CHAPTER NINEThe last candle had gone out, plunging the room into darkness. My pulse pounded in my ears, and the mark on my wrist glowed faintly in the gloom.Kael stood before me, his chest rising and falling with short, ragged breaths. His eyes flickered as if struggling to regain control."Alpha Kael…" I whispered, taking a step forward. "What's wrong?""Stay away," he growled, his voice cracking with restraint.The brand burned more intensely. I gasped, clutching it, but the pain didn't feel like fire; it felt alive, like invisible threads pulling from deep within me, drawing me closer to it.Kael staggered back, clutching his head. A dull growl rumbled in his chest as black veins snaked down his neck, spreading beneath his skin like cracks in glass."Kael!" I shouted.He fell to his knees, digging his claws into the ground. The ground cracked beneath his strength.The mark glowed brighter. My knees hit the ground as my strength faded and my vision blurred. I tried to pull my hand