Chapter 62 He put you under his eye
Ruel's POV
“Don’t look at me like that,” Elric mutters.
“Like what?” I ask.
“Like you regret telling me about Ira,” he says. “It’s just… a lot to take in.” His gaze sharpens, studying me. “Ruel, if this is what I think it is, then…” He trails off.
“What do you think this is?” I grit out, forcing my anger down.
“If she were a witch or a warlock, we would’ve known. Through her scent… or her aura. There would’ve been signs.”
“She might have masked it,” I say.
“Or she could be a sempyr.” He drops and my jaw locks at the word. “They’re the only ones without a definitive smell.”
I don't want to lie to him but sempyrs are the least forgivable of all strays.
“She is not a sempyr.”
“Then we need to ask her what she truly is,” Elric insists. “We have to be certain, Ruel. You might even be wrong. She could just be a werewolf with an unfortunate hair color.”
I bite my tongue. I can’t disregard his argument without revealing how I know the truth, and doing that would expose Ira.
Every word I don’t say sticks in my throat bitterly. Because I know I can't be mistaken. I remember the glow. The way the red dye she'd used for her hair momentarily became invisible, giving way to the bright glow of her natural hair color.
That wasn't the only thing that happened that night. The weather has changed, gravity played to her movements too. Only a sempyr can do that.
“Don’t,” Krist snaps inside me.
I won’t say it.
“If you do, I will end him,” Krist promises coldly. “I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
Frustrated, I squeeze my eyes shut for a brief second.
Then I open them, but Elric has gone rigid, now sitting straighter, his shoulders squared. There’s fear in his eyes now, although it's carefully masked with curiosity.
“Is your wolf angry?” he asks slowly.
“How do you know?”
He swallows and nods toward me. “Your eyes.”
My heart drops.
“They’re gold again,” he whispers.
“That's not new, Elric. I've always been a bit different.”
He speaks again, cutting me off. “N..not normal gold. Ruel… it looks like there’s fire in them.”
Silence reigns as I stare at him in disbelief.
I drag my hands down my face and lean forward, elbows braced against the table.
“Damn it,” I mutter.
“Who cares if we carry the trait of an alpha?” Krist snarls inside me, swelling with pride. “It only makes us stronger. No matter who stands in our way, if we build our strength to match that of an alpha, we'll be able to defend what’s ours when the time comes.”
You make it sound like being with Ira is something to consider.
“After that kiss, tell me you haven't been dreaming of it. Why do we always have to sacrifice our joy for the pack? I want her and you do too.”
She's not worth it, goddess be damned!
“This isn’t something a beta should be capable of,” Elric says quietly. “No matter how strong you are, your eyes shouldn’t burn like that.”
“I know.” my voice comes out harsher.
“But if this escalates, if the Alpha King finds out?”
“I’ll handle it.” I state immediately, surprised by the truth of my response. Why is my mind so divided? A part of me hates the idea of having a sempyr for a mate, but there's the dominant side…
The one that can't deny the instant peace that flooded my heart when I had her in my arms… The way my body burned with hunger when I kissed her…
Elric calmly rises to his feet. “You always say that.”
“And I mean it,” I snap. “This… whatever is wrong with me won’t escalate.”
“Nothing is wrong with us.” Krist growls.
“Maybe those physiology texts are wrong.” I continue, “Those scholars only recorded what little they understood. A fiery gaze doesn’t make me an alpha.”
Elric frowns, unconvinced. “So pausing mid-shift… A state where you and your wolf have one mind, means nothing?”
“It doesn’t make me an alpha either. If it did then I wouldn't even be an alpha. Hell, lycans are a myth. Everyone knows that. This is just… something we don’t understand yet. Don’t jump into conclusions.”
“Lycans don't live like us. They are a higher breed of werewolves. You remember all those wars we read about in them history books? Those were caused by Lycans. Why do you think they all moved across the continent? When will you stop hiding from the truth,” he counters.
“You have no idea what could happen if…”
“It’s better to accept what is and prepare for war than to pretend nothing’s wrong and be caught off guard. Because either way, Ruel, the pack will turn against you.”
“Are you done?”
“There’s something else,” he says.
“Say it,” I bite out.
He exhales, slow and heavy, like he’s been carrying the thought far longer than he should have. “Scarface.”
“What about him?” I ask, though I already know.
“What do we do with him?”
“What do you mean? Of course we treat him like any suspected traitor.”
Elric watches my face, “And if the Alpha King hears about it?”
I frown, irritation flaring hot in my chest. “He won’t question my judgment.”
Elric rolls his eyes. “You really believe that?”
“He put this base under my command,” I snap. “He trusts me.”
“He put you under his eye,” Elric corrects quietly. So quiet that I doubt he intended for me to hear.
With an awkward cough, he lifts a hand, dragging it through his hair. As he does, his sleeve rides up and that's when I see it.
My eyes zero in on the dark faded mark on his elbow. It's not a fresh wound but it's not old enough to ignore.
“What’s that?” I ask. “How deep did the wound have to be to scar like that?”
Elric freezes then instantly drops his hand.
“What?” he mutters, playing dumb.
“Your arm.” I stare firmly.
He follows my gaze, then drops his sleeve with practiced ease. “It’s nothing. Just a minor bruise.”
“That doesn’t look like nothing.”
He ignores it. Deflects, like I would. His eyes flick instead to the table. “I should go. Need to address the guards.”
He doesn't wait for a reply before heading towards the door. He's mad that I kept a secret from him yet he's doing the exact same thing.