Soraya's POV
Lila's smirk didn't fade, even as the air around us thickened with heat and tension. Her arms were still folded, her chin lifted, her tone dripping with mock sweetness.
"You really think standing here beside him makes you one of us?" she asked softly, her words slicing deeper than any blade. "You think because he marked you, you belong here?"
I froze. My fingers tightened around the staff I was still holding. A low growl stirred in my chest, claws of instinct urging me to strike, but I clenched my jaw to hold it back.
Lila took a step closer, her blue eyes gleaming with something cruel. "Let me remind you, princess… that mark doesn't make you his equal. It makes you his possession. A pet—nothing more."
My chest clenched. Her words came sharp and deliberate, aimed to wound.
