The Future Alpha's Forbidden Love

Chapter 3 : Colorless

Whether to avoid her father or seek comfort, Lysabel grabbed Archelaus' palm as soon as Alpha Rendell announced her name. The moment she caught Iora staring at her with a look that said she wouldn’t be trusted again, Lysabel’s gaze quickly darted away from her mother.

A surge of shock coursed through her veins, drawing a squeak as Archelaus squeezed her hand. Staring at him, Lysabel c****d a brow. Concern shone in his amber eyes, and a golden lock brushed against his lash as it slipped from his slicked-back hair.

“Are you alright?” he asked in his mellow voice, squeezing her palm again, lighter than before.

Lysabel’s gaze softened as she locked eyes with him with a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “ I am totally fine, Arch.” She whispered, grasping his palm firmly to reassure him.

“You do not seem fine. Where were you before you came here? We were supposed to meet at my house.”

“I—” Lysabel cleared her throat. “I—” No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t explain it to him. She should not. She didn’t want to either. Archelaus would be worried to death once he knew what she had been doing before meeting him.

Letting out a puff of air, Lysabel started again. This time, her voice didn’t waiver, and her throat didn’t close up. “I visited Anzer before coming here.” She never lied to her best friend. And this time wasn’t an exception.

It wasn’t a lie, she reminded herself. She did visit her brother’s grave and half-truths hardly hurt anybody. At least it was not known to her and would certainly not hurt him.

Archelaus shut his eyes for a moment as he breathed out. The next second, he opened his eyes, and Lysabel stared into him. He was hurt. Tears and regret welled up in the corners of his eyes as he stared back at her.

“Now, Escorts, please leave the children and take your seats. The ceremony will begin with the dance.”

Archelaus erased all expressions from his face as his father's voice reached his ears. Lysabel opened her mouth and then shut it, lips unable to form words.

“ Best of luck, Belle. You got this!” Corners of eyes wrinkled as Santiz smiled at his daughter. Nothing on his face showed what he was thinking. Only his eyes sparkled with pride, and Lysabel could feel it.

She smiled back and wrapped him in a tight hug. Whiffs of grapefruit and mandarin drifted towards her as she inhaled, shutting her eyes.

Santiz patted her back as he whispered, “Whatever's bothering you, I am sure it will be resolved. I am here if you need me, Belle.” He felt Lysabel nodding her head stiffly. Exhaling, he broke the hug. “Now, go, enjoy. This day comes once in a lifetime for a werewolf. Don't forget to cherish it.” Cupping her face and staring deep into her eyes, he added.

Violinists, cellists, and a pianist were ready with their instruments. Tunes warbled from violins and cellos once the new shifters were alone in the field. They stood face to face with their dance partners, looking intently into each other's eyes. The air hung still as if it, too, was waiting for the new shifters to begin the ceremony with the traditional dance. As the pianist hit the C key, dancers closed the distance between them. Their hands lifted, palms pressing together as they stepped away from each other and then stepped toward each other once more.

As the music progressed, Archelaus gently placed his palm on her upper left back while Lysabel’s hand pressed on his right shoulder. Looking directly at each other, a smile lingering on both their faces, they glided effortlessly on firm and steady ground. Each turn was in perfect harmony with the ethereal melody swirling in the air. A dance of quick, flowing steps was all she needed to calm her nerves. Emerald Phrynge’s voice filled her ears, repeating, “You are here to fulfill your dead brother’s dream.” A turn to the left, his voice vanished. Sapphire Phrynge’s expression when Lysabel voiced her wish materialized in her mind in crystal-clear vision. Another invisible arc in the air as their feet followed the tune, and gone was the Phrynge from her thoughts. “You can leave now,” It was all Ruby Phrynge had said to her. Nothing about her wish being granted or not. Oh, and that Emerald Phrynge! He was so arrogant. As if he owned the Cave of Stones. Lysabel scoffed as she recalled him ordering her to leave the cave.

“ What are you rolling your eyes about, may I know?” Archelaus asked as he led them across a circular path, sweeping with the enchanting melody.

Shaking her head, Lysabel forced a chuckle, “No. It’s just —” Heaving a sigh, she stared into his eyes once more. “Your eyes are doing that thing again.” She remarked dreamily, her gaze taking all of him in.

“What thing?” Archelaus asked, oblivious to his burning gaze.

“ Electricity is pulsing through your irises, making some kind of puzzle to solve or paths to follow, and a tiny royal blue fire is searing in your pupils.” She whispered as if someone might steal the wonders she glimpsed in her best friend’s eyes.

Looking away, Archelaus murmured,” I am sorry. It happens when my emotions are controlling me rather than me controlling them.”

Gripping his chin, she made him look at her. “They are beautiful. Please don’t look away,” she pleaded.

His heart leaped as she admired him. The feeling wasn’t new. Ever since he kissed her on her cheeks in kindergarten, Archelaus’s heart has been doing somersaults now and then. As they gazed at each other, everything except Lysabel suddenly dimmed. Millions of stars in the sky somehow seemed to have landed on her eyes, leaving the night sky empty and utterly black. Such darkness cloaked his surroundings, allowing him to focus only on her. And so he did. A delicate line linking her brows— an almost unibrow, which is not that deep and only noticeable if observed carefully. The way she smiled softly, admiring his eyes. The way a loose coil of her fiery red curly hair danced in rhythm with the melody. His heart intended to jump out of his chest and live right beside hers, and he did not mind at all. The future Alpha of the Xandire Kingdom only broke free from his trance when the melody ended, and they had to step away from their dance partners.

His shoulders collapsed as he expelled from his mouth. This time, when his eyes met hers, she seemed to think of something else entirely. She was with him, yet her thoughts were engrossed with something weighing on her since their encounter before the ceremony. And this reminded him of the question he had asked while they were dancing. A line creased between his brows when he realized Lysabel had changed the subject and enthralled him with her gaze yet again.

Claps, whistles, and shouts erupted on the field. The crowd stood up, bellowing at the new shifters while they curtsied and bowed gracefully to the audience. Alphas rose from their thrones and elegantly applauded with a broad grin spread on their faces.

Eyes on his son and supposedly future daughter-in-law, Alpha Rendell voiced loudly," Now, wasn’t that an exceptional performance? They did better than us, didn’t they? " Looking up, reminiscing about old memories, he exclaimed, “Ah, the olden days, the golden days!”

Everyone who had been through the ceremony before in their lives nodded their heads as they, too, were washed with the beautiful whispers of the past.

“ Okay, enough of reminiscing. The next step in the ceremony is to consume three delicious juniper berries — one for strength, one for luck, and one for courage. After that, the new shifters will be drinking juniper berry juice, which is colorless in reality. However, the juice will change color once a new shifter picks up the drink. Only the shifter drinking the juice will see it change its original color to the color of their wolf’s fur. So, people, please take one glass of juice being served to you right now. And new shifters, please stand in a line, facing us, the four Alphas.”

The new shifters stood in a line as tables were rolled in front of them. A few werewolves, senior to the new shifters by a year, kept trays laden with golden glasses brimming with juniper berry juice and golden bowls heaped with raw juniper berries on the table. A smile lingered on each of the familiar faces. Something like pure tranquility glimmered in their eyes. But Lysabel couldn't tell if it was real or if they were merely trying to keep them from feeling scared.

Taking three juniper berries from the bowl, she looked at Archelaus, who was staring at the berries in his palm. “Why are you glaring at them?” Lysabel asked, grinning at her best friend.

Archelaus did not avert his gaze from the berries. Instead, his eyes were fixated on them as he said, “ I wonder what my wolf would look like. I certainly don’t want it to look like my uncle’s.” He shook his head, a bitter smile curved the right corner of his lips. “B.asta.rd.” He muttered under his breath.

Heart aching for him, she rested her palm on his shoulder and comforted him, “ You are going to be just like your father. Trust me, Arch. And he is going to be proud of you.”

His eyes slowly wandered toward her. The pain in them wrapped its tendrils around her throat, squeezing until the last breath left her lungs. She searched for words that might soothe him, but her quest seemed fruitless.

“Raise your glasses and let us cheer to our children's bright future.” Raising his glass, Alpha Rendell bellowed.

Heeding to Alpha Rendell’s voice of authority, new shifters popped one berry after another while people in the audience took the first sip of their drink. The air was infused with the crisp, piney-like aroma of the juice, accented by a citrusy zest.

Once the new shifters devoured the berries, they raised their glasses. Lysabel could see every shifter’s face lighten up, their eyes locked on the juice with warmth.

“Mine is beige.” Archelaus sighed in relief. Grinning at her, he asked, “What did you get?”

Pulse racing, Lysabel looked at the glass she was holding once more. She flinched visibly, which replaced the grin on his face with a frown.

“Lys?” he called, stepping closer to her.

When she finally raised her eyes to look at him, Archelaus felt a boulder crushing his sternum.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she replied, “ It’s colorless.”