SIGNS OF THE ALPHA’S MARK

Elaris’s POV

My heart literally froze when the faint, silver light began to pulse against my stomach, shining through the thick material of Averic’s fur coat.

Neither of us moved for several seconds.

The unusual light shone under my palm and then gradually faded out in a shimmer.

Instinctively, I pulled my cloak tighter around myself.

Averic looked at me in utter amazement like he could not believe what he had just seen.

“What was that?”

I could not reply.

My secret had been kept from Caedmon, Virelle, the council, and every single one of my dangerous experiences within the castle walls.

Now one weirdly shimmering light was about to blow everything.

I averted my look.

“I don’t know.”

But as I said those words, I already knew that they were lies.

I understood perfectly well what the light meant.

It meant that there was a baby inside me.

And my unborn child reacted to Averic’s presence.

Averic’s eyes widened, staring at my stomach with astonishment as his breath came shorter, realizing immediately the clear and powerful hum of his own wolf essence.

His look turned from astonishment to wonderment.

“That wasn’t the power of Maevra’s healing magic.”

I gulped.

“No.”

“Then what was it?”

I couldn’t meet his gaze.

He moved closer to me.

“Elaris, look at me.”

I complied reluctantly.

His gaze sought mine.

“Is it your wolf?”

“Something like that.”

“Something like that?”

His tone held a mild threat.

“You’ve been keeping things from me.”

The accusation didn’t sting.

This made it even harder to face.

The memory of the moment when Sela confirmed my pregnancy came rushing back.

The excitement.

The panic.

The determination to keep quiet.

Averic had never promised me a future.

I couldn’t afford to become just another woman who he was with only because I was carrying his baby.

His gaze fell onto my belly again.

And then his expression changed.

He had started connecting the dots.

I tightened the grip on the cloak as I moved to the shadows of the garden arbor.

“It’s probably nothing.”

Averic trailed behind me.

“Nothing reacts to my essence.”

I tried to smile at him.

“Maybe you’re just seeing things.”

“My whole life has been spent understanding what my wolf knows.”

His words left me stunned.

He was not angry.

He was analyzing me.

That was much more alarming.

The chilly wind blew through the garden.

Averic removed the cloak from my shoulders only to wrap it around me again.

“You’re shivering.”

“I’m tired.”

“That is not all.”

I turned away.

His hand grasped my wrist.

It was gentle.

“Tell me the truth.”

My throat constricted.

For an irresponsible moment, I wanted to spill out my heart.

But then I thought about Virelle.

How she cried tears for nothing.

How she claimed she was carrying his child.

How she wanted to stay by his side.

I needed to be sure about Averic’s feelings before opening up to him completely.

“Elaris,” Averic’s voice became a rough rumble that made my body shake. “What did that light mean?”

I took another breath.

“My wolf has been unsteady since the breaking of the bond.”

“That does not explain the glow.”

“Maybe some changes occurred during the healing process.”

His brows furrowed.

“You do not think so.”

I looked into his face.

“No.”

Even for me, the straightforwardness shocked.

Averic moved closer to me.

“Then tell me what you think.”

I pressed my lips firmly.

"I think my body reacts to something that I don't understand yet."

His stare never left me.

"Are you in danger?"

"I don't think so."

"That is not an answer."

"I don't know."

Fear suddenly appeared in his face.

Not for himself.

But for me.

This thought almost crushed my determination.

Breathing deeply, I lied about how my wolf absorbed traces of magic from healing salves made by Maevra.

"Those salves consist of rare essence herbs."

His eyes narrowed.

"And they cause all this?"

"Perhaps."

He stared at my face.

"You lie."

My heart fell.

"No, I don't."

"You avoid my questions when they become personal."

I could not deny it.

He approached me, leaving just some space between us.

"Has someone threatened you?"

"No."

"Virelle?"

Silence was my reply.

Instantly Averic's aura became darker.

"What did she do?"

"Nothing that I could prove."

"Elaris."

"I don't want another accusation without evidence."

His expression softened.

"You don't have to deal with her alone."

I glanced at him.

"But I'm afraid that you will not believe me."

He became motionless.

"So this is your opinion about me?"

I couldn't find anything to say.

Averic moved closer to me, his face struggling between burning curiosity and the protective instincts he simply couldn't suppress.

“You do not trust me.”

“I do.”

“But?”

“I have put all my trust in one man before.”

My voice broke.

“And I don't want to repeat my mistake.”

His face tensed.

“I am not Caedmon.”

“I know.”

“So why are you afraid?”

“Because I care for you.”

The words slipped through my lips without me being able to stop them.

Averic gazed at me.

My heartbeat quickened.

He reached towards my face but didn't touch me.

“You care for me?”

I looked away from him.

“I shouldn't have said it.”

He lifted my chin.

“Do not take it back.”

I met his eyes.

In that one suspended second, everything outside us felt far away.

And then the wolf inside him was awakened.

The silver light appeared under my dress once again.

Averic drew his breath.

“I know when my own essence is responding to something, Elaris,” he whispered, his large hand shaking slightly as he reached towards me.

The light became brighter.

His hand hung above my belly.

We didn't touch.

But we exchanged something.

Warmth.

Pulse.

Recognition.

Averic’s eyes widened.

“My wolf knows this.”

I stepped back.

“Don’t.”

“Why?”

“Please.”

He dropped his hand.

“What are you hiding?”

My eyes stung with unshed tears.

Before I could say a word, a sudden pain hit my belly like a punch.

I gasped.

Averic grabbed my shoulders instantly.

“Elaris!”

The silver glow faded.

“I’m fine.”

“Obviously not.”

His gaze fell upon the palace.

“I’m bringing you to Sela.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Because Sela knew about this.

Because Sela had already warned me.

Because if Averic brought me now, it would reveal my secret.

“I just need to sit down.”

It didn’t seem to make him happy.

Just then, the gravel rustled behind us.

Before Averic’s hand reached my waist, somebody stepped heavily on the gravel behind us.

Averic turned around instantly.

His defensive aura flared up instantly.

“Who is there?”

A known voice responded.

“Alpha?”

Virelle appeared out of nowhere.

Her face was white as a sheet.

Her hand was resting on her stomach protectively.

Averic’s gaze immediately shifted towards her.

“What happened?”

Virelle winced.

“I was looking for you.”

Her gaze switched between me and Averic.

Then her glance rested upon the cloak wrapped around me.

A sharp gleam was in her eyes.

“You’re with Elaris.”

The look on Averic’s face grew hard.

“Was.”

Virelle swallowed dramatically.

“I think something is wrong with the baby.”

My stomach clenched.

She had chosen the perfect moment again.

Virelle appeared out of the darkness, holding her arm, complaining dramatically about the severe pain in her abdomen from her “pregnancy.”

Averic immediately came to her side.

“How severe?”

“I don’t know.”

She leaned against him.

“It just came like that.”

I examined her closely.

She didn’t look pale enough.

Her breathing was too steady.

Her gaze was too alert.

This was a show.

Averic helped her.

“We’re heading for the medical wing.”

Virelle looked over his shoulder.

Our gazes met.

Her demeanor changed in an instant.

The vulnerable woman vanished.

A warning was in her silence.

She knew something had gone down between Averic and me.

She saw the glow.

At that very moment, I understood that it was not by accident that she interrupted us.

She had been watching.

Waiting.

And now she wanted to know what I was hiding from her.

The frustration burned in Averic’s eyes, but the Alpha’s duties made him shift his focus to Virelle.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes.”

“Just barely.”

He offered her his arm, and she grabbed onto it without delay.

I stayed where I was, under the archway.

Averic glanced at me.

“Let us go with us.”

Her fingers squeezed Averic’s arm tighter.

“I think that I need some privacy.”

A frown crossed his face.

“She is a part of my household.”

Virelle managed a feeble smile.

“Of course.”

But then she abruptly flinched.

Once again, Averic’s eyes landed on her.

I observed the show.

However, something else attracted my attention.

There was a smell in the air.

Bitter herbs.

That same trace of metal which I had smelled when the concoction was altered for Maevra.

I narrowed my eyes.

Virelle had been close to the medicine once again.

Before I could demand answers from her, she turned her back to me.

I needed proof.

And not just an accusation.

Virelle shot me one more triumphant look over Averic’s shoulder and walked off with the Alpha back to the medical wing.

I stood there like a statue until they disappeared from my sight.

Next, I saw something lying on the gravel.

It was a small piece of parchment.

I took it up.

Its edges had been burned.

Someone wanted to destroy it.

Only a few words could be seen now.

“…increase the dosage…”

My heart pounded faster.

There was another fragment that said:

“…before the next council…”

I looked in the direction of the medical wing.

This was not a mere accident by Virelle.

Somebody had burned the letter and left the pieces lying around.

Why?

I heard steps coming near me.

Neryss emerged from the corridor.

She looked scared.

“Elaris.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I have found something.”

She put her hand inside her apron.

Her fingers were shaking.

“Something that Virelle wanted to burn.”

My stomach tensed.

“What?”

Neryss brought out a burned piece of parchment.

“This.”

As I was leaving for my chamber, Neryss Vale came to my room with a burned piece of paper that she found in Virelle’s hearth – it was a letter from Caedmon with precise instructions on how to kill the old Luna!

I spread the piece of parchment out.

It was burned in most of its part.

However, some words survived:

“…the evening dose must be doubled…”

“…the weakness will appear natural…”

“…never allow the healer to see the original mixture…”

My fingers froze.

I then saw the signature.

Caedmon.

I looked at Neryss.

“Where did you find this?”

“In Virelle’s fireplace.”

My heart raced.

“This proves they’re working together.”

Neryss shook her head.

“Not entirely.”

I frowned.

“What do you mean?”

She pointed towards the bottom of the parchment.

“There is another signature.”

Under Caedmon’s signature was an unknown symbol which I had never seen before.

Neryss whispered.

“I asked an old servant about it.”

“What did they say?”

“It was from a royal apothecary of the past.”

I was further confused.

“Why would there be an apothecary here?”

Neryss appeared terrified.

“Because that person disappeared many years ago after being accused of concocting a poison which could mimic Maevra’s disease symptoms.”

My chamber fell silent.

The letter proved what I needed.

However, it raised another question which was far larger than Virelle.

I carefully folded the parchment.

“We can’t let Averic see this yet.”

Neryss looked at me.

"Why?"

"Because if Virelle realizes we have it, she'll burn the rest of the evidence."

I turned my attention to the closed door.

“But what if Caedmon has really given these instructions, then there must be someone else helping them?”

We both missed the shadow creeping from underneath the door.

There must have been someone outside, listening.

Then the sound of their feet faded into the hallway.