The morning sun poured through the tall windows of the mansion, bathing the rooms in gold. Luna woke to the soft warmth of the sunlight on her face. For a moment, she lingered in bed, feeling the emptiness beside her. He wasn’t there yet, and her chest tightened with a mix of longing and frustration.

She rolled onto her side, running her fingers across the sheets, remembering how he had held her, claimed her, and yet still kept secrets. Secrets she wanted to uncover, even if it meant risking her heart.

Sliding out of bed, she wrapped a robe around herself and padded down the hallway. The mansion was quiet, except for the faint murmur of the wind against the tall windows. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, taking in the grandeur. Everything shimmered polished floors, high ceilings, golden sunlight reflecting off the chandeliers. It was beautiful, almost unreal.

Downstairs, the aroma of fresh coffee and baked bread filled the kitchen. Luna saw Mrs. Mira and Mrs. Clara bustling about, preparing breakfast. They stopped when they saw her and smiled warmly.

“Good morning, dear,” Mrs. Mira said. “Breakfast will be ready soon. You must be hungry.”

“I… thought I could help,” Luna said softly. She felt a little out of place in such a grand kitchen. “I don’t want to just sit around.”

Mrs. Clara raised an eyebrow. “But… you don’t have to. You are the master’s woman now. Let us handle it.”

“The master’s woman?” Luna repeated, her voice sharp. She clenched her fists at her sides. “I’m not anyone’s… possession. I am not the master’s woman. I am me. I can help if I want to.”

Mrs. Mira exchanged a glance with Clara, then nodded. “As you wish, dear.”

Luna moved to the sink and began washing the plates. Her hands were submerged in warm water, bubbles lathering around her fingers. She could feel her anger simmering beneath the calm of her movements. Possessed. Labeled. Tied to someone like a chain she hadn’t agreed to wear. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

She scrubbed a plate harder than needed, the sensation of the warm water grounding her. She told herself she was in control, that she could do something for herself. But even as she worked, her thoughts drifted to Kael. She remembered the way he had kissed her, the weight of his body pressed against hers, the dark heat of his gaze. Her cheeks flushed, and she cursed herself. She hated how easily her body betrayed her mind.

“Luna.” The deep, smooth voice made her flinch. She turned around, her heart skipping a beat.

Kael stood in the doorway, tall, strong, and commanding as always. He wore a simple black shirt and dark trousers, yet even in the plain clothes, he exuded power. His eyes scanned her, calm but intense.

“You’re here,” she said, trying to mask the heat rising to her cheeks. “I—uh, I wanted to help.”

Kael’s gaze softened slightly, though it didn’t lose its intensity. “I see that.” He looked toward the housekeepers. “Would you two mind leaving us for a moment?”

Mrs. Mira and Clara exchanged surprised glances. “But… she insisted,” Clara said gently.

“I understand,” Kael said, voice smooth, polite. “But let her work with me. That is all.”

The elderly women nodded, backing out of the kitchen. Luna felt a flutter of surprise. He didn’t need to assert himself; yet he did, calmly, without cruelty.

Once they were alone, Kael stepped behind her. His arms circled her waist effortlessly. Luna stiffened, flinching at the sudden closeness.

“Kael,” she whispered, her voice both warning and trembling.

“Shh,” he murmured against the shell of her ear. “I won’t hurt you.”

Her breath caught. She wanted to pull away, to step from his arms, but her body refused. A shiver ran down her spine as his hands rested lightly on her hips. He smelled of cedar and something dark, something dangerous.

“You’re blushing,” he teased, his lips brushing her hair.

“I’m not,” she said, though her cheeks burned and her heart raced.

Kael’s lips curved into a faint, teasing smile. “Are you sure?” He leaned closer, his voice low, hypnotic. “Because you smell like fire, and your pulse is betraying you.”

Luna’s hands fisted in the front of her apron. “I’m washing dishes, Kael,” she muttered, though her voice sounded weaker than she intended.

He laughed softly, a sound that made her chest tighten. Then, unexpectedly, he stepped aside and took a plate. “Let me help,” he said. “I can do it too.”

Her jaw dropped. “You… you’re…?”

He shrugged. “Not who you think I am.” Then, with the grace of a predator and the ease of a man used to command, he scrubbed and rinsed. His strong hands moved easily, methodically. He even made light breakfast scrambled eggs, toast, and brewed coffee. Luna couldn’t help but watch him, feeling a strange warmth that went beyond attraction.

When the plates were clean and breakfast ready, they carried it to the dining room. The sunlight poured in through the windows, highlighting his dark hair and silver-gray eyes. They ate in silence at first, the quiet punctuated by the clinking of silverware.

“So… you’re letting me help in the kitchen?” Luna asked finally, her tone cautious.

Kael’s gaze met hers. “I don’t force you to do anything, Luna. You choose your actions. But I enjoy your company… even while doing chores.”

She wanted to argue, but instead, she blushed, looking down at her plate. The tension between them hummed quietly, like a wire stretched tight.

After breakfast, Kael stood and stretched. “I have to go out for a few hours. Feel at home while I’m gone,” he said. His voice was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of command that made her pulse spike.

“I… I will,” Luna replied. Inside, she was torn. She wanted answers, and yet she missed the feel of his body next to hers already.

As he left, Luna wandered the mansion. Every corner was breathtaking, from the grand staircase to the high ceilings and chandeliers. She peeked into the library, ran her fingers across the spines of old books. The house was elegant, beautiful, yet it felt like a gilded cage.

Her curiosity pulled her to Kael’s study. Papers, files, and books were stacked neatly. She looked for secrets, for something that would explain him, the mark, the bond, anything. Her heart raced as she rifled through the drawers and cabinets. Nothing. Nothing that could explain why he had taken her, why he had kissed her, why she was bound to him.

Frustration bubbled inside her. She slammed a drawer shut and sank into the chair. “Why is he hiding so much?” she whispered. “What is he?”

---

In his office, Kael stood by the window, looking out at the gardens below. His hands were clasped behind his back, his expression dark. He had left Luna alone in the mansion, yet he could feel her presence like a tether pulling at him. She was unaware of the threats circling them both. The group that had hunted him for years the ones who wanted the curse broken, or him destroyed were closer than she knew.

And there was Aria. The truth about her death, her betrayal, the curse that had tainted him for centuries it could never reach Luna. She would never understand. She couldn’t. The knowledge would destroy her, or at least the part of her that made her human.

Kael ran a hand through his hair, teeth clenched. He wanted to protect her, wanted to claim her entirely, yet he needed her to remain untouched by the horrors of his world. Her presence was already intoxicating; her defiance only made him more desperate to hold her.

He thought of the mark on her wrist. That mark bound them, connected them, and he could feel it pulsing even from this distance. Fate had chosen her, and he would fight to keep her safe, even if she hated him.

Hate or not, she was his.

---

By nightfall, the mansion was quiet, lit softly by golden lamps. Luna was in her room, the moonlight casting silver across the bed. She was tired, but her mind refused rest. Thoughts of Kael, of the mark, of his secrets, swirled through her mind.

A soft knock made her heart leap. Before she could answer, the door opened. Kael stepped inside, his presence filling the room. He closed the door behind him, silence pressing down.

He came closer, slow and deliberate, until he stood at the edge of her bed. “Sleep has not come to you,” he murmured, his voice low and possessive.

Luna’s heart raced. “I—Kael, I…” she began, but words failed her. She couldn’t stop staring at him, the way the shadows played on his sharp features, the intensity of his silver-gray eyes.

He reached for her, hands brushing her arms lightly, sending shivers through her body. “You’ve tried to resist me all day,” he said, voice rough. “But I can feel it, Luna. You want me.”

Her breath caught. She had fought it, denied it, tried to anchor herself to reason. But the ache in her body, the memory of his touch, was unbearable.

Before she could move away, he pressed his lips to hers. This time, she didn’t resist. Her hands found his chest, clutching him as if holding onto her sanity. The kiss deepened, passion flaring, breathless, desperate.

His hands roamed her body with reverent hunger, claiming her, marking her as his. Every touch ignited a fire she couldn’t extinguish, every whisper of his voice made her ache more.

“Luna,” he murmured between kisses, “we seal this bond… not with words, but with each other.”

Her body responded even as her mind fought. She had wanted answers, she had wanted freedom. But in this moment, none of that mattered. Only him. Only the heat, the need, the impossible connection that left her dizzy, trembling, and consumed.

As they moved together, hearts pounding in unison, the room became a world of its own. Breathless, clinging, desperate, they melted into each other, letting desire take over, surrendering to the bond that had drawn them together.

Finally, hours later, Luna lay pressed against him, hair damp, chest heaving. She was trembling, a mix of frustration, longing, and surrender. She hated the possession, the obsession, the power he held over her but she could not deny it. Not now, not ever.

And Kael, holding her close, whispered against her hair, “You are mine, Luna. And I will never let you go.”

Outside, the moon shone bright, silver light spilling across the mansion, as if marking the beginning of a night that would change everything.