Matilda's POV
Midnight came, but sleep never did. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts a tangled mess of fear and uncertainty.
Marco was awake too. He hadn't moved in a while, but I could feel his presence, his warmth beside me.
Then, as if sensing my restlessness, he shifted, pulling me against his chest. His strong arms wrapped around me, grounding me, holding me together even as I felt like I was falling apart.
"It's gonna be okay," he murmured, his lips pressing gently against my hair. "I'll be with you always."
His voice was steady, so full of certainty that it made my throat tighten.
I closed my eyes, letting his warmth seep into me, letting his words settle in the cracks of my fear.
"I know," I whispered, my fingers curling into his shirt.
For a long moment, we just lay there, his heartbeat strong against my ear, his breathing steady.
Then, barely above a whisper, I admitted, "I'm still scared."
His hold on me tightened. "I know, baby." He tilted my chin up, his golden eyes locking onto mine in the dim moonlight. "But you don't have to do this alone. We'll figure it out together."
I swallowed hard, nodding slightly.
His thumb brushed over my cheek, his touch achingly gentle. "And just so you know," he added, a small smirk tugging at his lips, "our kid is going to be just as stubborn as you."
Despite everything, a breathy laugh escaped me. "Or just as arrogant as you."
His smirk widened. "I'd say confident."
I rolled my eyes, and for the first time that night, the weight on my chest felt just a little lighter.
Marco leaned in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to my forehead. "Get some rest, love. I've got you."
And as I let my eyes close, his arms still wrapped around me, I finally believed him.
I was still resting, wrapped in the warmth of my blankets, trying to process everything when a sudden commotion outside shattered the peaceful morning.
Shouts echoed through the halls, heavy footsteps pounding against the floor as warriors rushed past. My heart lurched.
"What's happening?" I asked, trying to sit up.
Before I could move, Elera burst into the room, her expression tense.
"Matilda, we need to go. Now."
Panic clawed at my chest. "What? Why?"
"No time to explain!" she grabbed my arm, trying to pull me up. "Marco and the others will handle it, but we need to get you to the safe room immediately!"
My blood ran cold. Whatever was happening—it was serious.
Just as I stood, Lena and Ana rushed in, their faces grim.
"Rouges," Lena said, eyes flicking toward the door. "A lot of them."
Ana cursed under her breath. "We should have expected Kade would try something soon."
My stomach twisted. Kade. That name alone sent shivers down my spine.
Elera squeezed my hand. "Come on, Matilda. We can't risk you getting hurt."
I hesitated, my eyes darting to the door, as if Marco would suddenly appear and tell me everything was fine. But he wasn't here, and I knew better than to argue when the castle was under attack.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Let's go."
Elera, Lena, and Ana surrounded me as we hurried down the hall, the distant sounds of battle growing louder. My heart pounded with every step, fear settling deep in my bones.
Where was Marco? Was he safe?
The heavy door slammed shut behind us, sealing us inside the safe room. The air was thick with tension, my breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.
But even as I stood in the center of the room, my legs refused to move. Fear clamped around my chest, sinking its claws deep.
I couldn't stop shaking.
The sounds of the battle outside the snarls, the clashing of blades, the pained cries rang in my ears. My mind screamed at me to stay strong, to focus, but my body wouldn't listen.
Then the air shifted.
A cold chill slithered through the room, like an unseen force creeping along my skin. The torches flickered violently before snuffing out, plunging us into eerie darkness.
I sucked in a sharp breath. "W-What was that?"
Before anyone could answer, a deep, guttural whisper echoed through the room.
"Found you..."
My stomach dropped.
A shadow twisted into existence before me, darker than the surrounding blackness, writhing and pulsing like a living thing. The air grew suffocating, an unnatural pressure pressing down on my chest.
Then a pulse of energy exploded outward.
Lena gasped. Ana staggered. Elera's eyes widened in shock
Then they collapsed.
One by one, they dropped to the ground, their bodies limp, unmoving. Even the warriors stationed inside crumpled, their weapons slipping from their hands as they hit the floor with dull thuds.
I was the only one left standing.
Terror rooted me in place. I wanted to scream, to run, to do something, but my limbs felt frozen.
I couldn't breathe.
Lena, Elera, Ana, and the warriors lay unmoving on the cold stone floor. The silence that followed their collapse was deafening, pressing against my ears like a heavy weight.
Then footsteps. Slow. Deliberate.
A figure stepped out from the shifting darkness, his presence suffocating.
Kade.
I knew it before I even saw his face. His energy was like ice, curling around me, digging into my skin like invisible claws.
"Where is your Alpha now?" Kade's voice was smooth, almost mocking, as he strode closer. His sharp eyes gleamed in the dim light, filled with cruel amusement.
I tried to move, to take a step back, but my legs refused to work. I was trapped.
Fear coiled around my throat, making it impossible to speak. I could barely even think.
Kade tilted his head, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey.
My stomach twisted violently.
He was closer now, close enough that I could see the faint scars along his jaw, the dark hunger in his gaze.
I wanted to scream. To fight. But fear had paralyzed me.
Marco. Where was Marco?
Kade reached out, his fingers grazing my cheek. I flinched, but I couldn't move away.
"You thought you could hide from me?" His voice dropped lower, more menacing. "You thought that Lycan King could protect you?"
I swallowed hard, my entire body shaking.
I didn't know what to do.
And for the first time since Marco took me from the human world
I truly felt helpless.
I tried to scream.
I needed to.
But nothing came out. My throat felt constricted, as if an unseen force had stolen my voice. My limbs were weak, trembling, unable to move.
A wave of dizziness crashed over me, my vision tilting. The fear was overwhelming, suffocating dragging me into darkness.
I fainted.
Everything was hazy, but I was still aware.
Faintly, as if from a distance, I felt strong arms lifting me. A rough palm brushed against my cheek, lingering for a moment before sliding down my arm.
Then a voice.
Low, taunting, possessive.
"You belong to me, Matilda. Not Marco."
Kade.
His grip tightened slightly, pulling me closer against his chest. I could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing, the cold aura radiating from him.
"So beautiful." he murmured, his fingers trailing along my jaw. "Even more than I remembered."
I wanted to fight, to wake up, to push him away
But my body wouldn't listen.
I was trapped in the darkness, helpless in his grasp.