The mark hadn't faded.
Ava paced the length of her room, tugging down the collar of her blouse again, her eyes locked on the mirror. The star was still there—faint, silver-blue, glowing just enough to drive her crazy. She'd scrubbed it. Scratched at it. Prayed it would just disappear.
But it didn't.
And she knew exactly who to blame.
Dante.
My life turned into a whirlwind the moment we met.
Storming into his office wasn't part of the plan, but her patience had burned out the moment she saw that damn thing on her skin again.
He looked up from his desk, perfectly composed in his suit, like her world wasn't spinning apart.
"Ava," he said evenly, standing. "You should be resting."
She slammed the door behind her. "What the hell did you do to me?"
His jaw twitched. "What do you mean?"
"This, she stalked toward his desk, tugging down the collar of her shirt. "This mark. The star she snapped, tugging down her blouse to reveal the shimmering star on her skin. "This wasn't there before. I didn't agree to anything. You said you would keep it professional, Dante."
He stared at the mark for a long, quiet second—too long.
And then, something in his expression shifted. Surprise. Not guilt.
"…That's not from me," he said quietly.
She blinked. "What?"
Kael stepped out from behind the desk, eyes fixed on the glow.
"If I had, there'd be no confusion. You'd feel me in your bones. You'd crave me. You'd know." But this…" He reached out slowly, brushing his fingers near the mark. His voice dropped. "This isn't mine."
The blood in her veins turned cold.
"What do you mean it's not yours?" she whispered. "Then what the hell is it?"
"I don't know. But that symbol? That's not Lycan magic.
He took a slow step forward. "Has this ever happened before? Anything strange? Sudden fevers. Surges of emotion. Dreams you couldn't explain."
"Are you saying this is just… appearing out of nowhere?" she asked, backing up. "Because of what—me? Are you saying there's something wrong with me?"
"No," Dante said, his gaze never leaving her. "I'm saying there might be more to you than you've been told."
She shook her head, breath trembling. "I'm not magical. I'm not anything. I'm human."
But the mark still shimmered. A star on her skin, proof of something older. Stranger.
Dante didn't press her. He just watched.
Like he was waiting for the rest of her to unravel.