Chapter 5

★𝕺𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆

The days following Ronan's return settled into a new, unsettling rhythm. The initial euphoria of the pack had mellowed into a pervasive sense of anticipation, a readiness for the full impact of their Alpha's renewed presence.

For me, however, the subtle unease that had pricked at me during the feast had only deepened, growing into a persistent, low thrum beneath my skin.

Everywhere I went, I felt Ronan. It wasn't that he constantly sought me out, not overtly. But his presence filled the palace differently now. His laugh, deep and resonant, carried further. His scent, a potent mix of mountain pine and something uniquely Alpha seemed to linger in the corridors long after he’d passed. And his gaze.

That piercing, intense gaze that had latched onto me in the Great Hall continued to seek me out, even from across a room, even when I thought myself unobserved. It was like a physical touch, both unnerving and oddly thrilling, making my breath catch in my throat.

I found myself unconsciously adapting. I’d take circuitous routes through the palace, or linger in the kitchen longer, just to avoid those brief, charged encounters. I didn't understand it. He was my brother. We had always been close, in our own way, but never like this.

Never with this strange, primal pull that made my wolf, Rex, stir in my mind with an almost frantic energy, a low hum that translated as... curiosity? Excitement? I couldn't tell.

One afternoon, while I was meticulously arranging fresh flowers in the Grand Salon, a sudden, blinding headache hit me. It wasn't the usual stress-induced ache; this felt sharper, accompanied by a dizzying rush of senses.

The delicate perfume of the lilies and roses became overwhelmingly strong, the soft rustle of leaves outside sounded like a roar, and the distant clatter from the courtyard felt like it was happening right beside me.

I stumbled, dropping a vase. It shattered on the marble floor, the sharp sound echoing painfully in my ears.

I knelt, hands trembling, to gather the shards. As I reached for a particularly jagged piece, a sharp edge sliced across my palm. A gasp escaped me.

I pulled my hand back, expecting a deep, painful wound. But there was only a thin, red line, already fading, a ghost of an injury.

By the time a maid hurried in, alerted by the crash, my palm was perfectly smooth, not even a mark. "Are you alright, Miss Olivia?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"I am Fine," I murmured, my voice a little breathless. "Just... clumsy. I'll get someone to clean this." I quickly left, my mind reeling. My healing was always fast, but this was instant. It was impossible. I pushed the thought away. Exhaustion. Just sheer exhaustion and too much stress.

Later that evening, after the pack settled down, I decided to take a quiet walk in the enclosed palace gardens. The cool night air usually soothed my frayed nerves. I was admiring a patch of night-blooming jasmine when a shadow detached itself from the deeper gloom near the old fountain.

"Liv."

Ronan's voice, low and resonant, sent a jolt through me. He was standing too close, his tall frame looming, his presence overwhelming. He wore his casual night clothes, but the Alpha power radiating from him was still palpable, heavy and intoxicating.

"Ronan," I managed, my voice a little breathless, my heart doing that strange fluttery thing again. "I... I thought you should be resting by now."

His eyes, dark and unreadable in the dim light, studied me. They held that same unsettling intensity. "I am restless. And I sensed you out here." He took a step closer, and my instincts screamed, a primal recognition, a confusing urge to lean into the warmth he radiated. I fought it, rigid. "Are you well, sister?"

"Yes, of course," I lied, my voice a little too high. "Just... enjoying the night air. The kitchen was busy today."

He chuckled softly, a sound that vibrated through the quiet garden, making the air around us feel thick with unspoken currents. "I'm sure it was.

The feast was excellent. As always, your touch is unparalleled." He took another step, closer still, and my senses were flooded with his unique scent, overwhelming me.

His hand, warm and strong, reached out, hovering just inches from my arm, as if he wanted to touch but hesitated. "You seem... more vibrant, Liv. Since my return."

My entire body tensed. He saw it too. Whatever it was, I forced myself to step back, breaking the invisible thread that pulled us together. "I'm just tired, Ronan," I said, my voice firmer now. "And you, you're back and the pack is buzzing. It affects us all."

He simply watched me, a faint, almost predatory smile playing on his lips, a knowing glint in his dark eyes. "Perhaps," he murmured, his gaze dropping to my still-trembling hand, before briefly flickering to the perfectly healed scar on my palm. It was so fleeting, I almost missed it. "Get some rest, Olivia. We have much to prepare for."

He turned then, melting back into the shadows as silently as he'd appeared. I stood there, trembling, my hand still throbbing with the ghost of a wound, the scent of him clinging to my skin. My brother. But never before had he felt so utterly... Alpha. And never before had I felt so deeply, inexplicably aware of him. Something was changing, something I couldn't name, and it terrified me.