Chapter 2 The Bite and the Mark

Light.

Too bright.

Aria groaned and turned her head, wishing the pounding in her skull would stop. Her neck throbbed with sharp pain, and her body felt heavy, as if she had run for miles before collapsing.

Slowly, she blinked her eyes open.

White walls. The faint smell of disinfectant. The steady beeping of a machine beside her.

A hospital.

For a moment, relief washed through her. Maybe last night had been nothing more than a nightmare. Maybe she had fallen, hit her head, and dreamed everything else.

But when her fingers touched her neck, she froze.

The skin was tender. Two raised punctures. Exactly where his teeth had been.

Her stomach lurched.

It had been real.

Her heart started racing as memories rushed back. The man with glowing red eyes. The sharp bite that had set her veins on fire. The wolf with golden eyes pressing against her shoulder, burning something into her skin.

Her free hand moved to her collarbone. The skin there was warm and sensitive, as if a hidden fire still lingered beneath. She pulled at the collar of the hospital gown and her breath caught.

There, etched faintly into her skin, was a strange mark. Not ink, not a scar. More like a symbol burned into her flesh.

She snatched her hand away as if touching it might set her aflame again.

No. No, this can't be real.

The door creaked open.

Aria sat up too fast, making the room spin. A nurse stepped inside, carrying a clipboard. Her smile was polite, but her eyes studied Aria too closely, as if she knew more than she should.

"You're awake," the nurse said. "How are you feeling?"

Aria's throat felt dry. "Confused. My neck hurts. What... what happened to me?"

"You were found unconscious in an alley," the nurse said calmly. "Somebody called it in, and an ambulance brought you here. You've lost some blood, but you'll recover with rest."

Aria gripped the blanket. "And the... the mark?"

The nurse glanced at her shoulder but did not answer. Instead, she scribbled something on her clipboard. "I'll let the doctor explain."

Her words felt too careful, too measured.

Before Aria could push for more, the nurse left. The door closed with a soft click, leaving her alone with the steady beeping of the monitor.

Alone... or maybe not.

Her chest tightened. That same heavy feeling from last night pressed against her skin, prickling the back of her neck. She looked toward the window.

Someone was there.

A figure leaned casually against the shadowed corner of the room, half hidden by the curtain. She hadn't heard the window open, but she knew, deep down-he had been there the whole time.

Her heart jumped. "Who's there?"

The figure stepped forward, and her breath caught.

It was him.

The man from the alley. The vampire. His hood was gone now, revealing a face that was both sharp and unnervingly beautiful. High cheekbones, dark hair falling over his forehead, lips curved in a faint smile that never touched his cold red eyes.

Her blood ran cold. "You"

"Relax," he said softly, raising one hand as if to calm her. "If I meant to finish what I started, you wouldn't be speaking right now."

The room seemed to shrink. Her fingers clutched the blanket so tightly her knuckles turned white. "What do you want from me?"

His smile deepened. "You already know."

Her heart pounded harder.

"You're mine now," he continued, stepping closer. "My bite claimed you. Your blood sings to me. No one else can have it."

Aria shook her head, her voice trembling. "No. No, I didn't ask for this. I don't belong to you."

Something flickered in his gaze, almost amused. "You think choice matters now?"

Before she could answer, the door burst open.

A rush of cold wind swept through the room, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth.

Aria gasped.

Another man stood in the doorway. Broad shoulders, sharp jaw, golden eyes that seemed to glow even in the sterile hospital light.

The wolf.

No, he was a man now, but she knew it was him. She felt it in her bones.

The two men locked eyes across the room, tension snapping between them like a drawn bowstring.

"You're early," the vampire said smoothly, though his jaw tightened.

"You're trespassing," the newcomer growled, his voice low and rough. His eyes flicked to Aria, softening just slightly before hardening again. "She's under my protection now."

Aria's chest rose and fell quickly, her head turning from one to the other. Her body still ached, but a strange pull tugged at her chest, drawing her toward both of them at once.

One cold as night. One fierce as fire.

Her voice broke as she whispered, "What's happening to me?"

Neither of them answered.

The vampire stepped closer to her bed. The wolf moved too, blocking him with a snarl.

For a moment, she thought they would tear each other apart right there in the hospital room. The air was thick with power, with danger, with something she couldn't name.

Then the vampire leaned close enough for her to hear his whisper. "Remember, little one. My bite came first."

The wolf growled in warning, but the vampire vanished, melting into shadow before her eyes.

Aria's breath hitched. He was just... gone.

Silence fell, broken only by the beeping machine.

She turned to the man who remained. His golden eyes met hers, steady and fierce.

"You're safe now," he said quietly.

But Aria wasn't sure if she believed him.

Because her neck still burned. Her shoulder still ached. And she was beginning to realize that whatever had started last night... it wasn't going to end anytime soon.