Chapter 42

OMARI

The smell hit me first. Metallic. Blood.

Then came the sound. A low growl.

The rogue’s red eyes gleamed through the half open door.

My heart thudded so hard I could hear it.

He pushed the door wider

I didn’t move. Couldn’t.

He stepped inside slowly, his shoulders brushing against the frame. His skin was half human, half fur, patches of flesh torn where claws had ripped through.

His mouth stretched into something that almost looked like a grin.

“You should have stayed hidden, little one,” he rasped.

My body finally responded. I moved back, my foot struggling to find balance. I stumbled and fell, my palms hitting the floor.

“Stay away,” I said, my voice shaking.

He tilted his head, sniffing the air.

“That scent,” he murmured. “It’s you. You’re the one.”

I didn’t understand what he meant, but I didn’t need to. He took a step closer. Then another. His claws scraped the floor, leaving marks behind.

I glanced around quickly. No weapon. Nothing sharp. Only a small lamp on the bedside table. I grabbed it and threw it as hard as I could.

It hit his shoulder and shattered, sending glass and oil flying. For a second, he flinched.

That was enough for me to run.

I darted for the window, fumbling with the latch. It wouldn’t budge. My fingers slipped. The rogue’s snarl came closer, louder. I looked back just as he lunged.

I dropped to the floor. His claws tore through the curtains instead of me. The fabric tore apart, falling around us.

He swung again, missing me by an inch. I crawled backward until my hand brushed against something cold. A metal rod from the broken lamp. I grabbed it and swung.

It hit his jaw with a loud crack. He staggered, growling.

I scrambled to my feet and ran for the door.

But he was faster.

His arm shot out, catching me around the waist. I screamed as he dragged me back, his claws digging into my skin.

“You belong to him,” he hissed in my ear, his breath hot and foul. “He marked you.”

My blood ran cold. “Who?”

But he didn’t answer. His grip tightened. I kicked and twisted, my nails clawing at his arm. He didn’t seem to feel it.

A sound echoed from the hall. Heavy steps. Then a voice deep, sharp, and furious.

“Let her go.”

The rogue turned his head, growling.

Kael stood there. His shirt was torn, blood pouring down his neck. His eyes glowed. He looked almost inhuman. Stronger, darker, his chest rising and falling with each breath.

“Move,” Kael growled.

The rogue laughed. “You can’t kill me. Not without killing her too.”

Kael’s jaw clenched. His hand curled into a fist. “Try me.”

The rogue yanked me closer, using me as a shield. I could feel his claws pressing against my ribs. One wrong move, and he’d rip through me.

Kael took a step forward. Then stopped. His eyes met mine.

“Omari,” he said softly, “trust me.”

My throat tightened. “Kael”

“Now!” he shouted.

Everything happened suddenly. Kael lunged. I ducked. The rogue swung his arm, claws slicing through the air. Kael dodged and slammed into him, both of them crashing into the wall.

I stumbled back, hitting the bed. Dust filled the room as furniture broke under their weight. The rogue snarled and threw Kael across the room. He hit the dresser, hard, but got back up.

Kael’s eyes burned brighter. His voice was a low growl now. “You shouldn’t have touched her.”

He charged again. This time, when his hand closed around the rogue’s throat, something changed. His claws came out. Not fully just enough to make me realize he wasn’t holding back anymore. My mouth was open in shock.

The rogue tried to fight, but Kael slammed him against the wall. “Who sent you?”

Blood dripped from the rogue’s mouth. He grinned, teeth stained red. “You already know.”

Kael’s grip tightened. The rogue gasped, clawing at his wrist. “You can’t stop him,” he croaked. “He’ll come for her.”

And then, before Kael could ask more, the rogue twisted his own claws into his chest. I screamed. He fell lifeless. Dead before his body even hit the ground.

For a long moment, there was silence.

Kael stood over the body, his chest heaving, his hands trembling slightly. Then he looked at me.

“Are you hurt?”

I shook my head. “No. I-I’m fine.”

He took a step toward me. I stepped back. I couldn’t help it. My heart was still racing. My hands were shaking.

He noticed. His expression softened. “You’re safe now.”

“Safe?” I whispered. “He almost-”

“I know.” His voice was rough. “I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

He crouched beside the body, studying it. His jaw tightened again. “This wasn’t random. They came for you.”

I hugged my arms around myself. “He said I was marked.”

Kael’s head snapped up. “What?”

“He said I was marked. That I belonged to someone. He didn’t say who.”

Kael’s eyes darkened. “Did you notice anything strange before? A wound? A scar?”

I hesitated. Then touched the side of my neck. “After the last attack,  I felt a burn here. I thought it was just a scratch.”

Kael’s gaze dropped to the spot. “It’s not a scratch.”

“What is it then?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached out slowly, his fingers brushing my neck. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant. The skin tingled under his hand. I tried to ignore it.

“There’s a mark,” he said finally, voice low. “A faint one. I can barely see it, but it’s there.”

I swallowed hard. “What does it mean?”

He looked away. “It means someone claimed you. Not the usual way. This is dark magic. Forbidden.”

My stomach twisted. “Claimed me?”

Kael nodded once. “Whoever did it bound you to them. That’s why the rogues keep coming. They can smell it. They think you belong to their master.”

The room felt smaller suddenly. My chest ached. “Can you remove it?”

His jaw clenched. “I can try. But if it’s who I think it is” He stopped.

“If it’s who?”

He looked at me, eyes hard. “If it’s the one leading these attacks, removing it might kill you.”

The words hit me like ice water. “Kill me?”

He stood, pacing once before facing me again. “This isn’t a normal mark, Omari. It’s a link. Your energy is tied to whoever made it. Breaking that connection could be strong” He exhaled sharply. “I’ll find another way.”

Outside, another howl traveled across the night. . Angry.

Kael moved to the window and looked down. “They’re regrouping,” he said under his breath. “The triplets are still fighting.”

I joined him. Down below, flashes of movement glimmered in the dark. The yard looked like a battlefield.

“Kael,” I said quietly, “why are they after me?”

He turned to me, eyes unreadable. “Because you’re not ordinary.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You survived a mark that should’ve killed you. That’s not normal.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. My hands trembled as I gripped the window frame. “So what am I supposed to do? Hide forever?”

He looked at me for a long moment. “No,” he said finally. “Learn to fight.”

Before I could answer, a loud crash shook the wall beside us.

Kael pushed me aside just as part of the ceiling cracked open. Debris rained down.

“Go!” he shouted.