The Alpha's Forbidden Vampire

Chapter 5 — The Warning

Elara didn't sleep.

Not even for a minute.

She sat on the edge of her bed until dawn, staring at the window where the silver eyes had appeared.

They were gone now.

But she could still feel them.

Watching.

Waiting.

Her fingers tightened around the piece of paper on her desk.

Stop looking beneath Blackwood.

And beneath it, written in blood:

He cannot protect you.

Elara read the sentence again.

Then again.

Her expression hardened.

"Who are you?"

The room offered no answer.

Mira was still asleep.

Outside, Blackwood University slowly woke.

Doors opened.

Students shouted greetings across the courtyard.

Cars passed along the road beyond the campus gates.

The ordinary sounds of morning returned.

But Elara no longer trusted ordinary.

She folded the paper and slipped it into the inside pocket of her coat.

She would find out who had left it.

Eventually.

And when she did, they would regret leaving it.

By eight-thirty, Elara was sitting in the cafeteria with Mira.

She hadn't touched her breakfast.

Mira stared at her.

"You've been holding that coffee for ten minutes."

"I'm thinking."

"About coffee?"

"No."

"Then you're doing it wrong."

Elara looked down at the cup.

The coffee had gone cold.

She pushed it aside.

Mira leaned closer.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"You've said that three times."

"Because you keep asking."

Mira sighed.

"You're impossible."

"So I've been told."

Before Mira could respond, someone dropped into the chair across from them.

Adrian Vale.

He smiled.

"Morning."

Mira smiled back.

"Do you always appear without being invited?"

"Usually."

Elara looked toward the cafeteria entrance.

"Where's Ronan?"

Adrian's eyebrows rose.

Elara immediately regretted asking.

Mira's mouth curved into a knowing smile.

Adrian looked delighted.

"Oh."

Elara glared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You have an annoying habit of saying that."

"I learned it from Ronan."

"Then I already dislike you."

Adrian laughed.

"I think we're going to be friends."

"No."

"Definitely friends."

"No."

Mira looked amused.

Adrian leaned back.

"Ronan isn't here."

Elara tried to sound indifferent.

"Good."

"He had something to do."

"Fine."

"You're disappointed."

"I'm not."

"Very convincing."

Elara gave him a warning look.

Adrian raised his hands.

"All right. I'll stop."

For exactly three seconds.

Then he asked, "Did you hear about the student from yesterday?"

Elara's attention sharpened.

"What about him?"

Adrian's expression became serious.

"He's still unconscious."

Mira frowned.

"That's horrible."

"They don't know what happened."

"Didn't they say it was an animal attack?" Elara asked.

"That's what they're telling students."

"And what do you think?"

Adrian looked at her.

"Something else."

Elara waited.

He lowered his voice.

"There were no animal tracks."

Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

"Then what attacked him?"

"We don't know."

Adrian looked toward the windows.

"But whatever it was, it shouldn't have been here."

Elara studied him.

That sounded less like a student repeating a rumor and more like someone who knew exactly what he was talking about.

Before she could question him further, the cafeteria doors opened.

Ronan walked inside.

His gaze found their table.

Then stopped on Elara.

Adrian noticed.

Of course he did.

He smiled.

Ronan's expression immediately darkened.

He approached.

"Adrian."

"Ronan."

Ronan looked at Elara.

"Can I talk to you?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you're going to order me around."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Then perhaps."

Adrian stood.

Mira looked confused.

"I'm going to leave before this gets violent."

Elara glanced at him.

"Smart."

Adrian walked away with Mira.

Ronan pulled out the chair.

He sat across from Elara.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then he asked,

"Did you receive a message?"

Elara went still.

"What message?"

"The one telling you to stop looking beneath Blackwood."

She stared at him.

"How do you know about that?"

Ronan's jaw tightened.

"So you received it."

"Answer me."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

His eyes hardened.

"Both."

Elara leaned forward.

"You have an irritating habit of knowing things you refuse to explain."

"And you have an irritating habit of getting involved in things that can kill you."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Is that a threat?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"A warning."

"From you?"

"Yes."

Elara studied him.

"Why?"

Ronan didn't answer.

His eyes shifted toward the cafeteria entrance.

For the briefest moment, his expression changed.

Alert.

Focused.

Almost predatory.

Elara followed his gaze.

Nobody unusual stood there.

Students.

Professors.

Nothing.

When she looked back at Ronan, he was watching her.

"You need to stay away from the old buildings."

"Why?"

"Because something is wrong."

"That's not enough."

"It's all I'm giving you."

She smiled coldly.

"Then we're done."

She stood.

Ronan caught her wrist.

Elara immediately looked down at his hand.

He released her.

"Sorry."

The word surprised her.

She hadn't expected it.

Ronan looked away.

"Just be careful."

Elara hesitated.

Then nodded once.

"I always am."

She walked away.

Ronan watched her leave.

He didn't notice Adrian standing several feet away.

Adrian smiled.

"You apologized."

Ronan looked at him.

"Don't."

"You actually apologized."

"I said don't."

Adrian laughed.

"You're in trouble."

Ronan walked away.

That afternoon, Professor Gray's class was packed.

Elara sat near the window.

She opened her notebook.

Then stopped.

Someone had written something across the first page.

Three words.

He remembers you.

Elara stared at them.

She hadn't seen anyone approach her desk.

She touched the ink.

Fresh.

Her instincts tightened.

She looked around the classroom.

Nobody was watching her.

Except Ronan.

He sat several rows away.

His eyes were fixed on the notebook.

Elara closed it.

After class, she waited.

Ronan approached as the other students left.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing."

He glanced at the notebook.

"You don't have to lie to me."

"I don't trust you."

"Good."

She frowned.

"Good?"

"You shouldn't trust people easily."

"That's the first sensible thing you've said."

He looked at the closed notebook.

"Someone is watching you."

"I know."

"How?"

"I received a message."

"What did it say?"

Elara hesitated.

Then she opened the notebook and showed him.

His eyes moved across the words.

His expression changed.

"You shouldn't have come here."

She looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"You do know."

Ronan closed the notebook.

"Come with me."

"No."

"Elara."

"No."

His patience visibly thinned.

"Why do you make everything difficult?"

"Because you make everything suspicious."

He stared at her.

Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.

It was quiet.

Brief.

But real.

Elara froze.

She had never heard him laugh before.

For a second, he looked different.

Less cold.

Less controlled.

Human.

Then the expression disappeared.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Saying nothing."

A faint smile returned.

"Maybe you should stop asking."

Elara hated the way that smile affected her.

She turned away.

"Where were you going to take me?"

"The library."

Her expression changed.

"Why?"

"Because I think someone has been searching for the same thing we found."

"The book?"

"Yes."

She considered it.

Then nodded.

"Fine."

The library was nearly empty.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall windows.

Ronan led Elara toward the historical archives.

"You've been here before," she said.

"Yes."

"How often?"

"Enough."

"Helpful."

They reached the restricted section.

The librarian was nowhere nearby.

Ronan pushed open the gate.

Elara stopped.

"How did you get access?"

"I have permission."

"From whom?"

"Someone."

"You're terrible at answering questions."

"So I've heard."

They entered.

The black book was gone.

Elara stared at the empty shelf.

"It was here."

Ronan looked around.

"Are you sure?"

"I saw it yesterday."

"The book isn't important."

She looked at him.

"Then why are we here?"

"Because something was left behind."

He reached toward the back of the shelf.

His fingers brushed the stone wall.

A small section shifted.

A hidden compartment opened.

Elara stared.

Inside was a bundle of old papers.

Ronan removed them.

The top page contained a faded symbol.

The same symbol.

Crescent.

Jagged line.

Elara's birthmark burned.

She touched the back of her ear.

Ronan noticed.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"Behind your ear."

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"So are you."

He stared at her.

Then looked back at the papers.

One page contained a drawing.

Two figures.

A vampire.

A werewolf.

Standing beside each other.

Not fighting.

Elara frowned.

"That's impossible."

Ronan said nothing.

Beneath the drawing were several lines of faded writing.

Most were unreadable.

But one sentence remained clear.

When the blood of moon and crimson meet again, the forgotten door shall open.

Elara's stomach tightened.

"Moon and crimson."

Ronan looked at her.

Neither spoke.

Then footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Someone was coming.

Ronan immediately closed the compartment.

"Hide."

Elara frowned.

"I don't take orders."

"This time, do."

His voice was different.

Urgent.

She moved behind a tall bookshelf.

Ronan stepped into the shadows opposite her.

The footsteps approached.

Slow.

Measured.

A figure entered the archive.

Professor Gray.

Elara held her breath.

Gray stopped beside the shelf.

He looked directly at the hidden compartment.

Then toward Ronan's position.

"You're becoming curious, Mr. Draven."

Ronan stepped out.

"So are you."

Gray smiled faintly.

"I have always been curious."

His gaze shifted toward Elara's hiding place.

She knew immediately.

He could see her.

"Miss Veyne," Gray said.

Elara stepped out.

"What do you want?"

Gray looked between them.

"To prevent a mistake."

"What mistake?"

"Opening a door that should remain closed."

Ronan's expression hardened.

"What is beneath the university?"

Gray didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at Elara.

"You carry the mark."

Elara's blood ran cold.

Ronan turned toward her.

"What mark?"

Gray's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Interesting."

He walked past them.

At the doorway, he stopped.

"The university remembers everything."

Then he left.

Silence returned.

Elara looked at Ronan.

He was staring at her.

"What mark?"

She touched the back of her ear.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie."

"Then stop asking questions you don't have the right to ask."

Ronan stepped closer.

"You think I don't have secrets?"

"I know you do."

"Then we're even."

Elara stared at him.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then the lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

A deep sound came from beneath the floor.

Thump.

Both turned.

Another heartbeat.

Thump.

The papers in Ronan's hand suddenly began to tremble.

A black line spread across the ancient page.

Elara leaned closer.

Words appeared.

Slowly.

One letter at a time.

The first blood has returned.

Ronan's expression changed.

Elara felt a chill move through her.

Then another sentence appeared.

And the wolf has already found her.

Ronan looked at Elara.

She looked back.

Neither understood what the words meant.

But somewhere beneath Blackwood University, something answered the heartbeat.

A growl.

Closer than before.

The floor beneath them shook.

And the hidden door behind the bookshelf began to open by itself.