The library was dark and quiet.

Not a single soul stayed behind, not after the day was over. Adina clutched the stone tightly in her pockets as she sneaked into the library.

She shouldn't be here. She knew that much, but curiosity was killing her. There were way too many thoughts floating in her head.

If there's one thing she can't forget, it's what happened that night. It's plagued her mind ever since. What exactly was Thorne's curse? What kind of beast was that? It wasn't a Lycan nor was it a Wolf… she was dying to know more, and now, with this strange stone she found, she was dying to fill in the gaps.

She was certain most people didn't know of the king's curse, considering he was underground and chained that night.

And so, she sneaked into the library. The smell of old parchment and ink filled her nose as she crept between the shelves. Moonlight filtered in through the windows.

Her fingers trailed along the rows of books until she found a section on the shelf dedicated to curses and magics. She pulled it out, settled at the back of the library, and opened the cover.

The words blurred together at first, then slowly it started to make sense. "Obsidian Curse. Lycan Blood. Halo of Velcra. Sages."

Adina settled and started with the curse first. Her eyes sharpened when she saw the words. Beast.

She swallowed, flipping the page. The description was clinical, cruel even. These were things she'd only heard of and thought were myths, but right now, reading these… she knew they were far from myths.

Her heart ached the more she read. 'When the gods were disobeyed, they did not answer with mercy. They crafted punishments with no end. No reprieve.'

Adina's chest tightened. She flipped another page. In it was a rough sketch of a man in chains beneath a tree, his eyes blackened, his mouth sewn shut. A beast's shadow loomed behind him.

Adina's heart leaped, she wondered what Thorne had done to make the gods curse him in such a manner. What could he have—

She didn't hear him enter—no, not when everyone was supposed to be asleep and out of the library.

"What are you doing here?" His deep voice echoed, and she froze, the book slipping from her fingers and landing on the floor. She looked up slowly, her eyes finding his.

She immediately scrambled up, eyes wide with shock. "M-m-my king," she stammered, heart pounding hard.

Of all people, why did it have to be him? In here? Why couldn't it have been the head maid? Or even the slave master? Why did it have to be the king?

Thorne stood still, watching her intently. He'd gone for a run, trying to clear his mind, and of course, it'd been futile. It was useless. Coming back, he changed his normal route and passed the library only to feel the bond tug his heartstrings.

He should've fought it harder… he didn't and instead let it lead him here.

"What are you doing?" He asked again, his voice deep and hoarse, sending a shiver down Adina's spine.

"I—" she began. "I just—"

His gaze dropped to the books on the floor and paused on the open one. His brows furrowed, the words making sense in his head. Curses. Beasts. Immortality.

Everything in him shifted. His eyes turned red the more he stared at the book.

Adina took a shaky step back just as he turned his gaze to her. His eyes were colder than death.

"What were you doing?"

Her heart stilled at his voice, and she trembled. She was only curious. She only wanted to know more, but she'd now realized she only put herself in great trouble with him.

She shook her head, "I-" she swallowed hard.

In one brutal movement, he was across the room, hurling her back against the shelf. Books fell down around them. Adina gasped, panic surging up her throat.

Thorne's hand was on her waist, his grip bruising, holding her against the shelves like she might vanish if he let go.

Adina's breath caught. His chest heaved against hers. His eyes, once red with rage—now flickered with something else entirely. Something wilder and darker.

"I asked you a question," he growled, his voice so low it rasped. "What the hell were you doing reading that?"

She flinched but didn't answer. What could she even say? That she wanted to understand him? The curse that kept him caged like an animal? The beast that had marked her?

"I-I wanted to know more. I was curious about it," she said, trying to sound as level-headed as possible even though she was a mess.

Thorne's eyes narrowed, "IT?"

Adina gulped, "Your beast. I was curious about it."

He inched closer, his heat pressing against her body. His scent filling her nostrils, tugging something deep inside her. Something she'd never felt. "And what did you find?" His voice was deep, goosebumps broke out against her skin.

"T-the gods cursed you."

Thorne stilled, his gaze heavy on hers, unblinking. "And are you scared? That the gods might just curse you too for pairing you with a man like me?"

Adina blinked, stunned. Was she scared? Coming to Obsidian, she had been scared shitless, but now… standing in front of him… staring at him. She wasn't scared.

"I-"

His gaze fell to the plaster on her neck, and his gaze darkened. His Lycan throbbed beneath his skin relentlessly. He had asked her to cover it, not a soul must know of their bond, and yet… staring at it, covered, set him off in a way he didn't expect.

His jaw clenched.

Without a word, he reached up and ripped the plaster clean off.

Adina flinched, gasping softly. The sting of it was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the way his gaze burned into her skin.

There it was.

The mark.

He stared at the mark. His mark. Burned into her milky skin like a brand. A visual, painful reminder of the night he lost control. Of the claim he never intended to make.

His Lycan surged forward inside him, snarling for release. For her.

Thorne clenched his jaw, muscles ticking in restraint. He hated that mark. Hated what it meant. Hated even more that it looked so right on her.

Adina's eyes widened. Her lips parted, but the moment his gaze met hers again, she felt her entire body react.

He looked like he was about to do something dangerous. Something he would regret.

She swallowed hard.

His eyes dropped—to her lips, and something snapped inside him.

He surged forward and slammed his lips onto hers.

The kiss was brutal. It was not tender. It was all teeth and fury and want. Like he hated himself for wanting her but couldn't stop anyway. Like he was trying to erase the distance between them, the bond, the mark, everything—with the press of his mouth.

Adina gasped into the kiss, frozen at first. But then, she responded. Her hands clutched his shirt as his fingers curled around her waist, dragging her closer. His mouth moved hungrily against hers, possessive.

This was the one thing he swore he'd never do.

And he was doing it like a man starved.