Chapter 222: It Spoke to My Wife

Leitana could not sleep.

The middle of the night wrapped the bedroom in heavy silence, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioner and the steady rhythm of Ravial’s breathing. She lay curled against his powerful chest, cocooned in his strong arms that held her like she might disappear if he loosened his grip even slightly. One of his large hands rested possessively over her baby bump, the other curled around her back, fingers splayed across her spine.

She tilted her head up, eyes tracing his sleeping face in the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains. Even in rest, he looked dangerous, sharp jawline, perfect lips slightly parted, the black blindfold still covering his eyes. She reached up slowly, her small fingers gently stroking along his cheek, then down the bridge of his nose, feeling the warmth of his skin.

So beautiful. So terrifying. So hers.

But her mind would not rest.

That voice… that demonic, ancient voice that had come out of Arabella’s mouth kept replaying in her head. The way her eyes had flashed ember-red. The cruel, mocking words. The hunger. Leitana could not understand it. How could something like that be inside her friend? Was it a demon? A spirit? Some kind of possession? And why Arabella?

She shivered, anxiety twisting in her stomach.

Carefully, she tried to pull away from Ravial’s hold, wanting to slip out of bed and walk around the room to clear her head. But the moment she moved even an inch, his arms tightened like steel bands, pulling her flush against his chest again.

“Where are you going, lamb?” His voice was low, rough with sleep, but completely alert. It shocked her.

Leitana froze, heart jumping. “Mi… mi thought you were sleeping.”

Ravial shifted slightly, adjusting her more comfortably in his arms without loosening his grip. His blindfolded face turned toward her.

“I was,” he murmured. “Until my wife started worrying so loudly in her head that it woke me.”

Leitana let out a shaky sigh and rested her forehead against his collarbone. She traced small circles on his chest with her finger, gathering courage. She did not know if he would believe her. The story sounded insane even to her own ears. But she had promised herself she would not lie to him anymore.

“Mi Ravial…” she whispered, voice small in the dark. “Something happened tonight. After the showcase. With Arabella.”

She felt his body tense slightly beneath her, a predator sensing danger.

“I went to talk to her. She looked so scared, mi Ravial. So broken. Mi followed her and asked what was wrong. She tried to push mi away… but then something changed.” Leitana swallowed hard. “Her eyes… they turned red. Like glowing embers. And her voice… it was not her voice anymore. It was deep and old and cruel. It called mi a ‘pathetic little vessel’ and told mi to stop sticking my nose where it does not belong.”

She trembled as she remembered.

“Mi do not understand what is happening to her. Is it a demon? Is she possessed? Mi keep seeing visions of her calling for help, trapped inside with that wolf thing. I'm scared for her… but mi am also scared for us. For our baby.”

Leitana looked up at his blindfolded face, searching for any reaction.

“Mi know it sounds crazy. Mi know you might not believe mi… but mi did not want to hide it from you, not anymore.”

She waited, heart pounding, fingers still gently stroking his chest as if touching him gave her strength.

Ravial was silent for a long moment. Then his hand slid up to cup the back of her head, holding her closer. His voice came out low, dark, and dangerously calm.

“I believe you.”

His fingers threaded through her curls, possessive and soothing at the same time.

“And whatever that thing is inside your friend… it made a very grave mistake tonight.”

He pressed a slow kiss to the top of her head, his tone dropping into something colder, more lethal.

“It spoke to my wife.”