Gunther fell silent for a beat, and Zion felt a flicker of relief, a momentary respite. But it didn't last. "Because somewhere in you, you know you do too. I might have a soul of my own, but I'm part of you—a part connected to your desires. You don't want her because I do; I want her because you do."
"That's ridiculous..." Zion muttered, his pace never faltering as he wove through the trees. "You're a wolf. You found and marked your mate; you can't just forget that. There isn't a world where you can put her behind us, but I can... and I will."
"You won't, Zion," Gunther growled, his voice low and definitive, mirroring the stubborn resolve they both shared. It was their common ground—the unyielding drive to claim what they wanted, no matter the cost. "I won't let you."
It only angered him all the more. "You do not understand the situation I am in, do you?! You just mark whoever you want, and I have to deal with the consequences!"
