All Chapters of Darkbound Mate: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Lynette’s POVThe color of his eyes is unmistakable, violet that pierces through souls, not amethysts catching the sun. I stare at his picture on the cover of the magazine, transfixed by those eyes, even though they look somewhere else. Perhaps it’s a trick of the camera, but I know those eyes and they do not belong to this man.“Miss?” A soft voice cuts through my thoughts. I look up to see a flight attendant smiling nervously. “Could you please fasten your seatbelt? We’ll be landing shortly.”“Oh, of course,” I reply, securing the belt and flashing her a polite smile.“If you need anything…” She lingers, smiling too broadly, her fingers tapping against her clipboard as if she’s unsure whether to stay or go.“I’m fine, thank you,” I reassure her, but she continues fidgeting, her eyes flitting between me and the magazine in my lap. For a moment, I wonder if she recognizes me—despite the dark glasses and pulled-back hair.Then, with a final flustered nod, she leaves. I turn my attentio

The next day, I enter his office building, noting how much it’s changed. Once bright and open, now the place feels cold, haunted—dark walls and muted tones replacing the warmth and energy that used to flow through the hallways. This place is as haunted as he is, transformed into something hard and unyielding. I see his pain in the colors, the starkness, as if he’s painted his grief across every surface. Rowan has always expressed himself through colors and music, a gift he inherited from his twin. Now, those colors feel raw, heavy, like they’re bleeding through the walls.I stop at the security desk, where a young secretary hands me a sleek silver card with my appointment details. The place is excessively formal now, tightly wound with regulations and processes that make it feel like a fortress. I remember when it used to feel more like a home than a business. I can feel Rowan’s anguish in the rigidity of his rules, the locked doors, the guards at every turn.The guards scan me thorou

Kassian’s POV“Alpha.” The voice of my beta, Brian, cuts through the quiet like a blade, and I tense, realizing I didn’t even hear him approach. I need to get myself back together.“Brian, mate,” I say, forcing calm into my tone, “what do you have for me?”His sigh is heavy, thick with the kind of news I’ve grown to dread. “Not good news, Alpha. Höherstehend Pack has hired vampires as reinforcements.”I inhale sharply, the familiar burn of anger spreading through my chest. Vampires are rare now, with no king, no council, and no real power since the apocalypse. They fight as mercenaries, desperate to survive, their venom stripped, unable to turn others. Vampires these days are shadows of what they were, but they still fight with a ferocity that makes them deadly allies.“Vampires? To eliminate me?”“Most likely, but for now, they’re bodyguards.” Brian’s voice is steady, but I can feel the tension beneath his words.I tilt my head, cracking my neck with the familiar roll of bone against

Lynette’s POVThe sunlight filters through the blinds, but it doesn’t brighten my mood. I’ve never been one to read the signs of the day—whether it would shine brightly or turn dark and stormy. I preferred surprises, letting fate unfold without trying to guess its twists. But fate hasn’t been kind to me, not since it dealt me death. The monks taught me differently. They showed me how to look for the signs, how to tread lightly and take in every detail.It helped. Mostly.I return from his office and throw myself onto my bed, the slightly rumpled sheets offering little comfort. My mind is spinning, replaying every interaction, every word, every glance. That man… That wasn’t Rowan. I felt it in my bones, in the rhythm of my heart. Something about him was different.Rowan always held this unspoken pull over me—familiar, safe, yet distant. There was always something missing, a gap I could never bridge. But with this man, the feeling clicked, slamming into place with unsettling clarity. It

I snap out of my thoughts and focus on the present. Zalie’s excited voice echoes off the shimmering walls as Ivanna spins in the middle of the living room, her arms stretched wide to soak in the grandeur of the space. Sunlight filters through the sleek walls—glass or silver, I still can’t tell—spilling light across the polished floors and bathing the massive windows that overlook the sea. “My sugar daddies were very useful,” I say with a shrug, throwing a quick glance at Lyla, whose mischievous grin spreads wider. “You actually listened to our idea!” Lyla says, practically bouncing where she stands. I chuckle, shaking my head. “Well, you did make a convincing argument.” “This place is insane!” Ivanna exclaims, whirling around again. Her gaze shifts to the driveway, where a collection of gleaming, custom-built cars sits in neat rows, each one polished to perfection. “Are those your cars?” “Yep,” I reply nonchalantly, leaning back against the sofa. “All four of them. Custom-bu