Chapter 20 The Friend Who Smiles
Amanda closed her eyes. The birthmark beneath her nightgown pulsed with warmth. It spread through her like a gentle tide, flowing from her into him. Soothing the jagged edges of the curse. Calming the wolf that howled in the darkness of his mind.
"Okay," she whispered.
Derek's arms tightened around her. His breathing began to even out. The tension that had held him rigid for so long finally released.
Amanda listened to his heartbeat. Felt the rise and fall of his chest. The birthmark continued to glow faintly beneath the fabric. A soft golden light that pushed back the shadows.
She didn't know when she fell asleep. But when she did, it was the first peaceful rest she'd had in weeks.
Morning light filtered through the curtains.
Amanda woke slowly. Warmth surrounded her. Strong arms held her close. For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then reality settled in.
She was in Derek's bed. In his arms. Her head rested on his chest. His breathing was slow and steady. Still asleep.
But something felt different. Deeper. Like a thread had been woven between them in the night. She could feel it now. Not just the curse wrapped around his wolf, but the wolf itself. Restless. Trapped. And trying desperately to show her something.
Images flickered behind her closed eyes. A ritual altar. Moonlight. A figure in shadow. And pain. So much pain.
Derek stirred. His arms loosened around her.
Amanda's eyes flew open. She pulled back slightly, unsure what to say. What to do.
Derek's eyes opened. They stared at each other. Neither spoke.
She saw the moment full awareness returned to him. Saw him remember. The nightmare. Her soothing him. Asking her to stay.
Then the walls came up.
Derek's expression shifted. Closed off. He pulled his arms away and sat up, putting distance between them.
"You should go." His voice was flat. Controlled.
Amanda's chest tightened. "Derek..."
"I have training in an hour." He wouldn't look at her. "Thank you for last night. But it won't happen again."
The words stung more than they should have. She'd known this would happen. Known he would retreat behind his walls the moment daylight came. But it still hurt.
She stood. Her nightgown was wrinkled, her hair tangled. She probably looked a mess.
"Right. Of course." She moved toward the adjoining door, then paused. "Derek, your wolf... I felt him last night. He was trying to show me something."
"It was just a dream."
"No, it wasn't." She turned back. "There was an altar. Someone in shadow. I think your wolf is trying to tell me who cursed you."
Derek's jaw clenched. "My wolf is bound. He can't tell you anything."
"But he can. Through me. Through this." She pressed her hand to her collarbone where the birthmark lay hidden. "Last night, when I touched you, the connection was stronger. I saw things. Felt things."
"Amanda, don't." His voice was sharp now. "Don't make this into something it's not."
"What are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid."
"Then why are you pushing me away?"
Derek stood. He grabbed a shirt from the chair and pulled it on. His movements were jerky. Frustrated. "Because this is exactly what I told you wouldn't happen. I don't need you fixing me. I don't need..."
"What? You don't need what?"
He turned. His eyes were dark. Guarded. "I don't need you getting hurt because of me."
The words hung in the air between them.
Amanda's throat tightened. "That's not your choice to make."
"Yes, it is. I'm the Alpha heir. Your safety is my responsibility."
"I'm not asking you to protect me from everything, Derek. I'm asking you to let me help."
"And I'm telling you it's too dangerous." He moved past her toward the door. "Stay in your room today. Train with Nadia if she comes. But don't go anywhere alone."
Then he was gone.
Amanda stood in the empty room. Her hands clenched at her sides. The warmth from the night before had evaporated, leaving only cold frustration in its wake.
But beneath the hurt, something else burned. Determination.
His wolf had shown her something. She was sure of it. And she wasn't going to let Derek's stubbornness stop her from finding out what.
Amanda returned to the library an hour later.
The morning sun streamed through the tall windows. Dust motes danced in the light. The room smelled of old paper and leather. Familiar. Safe.
She moved to the section she'd been studying before. Books on curses. On binding magic. On bloodlines and prophecies. But something pulled her deeper. An intuition she couldn't explain.
The birthmark on her collarbone tingled faintly. Guiding her.
She followed the feeling to the back corner of the library. A section she hadn't explored yet. The shelves here were older. The books covered in dust.
The tingling grew stronger.
Amanda ran her fingers along the spines. Her hand stopped on a thick leather volume. But when she tried to pull it out, it wouldn't budge.
She frowned. Pulled harder. Still nothing.
Then she noticed it. The books on either side weren't flush with the wall. There was a gap. A shadow.
Her pulse quickened.
Amanda pushed on the leather volume. Something clicked. The entire shelf swung inward.
A hidden room.
Amanda's breath caught. She stepped through the opening into a small chamber. Shelves lined the walls, filled with journals and loose papers. A desk sat in the center, covered in more books and what looked like old maps.
This was someone's private study. Hidden away. Protected.
She moved to the desk. Her hands trembled as she picked up one of the journals. The leather was worn, the pages yellowed with age. She opened it carefully.
The handwriting inside was elegant. Feminine.
Property of Catherine Livingston.
Amanda's heart slammed against her ribs. Derek's mother.
She sank into the chair and began to read.
The first entries were ordinary. Notes about pack politics. Observations about neighboring territories. But as Amanda turned the pages, the tone shifted.
I've seen it again. The vision. The silver wolf bound in chains. My son. My beautiful boy. The darkness will come for him.
Amanda's hands shook.
I've searched every text. Every prophecy. There must be a way to prevent this. To save him. But the seers all say the same thing. When the silver wolf falls, only the blood of the forgotten line can raise him.
The forgotten line. Amanda's breath came faster.
I've found her. In my visions. A girl with a crescent mark. Her bloodline was thought extinct, hunted by those who feared their gift. But she lives. And she will be the key to saving my son.
The pages blurred. Amanda blinked hard, trying to focus.
United, they will forge a new reign. Divided, darkness will consume both lines. I've done everything I can. I've hidden these journals. Left clues. But I fear it won't be enough. If you're reading this, if you've found this room, then you are the one. The healer. The curse breaker. And you are my son's only hope.
Amanda's throat was tight. Tears pricked her eyes. Catherine had known. Had seen all of this. Years before Amanda was even born.
She turned the page. A sketch stared back at her.
A crescent moon. Delicate and precise. Exactly like the birthmark on her collarbone.
"Oh my God," Amanda whispered.
This wasn't random. The marriage. The timing. None of it was coincidence. It had all been leading to this moment. To her.
She flipped through more pages, desperate for answers. The entries became more urgent. More frightened.
The betrayal will come from within. Someone close to Derek. Someone he trusts. I've seen the face in my visions, but it shifts. Changes. I cannot identify them. But I know this. They wear loyalty like a mask. They smile while they sharpen their blade.
Amanda's blood ran cold.
Beware the friend who smiles, for his blade is already drawn. The betrayer walks beside my son, wearing the face of loyalty.