Chapter 7

• I could feel the weight of Elijah’s eyes on me as we drove through the empty streets. The silence between us was thick, the tension suffocating, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
• I stared out the window, my mind reeling from everything that had happened in the last few hours.
• Damian’s words echoed in my head, sharp and cruel: You’ve made your choice. But had I? Had I really chosen this—Elijah, the lies, the betrayal? Or was it just a consequence of everything falling apart?
• My heart clenched as I thought of Damian, of the way his face had twisted with anger and pain. He had always been cold, distant, but in those moments, there had been something raw and broken about him. I had never seen him like that, and I didn’t know how to process it.
• The car slowed as Elijah pulled into the long, winding driveway that led to his estate—a place I had never been but had heard whispered about.
• The looming mansion came into view, its dark, gothic architecture casting shadows that stretched out toward me like claws. It felt like I was stepping deeper into a trap, and yet, I couldn’t turn back.
• “Welcome to my home,” Elijah said, his voice breaking through the silence.
• I didn’t respond, my fingers gripping the seatbelt tightly as the car came to a stop. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced at him, his expression calm, too calm.
• “You’ll be safe here,” he added, as if that was supposed to reassure me.
• Safe? I didn’t even know what that word meant anymore. I felt like I was caught between two predators, both waiting for the right moment to tear me apart. But Elijah had a different kind of power over me. His mark. His control.
• He stepped out of the car, walking around to open my door. His hand extended toward me, but I hesitated, my body stiffening. I didn’t want to take it. I didn’t want to step further into his world. But when I saw the look in his eyes, a cold determination, I knew I had no choice.
• With trembling fingers, I took his hand, allowing him to pull me from the car. The night air was cold, biting against my skin as we walked up the stone steps that led to the mansion.
• The door creaked open, and I stepped inside, the warmth of the house a stark contrast to the chill in my bones.
• The interior was just as imposing as the exterior—dark wood paneling, high ceilings, and shadows that seemed to lurk in every corner. The house felt alive, watching me, waiting to see what I would do next.
• Elijah closed the door behind us, the sound echoing through the empty halls. He didn’t speak, but his presence was overwhelming, filling the space around me. I could feel him watching me, studying me, waiting for something.
• I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I forced myself to speak. “Why am I here?”
• He turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “Because it’s where you belong now.”
• I shook my head, stepping back. “No. I don’t belong here. I don’t belong to you.”
• Elijah’s eyes darkened, and he took a step toward me, his voice soft but dangerous. “You belong to me, Annabel. You knew that the moment you let me mark you.”
• I flinched at the reminder, my hand instinctively going to my neck, where the mark still burned beneath my skin. I had tried to ignore it, to pretend it wasn’t there, but I couldn’t. It was a constant reminder of what I had done, of the choice that had been stolen from me.
• “Elijah, this isn’t—” I started, but he cut me off, his hand grabbing my wrist with a firm, unyielding grip.
• “You can fight it all you want,” he said, his voice low, almost a growl. “But you can’t escape what’s already been done.”
• I stared at him, my pulse quickening as fear crept up my spine. Elijah was nothing like Damian. He didn’t rage, didn’t explode. His control was cold, calculated. He manipulated every word, every action, until I didn’t know where I stood anymore. I felt small, powerless.
• But a flicker of anger sparked in my chest, a defiance I hadn’t felt in months. I yanked my wrist free from his grip, stepping back as my voice shook with the weight of my words. “I’ll never be yours.”
• Elijah’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a smirk. “You already are.”
• The finality of his words made my heart sink. How had it come to this? How had I ended up trapped between two men who only wanted to control me? My entire life had spiraled into chaos, and I didn’t know how to stop it.
• But I couldn’t stay here. Not with him.
• “I need to go,” I said, turning toward the door.
• Elijah moved faster than I anticipated, his hand closing over my shoulder, pulling me back. “You’re not leaving.”
• Panic surged through me, and I twisted in his grasp, trying to break free, but his strength was overwhelming. “Let me go, Elijah. I don’t want this.”
• His grip tightened, his voice dropping to a whisper. “It doesn’t matter what you want anymore, Annabel. This is your life now.”
• I struggled against him, my body trembling with fear and frustration. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape him. His hold on me was too strong—physically, emotionally. He had marked me, and there was no undoing that.
• “Elijah, please,” I begged, my voice breaking. “Don’t do this.”
• For a moment, he hesitated, his eyes searching mine. And then, just as quickly, his expression hardened, and he released me, stepping back. “You’re scared,” he said, his tone cold. “But fear won’t save you.”
• I stumbled backward, my back hitting the wall as I tried to catch my breath. My mind was racing, my heart pounding in my chest as I realized just how deep I had fallen into this nightmare. I had no control. Not over Damian. Not over Elijah. And certainly not over myself.
• But then something shifted inside me—something small but powerful. I wasn’t completely helpless. Not yet. There was still a part of me that could fight back, even if it was buried deep beneath the fear. I wasn’t the weak wolf everyone thought I was. I had survived Damian’s cruelty, his betrayal. I could survive Elijah too.
• But how?
• Before I could figure it out, Elijah’s phone buzzed, breaking the tension between us. He glanced down at the screen, his eyes narrowing as he read the message.
• “What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
• He didn’t respond immediately, his jaw clenching as he stared at the phone. And then, without a word, he turned and walked toward the door, his steps quick and purposeful.
• “Elijah?” I called after him, but he didn’t stop.
• The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone in the massive, silent house.
• I stood there, my body shaking as I tried to make sense of what had just happened. Elijah had left, but that didn’t mean I was free. Not really. His presence lingered, like a shadow that refused to fade. And I knew, deep down, that he wasn’t finished with me.
• Not by a long shot.