Chapter 6

ALPHA RUNE

"You did it," Mari, the healer of a neighboring pack, told me as I stepped out of the special ward she had meticulously prepared for Sara. "You’ve injected life back into her and made her stronger than I thought possible. She has a zeal to live now—a spark that simply was not there when you first brought her broken body to me."

I merely smiled at her, the expression tight and knowing. Little Miss Blue Eyes may not know it yet, but we are destined to be together. "I’m a charmer, Mari. Most people just don't care to see that side of me."

"Charmer, indeed," Mari smiled mischievously, though her eyes remained professional. "You are easily the most feared and ruthless Alpha in the known world. I’m not sure anyone would ever believe that you actually possess this side of you—this... capacity for care."

"Haven't you heard the term: 'don't judge a book by its cover'?" I shrugged my shoulders and offered a dry smile, seeing the irony in her statement. "Anyways, it’s best that the world maintains that dark impression of me. It means I have far less bullshit to deal with on a daily basis."

"What now?" she asked, nodding toward the heavy door I had just emerged from. "She’s still drifting in and out of consciousness. Her body is fighting an uphill battle to be healed, even with your help."

"Is it safe to move her yet?" I asked, my voice dropping an octave.

"No, she needs absolute bed rest. However, I truly believe she’ll make a full recovery now that she’s decided she actually wants to live." Mari still looked surprised that Sara had survived the night. "She’s indeed a miracle. I reckon that she probably has a grand destiny ahead of her, which I guess is why the Moon Goddess spared her life when death seemed certain."

"For the first time in a long time, I actually believe the Moon Goddess might have been involved in what happened. Maybe I’m not a lost cause after all," I mused.

"Yeah, maybe," she retorted with a playful roll of her eyes.

"I want her to stay here until she makes a full and complete recovery. I need to return to the Crescent Moon pack and attend to some rather pressing issues that require my personal attention. Please, see that she is given the highest possible care. Spare no expense, Mari. Whatever she needs, it is hers." I told her, and for a moment, I marveled at the shocked expression that took over her face.

"I never thought I’d see the day when you, of all people, would show tender, loving care to anyone besides yourself." The surprise on her face was palpable, her jaw nearly dropping. "You are truly..." She trailed off, seemingly unsure of how to finish that sentence.

"Yeah, I like to leave people surprised, especially when they make the mistake of underestimating me." I chuckled darkly, turned on my heel, and left the clinic.

When I returned to my own pack territory, I felt different. I couldn't quite figure out the source of the shift, but I knew deep down it was because of Sara. I had not seen her in eight long years, but I had never stopped watching over her from a distance. Everyone who was truly close to me knew I was madly in love with her, even though she had been claimed by another mate.

"Kayvon, I need information. Why was she left for dead?" I spat the words angrily as I paced my study. "It’s a cruel way to live. Nobody should ever treat another soul that way."

Strangely, I found Kayvon trying his absolute best to hide the fact that he was laughing at my outburst.

"And what exactly is so funny?" I snapped at him, my Alpha aura flaring slightly.

"Nothing, really," he said, though a smile still tugged at the corners of his mouth. I raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "You know, it’s just funny that you’d say that—that nobody should be treated cruelly—considering the fact that your name alone makes even the strongest of hearts have a near-fatal attack."

"I’m not that bad, Kayvon. Am I really that bad?" I asked. For the first time in my life, I was genuinely interested in what the response would be. It began to dawn on me that I didn't want the little Miss Blue Eyes to think I was merely a heartless and ruthless Alpha. "I only try to be fair and demand the respect I've earned."

He remained silent for a while, choosing to pivot the conversation back to the grim reality of Sara’s situation. "I think she was accused of killing the mate of Alpha Tristan, right after she was rejected at the Great Festival. The most interesting and tragic thing is that the lady in question was her own best friend."

I went silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Kayvon’s confession was at complete variance with the woman I knew. The Sara I remembered could do no evil; there had to have been a massive mistake or a frame-up. "This best friend of hers... was she the same woman that Tristan rejected Sara for?"

"Sadly, yes. She was the one," Kayvon confirmed.

I couldn't believe that Tristan would treat someone so innocent with such a level of disdain and a complete lack of empathy. I suddenly wished I had dealt with him permanently when I had the opportunity earlier, but that would have meant losing Sara, as my priority then was getting her to a proper healer.

When I spoke next, my voice was as icy as a winter grave. "Was that all he said to her? How did he justify the sentence?"

"To paraphrase him, he called her worthless. He demanded she cry to him and beg for forgiveness for killing a woman she’ll never measure up to—not even if she had a thousand lives to live." Kayvon revealed the details calmly, but I realized I was seething with a primal anger as he spoke.

"I’ve heard enough. It’s a good thing I met her when I did, before the wolfsbane took her completely. Summon the council." I left the room abruptly, unable to withstand the mental images of everything Sara had been forced to endure.