Chapter 43 THE TRIGGER
Adam’s POV
It was past midnight when we moved to the far end of the pack house.
This wing was quieter, old but a little cozy. The walls were thicker here, the halls narrower. Kael said it was used for guests who needed privacy. Or safety. I didn’t ask which one I counted as.
We sat together on a wide couch in the room. A lamp glowed softly in the corner. Everything else was shadows and silence.
Kael had his arm around me, slow and steady, his thumb brushing the side of my arm over and over like he was afraid I’d spiral into my self-destructive thoughts if he stopped touching me; and honestly, I would really be spiraling without his solid presence and soothing touch. I leaned into him even though my chest felt tight, like there wasn’t enough space inside me for all the thoughts piling up.
“It’s okay,” he murmured for the fifth time. Maybe the tenth. “She’ll help. Whatever this is, we’ll handle it.”
I nodded, but my mind didn’t believe him.
What if the marks were dangerous?
What if they were contagious, or destructive, or something that would get people hurt?
What if the elders were right?
What if I end up hurting Kael?
A thought slipped in, quiet but intrusive: If the physician confirms I’m dangerous, I should leave.
Not because I wanted to, but because Kael didn’t deserve this.
The pack didn’t deserve this.
As soon as the thought formed, my chest ached in a new way. Leaving meant not seeing Kael anymore. Not hearing his voice in the mornings. Not feeling his hand warm at my back when I got overwhelmed. Not watching him smile at me like I was something precious instead of a problem.
That realization scared me more than the marks.
I swallowed and tilted my head up toward him. “Kael?”
He looked down instantly. “Yes?”
“Can I… can I have a kiss?”
He searched my face, worry and softness tangled together. “Of course.”
He leaned in gently, careful, like I might pull back even though I asked for it.
But I didn’t want gentle.
I didn’t know why, but something in me needed more… I needed to feel him, I needed something real to hold onto in case everything fell apart after tonight.
I grabbed his shirt and kissed him.
Not soft, shy, or careful. I went for a kiss I'd remember long enough in case I'd have to leave him before the next dawn.
His breath hitched. He froze for half a second, then kissed me back, deeper, warmer, his hand sliding to cradle the back of my head. My heart raced. My skin buzzed.
When I pulled away, my lips tingled.
Kael rested his forehead against mine, and kissed my brow. “It’ll be alright,” he whispered. “And I’ll always be right beside you.”
A knock sounded before I could respond.
Kael stood, straightening his clothes like he was bracing himself for battle. He opened the door.
The physician stepped inside.
She was an elderly woman with silver hair braided down her back neatly, observant eyes that missed nothing. She wore dark robes that smelled faintly of herbs and smoke. She bowed low to Kael.
“Please don’t,” Kael said quickly. “You’re my guest.”
She inclined her head instead and turned her gaze to me.
“This must be Adam,” she said.
Kael nodded. “My fated mate.”
My chest fluttered at the word.
“This is Maerin,” Kael said to me. “She’s been my family’s physician since my father’s time.”
I gave a small, nervous smile. “Hello.”
She studied me in silence, long enough that I shifted uncomfortably.
“How are you feeling, child?” she asked.
My throat closed. Words refused to come out. I looked at Kael instead.
“He’s been experiencing sudden glowing marks across his body,” Kael explained gently. “They burn. They appear at random. We haven’t been able to find a pattern.”
Maerin nodded slowly. “When do they surface?”
“At random,” Kael repeated. “No specific time.”
Her gaze sharpened. “Why does he seem human?”
Kael stiffened slightly. “Because he is. For now. I believe he has a dormant wolf, but I can’t sense it.”
She hummed, thoughtful. “Interesting.”
She turned to me. “If we are to understand this, we need to see the marks.”
My stomach dropped. “How?”
“No particular method,” she said calmly. “We will test possibilities.”
Before I could react, she stepped closer and pulled a knife from her sleeve, raising it like she's about to stab me.
I flinched so hard my back hit the couch.
She stopped the blade an inch from my skin.
“Fear,” she said. “Does not trigger it.”
She put the knife away and rang a small bell near my ear, its sound sharp and strange. She spoke in a language I didn’t understand, the words curling around my head like smoke.
When she stopped, something heavy crashed into me.
Sadness. Panic. Overwhelm.
My hands started shaking. My nails dug into my arms. I scratched harder, desperate to get out of my own skin.
“Distress,” she observed calmly. “Also not the trigger.”
“Stop.” Kael snapped.
He was beside me instantly, pulling my hands away, holding them tight. He wrapped himself around me, his scent washing over me, grounding me.
“It’s okay baby,” he murmured. “I’m here with you. Don't scratch yourself, okay…”
The scratching urge faded, leaving me shaky and exhausted.
Kael looked up sharply. “Please stay until morning. The marks appear on their own. You can see them then. But don't try to make him stuffer just to force the marks out.”
Maerin didn’t answer. She was staring at me.
Kael’s scent suddenly intensified into the so familiar deep, warm, and soothing scent he normally uses to calm me. My body relaxed without permission.
And then…
…Burning.
White-hot pain spread across my skin.
The marks bloomed.
“They’re here,” Kael said urgently.
Maerin stepped closer, eyes glowing faintly as she examined them.
Then she straightened and looked at Kael.
“I believe,” she said slowly, “that you are the trigger.”
The room went silent.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Kael stared at her, stunned.
And I wish I'd clearly understood what she meant when she said that.