Mark of Sin: Bound to the Cruel Alpha

I meticulously smoothed out the sweet batter I had just poured over a bed of fragrant, sliced apples. A traditional apple pie—my absolute favorite.

The main course was already well underway; I had seasoned a whole fish to bake in the oven and steamed a large pot of rice. Considering Magnus’s towering, muscular frame, I assumed his appetite would be massive. Most males required an immense amount of sustenance to feed their inner beasts, so I made sure not to skimp on the portions.

In the brief lulls while the food cooked, I scrambled to transcribe the philosophy notes, though my eyes were already burning from the strain. The moment I slid the baking dish into the warm oven, I returned to the kitchen island, opened the borrowed notebook, and picked up my pen once more.

I forced my hand to move faster, even though half the tedious task still lay ahead. Honestly, I hadn’t expected the male students to actually take notes—let alone in such exhaustive detail. Normally, the professor didn’t even bother checking their notebooks, effortlessly waving the requirement aside under the assumption that no male would ever dare tune out during his lectures.

They shared the same dominant nature, after all. No matter how unruly a male student might be, the professor naturally afforded them a baseline of respect that he would never grant a low-ranking female like me.

He was a wretched, insufferable sexist.

I was so deeply absorbed in transcribing the text that I didn’t register the thick, powerful arms coming down on either side of me until it was too late. Magnus loomed over my frame, his overpowering Alpha presence wrapping around me like a heavy velvet shroud and sending an involuntary shiver straight down my spine.

Leaning close to my ear, his deep voice rumbled low, "Whose notebook is this?"

"It’s... a classmate gave it to me," I replied without turning around. He was standing too close, and that suffocating proximity stirred a knot of confusing, unbidden emotions deep in my gut.

Magnus picked up the notebook, flipping lazily through the handwritten pages with a faintly raised brow. "Why the hell are you copying this mindless drivel?"

"The professor threatened to put my name on the expulsion list if I don’t turn in a fresh set of notes tomorrow."

Magnus snapped the notebook shut with a sharp thud and dropped it back onto the counter, then picked up mine and did the exact same thing. "This absolute trash won’t serve you for a second in the real world. His class exists purely to waste your time."

"I am well aware of that," I countered, turning around to face him as a sudden flare of frustration ignited in my chest at his callous brush-off. "But if he turns my name in for expulsion and refuses to grant me a passing grade at the end of the semester, I will lose my scholarship. And I’ll be kicked out of the university."

I desperately needed that scholarship. I had been planning to use the money to purchase a modest, second-hand laptop—something that would spare me from constantly running to the campus library just to queue up for an ancient, shared desktop.

"You won’t be expelled," he stated flatly, stepping away toward the oven.

Opening the glass door, he peered down into the heat, and for a split second, a strangely unreadable expression flickered across his harsh features.

"Is that apple?" he asked. There was a subtle, odd cadence in his voice that made my brow furrow in confusion.

"Yes, it’s an apple pie. Why, are you not going to eat any?"

He shut the oven door and offered a terse, sharp response: "I am."

Turning back to the island, I reopened the notebooks and leaned over the counter, forcing my eyes to focus on the cramped handwriting that had already begun to blur together from sheer fatigue. But Magnus walked up and snatched both notebooks right out from under my hands.

"That’s enough. It’s late."

"Look, I can’t just tell him tomorrow that I didn’t bring the notes because it got too late! I can’t survive without an education!" I protested, springing up from my seat and reaching frantically to retrieve the notebooks. "This is the third time I’ve had to re-transcribe them!"

"He doesn’t need your damn notes," Magnus said calmly, holding the journals high above my head, well out of my reach. "And you aren’t going to be left without an education or money. Calm down."

I had no idea what he meant by that, but I was certain the old professor would tear me apart tomorrow regardless. Still, arguing with Magnus was an exercise in futility. He tucked the notebooks beneath his arm and strode out of the kitchen, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the room with impotent rage simmering beneath my skin.

The moment the pie finished baking, I pulled it out, and a heavenly, buttery aroma flooded the entire space, making my mouth water instantly. I sliced the warm treat into generous portions and plated our food, inhaling the rich scent of the seasoned baked fish. I had never attempted to prepare fish like this before, relying entirely on a recipe I had found online, but it looked and smelled incredible.

We ate in complete silence, yet for the first time since I had met him, I didn’t feel suffocated by tension. It felt almost bizarre.

Normally, being anywhere near Magnus kept every one of my senses on high alert, bracing for a sudden display of possessive fury or a harsh command. But right now, I just sat there eating quietly, watching the dangerous predator savor his meal, and a subtle warmth spread through my chest.

When we finished, I gathered the empty plates, stood up, and placed them into the sink.

Without warning, two massive arms encircled me from behind.

His large hands settled over my waist, pulling my back firmly against the hard contour of his chest. I froze in place, my breath catching in my throat at the suddenness of his touch. Pressing his warm lips directly to the sensitive curve of my ear, he leaned down and whispered:

"— That was delicious. Thank you."

A feather-light kiss pressed against my cheek before I even had time to process the words, and he was gone, leaving me stranded by the sink with a wildly hammering heart and burning cheeks.