Elena's breath came in short, panicked gasps as Ronan towered over her, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light. The fire behind him flickered, casting long shadows along the stone walls of the unfamiliar room. The scent of cedar and something darkly primal filled the air—his scent.
She yanked at the chains binding her wrists, ignoring the sharp bite of iron against her skin. Panic clawed at her chest, but she refused to let it consume her.
She glared up at him. "I don't belong to you."
Ronan's lips curled slightly, his expression unreadable. He reached out, running a single finger along the length of the chain holding her. "These say otherwise."
Elena's stomach twisted.
"Let me go," she demanded, her voice hardening despite the tremor in her limbs. "You have no right—"
Ronan moved in a blur. One second, he was standing near the fireplace; the next, he was in front of her, his hands braced against the wooden headboard, caging her in. The air shifted with his presence, thick with something that made her skin tingle.
"You still don't understand, do you?" His voice was low, almost soft, but there was something lethal beneath it. "You were chosen, Elena. The Moon marked you as mine."
She flinched at the word. Mine.
No. She would never belong to him.
"You're insane," she spat, twisting away from his closeness. "Let me go, you bastard!"
Ronan's expression darkened, but he didn't react to her insult. Instead, he slowly reached out, and before she could recoil, he brushed his fingers against her wrist.
The reaction was instant.
A spark ignited beneath her skin, a heat unlike anything she had ever felt. It raced through her veins like wildfire, shocking, uncontrollable. Her breath caught, her heart slamming against her ribs.
Ronan smirked slightly. "Feel that?"
She did.
And she hated it.
Elena jerked away, her chains rattling violently. "Don't touch me!"
Ronan exhaled sharply, straightening. "Fighting it won't change anything."
She clenched her jaw. "You're wrong. I'm human. Whatever—this—is, it's not real."
Ronan studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "You'll learn soon enough."
He turned away, moving toward the door. "Get some rest. You'll need your strength."
"For what?" she demanded.
He paused, glancing at her over his shoulder. "For the trials."
Elena's stomach dropped. "Trials?"
Ronan didn't answer. He simply walked out, locking the heavy wooden door behind him.
Elena stared at the door, her mind racing.
What the hell had she been dragged into?
And what trials was he talking about?
One thing was certain—she had to escape. Before it was too late.
---
Meanwhile…
Viktor stood at the edge of the courtyard, watching as Ronan emerged from the manor. The Beta crossed his arms, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as Ronan approached.
"She's awake," Ronan said simply.
"And?" Viktor asked.
Ronan ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "She's fighting it."
Viktor let out a low chuckle. "Did you expect her to throw herself into your arms?"
Ronan shot him a glare. "This isn't funny, Viktor."
"Maybe not. But you did kidnap her."
Ronan growled, turning away. "The Council will never accept a human Luna. The only way she survives here is if she proves herself."
Viktor's expression darkened slightly. "You mean the trials."
Ronan nodded. "She has to endure them. It's the only way."
"And if she fails?"
Ronan's jaw tightened. "Then she dies."
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Viktor sighed. "Does she even know what's coming?"
Ronan didn't answer.
Because deep down, he knew—Elena would never forgive him for what was about to happen.
And for the first time in his life, that thought bothered him.