Chapter 39 Twin Marks
Ryder’s POV
The second Trixie said Brianna was awake, I was already moving.
I rushed down the hallway and straight into the bedroom without slowing down once. Every bit of tension sitting in my chest since she passed out hit me all over again the moment I saw her sitting up in the bed surrounded by Trixie, Elara, and Clara.
My princess looked exhausted. Still beautiful though. Her brown hair fell messily around her shoulders while those golden eyes immediately locked onto mine the second I entered the room.
Relief hit me so hard it almost pissed me off.
I crossed the room quickly and went straight to her side before cupping her cheek gently with my hand. “Princess,” I murmured softly. The second I touched her, her entire expression broke.
“Ryder, you can’t leave me ever again,” she blurted out immediately. “Like never. It’ll hurt us both. If you die we die and then there’s no more royal bloodline and then you and I…” She kept rambling so fast half the words tangled together.
Panic.
Pure panic.
I could hear it in every syllable leaving her mouth.
“Hey, hey, hey,” I interrupted gently while rubbing my thumb across her cheek slowly. “Sweetheart, slow down.”
Her breathing shook slightly before she finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath. For a second I thought she calmed down. Then she opened her mouth again.
I just stared at her immediately. That made her pause. “Ryder,” she said much quieter this time.
I nodded once.
“Would you hold me?” she whispered. “Please.”
That request alone damn near broke something inside me. I climbed onto the bed beside her without hesitation before pulling her directly into my arms. She curled against me instantly, practically melting into my chest while I wrapped both arms firmly around her. The second I tightened my hold around her body, she let out a soft breath of relief. Like finally breathing again. And goddess…. That feeling hit me hard.
I rested my chin lightly against the top of her head while rubbing my hand slowly up and down her back. “I’ve got you, Princess.”
She stayed quiet for several seconds before finally tilting her head back enough to look up at me. Then she explained everything.
The field.
The flowers.
The Moon Goddess.
By the time she reached the part about being descended from the Moon Goddess herself, Trixie’s mouth literally dropped open.
Honestly? Her reaction matched mine as well as everyone else’s.
Elara looked stunned while Clara blinked several times like she was trying to process everything.
“You met the Moon Goddess?” Trixie repeated slowly.
Brianna nodded once against my chest. “She said she’s my grandmother’s sister.”
Silence settled heavily through the room after that.
Well hell. That definitely wasn’t normal information to wake up to.
Before anybody could respond, Atlas walked into the room with Cass right behind him. Both of them looked halfway between exhausted and stressed out of their damn minds.
“What’d we miss?” Cass asked immediately.
Trixie pointed dramatically toward Brianna. “Apparently she had a casual conversation with the Moon Goddess.”
Cass blinked once.
Atlas blinked twice.
“Well alright then,” Cass muttered.
Brianna explained everything again while I stayed quiet and held her closer against me the entire time. The farther she got into the explanation, the more serious the room became. Especially when she reached the part about me dying.
Atlas rubbed his jaw slowly while processing everything. “So let me get this straight,” he muttered carefully. “If Ryder dies, we all die.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. And it wasn’t some small chuckle. A full on belly laugh.
“I’m sorry but not sorry,” I chuckled while shaking my head slightly. “Dear old dad definitely didn’t see this one coming.
Brianna looked up at me before nodding softly.
Cass looked disturbed as hell now. “And if you two are separated…” he started before trailing off thoughtfully.
“We become vulnerable,” Brianna finished quietly. “Both of us.”
That statement settled heavily through the room. And suddenly… Everything started clicking together all at once.
The white wolf bloodline.
The Moon Goddess connection.
Brianna’s elemental powers reacting violently every time we were apart.
The way her magic stabilized around me.
The way mine answered hers instinctively.
The battles we already fought side by side.
The bond forming before either of us fully understood it. None of that was accidental. Not one damn thing.
“Our powers align,” I muttered quietly while looking down at Brianna.
She nodded slowly against my chest. “The Moon Goddess said we work stronger together.”
Draco stirred immediately, “Well that explains a lot.”
Yeah. It really did.
Brianna shifted closer against me before resting her head against my shoulder again while my arms tightened around her automatically. The room stayed quiet for several seconds while everybody processed what this actually meant.
Not just for us.
For the kingdom.
For the curse.
For all of it.
Then suddenly Elara gasped loudly. Every head turned toward her immediately. Her eyes stayed locked on us while shock spread across her face. “Fuck.”
Atlas frowned instantly. “What?”
Elara pointed directly toward Brianna and me. “You both have matching marks.”
Silence slammed through the room immediately. My brows furrowed while Brianna lifted her head from my shoulder. “What?”
Elara moved closer quickly while staring at the side of my neck. Then her eyes moved toward Brianna’s shoulder.
“Those weren’t there before,” she whispered.
Trixie stepped forward beside her and immediately sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh goddess.”
Now that definitely got my attention. “What marks?”
Brianna shifted slightly in my lap while I pulled the collar of my shirt down enough for her to look.
Black markings wrapped across the side of my neck and shoulder in twisting lines that almost looked carved beneath my skin. The exact same symbol stretched across Brianna’s shoulder glowing faint gold beneath her shirt strap.
Then slowly… Very slowly… Brianna lifted her eyes toward mine. And for the first time since waking up, real fear crossed her face.