Marked by My Enemy Alpha

Chapter 18 – Shadows in the Pack

Chapter 18 – Shadows in the Pack

When they returned, the packhouse was in chaos. Warriors whispered in corners, eyes full of fear. The healer Maeve rushed to them as soon as she saw Aria.

“Alpha Kael’s awake,” she said breathlessly. “But… he’s not himself.”

Aria froze. “What do you mean?”

Maeve’s expression darkened. “You’ll see.”

Inside the Alpha’s chamber, the air smelled of smoke and rain. Kael sat by the window, shirtless, his mark still glowing faintly under his skin. But his eyes—those golden eyes that always softened when he looked at her—were cold now.

“Kael?” she whispered.

He turned slowly. “You went to the witch.”

She swallowed. “You were dying. I had to—”

“I told you never to trust her kind,” he said sharply. “Now the curse knows you. It’s marked you deeper.”

Rylan stepped forward. “Don’t blame her for saving your life, brother.”

Kael’s head snapped toward him. “Don’t act like you care.”

The tension between them crackled like fire. Aria moved between them. “Stop. This is what the curse wants—division.”

Kael’s jaw clenched, his gaze softening only slightly when he looked at her. “I can feel it inside me, Aria. The darkness. Every time I close my eyes, it whispers your name—and his.” He glared at Rylan. “It’s trying to make me hate you both.”

Aria reached for his hand. “Then we fight it. Together.”

For a moment, he let her touch him. But then his body stiffened, and he pulled away. “If I lose control again, I could hurt you. I won’t risk that.”

Before she could argue, he left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Rylan exhaled. “He’s breaking, Aria.”

“No,” she said firmly. “He’s scared. There’s a difference.”

Rylan’s gaze lingered on her for a moment. “You really believe you can save him?”

“I have to,” she whispered. “Because if I don’t… we’ll all be lost.”