All Chapters of Darkbound Mate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The meeting ends without me realizing it. One moment, I’m trapped in the whirlwind of my thoughts, and the next, chairs scrape across the polished floor, and people are gathering their papers.I stand slowly, unsure if I’ve agreed to the promotion plan or the contract involving Lynette. It all passed in a daze, leaving my chest heavy as I step out of the boardroom. The click of my shoes echoes off the glossy tile, the sound swallowed by the sterile chill of the hallway.I don’t have time to dwell on the meeting—or Lynette—for long. The next appointment, this one with associates in Asia, waits for me. I slip into my office, the familiar setup for a virtual conference already glowing on the large monitor.The screen flickers to life, revealing a series of sharp, composed faces. Their expressions, a blend of politeness and restrained impatience, set the tone for what’s to come. The meeting begins immediately, diving into logistics, profit margins, and the finer points of a new joint vent

My body recognizes him instantly. Despite the tension crackling in the air, I melt into his embrace, my senses on high alert. The trembling in my limbs eases, replaced by an inexplicable sense of safety.His arms are strong, his grip firm, and his warmth seeps into my skin like a protective barrier against everything else in the room. And yet, the deadly aura radiating off him in waves keeps me on edge, a warning that the man holding me is far from safe.“Alpha,” Tyson murmurs quietly, the word loaded with respect and fear.The tone of his voice and the way he doesn’t meet Kassian’s eyes send a flicker of unease through me. Tyson’s broad shoulders shift subtly, his posture lowering into something that feels… submissive.But my focus isn’t on Tyson. It’s on the man holding me.The spicy undertones of Kassian’s scent—rosewood, sage, and cinnamon—wrap around me like a blanket. It’s intoxicating, familiar in a way I can’t explain, and I hate how my body instinctively leans into it. My han

Kassian’s POVI sigh heavily as I trudge into my bedroom, the weight of the day pressing down on me like a stone. The faint hum of the air conditioner buzzes in the background, blending with the muffled ticking of the clock on the wall. The silence between these sounds feels deafening, amplifying the storm raging in my mind. My emotions churn, tangled and relentless, as my mind replays the way Lynette ran from me.At first, it had been almost amusing, her defiance sparking something unfamiliar and infuriatingly addictive within me. But as soon as I drove away from the studio, that fleeting humor dissolved into agitation and doubt.What was she thinking when I dragged her toward my car? The memory of her confused, angry eyes gnaws at me, clawing deeper the more I think about it. Even I know I treated her too roughly. She tried to start a conversation, her voice uncertain but willing to bridge the gap, and all I did was snap at her like a rabid animal.What if she grows suspicious? Wors

I don’t give Lucian a second to react. With Fenrir roaring in my mind, I surge forward, my body moving with a speed and strength I barely control. My claws shoot out as I grab him by the neck, lifting him off the ground like he weighs nothing.My grip tightens, and my claws pierce into his skin, just shy of his windpipe. A thin trickle of blood slides down his throat, pooling at my fingers. Lucian claws at my wrist, his nails scraping uselessly against my skin. The sharp tang of fear mingles with the bitterness in his scent, making Fenrir snarl louder in my head. His gasps come faster, wet and ragged, as blood drips from where my claws pierce his neck. His wide eyes meet mine, pleading, but I don’t loosen my grip. I don’t care.“How dare you,” I snarl, my voice low and guttural, vibrating with rage, “walk in here and try to tell me how to take care of my pack?! Do you work yourself to the bone for this family? Do you protect them, provide for them, sacrifice everything for them?!” My

At first, I stare at Kassian, my chest tightening with a whirlwind of emotions—bafflement, astonishment, and confusion. His presence feels like an unspoken storm, raw and unrelenting. I can’t make sense of him standing here, disheveled and trembling, but it’s not just his unexpected arrival that throws me off. It’s the unfiltered intensity radiating from him.His red-rimmed eyes bore into mine, wild and untamed, and for a moment, I’m frozen under their weight. A strange warmth blooms deep in my chest, spreading outward like the first rays of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. I don’t understand it, but it feels impossibly alive, almost intoxicating.Before I can process the sensation, a smile creeps onto my face, unbidden and strange, curling my lips upward in a way I barely recognize. My fingers twitch against his cheek, our tangled hands radiating an electric charge. A tingly sensation spreads from where his face rubs against the back of my hand—a soft, deliberate friction that