2/2
The Alpha’s Borrowed Luna
Chapter 187
Light pierced my eyelids, forcing me back to consciousness. Every cell in my body ached, as if I’d been broken apart and poorly reassembled. I tried to move and immediately regretted it as waves pain rippled through my limbs.
“Easy,” Kieran’s voice came from somewhere nearby. “You might need to sit for a while; you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
I forced my eyes open to find myself in his bedroom, tucked beneath thick blankets. Kieran sat in a chair beside the bed, dark circles beneath his eyes suggesting he hadn’t slept. The events at the witch hut came rushing back–the knife, the bite, the unbearable pain.
“What happened… did it work?” My
Kieran’s expression darkened. “No. It
ice sounded strange to my own ears, rough and strained.
dn’t work. You almost died back there.
The words hit me hard. All that pain, that risk–for nothing. I closed my eyes, fighting back the sudden burn of tears.
“But you survived; that is the most important thing,” he continued, his tone gentler. “Your mother had been worried about you, and with you in my room, she thinks we were ‘busy‘ last night.”
Despite everything, heat crept into my cheeks at the implication. I shifted, trying to sit up, and Kieran moved quickly to help, arranging pillows behind me.
“You don’t have to get married to me; this didn’t go as planned. I would understand that.” His words were careful, measured.
Something in his tone broke through the fog of disappointment. I’d failed. Again. Failed to become stronger, failed to gain the power I needed to help those people, failed to become worthy of-
“Elowen, you are crying.”
I touched my cheek, surprised to find it wet. The tears had come without my permission, spilling silently down my face.
“They should have never put any faith in me; I just can’t seem to get anything right.” The bitterness in my voice surprised even me
“Elowen, listen to me.”
“No, I am tired of listening to you, okay?” The words poured out, fueled by pain and disappointment. “You told me I am different… well, not very unique now am I?”
I threw back the covers, ignoring the protest of my aching muscles. would never be good enough for anything, and maybe… maybe it is time I accept that.”
“Elowen,” Kieran said, his voice taking on a strange note.
“What?” I snapped, my patience gone.
“Your wings.”
I froze. “What did you say?”
“Your wings,” he repeated, pointing behind me.
I turned my head slowly, not daring to hope. There, extending from my shoulder blades, were a pair of wings–not black like Kieran’s, but a soft white–gray, nearly translucent in the morning light.
1/2
Chapter 187
I can’t believe this.” I reached back tentatively, my fingers brushing against feathers that were undeniably mine. The sensation was bizarre–I could feel my touch on the wings, could control their movement with thoughts I didn’t quite know how to form.
“It doesn’t make sense; she said it didn’t work, and she doesn’t make mistakes. Kieran moved closer, examining the wings with a mixture of awe and confusion.
“Maybe… it took some time to hit off,” I suggested, extending one wing experimentally. It unfurled with surprising grace, spanning nearly the width of the room.
A knock at the door startled us both. I instinctively pulled the wings tight against my back, but knocked a vase from the nightstand in the process. It shattered with a crash that seemed impossibly loud
“Kieran?” My mother’s voice came through the door. “I was wondering if Elowen is awake; I would really love to see her.”
Panic surged through me. My mother couldn’t see this–couldn’t know what I’d done. She’d be terrified, would never understand.
“Mom, you can’t come in…” I called out, my mind racing for an excuse. “I’m completely naked. The words came out in a rush, and I caught Kieran’s raised eyebrow. “I am also very sore and very tired; I will be back… when I can feel my legs.
There was a telling pause from the other side of the door. “Oh, my mother finally said, her voice thick with embarrassment. “I would leave you to that then.”
Another pause, and then: “Take it easy on her, okay,” she added, clearly addressing Kieran.
We waited in tense silence until her footsteps faded down the hallway.
“Well, that was…” Kieran began, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Don’t say it. Don’t even utter a single word; else I would murder you right here.” I buried my face in my hands, mortified. “Now would you help me get rid of these wings?”
“Since you asked very nicely. Yes,” he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching. “The first thing you need to know is that it’s all about control. Think of them as an extension of your arms. Your mind controls them, just like any other limb.
For the next days, Kieran worked with me tirelessly, teaching me to control the wings–how to extend and retract them completely without leaving any trace, how to move with them, and eventually, in secret late–night sessions in a remote clearing, how to fly. The first attempt sent me crashing face–first into the dirt, but by the third night, I was soaring above the treetops, the sensation more exhilarating than anything I’d ever experienced.
I avoided my mother during this time, making excuses about spending time with Kieran. We were always together, so technically it wasn’t a lie, but I still felt bad about deceiving her.
On the fourth day, Commander Gabriel called us to a small meeting room I hadn’t been in before. Maps covered one wall, marked with symbols I didn’t recognize. A plan was taking shape, one I wasn’t sure I liked.
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