After the battle, the night was quiet. Too quiet.
Kaiden and Lucien stood on either side of me. Both alive, both watching. Both… dangerous.
I shivered. My mark glowed faintly, still reacting to both of them.
Lucien's voice broke the silence. "You can't let him—Kaiden—interfere like that again. Your power is too unpredictable."
Kaiden raised an eyebrow. "And yet, it responded to me."
I bit my lip, unsure. "It… it just happens."
Kaiden's gaze softened, almost imperceptibly. "Not by accident."
Lucien's jaw clenched. "Control it, or it will control you. And no one else matters until you survive."
I felt torn—fear, attraction, trust, frustration—all colliding inside me.
Kaiden stepped closer, closer than before. "You're not just powerful. You're… unique. Dangerous, yes. But necessary. And I won't let anyone take that from you."
Lucien's eyes flicked to Kaiden. "Not helping your case."
I realized something terrifying. My heart wasn't just mine anymore. My power wasn't just mine. And tonight had made it impossible to ignore the pull between all of us.