please

Chapter four

“They look like the ones who came that night,” Rhea began hesitantly, her voice trembling. 

“They all had this scar on their foreheads, and they were dressed in black. I couldn’t see their faces clearly because they were covered.” Her eyes darted nervously to Kael, searching for some understanding.

Kael leaned back slightly in his chair, observing her carefully. “Well, they’re dead now, and you were the only survivor.” 

The words hit Rhea like a thunderbolt. Her eyes widened as the implication sank in. 

“No... no! I didn’t kill them! I swear I didn’t!” she protested, her voice rising in panic. But then, she froze. Something clicked in her mind like the distant toll of a bell, and her hands instinctively flew to her head. Her temples throbbed painfully as fragmented memories resurfaced. She groaned and closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out the onslaught of recollections.

Kael didn’t move, his sharp gaze fixed on her. He couldn’t determine if she was recalling something important or succumbing to hysteria. He waited silently.

Finally, Rhea opened her eyes, a look of realization dawning on her face. “I screamed,” she whispered. “And then... I passed out.”

Before she could say anything else, the Alpha stirred. Kieran had been sitting in silence, his cold, blue eyes observing everything. Without a word, he stood and walked toward her with a commanding presence that made Rhea’s heart race. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. He was impossibly handsome, his sharp jawline and sculpted features almost too perfect to be real. But it was his eyes, piercing and unyielding, that sent shivers down her spine. 

Kieran stopped in front of her, towering over her small frame. His hand moved toward her face, and before Rhea could react, he gently tilted her chin upward. His touch was cold, yet it sent a jolt through her body. “What is he doing?” she thought, her breath hitching as her pulse quickened.

Without a word, Kieran plucked at her eye. A sharp sting followed, and she blinked in confusion. He stepped back, holding a pair of contact lenses in his hand. Rhea gasped softly as she realized what he had done.

Her silver eyes were now fully exposed. 

Kael’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Silver eyes?” he murmured. It was rare, almost unheard of, for anyone to have such a color. 

“Care to explain?” Kieran’s voice was low and cold, carrying a weight that demanded answers. 

Rhea swallowed hard. She had always hidden her eyes. Her adoptive parents had warned her to never let anyone see them. Now, the truth was unavoidable. 

“When I was a kid,” she began shakily, “I woke up in the woods. I don’t remember how I got there, or even my last name. I couldn’t remember anything about my life before that moment.” She paused, her voice cracking. “An elderly couple found me and took me in. They said they’d take care of me, call me their daughter. But they noticed my eyes were... different. To help me blend in, they gave me these contact lenses.”

She stopped to gather herself, her voice becoming steadier. “I knew I was different, but I tried to put it behind me. I built a new life, even though I didn’t remember my old one.”

Kieran studied her intently, his face unreadable. Finally, he turned to Kael. “We’ll be right back,” he said, his tone flat. He and Kael walked out of the room, leaving Rhea alone. 

In the dining room, Kael folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “Do you think she’s telling the truth?” he asked, his eyes narrowing. 

Kieran didn’t respond immediately. He stared at the table, lost in thought. “It seems like she is,” he admitted finally. “But there’s still something off. Something we’re not seeing.”

Kael nodded. “So, what do we do with her?”

“Nothing. She’s of no use to me.” Kieran’s voice was sharp and final as he turned and walked back toward the main room.

Kael frowned. It wasn’t like Kieran to dismiss someone so quickly. Still, he followed him. 

“That’s all,” Kael said to Rhea when they returned. “We have to leave.”

Rhea stood up, but instead of walking toward the door, she fell to her knees in front of Kieran. Tears streamed down her face as she clasped her hands together. “Please,” she begged, her voice trembling with desperation. “I don’t have anywhere to go. Those people are still looking for me. I’ve lost everyone. Please, help me. I don’t want to die.”

Kieran stared down at her, his face an emotionless mask. Kael shifted uncomfortably, feeling a pang of pity for the girl.

“Please,” Rhea whispered, her voice barely audible. She looked up at Kieran, her silver eyes glistening with tears. 

To Kael’s shock, Kieran knelt in front of her. He reached out, brushing a strand of her black hair away from her face. His hand lingered for a moment, stroking her hair softly. “Why should I help you?” he asked, his tone low and dangerous.

Rhea’s mind raced. “You want the truth,” she said finally. Before she could second-guess herself, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

The moment their skin touched, her silver eyes began to glow. A wave of energy burst through the room, and the lights flickered violently. Kieran’s vision blurred as he was pulled into her memories. He saw everything—her life with the elderly couple, her attempts to live as a human, the night her village was attacked, her desperate escape. 

Kael stumbled backward as objects around the room began to levitate. “What the hell is going on?” he muttered, shielding his eyes from the bright light emanating from Rhea.

Finally, Kael stepped forward and yanked her hands away from Kieran. The connection broke instantly, and the room returned to normal. Rhea slumped forward, unconscious, and Kieran caught her before she hit the floor.

“She fainted,” Kael said, breathing heavily. He noticed a strange mark on her shoulder as her shirt shifted slightly. Pulling the fabric aside, he revealed a mysterious symbol etched into her skin. 

“What do you want to do with her?” Kael asked, looking up at Kieran.

Kieran’s expression was unreadable as he studied the girl in his arms. “She stays,” he said finally. “Whoever she is, her magic is strong. Stronger than anything I’ve ever seen. She could be useful.”

"Wait, did you do that intentionally just to see her beg for Mercy, or you can't tell me you didn't know she was strong?" Kael asked, his eyebrow shot up.

Kieran just stared at him before walking away, Kael shook his head, Typical Kieran.