated mate.
This couldn't be happening. Marking a chosen mate didn't do this. There was never a bond—no spiritual ties, no electric sparks, nothing but a connection created by a simple choice. But this? This was something else entirely.
My hands trembled as I pulled away, my teeth retracting from her soft skin. I could still taste her—warm, intoxicating, undeniably mine. A rush of emotions flooded me—fear, exhilaration, confusion.
