Bound by Fate, Torn by war(THE LUNA’S WAR)

The pain came first.

A sharp, blinding heat that tore through her body, lighting every nerve on fire.

Then—

The bond.

A force so overwhelming, so absolute, it felt as if Dante had reached into her soul and wrapped it around his fists.

Bella's back arched violently, a raw, shattered moan ripping from her throat as the mate bond sealed itself inside her.

Her wolf, Luna, howled in ecstasy, in triumph, in complete submission.

"Ours."

Bella's eyes flew open, golden-brown clashing with burning ice blue.

Dante was above her, his lips at her throat, his chest heaving, his grip on her unrelenting, possessive, primal.

His fangs had torn into her skin, embedding his claim so deep it was permanent, inescapable.

The mark burned, pulsing with a heat that spread through her veins, her bones, her very soul.

It was too much.

Too wild, too raw, too consuming.

Bella's body fought against it, instinctively rejecting the overwhelming force of the bond.

And then—

A piercing, agonizing pain tore through her mind.

She screamed, her hands slamming against Dante's chest, shoving him away with all her strength.

He barely moved.

Dante let out a deep, low growl, his grip tightening around her wrists.

"Easy, Bella," he murmured, his voice hoarse, rough, filled with something dark and pleased.

"It's done. You're mine now."

Bella's breathing was ragged, her vision swimming as the mate bond tightened like a collar around her throat.

No.

No, no, no.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

She had fought so hard.

She had sworn she would never submit to him.

And now?

Now, her soul was bound to his.

Forever.

Bella let out a vicious snarl, her wolf thrashing inside her, torn between surrender and rebellion.

"You had no right!" she hissed, thrashing against him.

Dante chuckled, dark and satisfied, his blue eyes gleaming with dominance.

"I had every right, little wolf."

His fingers slid over her mark, pressing into the still-sensitive bite, sending a wave of heat straight through her.

Bella let out a sharp gasp, her body betraying her, her thighs clenching, the bond forcing her to crave his touch.

Dante smirked.

"Feel that?" His voice was taunting, dark, dripping with amusement.

"That's the bond, Bella." His lips brushed against her ear, his voice a slow, delicious threat.

"You can fight it all you want. You can struggle, curse me, try to push me away. But in the end—"

His teeth scraped over the mark again, making her whimper despite herself.

"You will always crawl back to me."

No.

No, she wouldn't.

She refused.

Bella snapped, her nails digging into his shoulders, her legs twisting, trying to break free.

"Get off me!" she snarled.

Dante's smirk vanished.

In a blink, he flipped her over, pinning her face-first against the mattress, his massive form caging her in.

His hand wrapped around her throat, tilting her head just enough for his lips to ghost over the mark again.

"You really want to fight me, Bella?" His voice was dangerous, edged with raw amusement.

"You think you can deny this?"

He ground against her, forcing her to feel every inch of him, every sharp, brutal reminder of what he had done, of what he had taken.

Bella bit her lip hard, refusing to let the sound building in her throat escape.

She wouldn't give him that.

Wouldn't let him win.

Dante let out a dark chuckle.

"Still fighting?" He nipped at her shoulder, his teeth grazing the raw mark.

"You'll break, little wolf. You can fight all you want, but I promise you—"

His grip on her tightened, possessive, merciless.

"The bond always wins."

Bella let out a low, ragged growl, her body shaking, her mind warring between rage and something far more dangerous.

He was right.

She could feel it.

The pull.

The raw, uncontrollable need to be near him, to feel him, to have him.

It was poison.

It was a fucking addiction.

And she hated him for it.

"Fuck you," she spat, her voice hoarse.

Dante chuckled against her throat, slow and satisfied.

"Oh, sweetheart, you will."

And that was the final fucking straw.

Bella let out a snarl of fury, throwing all of her strength into a sharp twist—

And finally, finally, she broke free.

She moved fast, flipping them over, straddling him, her hands slamming against his chest, pinning him down.

Dante's lips curled in amusement, his blue eyes gleaming with dark approval.

"That's cute, Bella," he murmured.

Bella growled. "You don't own me."

Dante's smirk vanished.

His hands shot up, gripping her hips, dragging her down against him.

"Say that again," he ordered, his voice dropping into a deep, commanding growl.

Bella's breath hitched.

Because even though she was on top, she could feel it.

The power.

The raw, unshakable dominance of an Alpha who had finally claimed his mate.

He let her think she was winning.

But in reality?

She had never stood a chance.

"You think you can fight this?" Dante's voice was low, mocking, lethal.

His fingers dug into her hips, dragging her even closer.

"You think you can escape me, Bella?"

Her thighs clenched around him, her breathing erratic, the mate bond roaring in her veins.

Her wolf was begging her to give in.

But Bella wasn't ready to surrender.

Not yet.

"I will never submit to you, Dante."

Dante's lips curled into a slow, predatory grin.

"Then I guess I'll just have to make you."

Bella's heart slammed against her ribs.

Because she knew—

He meant every word.