Genia nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden noise. She spun around to find Kevin standing right behind her. His golden eyes were locked on her face, intense and hungry, like he wanted to swallow her whole.
Panicked, Genia moved to cover her face, but she was too slow. Kevin had already seen her. Something shifted in Kevin's expression. He took a slow, deliberate step toward her, the tension in the room thickening with every inch he closed. "What... what are you doing here?"
Kevin stammered, backing up until her shoulder blades hit the wall. He crowded her, slamming a hand against the wall and trapping her.
Genia could feel the heat of his breath on her skin.
"I was just thinking about how much you've changed," Kevin said, his voice dropping to a low, commanding rumble. "Was that face before just a mask, or is this some kind of magic?"
Genia looked away, her heart hammering. "I don't know. I just... I woke up like this. I haven't even seen a mirror."
There was no way she could mention Mara or the spring yet. Even if she did, he'd never believe her. Kevin grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. His grip was firm, almost desperate. "Do you have any idea what's happening out there?"
Genia blinked, confused. She thought, "Did he know about her talk with Mara? But how can this be possible?"
She asked, "What are you talking about?"
Tension flared in Kevin's eyes. He loosened his grip slightly but didn't pull away. He said, "James just met with my oldest brother, Rexon. He is clever, Genia. He's going to tell Rexon you're here, but he'll twist the story. Rexon is going to think I'm hiding the girl he wanted from the Rabbit clan. Even though I told James you're from Monkey Clan, Rexon doesn't know that, and James is going to take advantage of this. Rexon is a monster, and James is even worse than that. You're going to be caught right in the middle of them."
Genia's stomach dropped. She'd lied to Kevin and Alex about being from the Monkey Clan. If he ever found out she'd played him, he'd turn on her just as fast as the others. Before last night, she would have left this clan and run away somewhere else, but now wherever she goes, her fate will bring her back to these four. But for now, she will have to keep this truth hidden.
"How is any of that my fault?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Kevin took a sharp breath, his expression hardening. "It's not. But you're a pawn now. If Rexon sees you, he'll take you for himself. If James makes a move, he'll use you for his own gain. I'm not going to lose you."
Kevin had known something was off the moment James showed up. When his scouts reported that James was meeting with the leader of the Black tiger clan - his eldest brother, Rexon- he knew a storm was coming. James would twist the narrative, sparking a war between the brothers, and Genia would be the casualty. He couldn't let that happen. He needed her to be his mate.
Genia shook her head. She said, "Lose me? We barely even know - "
"Enough!" Kevin snapped. His pupils were blown wide, his gaze boring into hers. "I'm not letting you get played. I'll protect you, and I'll respect you. But on one condition."
Genia's pulse quickened. "What condition?"
Kevin didn't blink. He said, "You become my mate."
Genia felt like the floor had vanished beneath her. She stared at him, her mouth hanging open. "What... what did you just say?"
"You heard me," Kevin said, his voice like iron. "Be my mate. The second you belong to me, no one in this pack - not even my brother - can touch you. You'll be under my protection."
Genia pulled back, shaking her head. "You're insane. We don't even know each other! How can you even say that?"
Genia shook her head and said, "Are you crazy? We don't even know each other yet. How can you say this to me? I understand that you sheltered me during my difficult times, but that doesn't mean you should say this to me. Just a few days ago, you were afraid of me because of my ugliness, and now suddenly you want to make me your mate? How can I accept all this so quickly?"
Genia wanted to unite the four brothers and return to her own world, but to do so, she would have to become their mate. She hadn't considered this yet.
Kevin stepped closer again. He said, "We don't need time. I saw you when you were at your worst. I'll admit, it surprised me, but your eyes... they had a hold on me even then. Now I realise it doesn't matter what you look like. I can't let you go. I won't watch you belong to anyone else."
Genia shoved at his chest, her hands trembling. "No, Kevin! I won't do it. I'm not being your mate."
Kevin's face twisted with a mix of fury and hurt. "Genia, this is for your own good! You're alone here. You have no one. Don't you see - "
"I see that you're dressing up your own possessiveness as 'protection'!" she snapped.
"Safety?" a new voice cut through the room, cold enough to make the air freeze. "Is that what you're offering her, Kevin? Or is 'safety' just a cover for what you want?"
Genia and Kevin both whipped around. Alex stood in the doorway, his usual calm mask in place, though his eyes burned with a cold fire. He looked at Genia- really looked at her - without the scarf. For a split second, he faltered. He'd suspected she was hiding something behind that plain exterior, but he hadn't expected this level of beauty. Whatever her reasons for the lie, they didn't matter right now. He had to stop Kevin.
Kevin let out a low growl. "Alex. Get out. This is my territory. You have no business here."
Alex stepped into the room. His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that made Kevin's outburst seem childish. "I'm not going to watch my brother make a mistake. You're trying to bully her into a bond. That isn't right."
"I'm saving her!" Kevin shouted. "Stay out of my business!"
Alex turned to Genia, his expression softening. "I have every right to be here, Kevin, because I care about her, too. You don't protect someone with threats. You're doing this all wrong."
He looked back at his brother, his gaze sharpening. "You aren't making her your mate."
Kevin's eyes flashed red. His brother was doing exactly what he feared - trying to steal her. "Then what do you want?" he spat.
A ghost of a smile touched Alex's lips. He stepped toward Genia, his voice steady. "Choose me instead, Genia. Become my mate."
Dead silence followed. Genia was trapped between two powerful Beasts, both demanding the same thing. Her plan to find a way home just got a hell of a lot more complicated. Her heart thundered in her chest as Mara's warning echoed in her head: Your beauty will only cause chaos. The air in the room felt heavy enough to choke her. On one side was Kevin, radiating raw, possessive heat. On the other was Alex, his calm demeanour masking a deep, focused hunger. They were looking at her like she was a prize to be won. Suddenly, her fear snapped, replaced by a white-hot surge of fury.
Genia took a breath and screamed, "Enough! Both of you, shut up!"
The room went still. Kevin and Alex stared at her, stunned. They clearly weren't used to a girl from a "lowly" pack talking back.
Genia stepped forward, her eyes blazing with indignation. "Do you think I'm a toy? Like I'm just some object you can claim whenever you feel like it?"
"Genia, you don't get it," Kevin started, frowning. "This is about your safety - "
"Safety?" Genia cut him off with a harsh, dry laugh. "Does your version of 'safety' involve me being your puppet? And you!"
She turned her glare on Alex, meeting his cold gaze head-on. She said, "You act like you're the level-headed one, but you're saying the same thing he did. 'Be my mate.' Did you even stop to think about what I want? Do I not get a say in my own life?"
Kevin kept his voice low and steady, but a sharp edge bled through his composure. "We're just trying to protect you from the clan and our father's temper."
"That's not how you protect someone," Genia snapped, ripping her hand out of his grip. "Listen to me - both of you. I don't care what a ' mate being' is supposed to mean in this world or how big a deal it is. I'm not choosing this while I'm being pressured. If I pick someone, it'll be my decision. I'm the one who gets to decide who I want to be with - or if I want to be with anyone at all."