The room was silent except for the faint sound coming from the burning candles Calandra had placed around the circle on the floor. Their flames were flickering without wind, glowing in colors I had never seen fire glow before—blue, green, and a strange silver that reminded me of my own eyes. The air was thick, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
The witch stood in front of me, tall and still, her hood falling back to reveal sharp cheekbones and pale lips. Her eyes looked like dark glass, unreadable. When she spoke, her voice was low but clear.
"You've been marked by the Alpha," she said again. "And not with an ordinary mark. This one carries power—power that does not belong to a breeding mate."
I blinked at her, my fingers curling against my thighs. "I don't understand. He did mention something about power. He just…" I hesitated, my cheeks heating. "He just marked me."
